CR Foodservice: Food Trends

CR foodservice summer edition 2013

this edition

food trends

Introduction

Contents Sides 4

Event:

CR showcase value

9

Unilever:

Win a Larousse Gastronomique

14 Karen Abbey:

Trend influencers

18 Recipe:

Potato, asparagus and almond salad

Partner Features

6

Nestle: Accessible Packaging

8

Bidvest:

Ease of use and accessibility

10 Heinz:

Dining experience for the future

11

Ingham: Gluten free satisfies more customers

12 SPC Ardmona:

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Trends to save time and money Simplot: Trend on beans

16

Fonterra:

Innovation in Foodservice

18

Sanitarium: Digestive Health

Introduction

Introduction I’m pleased to present our summer 2013, CR Foodservice magazine, with the key theme Food Trends.

We have themed this quarterly magazine around what our Preferred Partners are doing to drive and deliver the changes in food trends. These trends are driven by innovation, food sustainability challenges, food availability, fit for purpose, ease of packaging, Member trends and demands and industry ability to support change.

We have some insightful articles from our Preferred

Partners, who challenge us to ensure we are aware of how the food supply chain (including growing and manufacture, distribution and packaging) makes a significant impact on the meals and foods we deliver to our residents and diners.

There are also thought provoking articles which highlights the impact different food trends will have on our future food supply chains.

With the festive season fast approaching we thank you for your support this year and wish you and all our Members,

Mark Osborne

families and friends a wonderful and enjoyable break.

Best of luck with winning the Larousse Gastronomique.

your chance to win Best wishes,

Mark Osborne Foodservice Manager

Contact CR on info@ cr.org.au for unbiased analysis of your current foodservice agreements and implementation recommendations.

To launch the new KNORR Pureed Spices range, we have the chance for you to win a Larousse Gastronomique!

Simply click here and go into the draw.

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Event

CR showcases value CR and our Preferred Partners, Nestlé, Bidvest, Lion and Goodman Fielder, hosted a “Cook off” on 12 September 2013 at the Nestle Rhodes, NSW complex.

The event was targeted at Senior Managers, Procurement Specialists and Finance Managers. We utilised the hands on approach to demonstrate and give context to how it all works. This emphasised for the business how the products help chefs and the kitchen i.e. showing time reduction, increased safety standards and portion control.

The Members that joined us for this event were Wayside Chapel, Twilight Aged Care, New Horizons Aged Care and Marian Nursing Home.

The day started with a welcome from Mark Osborne, our CR Foodservice Manager, to introduce the day, the run sheet of activities, and our key Preferred Partners which supported the day - Nestlé, Goodman Fielder, Lion and Bidvest.

Nestle’s Executive Chef, Mark Clayton then took the lead and explained we need to get into groups and commence the Cook Off. It was at this point that the competitive “Master Chefs” all quickly began to display their competitive traits!

The morning was themed to provide an intimate function, where our Members could interact with CR and our Preferred Partners. This was to showcase the skills and additional value that can be given to our Members.

We used ingredients supplied by our Preferred Partners to

create menus from the Aged Care, Education and Hospital sectors. It was through these menus our Preferred Partners emphasised additional features and benefits they can bring to our Members.

The conversations covered facets from foodservice trends through to the issues facing Members, including diabetes and intolerances.

Our Preferred Partners shared initiatives they are working on and came away with further actions and areas where they can look to provide more support.

As the latent cooking skills were displayed, the entree, main and decadent desert creations showed the flair of the teams, plus the innovative ways a supplier ingredient can be enhanced to the end product.

The judging panel were keen to award the best meal to the desert team! Well done to the tasty creations and the talented want-to-be chefs. It was generally agreed all meals were winners.

Thank you to all the Members and Preferred Partners for their time and enthusiasm in making this a great day. And a special thank you to Nestle

Event

CR identifies food trends for provding the test kitchen and for showcasing some new product innovations for our industry.

