� UniversitY CAterer

The university of Edinburgh has become the first university in the UK to be awarded a Food for the Brain award. Food for the Brain is still very much in it’s infancy in both England and Scotland, and is a non-profit educational campaign, created by a group of nutritionists, doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, teachers and scientists to promote the link between nutrition and mental health.

Its specific mission is to promote awareness of the link between learning, behaviour, mental health and nutrition. To educate and provide educational material to children, parents, teachers, schools, universities, the public, health professionals, caterers and the government thereby promote mental health through optimum nutrition. The scheme also aims to develop independently evaluated, effective and adoptable ‘models’ of how society can act to promote mental health through nutrition.

Food For The Brain is now being rolled out to other institutions, specifically in Education and The University of Edinburgh is the first in Scotland and in the UK to achieve the award against very strict criteria. While the Healthy Living Awards are focused on

Healthy Eating, Food For the Brain is a more focused approach with the specific aim to improve mental ability and performance.

Good nutrition plays a crucial role in learning, by improving energy levels and concentration, as well as helping to boost memory and brain function. Educational institutions and businesses are now recognising the need to make nutritious meals and snacks available on-site in order to improve students’ and employees’ academic and professional performance.

The first step in working towards the award was an audit undertaken by The Russell Partnership Consultancy in May 2007. This Nutritional Audit provided a first hand assessment of The University of Edinburgh’s current catering operation by consultant nutritionist and chef, Fiona McDonald Joyce.

In order to achieve the award the University catering outlets must score on a range of criteria, including menu balance and ingredient selection, and achieve 75%. The initial audit scored 60% which according to the consultants who carried out the audit was very high for the higher education sector. The review audit was undertaken in late

September 2007, and the University were successful in achieving the Award, and an overall re-assessment score of 82 per cent. The assosros commented: “Edinburgh has put other universities to shame with the speed at which it has implemented changes.” This has firmly put the University on the map of Healthy Eating as the First University in the UK to have taken issues of nutrition head on and under the scrutiny of external assessment.

Brain food at Edinburgh

Bone Wins Outstanding Service AwardWhen TUCO set up a group to consider national procurement, Alan Bone - University Catering and Retail Manager, was one of the original group at the first meeting in 2000. He played a key role in the work which led to the formal establishment of TUCO’s National Purchasing Group (NPG), and the tender process to appoint CEL as the contract manager. In his position of Vice-Chair of the NPG, he took on the role of line manager to CEL, and fulfilled a critical role in working with CEL to ensure it understood both the contract and TUCO’s requirements as we moved to expand national procurement for TUCO members. At the outset, turnover through TUCO’s national agreements was approximately £16 millon; by July 2007 this had increased

to £37 million and a great deal of this success arises from the solid foundations Alan helped to build and on which TUCO continue to grow.The presentation was made at the end of the TUCO AGM at Sheffield University on Thursday 26th July. The Quaich was presented to TUCO by George Donaldson.The Quaich is presented annually by the incumbent President to a person who is considered to have given outstanding service to the organisation. Phill Vergnano, Director, Accommodation Services comments: “This is a magnificent achievement and recognises the tremendous work Alan has done for the University sector while holding down a very busy post here. Sincere congratulations to Alan for this accolade.’

Alan Bone and his award.

8-12.News.kh.indd 8 10/10/07 17:33:15

NEWS

UNIvERSITY CATERER �

Kicking off the new academic year in rude health, Birmingham University has launched it’s GO Healthy outlet. This is the fifth extension of the university’s GO brand and specialises in smoothies, yoggies and boosters.

This is testiment to the current popularity of healthy eating and adds further weight to claims that students are spending less money in the bar because they’re spending more on smoothies. All of Birmingham’s other outlets sell healthy products but Go Healthy is unique in that its stock is exclusively healthy.

Furthermore it’s proving very popular with students, who can’t get enough of bespoke smoothies and prepared in front of them. The sales speak for themselves. Takings in the first month were £1000.00, nearly 20 per cent over last years figures.

This is a remarkable achievement and Catering Manager Louise Robinson is delighted with the results and pleased with the slick presentation of the new environment.

Healthy tradeIt’s official, cheese on toast is the nation’s most tempting snack. In a new scientific study released today by Cathedral City, cheese on toast was found to be the only food which triggered an increased desire amongst respondents after being ‘teased’ during tests – proving it is the ‘king of snacks’.

