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Food, a question of quality
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It is difficult to guarantee the quality of a consumer product. However, consumers must be protected against contaminated foods. Furthermore, safeguard measures must be set up to cope with emergency situations in the food sector and to reinforce controls on foods. Consequently, new technologies have been set up to improve food quality and to favour more balances foods.
The European Union is the world's number one producer and exporter of agricultural products.
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These goods account for around 17% of its industrial output, from farming to processing
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and distribution.
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A major European industry for a huge, varied, and open internal market.
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But we Europeans just might wonder how we can be certain of the quality of what ends
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up in our plate.
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Because the quality of food has crucial repercussions on our health.
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As part of its fifth Research and Technological Development Framework program, the European
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Commission is working to answer that question.
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It has developed a program called Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources.
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One of the six key actions of this program concerns food, nutrition, and health.
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Among the many projects given support every year, the following are just a few examples
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testifying to the excellence of European research in this field.
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In the first area of our key action, we have the area of raw materials and new food technologies.
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And what we're really looking for there is how can we improve raw materials, how can
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we introduce new technologies into food processing, technologies which are used in other industries.
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And then we have technologies typically of the food area, like the dairy area, like
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meat technologies, like fruit and vegetable technologies, and even wine and beverages
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technologies.
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We're in the heart of France in Auvergne.
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INRA, the National Agronomy Research Institute, is one of the seven partners who participated
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in a research project on meat quality.
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Among the quality characteristics of meat, which are the juiciness, the appearance, the
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color, the flavor, it is tenderness which is considered the most important quality by
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the consumer and which unfortunately is the quality that presents the greatest variability
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not mastered by the industry.
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There's no guarantee of quality for consumers because it's technically difficult to predict
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the quality of meat, particularly of beef.
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This project was developed to give the industry tools to measure the tenderness of meat and
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to boost its competitiveness on the global market.
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One of the criteria of carrying out these type of projects is that it's of a pre-competitive
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nature.
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That is, that a group of scientists working with industry develops the know-how underpinning
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of the science behind the technologies so that at the end of the project we hope to
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transfer this know-how, data and technologies for use by industry for them to develop particular
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products and commercialize the results.
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The researchers sought to identify the physical and chemical markers that make it possible
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to predict the potential tenderness of meat immediately after slaughter.
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The originality of the project was the use of innovative image analysis technologies
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for the meat sector, such as ultrasound and nuclear magnetic resonance.
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One of the problems with meat quality is that it comprises of many components.
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So in order to develop these tools, it's very important that a multidisciplinary approach
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is taken.
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Therefore, this type of project is a good example of whereby we needed trans-European
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partnership.
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These included, for instance, an anti-cancer hospital.
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These have skills in the area of looking for cancer markers in blood tissues and in organs.
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We used their technology to do a similar type of work.
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Instead of anti-cancer markers, they're looking for meat quality markers.
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The studies were validated through sensory tests conducted by panels of amateurs and
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professionals.
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The research resulted in the development of immunochemical and infrared tests, which,
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once perfected, will be able to be used by industry to control and reliably predict the
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quality of meat before it's placed on the market.
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Such a tool should help industry to restore consumer confidence and become competitive
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again.
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So, if we think about the different diets across Europe and we compare, for example,
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the Mediterranean area of Europe as against Northern Europe, there's quite a difference
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in diets.
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And part of our research is looking at how do we improve the foods for a better diet
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and for better nutrition for our consumers in Europe.
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So we're looking at a range of products, fruits, vegetables, for example, and we're
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also looking at how do we improve the nutrition of our consumers in Europe.
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So we're looking at a range of products, fruits, vegetables, for example,
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even beverages, and we're looking at what is the effect of these in the diet
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and ultimately in giving a better nutrition and a better quality of life
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to people in Europe.
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One of the customers of this morning market in Norwich, England,
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a woman scientist has a question...
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One of the customers of this morning market in Norwich, England,
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a woman scientist has been studying for years the nutrients
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contained in fruit and vegetables and their role in certain illnesses,
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such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
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The theory is that fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidant compounds
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that protect our cells and tissues against the ravages of living
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in a world full of oxygen, oxidative damage, free radical damage.