“I would like to pass on my congratulations to CR, for organising an exceptional Cook Off on 12 September.

Along with the generosity of Nestle in providing a great learning environment in their test kitchen. Staff from CR and Nestle were a great source of new information to assist our sector provide great tasting, beautifully presented, simple meals to our vulnerable population. Cindy and I enjoyed the opportunity; spoke about how we could implement some changes to our menu on our drive home to our facility.

It was a great, new and valuable experience, as well as lots of fun.

Thank you Mark, Julie, (CR) and staff from Nestle.” – Therese Petrie- Marian Nursing Home “It was a great feeling to be led through an interactive learning process by so many interesting presenters. What I learnt will benefit our disadvantaged visitors and open up opportunities for ongoing discussions that may lead to new product development especially tailored to our field.

It was fun and it was useful too. I have had several

discussions today with our low cost café staff and look forward to implementing some of the ideas presented.”- Wendy Suma Manager Wayside Chapel.

We plan to host further Foodservice educational and information sharing events across Australia in the New Year.

This is already underway for our Members in NSW and save the date of 20 February 2014 for a breakfast forum.

Register your interest now in joining us, specify your location and you’ll have the first opportunity to secure your spot: CLICK HERE.

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Partner Feature

Nestlé: Arthritis Australia

With statistics showing our population is aging rapidly, food accessibility is becoming an increasing issue.

Accessibility is about people of all ages being able to retain their dignity and independence by being able to open packaging and read the label without assistance. Upper body strength and dexterity declines from age 50, plus, Arthritis Australia estimates seven million or one in three Australians will be affected by arthritis by 2050. Nestlé has responded to this growing need by partnering with Arthritis Australia to address its packaging accessibly.

Nestlé asked Arthritis Australia to come and explain the

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issues facing people with arthritis. One of the Arthritis Australia representatives did a demonstration for them on how she faces daily challenges trying to open packaging. It certainly hit home as they watched her use scissors, knives and teeth to open every day packaging. That conference signalled the start of their relationship with Arthritis Australia and working towards designing better packaging.

State health authorities like NSW Health and retailers like Woolworths have made similar commitments, however the first organisation in Australia to embark on this path was Nestlé Oceania in 2009.

The Australian Packaging Covenant, an agreement between government, industry and community groups to find and fund sustainable packaging solutions, has included accessibility into its Sustainable Packaging Guidelines and businesses are starting to understand how packaging impacts the ageing population and doing something about it.

Nestlé have improved the packaging design of many of their products such as the Nescafé Gold range and International Roast Coffee sticks so that they are easier to open. “I adore your new jar design. For people like me with arthritis in my hands I

Partner Feature

Nestlé: accessible packaging can open and close these jars without pain. I can now indulge myself without needing to psych myself up and wincing in pain. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

The partnership has also led to the development of the Initial Scientific Review in collaboration with Arthritis Australia, NSW Health and Georgia Tech. By using the Initial Scientific Review Nestlé can identify problems, suggest ways to fix them and ultimately make an informed decision on the accessibility of their packaging.

One of the things Nestlé is most proud of is that Initial Scientific Review benefits the wider community, not just Nestlé.

The Initial Scientific Review has being used by Arthritis Australia to evaluate and improve the packaging of hundreds of products from over fifty companies both in Australia and internationally; many of these products are household names. The Initial Scientific Review has also being adopted by NSW Health to evaluate the food packaging of its suppliers, to help make food packaging easier to open for patients in hospitals. Other state health authorities and aged care facilities around the country are following the lead of NSW Health.

For more information contact CR Foodservice on info@cr.org.au

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Partner Feature

Bidvest: ease of use and accessibility The Australian population is ageing at an alarming rate as the baby boomer generation nears retirement. As a result of this, aged care facilities are experiencing an uplift in demand that is outstripping the available supply.

