Why are we passionate about food science, technology, and culture? It’s the same reason we’re jazzed about empowering teams. Because we care about people and food. We help companies champion consumer safety, product quality, regulatory compliance, and brand integrity.
Enjoy this catalog of research, ideas, regulations, helpful safety information, #FoodMaps, and #FoodNerdTrivia.
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Food Nerd Trivia: Building Block
What substance am I? – Viscous: 0.001 Pa-s – Hygroscopic – Polarized molecules (like magnets to other identical molecules) – pH level 7 – 8 oz to a cup (both weight & volume) – Has physical, chemical, & biological concerns for food safety Answer: Dihydrogen Monoxide, H2O Or, just plain old (and marvelously wonderful) WATER. read more…
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Food Nerd Trivia: Guar Gum
What am I? Answer: Guar Gum Guar gum when swollen/dissolved in water changes the physical properties of the solution into a gel. has been used in the food industry for many purposes (thickening, stabilizing, coating, and to hold suspensions in place. It is a galactomannan polysaccharide extracted from guar beans. with uses in animal feed and across industrial sectors. Guar gum: processing, properties and food applications—A Review – PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3931889 “(Guar Gum creates a viscous colloidal dispersion when completely hydrated (a thixotropic rheological system). Dilute solution of less than 1% concentration of guar gum are less thixotropic than… read more…
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Food Nerd Trivia: Popcorn
Question in the form of a riddle: I may be small but am mighty. When I have between 11 and 20 % moisture, am heated to 356 °F (180 °C), with an internal pressure of 135 psi (930 kPa), I then undergo a gelatinization and vaporization reaction causing me to expand up to 50 times my original size. Basically, I’m pretty awesome and have adoring fans around the world. What am I? A: Popcorn The Pericarp is the outside shell consisting of two layers. The hard outer layer that gets stuck in our teeth is called testa. The… read more…
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Food Nerd Trivia: Cultural Bevarage
Question: What uses a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast and comprises three main types of fermentation: alcoholic, lactic, and acetic? A: Kombucha Kombucha is in a moment of viral fame. With some noted health benefits and a tangy natural effervescence, the kombucha fan club is growing rapidly. With many inspired home kombucha brewers out there, let’s spill the tea on what it actually is and any food safety hazards associated with it. What is it? Kombucha is tea and SCOBY. It’s as simple as that. SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast. Yeah, the acronym… read more…
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Food Maps: Thanksgiving
What’s on your Thanksgiving table? These maps display favorite Thanksgiving side dishes by state. We love Thanksgiving. It’s all about gratitude, family, friends, sharing, — and food.Some holiday spreads are simple and straightforward, some are meticulously prepared culinary triumphs, some have some many delicious comforts, only a spoonful of each dish will fit as a heaping mound onto the plate. No matter how you celebrate, we hope you & yours find ways to come together in happy memory-making, enjoy delicious food, and have a safe Holiday. Here are some food safety tips:1. Clean, clean, and sanitize (especially anywhere Turkey/meat juices… read more…
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Food Nerd Trivia: Joule
*** #FoodNerdTrivia *** Q: What energy is equivalent to 4.1868 joules, the heat energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of H2O by 1 K (or, 1°C)? Answer: calorie, Small calorie, or g-calorie, unit of energy equivalent to the heat energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 °C (now often defined as equal to 4.1868 joules). kJ ≈ 0.239 kcal. Calorie vs. calorieThe big calorie (1 Cal) indicates the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 1 degree Celsius (1°C).= 1 kcal 1 kcal = 1000… read more…