Food & Drink

It’s possible that the supermarket concept evolved during the Great Depression. “Pile high, sell low” was the strategy of King Kullen, a famous New York grocer during the 1930s. Since that time, supermarkets have merged within our contemporary economy where they have been been both popularised and demonised. From the perspective of many consumers, supermarkets provide an essential vehicle for reliable convenience and access to organic groceries and fresh produce. Alternatively, there are traditionalists who fear the influence of large organisations and the pressures of economic rationalisation which may be exerted within the general agricultural and organic agricultural sectors. A fundamental complaint against established...

Obesity is already a major problem in much of the Western world. And with levels of morbid obesity predicted to increase ten-fold within the next twenty years, many health professionals are calling for something to be done now to address the problem. One of the culprits fueling high obesity levels is the inclusion of trans fat in many of the foods we commonly eat. What are trans fats? According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil – a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats”. Where are they found? Trans fats are a key ingredient in processed foods such as margarine, biscuits, crisps,...

Over recent years there has been a steady increase in the availability of specialty drinks containing organically certified ingredients. For the sake of descriptive accuracy, specialty drinks can be categorised according to their distinctive properties and their targeted market. The first group are the manufactured drinks associated with therapeutic health benefits. The primary consumers of therapeutic drinks are health conscious individuals between thirty and fifty five years of age. When interviewed, the majority of consumers claim to select these products based on a combination of current scientific evidence, the recommendation of health professionals, and advertising claims. The most popular products are those containing antioxidant compounds...

Soybeans contain higher amounts of protein and fat than similar plant based foods. They contain many of the essential amino acids along with B group vitamins and minerals. Soybeans are also a rich source of isoflavones and phyto oestrogens, the natural plant hormones which are now believed to protect the body against certain forms of cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. They have been cultivated as an important food source in China, Japan, and Korea for thousands of years. In Japan today, soybean products are still used in preference to most animal sourced dairy items. As part of their traditional approach to food, the Japanese have developed very precise and accurate techniques for evaluating the quality of soybeans. Until recently, the...

Today, there are an incredible variety of organic cheese products available from almost every region of the world. Frequently named as one of the most basic and historically ancient foods, cheese continues to distinguish itself with the ongoing popularity of five traditional varieties. The big five include fetta, mozzarella, Parmesan, Swiss and cheddar. Visit your nearest continental delicatessen and ask the proprietor about cheese sales. Whether you live in New York, London, or Sydney, the big five will represent around seventy percent of total cheese sales. Each of the big five varieties is produced in extremely large volumes every year with vast differences in quality between the premium and average grades of cheese. There are of course...