Rooms and beds aside, as aged care facilities grow in number and size, so does the demand for the products that are consumed by their occupants.

Aged care facilities have a strict set of guidelines to follow relating to all products consumed within their premises. Therefore, companies producing these must also adhere to them. Additionally, as well as compliance to product standards, more consideration is now being given to how the end user accesses the product, with a view to making it easier for them to do so.

A grading system was devised by the Georgia Tech Research

Institute in conjunction with Arthritis Australia to measure the ease of use and accessibility for consumers.

The Georgia Tech Research Institute is a global leader in applied research, development and accessibility evaluation while Arthritis Australia works on behalf of the 3.85million people living with arthritis.

the consumer to clearly identify the product they are consuming; ÆÆ The cereal products are designed to meet the NSW Nutritional Standards, and are all in 30g portions for consistency; and ÆÆ The product is not packaged in a cardboard box, which also contributes positively to the environment.

One company leading the way in this area with its breakfast cereals and biscuits is Eatwell Foods. Eatwell Foods have taken the next step in providing products that are not only packed with nutritional value, but that are also easy to open.

Grading criteria are as follows: ÆÆ The maximum +8 IRS rating which means 95% of the population find this task easy to perform; ÆÆ The product has easy to follow opening instructions, and already has a tear present to reduce the force of opening the bag; ÆÆ The product boasts a clear window in order for

For more information on the grading criteria or Eatwell cereals, please contact CR Foodservice on info@cr.org.au or visit the Eatwell Foods website at www.eatwellfoods.com.au

Partner Feature

Unilever: get fuller flavour, faster

Your foodservice operation can now get fuller flavour, faster with the instant release of spice.

The KNORR Professional Pureed Spices provide a fantastic way to add flavour and colour to dishes from around the world.

To launch the new KNORR Pureed Spices range, we have the chance for you to win a Larousse Gastronomique!

Simply click here and go into the draw.

Some key trends influencing the use of spices are: ÆÆ Food is generally becoming more intricate and with more gourmet and bolder flavours*; ÆÆ Chinese remains one of the most popular cuisines** and is well known for its strong flavours and aromatic spices; and ÆÆ Traditionally, Chefs see spices as a key ingredient in their kitchen. They use them to adjust or enhance flavour and add colour to their favourite dishes.

your chance to win

*Australian Foodservice Trends and Developments Report, BIS Shrapnel, November 2012 **Dining Out Data, BIS Shrapnel, May 2013.

For more information contact info@cr.org.au

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Partner Feature

Heinz: Dining Experience for the future As people age a number of changes occur which influence their ability to eat. As such, food preparation in the aged care industry differs from other commercial cooking. People’s ability to chew degrades over time affecting their ability to consume solids, most noticeably meats but vegetable and fruit consumption are also affected.

Despite this, one thing that doesn’t change is the importance of food for the resident. The meal occasion represents a major, regular social interaction amongst residents and is often a regular topic of conversation between meals. In addition, particular types of food may insight positive memories for residents.

When it comes to catering for residents, it is important to remember that this is a persons’ home. They should

not have to put up with substandard food quality or service. There are a number of ways in which cooks and catering staff can leverage the eating occasion to build and maintain a good quality of life for residents.

Offer a variety of choice that takes into account residents’ likes and dislikes. For example

include a number of different vegetable options in the bainmarie. Heinz has a range of Wattie’s Frozen Vegetables in 2kg and 5kg sizes including peas, beans, carrot and mixed vegetables.

As people age another change is deterioration of taste buds and sense of smell and naturally, they may not eat the same volume of food as they did 5-10 years earlier. Ensure that every mouthful counts by serving nutritionally dense foods that are high in protein, calcium and fibre. Heinz Baked Beanz are high in protein and fibre and offer are an ideal solution for a hot breakfast buffet.

On a final note, it is important to recognise the value of the communal dining room in the eating experience, particularly to facilitate socialisation with other residents and aide in creating a homely environment.