In order to work out why we are all so tempted by cheese on toast, compared to chocolate, the study investigated the science behind food temptation, measuring people’s heart rate, salivation and skin arousal levels by using a specially-constructed portable amplifier.Once you’ve been teased by cheese, there’s no going back! Dr. Harry Witchel of Bristol University, who carried out the research, comments: “The most significant result was that people’s desire for cheese on toast increased significantly at the end of the experiment, after they had been teased by the taste, smell, sound and sight of hot bubbling cheese on toast. Interestingly this was not true for chocolate, or any other snack.” Men and women both misread their bodies’ desires. During this study neither sex could recognise what their bodies really wanted when asked whether they were more

tempted by cheese on toast or chocolate. Women categorically said they were most tempted by chocolate, however when their bodies’ responses were tested, they were actually significantly more tempted by cheese on toast. Research published earlier this year backs up the results of this study. Interestingly, when asked, men say cheese on toast is their favourite snack when, in reality, their senses are actually more aroused by chocolate!

Dr Harry Witchel comments: “There is the possibility that respondents misread their cravings due to chocolate being perceived socially as a more feminine food. The discrepancy can be explained by women having a social desire to appear more feminine by claiming to prefer more feminine food.”

Tempt them with cheese

Organisers of the inaugural Real Food Festival, taking place in Earls court between 24 and 27 April, today

announced Whole Foods Market as one of the major sustainers of the four-day event.

Philip Lowery, Festival Director comments: “We are delighted to have Whole Foods Market on board. Our model of subsidising small producers means that it is crucial we have the support of businesses like Whole Foods Market to enable this to happen. The Real Food Festival is all about discovery and we believe that the support of Whole Foods Market will also help reinforce our message of the importance of ethical food sourcing and provenance.”

The first of its kind in the UK, the Real Food Festival has a ground-breaking format based around provenance, sustainability and the subsidy of selected producers who will be invited to exhibit by a Selection Committee. Exhibitors will have a unique opportunity to interact directly with the trade and public. Inspired by the Slow Food movement, the event celebrates good, clean and fair food and endeavours to bring producers and consumers together.

For more information on the event, visit: www.realfoodfestival.co.uk

Real Food Festival

8-12.News.kh.indd 9 10/10/07 17:33:19

10 UniversitY CAterer

New Products☛ Keep warm this winter with these new Taste of Home hot pots from Heinz. www.heinzfoodservice.co.uk

☛ Kettle crisps launch new flavours. www.kettlefoods.com

☛ Rollover has invested in a major marketing campaign for its hot dogs. www.rollover-uk.com

☛The new Big Squeeze Fresh Juice Co comeswith a twist. Find out what at:www.twistedjuice.org

☛ Huhtamaki has the perfect packaging for your winter cuisine (pictured). www.huhtamaki.com

☛ See the new Designline BMC1 Heated Carving Unit from CED.www.cedfabsltd.co.uk

Agriculture suffers again British agriculture suffered another blow last month, when cattle in Suffolk were confirmed to have Bluetongue disease.

Bluetongue is a very different infection to Foot and Mouth Disease and the strategy to control it is therefore also different. The outbreak was confirmed on 1 October and a number of cattle were killed to contain the disease, although early reports indicate that it’s spreading south towards Essex.

Bluetongue is a disease of animals and does not affect humans. This is a disease of ruminants, including sheep, cattle, deer, camelids and goats. It is transmitted by the movement of midges or by movements of infected animals if they are subsequently bitten by midges.

This is the first time Bluetongue virus has been recorded in the UK. National Farmers’ Union President Peter Kendall said: “Although this is bad news Bluetongue is not as serious or contagious as Foot and Mouth. Bluetongue has been present in Northern Europe for months so this case is not unexpected and contingency plans are in place. Our key concern at the moment remains the eradication of Foot and Mouth and the freeing up of movement restrictions.”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Environment Secretary Hilary Benn would be consulting the farming industry over coming days on the financial implications of the Bluetongue outbreak and would look at what actions the European Commission could take to help.

The NFU welcomed this statement as encouraging, as it is: “the first firm indication we have had that the Government is prepared to respond positively to the case we have been putting to them for a package of measures to assist the industry’s recovery.” www.nfuonline.com

British agriculture is facing yet another

set back.