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Now, we're particularly interested in a group of compounds,
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the carotenoids, which are antioxidants and are found in fruits and vegetables.
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For example, lycopene in the tomato,
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beta-carotene in carrots,
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lutein in yellow-green vegetables like broccoli,
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and beta-cryptoxanthin in oranges and mandarins.
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The Institute of Food Research in Norwich coordinated this project
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in which eight European research centers, universities and hospitals took part.
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To study the potential benefits of these carotenoids,
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the researchers analyzed samples of blood plasma
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taken from adult volunteers in northern and southern Europe.
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The volunteers had either been placed on a diet of fruit and vegetables
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or been given carotenoid supplements.
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The researchers wanted to study the role of these nutrients
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on certain proteins present in the organism, LDLs,
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also known as bad cholesterol.
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The oxidation of LDLs is one of the causes of arteriosclerosis.
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We found that 16 weeks of supplementation with isolated carotenoids
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did not influence the susceptibility of the resistance of LDL to oxidation,
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but just two weeks of increased fruit and vegetable intake,
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carotenoid-rich fruit and vegetable intake,
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significantly increased the resistance of LDL to oxidation.
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The scientists also studied the oxidation of DNA,
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the carrier of our genetic information,
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because damage to DNA can lead to the development of cancers.
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Again we found that 16 weeks of supplementation with carotenoids
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did not influence the number of oxidized sites within DNA,
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but we did find a significant correlation
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between the levels of carotenoid in serum
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and DNA damage in white blood cells,
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in that the higher the serum carotenoid concentration,
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the lower the amount of oxidized damage we found in the DNA.
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This research clearly demonstrated
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that health does not necessarily come from a bottle or box of pills
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and that eating fruit and vegetables
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is the best way to protect oneself from cancer and cardiovascular disease.
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So the area of food safety is obviously very important in Europe.
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When we think about recent problems we've had in Europe with food safety,
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for example E. coli, dioxin, the mad cow outbreak.
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So in this area we're covering a number of issues in food safety,
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such as microbes in food, for example, particularly new pathogens,
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but also aspects of residues in foods,
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particularly residues of chemicals, hormones, etc., in foodstuffs.
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We're also looking at tests,
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how to develop rapid tests to detect these things in foods.
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And finally we're looking at new approaches to risk assessment,
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where we try to measure what is the risk in food
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and how do we come up with legislation towards risk assessment.
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We're at the National Food Centre in Dublin.
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This research centre is one of the 31 partners
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that participated in a project
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on one of the most dangerous food-borne bacteria
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which appeared in Europe in the 80s,
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verocytotoxin-producing E. coli, code number 0157H7.
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E. coli 0157 is seen as a very serious public health issue by the EU
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and in 1998 they commissioned a three-year programme
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to coordinate all of the ongoing research around Europe on E. coli 0157.
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The idea is to bring together all the different research elements
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from the veterinary aspects, the food industry aspects
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and the clinical aspects,
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and to bring them all together into one forum
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whereby both the researchers can be updated
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on the latest developments in the research findings
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and to also allow us to identify very rapidly
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where the new research should be directed.
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Livestock are the principal source of E. coli 0157.
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Living in the intestine, E. coli starts to reproduce in the animal faeces
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and then comes into contact with their skin.
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Contamination can then occur at the time of slaughter.
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The bacteria on the animal skin are transferred to carcasses in slaughterhouses.
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If precautions are not taken,
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the germs end up one day in the consumer's plate.
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There are several things happening in Europe on E. coli.
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One is the concerted action on E. coli 0157
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where we're coordinating all the research,
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which is a very important thing because this is a problem for us all.
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So it would be ridiculous for Ireland to worry about it on our own.
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The British, the French, the Germans, the Swedes,
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everybody has to worry about this.
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And while it may not be a problem in your country today,
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it will be tomorrow with the single market and the free movement of goods.
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So nobody can be complacent.
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To counter the danger of contamination by E. coli,
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the European partners sought to develop methods to isolate,
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detect and identify it.