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For more information contact info@cr.org.au.

Partner Feature

Ingham: gluten free satisfies more customers One of the common food intolerances is to gluten – a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats, as well as ingredients derived from these grains.

Approximately 1 in 100 Australians are estimated to have coeliac disease – a permanent intestinal intolerance to dietary gluten.

With the diagnosis of coeliac disease on the rise in Australia, it makes good business sense to seek out gluten free products and ingredients, as these can be enjoyed by a larger number of customers.

And remember that if you DON’T offer gluten free meals you could be missing out on serving more people than you think. Suppose a party of six visitors come to your facilities for a meal. Perhaps only one of them is gluten intolerant – but if your menu doesn’t include a choice of tasty, attractively presented gluten free meals, you will lose the opportunity to welcome the entire group – six meals, not just one!

It’s because of the above that companies like Inghams, a premier poultry products supplier, at the forefront of the move towards offering gluten free products whenever possible.

Inghams now offers a range of gluten free value-added chicken products which have been developed with no compromise on flavour or quality.

Made from 100 per cent Australian chicken breast, these flavoursome gluten

free versions of traditional favourites make it easy for you to satisfy the needs of those customers requiring gluten free food.

Ingham Gluten Free Chicken Breast Tenders are versatile and packed full of flavour, making them ideal in gluten free wraps or rolls, or as a sliced salad ingredient. They can also be served as a tasty snack, with or without dipping sauce.

Ingham Gluten Free Chicken Breast Nuggets are equally suitable as a snack or as part of a main meal. These bite-sized, portion controlled nuggets are a cost-effective choice as well as a great favourite with customers everywhere.

Ingham Gluten Free Chicken Breast Schnitzel is made from prime quality 100 per cent Australian chicken breast and coated in a crispy golden crumb. They can be quickly cooked in the oven or deep fryer and present beautifully centre of plate.

All three products have been designed to be cost-effective gluten free menu choices that are quick and simple to prepare, making them ideal for any foodservice venue looking to expand its gluten free range so as to be able to satisfy more customers.

For more information contact info@cr.org.au

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Partner Feature

SPC Ardmona: trends to save time and money Ask any kitchen and you will find that the need to reduce costs is a key driver in any purchasing decisions. But costs are not just what you pay for the products you use. The cost of labour, poor quality, waste removal and health risks must all be factored into the equation. Put together, the situation for the kitchen is becoming more complex with the need to do more with less.

If we look to the USA, Europe and Asia there has been an ever increasing trend to source product that saves time and money in labour costs (food preparation), reduces wastage whilst meeting the required food safety and nutritional standards. This trend is now hitting the shores of Australia.

It began in our grocery retailers with bags of pre-cut lettuce, but is now expanding further into fruits and vegetables and moving from the grocery aisles into kitchens across Australia.

Pre-cut fruit and vegetables were initially thought of as convenience items, but are now seen to have benefits in the foodservice space.

Pre-cut fruit and vegetables reduce labour and wastage as the need to sort, wash, cut and peel product is eliminated, while the risks associated with contamination are reduced as less human interaction is required. With no reduction in the nutritional benefits, Fresh Cut product is now becoming a viable option for the kitchen.

With the support of the Victorian Government, SPC Ardmona has introduced patented ‘Fresh Appeal’

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Technology into Australia. This leading technology provides the highest levels of quality and food safety with fresh cut product. The process allows:

With this technology now available in Australia, the opportunity to expand on the limited choices currently available now seems endless.

1. Superior Quality Food Safety - 99% less microbial contamination at end of shelf life than competitive technologies 2. Superior ‘Bacteria Kill’ Step - UV light to eliminate pathogen contamination risk, washed in natural vitamins & minerals, no chlorine taste 3. Fruit Hibernation - Patented hot/cold bath to ‘hibernate’ fruit and halt ripening process and preserves fresh fruit quality 4. Extended Shelf Life Guaranteed quality after 21 days for Apples – where continually stored at 0-4 degrees.