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It's essential to improve our knowledge of this bacteria
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and to develop means of control to protect consumers.
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So research is ongoing.
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There is a lot of excellent being worked on,
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particularly in the European community.
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And it's important that this work continues abreast
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in order for us as clinicians and as laboratory medical personnel
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to help and improve the prevention and management
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of this infection within our patients.
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As you go to join your comrades...
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The research partners chose to emphasise prevention.
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They produced educational films for young people
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and published information for consumers,
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microbiologists and food professionals throughout Europe.
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A very important aspect of this project
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is not only that there is dissemination of the information
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on E. coli between the researchers,
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but also that that information gets to the end users
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of the information, particularly in the food industry.
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The meat industry in Europe
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is increasingly receptive to this message.
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Strict hygiene conditions during production
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and regular tests to detect the presence of dangerous bacteria
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are measures that are part of a comprehensive strategy,
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from farm to plate,
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for protecting consumers from food poisoning.
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In the area of the role of food in promoting and sustaining health,
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here we bring together research from a number of different areas,
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from the medical area, from food nutrition,
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from food quality and food technologies.
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And what we're looking at is the role of food in nutrition,
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role of food in promoting and sustaining health,
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and you will see in this area we're also looking at new food products.
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For the last few years, unusual dairy products
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have been appearing in housewives' shopping baskets,
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such as yoghurt enriched with what are being called probiotic bacteria.
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Are these bacteria the food of the future,
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medicines, or a magic potion?
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Working with eight partners, the Technical Research Centre in Helsinki
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set out to determine the facts.
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The probiotic markets are very hot now.
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You can find probiotic products everywhere
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in the TV commercials in every single country almost,
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different images for consumers to buy probiotic products,
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but where is the scientific data?
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It's mainly competition between the industries
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and it's up to industries and their morality
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how they do the science behind it.
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So it was very important to establish a group with scientists,
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with the industry, together with the industry,
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to really demonstrate what is this data behind this
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and do it together.
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Known as Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Acidus, GG, or Bifidobacterium,
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these bacteria ingested live
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can survive in the intestines and exert a positive influence.
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The research consisted of selecting and checking
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the preventive and therapeutic qualities of these bacteria.
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Industrial companies like Finland's Valeo
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contributed their technological know-how in the production of bacteria
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and conducted tests in their own laboratories.
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It's important to do research together
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with international research groups
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because then we have good knowledge available
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and also the research is more reliable
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when the researchers are not in the service of the industry
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but are independent.
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The research demonstrated that a distinction needs to be made
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between probiotic medicines and yogurt
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to which these bacteria have simply been added.
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But the findings validated in clinical tests
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clearly showed that these bacteria do have therapeutic effects
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on certain illnesses.
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I think also very strongly
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that European cooperation is needed
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because the research is very multidisciplinary
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and you can never find the sources
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in one single country
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and therefore the beauty of this project
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was the European dimensions and the expertise
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that you can find within European communities.
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These research projects are bringing together
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European experts in food, nutrition and health.
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By promoting cooperation between the public and private sectors
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the European Commission is helping to protect consumers' health
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improve their quality of life
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and make Europe more competitive on the global food market.
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www.europa.eu
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www.europa.eu
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www.europa.eu
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www.europa.eu
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- Idioma/s:
- Niveles educativos:
- ▼ Mostrar / ocultar niveles
- Nivel Intermedio
- Autor/es:
- The European Union
- Subido por:
- EducaMadrid
- Licencia:
- Reconocimiento - No comercial - Sin obra derivada
- Visualizaciones:
- 1252
- Fecha:
- 28 de junio de 2007 - 17:34
- Visibilidad:
- Público
- Enlace Relacionado:
- European Commission
- Duración:
- 17′ 35″
- Relación de aspecto:
- 4:3 Hasta 2009 fue el estándar utilizado en la televisión PAL; muchas pantallas de ordenador y televisores usan este estándar, erróneamente llamado cuadrado, cuando en la realidad es rectangular o wide.
- Resolución:
- 320x240 píxeles
- Tamaño:
- 68.58 MBytes