5. Modified Atmosphere Packaging - ensures highest quality product.

Whether its portion control or bulk, sliced or halved, single varieties or mixed fruits and vegetables, Australian consumers and businesses can expect to move beyond bagged lettuce and cut apples into a much wider range of fruits and vegetables, as well as convenient packaged solutions that will aid the kitchen or end consumer.

With foodservice being a $40 billion industry, demand from this segment of the market will have a strong influence on which way suppliers choose to venture in their use of this innovative technology.

For more information contact info@cr.org.au

Expert

Karen Abbey: food trends current and beyond

Karen Abbey Foodservice Aged Care Specialist Dietitian (APD) Bachelor of Science, Honours in Human Nutrition, Graduate Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics, Masters in Health Science Management.

Trend according to the Macquarie dictionary is a general course, fashion or style. How does this relate to food? Food just like fashion changes with the times. Food trends are affected by the factors which influence our food supply. These include the information available, the ingredients within our food supply and the exposure we have to experience different foods. Travel and migration have been two of the biggest Breakfast

Scrambled eggs Poached eggs Bacon & eggs Spaghetti Baked beans

Morning and afternoon tea Assorted biscuits Crackers and cheese Scones and jam Pikelets Cake

influencers on our food trends.

As we explore the world people are influenced by different foods and cuisines and this changes the way in which they eat. Each generation will have some type of food which identifies the time in which they lived.

For Aged Care facilities the current trend of meat and three vegetables, with roast on Sunday and fish on Friday, is still very much part of menu

planning. In time this will change and residents who have had a wider experience of different foods will be the influencers. Research from the National Menu Survey into foods used in residential Aged Care menu planning are as follows and highlight some of the traditional food patterns as stated above.

The table below outlines the top five foods used in menu planning in Age Care menus:

Lunch

Lunch dessert

Soup

Hot entrĂŠe

Evening dessert

Roast lamb Crumbed fish Roast pork Roast Beef Roast chicken

Bread & butter pudding Trifle Apple crumble Pavlova Fruit salad & ice cream

Vegetables Pumpkin Tomato Pea & ham Beef & vegetable

Scrambled eggs Party pies Sausage rolls Savoury mince Baked beans

Fresh fruit Tinned fruit Yogurt Jelly & ice cream Custard & fruit

Expert

Karen Abbey: trend influencers In the last seventy years there has been a massive shift in the types of foods available, with diverse cultures coming to Australia and bringing different cuisines. Grocery shopping highlights the different meats, vegetables, fruit and even manufactured products, like sauces, spices and curry pastes available from other countries. This has translated into restaurants and food courts which offer an array of different foods. The trend is now where people are eating a mixture of cuisines and different foods. This could range from Weetbix in the morning, Japanese Sushi for lunch and an Indian curry for the evening meal.

Market research into consumer demands is one of the driving forces behind our food supply.

Supermarkets capture all sorts of purchasing data which is then used to determine the stock available to us on the shelves.

The gluten free food supply is a good example of market driven product development.

Thirty years ago you would have been lucky to find a gluten free product on the supermarket shelf and now when in the health food section, you have an arrangement of foods to choose from including cereals, bakery products and pasta. All food trends are driven by what the consumer wants to eat.

This statement is the same for planning a menu in an Aged Care facility. Menu planning follows the food trends which residents would like to eat. The

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food manufacturers respond by creating foods which are suitable to the Aged Care market.

Food trends in the future for Aged Care can be hard to predict. There will be a shift away from the meat and three vegetables however to what extent these menus will change is unknown. Already we are seeing multicultural menus and this poses some challenges in menu planning.

Menu trends will allow residents to influence what they would like to eat and an important part of this process is collecting the information from residents to inform menu planning.

It is interesting to see where food trends are already emerging: ÆÆ Flexitarian which is a quirky terms for those practising vegetarian and having the occasional meal of meat; ÆÆ Chickens will come into their own and there is a predication we will be looking at Heirloom chickens and comparing the variety and taste; ÆÆ Vegetables are going to play a more central role in meals; ÆÆ Ancient grains such as barley, millet, taro, quinoa, amaranth and spelt will be more in demand and we will experiment more in the use of cooking;

ÆÆ Pop up food restaurant found underground or on street locations will continue to grow; ÆÆ Ash the chard vegetables will be used to sprinkle over foods as a garnish; ÆÆ Online shopping for food will continue to grow; ÆÆ Looking for foods which have a reduced carbon footprint and foods grown more locally and are environmentally sensitive; and ÆÆ More co-operative markets and growing vegetables and other foods.

Following food trends improves our food variety and can provide exciting foods to explore. Aged Care is no different and it is often good to challenge residents to try different meals on menus. This will present either a hit or a miss and either way will create discussion and that’s what food is all about!

For more information visit www.nutcat.com.au

Partner Feature

Simplot: trend on beans Summer attracts the trend to eat light and healthy, and of course do lots of outdoor activity. It also lets the depleting Vitamin D levels climb back up to healthy levels again.

A great summer menu needs to be light, easy to prepare and great for you nutritionally which makes the bean an ideal food trend.

Beans are emerging in many food trends and cuisines, through all meal periods including desserts.

These food trends include: ÆÆ a big push for authentic South American flavours;

ÆÆ grazing foods rather than complete meal; ÆÆ Asian flavours (particularly Korean and Vietnamese); and ÆÆ back to basics notion of comfort and home-style cooking.

Beans are great utilised in a range of dips, salads, vegetarian burgers, fritters, breakfast dishes, as well as most things Mexican!

Edgell’s range of beans, and shelf stable vegetables, provide ease and convenience with different pack sizes to suit various foodservice operations and are pre-soaked and cooked.

Beans are low in fat as well as high in dietary fibre, protein, Vitamin A and C. Simplot are continuously striving to provide products to the foodservice market that will reduce labour costs, address the industry skill shortage, and provide the end user with a point of difference.

For more information contact info@cr.org.au

Partner Feature

Fonterra: innovation in foodservice “I believe that the demand for quality will become greater and greater. Our food behaviour has not ceased to evolve and we will eat differently in twenty years... Just as we eat differently than our grandparents before us. To feed our contemporaries the chef must be on the lookout of everything that surrounds him!”

Alain Ducasse Foodservice is constantly innovating to meet the divergent demands of changing customer tastes and industry challenges.

Culture more than ever has a huge influence on food trends – driven by changes in communications, the latest celebrity, cuisine types and seasons. In Australia our multicultural diversity gives us the opportunity to create menus from all over the world with fresh and diverse ingredients at our fingertips.

The typical Australian diner has become more knowledgeable and is expecting choice and quality in dining. How an establishment answers that brief while maintaining profitability demands greater innovation in foodservice.

Within the industry, the modern kitchen is experiencing a trend towards significantly less staff than a decade ago and successful foodservice businesses view this challenge in terms of working smarter with limited time and resources. Foodservice outlets choose products that deliver convenience as well as quality, taste and performance – and

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developments in packaging and innovation have delivered these simple but effective benefits. Ingredients that take out the requirement for basic culinary preparation allows businesses to place greater focus on cooking and serving.

For example, the days of standing for 20 or 30 minutes every day before meal service time with a peeler and a block of parmesan making shaved parmesan have been replaced

by Perfect Italiano Shaved Parmesan.

Even the humble cream has undergone significant innovation with the introduction of Anchor Cooking Cream.

By simply providing an already reduced cream, removing the chef’s task of reducing the cream to the correct consistency provides a much quicker cook time and a continued reliability from dish-to-dish week in week out. The benefits of a reduced cream also provide greater yield compared to cost which makes sense in a time when the industry is experiencing some financial challenges. Its robustness at high heat means that it is versatile for a vast range of

dishes including sweet and savoury applications. Anchor Cooking Cream has shaken off the stigma of a UHT pack – offering a product that keeps longer, retains flavour, is easier to store and its compact size leads to less wastage.

Like the rest of the world, the Australian foodservice industry is experiencing the trend of smaller kitchens and the challenges of a shortage of skilled labour, by embracing innovation in products that are easier to manage and implement on a broad range of menus, will see an exciting future for Australian foodservice businesses.

FOODSERVICE Dairy for Today’s Professionals

For more information contact CR Foodservice on info@cr.org.au

Recipe

Sanitarium: potato, asparagus & almond salad Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes 400 g small new potatoes (chats), washed 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed 150 g green beans, trimmed 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp baby capers, rinsed and chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1â „4 cup lemon juice 1â „3 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped 2 tbsp finely chopped chives 50 g rocket or baby spinach leaves 2 tbsp slivered almonds (toasted) Per serve: 850kJ (205cal); Protein 6g; Total Fat 12g; Saturated Fat 1g; Carbohydrate 15g; Total Sugars 2g; Sodium 35mg; Potassium 845mg; Calcium 70mg; Iron 2.3mg; Fibre 4g.

1. Cook potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water for 12 minutes or until just tender. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside to cool.

Thickly slice potatoes.

2. Cook asparagus and beans in a frying pan of simmering water for 3 minutes or until just tender. Drain and refresh in cold water. Pat vegetables dry with paper towel. Dry the pan.

3. Heat oil in the frying pan over medium heat.

Add capers and garlic. Cook for 1 minute Remove from heat. Add lemon juice, parsley and chives.

4. Mix 3â „4 of the warm lemon dressing with hot potatoes, then add asparagus, beans and rocket or spinach. Serve on a large platter (or serving plates). Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and sprinkle with slivered almonds and serve. Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side dish.

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Partner Feature

Sanitarium: digestive health Digestive health has been a key trend in functional foods for a few years now and one of the key ingredients in many of these products are often prebiotics or probiotics. But what are they and what is their purpose?

Prebiotics and probiotics can have a positive effect on the bacteria, or gut flora, that resides in our digestive systems. In a nutshell, probiotics are live strains of good bacteria - including bifidobacteria and lactobacilli and prebiotics are nourishment

that this bacteria needs to stimulate growth.

More on probiotics‌ Many yoghurts are made with cultures from these bacteria, but only certain strains can be classified as being a probiotic, as the bacteria must reach the intestine without being digested - so it is available in sufficient numbers to influence the gut flora. There is substantial evidence that certain strains of bacteria are an effective treatment for diarrhoea. There is also some encouraging evidence starting

to emerge that shows certain probiotics may enhance the immune system, prevent and manage allergies and ease symptoms of Crohn’s disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

More on prebiotics‌ Inulin and oligofructose are two well-established prebiotics that are found naturally in foods including wheat, onion, bananas, asparagus, leek, garlic and chicory. They are increasingly being added to processed foods as a replacement for fat or sugar, to increase the dietary fibre and to stimulate the growth of healthy bifidobacteria.

Regular intake Current evidence suggests that a regular intake of prebiotics and probiotics will encourage a healthier gut flora and may lead to improved health.

And as with many areas of nutrition, teasing out all the health benefits will take time - especially because at this stage, only a small proportion of the total gut flora has been identified.

For more information contact CR Foodservice on info@cr.org.au

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The CR Foodservice eNewsletter is brought to you by CR - we are your first resource.

For more information about CR visit cr.org.au Telephone 1300 CHURCH (248 724) Email info@cr.org.au

CR would like to thank all our Foodservice Partners

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FOODSERVICES Dairy for Today’s Professionals we create the hard to make!

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