RISE IN MUSLIM STUDENTS: There are now around 90,000 Muslim students at universities in the UK, which has led to a change in university catering across the country. Halal food is more important than ever. Find out more at the world food market. www.wfm.com

8-12.News.kh.indd 10 10/10/07 17:33:23

Th e fall in uptake of school meals reported by Ofsted is not an excuse

to put junk food back on the menu, claims the Soil Association. It should prompt a new focus in schools on practical food education and a commitment to work with young people and their parents to develop new healthier menus which children will enjoy.

Getting schools, caterers, children and their families working together is at the heart of the new £17-million Lottery funded Food for Life Partnership led by the Soil Association, which aims to transform school meals by 2011 in over 3600 schools.

Emma Noble, Director of the Food

for Life Partnership, said: “Reasons why things go wrong include a lack of consultation with children and parents over the content of menus, the quality of dining environments, and the length of lunchtime queues.

Ofsted found some excellent examples where schools and caterers have worked in partnership with children and their families to improve school meals and encourage children to stay for school lunch.”

Th e standard of school lunches today aff ects the sort of food that tomorrow’s students expect from their catering. Universities will need to continually improve their services in order to keep in line with students’ expectations.www.soilassociation.org

NEWS

UNIvERSITY CATERER 11

Thank you for your calls and emails following the october column on adventures in Peru. In response, and in a break from pure nutrition, I dedicate this months thoughts to the Peruvian cuisine I was exposed to.

walking through the markets, they are ablaze with colour. No wonder, as of the 117 eco-systems in the world 84 are found in Peru. The country’s geography creates a marked contrast in cuisine styles from the Pacifi c ocean to the andes Mountains and sierra to the amazon forest.

cultural infl uences have an impact and Peruvian food is a combination of native and spanish cultures. This can be seen in the classic dish call aji de Gallina – chicken in a chilli pepper sauce in which the yellow potato – a variety unique to Peru and Mirasol or yellow chillies are combined with a sauce made of bread soaked in milk, ground walnuts and shredded chicken.

Potatoes, corn and chilli pepper are the dominant ingredients in native cooking. Potatoes dominate most stews and typical dishes such as ajiaco (chilli pepper casserole), causa (a cold dish of seasoned mashed yellow potato, papa rellena (mash with spiced ground meat). There are over 300 varieties of potatoes to be found in this ecologic environment.

corn plays its part with dishes such as tamales, a paste made from ground dried corn mixed with spices and wrapped in banana leaves and steam cooked. chilli peppers appear in all shapes, colours and sizes and are used extensively including the famous rocoto relleno (stuffed rocato pepper) from arequipa.

In addition to these three staples there are a plethora of cereals, grains and root vegetables. Quinoa (chenopodium quinoa) “the wheat of the andes” native of Lake Titicaca – a grain of the future with exceptionally high nutritional value. Kiwicha (amanantus caudatus) – tiny grains considered amongst the most nutritious in the world. Try them on fruit or in smoothies.

Kanihua – a very small grain consumed roasted and ground. This again has high protein content and is used in the preparation of fl our and to thicken soups, a little different from our nutrient stripped refi ned white fl our!

andean cereals also contain high protein, olluco (a root similar to potatoes), camote (sweet potato), zapallo (pumpkin), pallor (butter bean), yucca and, of course, mani (peanuts).

The freshness and abundance of fi sh on the Pacifi c coast provides two cornerstones for Peruvian cooking - the cebiches – raw fi sh cooked in lime juice and ground chilli pepper.

This country may have been mismanaged for many years but their fresh, nutritional, holistic cuisine is fi rst rate.

☛ Muller has launched a new one-a-day campaign to support it’s yogurts and yogurt drinks that contain one portion of fruit (pictured right). www.muller.co.uk

Soil Association backlash against poor School dinners

DAVID RUSSELL CONTINUES TO DEMYSTIFY THE FOOD BUSINESS.

Peruvian cuisine

Goodbye from EmmaMany of readers will have had the pleasure of dealing with Emma Mountjoy – our wonderful and dedicated senior sales executive. This is the last issue of the magazine that Emma will work on for some time as she is leaving us to have a baby in October. We all wish her well and hope to see her and the baby very soon. Emma says: “I have had so much fun working for University Caterer magazine and have met some brilliant and really interesting people all ‘in the line of duty!’ I just hope that some of the Fine Dining recipes will improve my performance in the kitchen! Thanks for all your support over the years and I look forward to working with you all again in the future.”

8-12.News.kh.indd 11 10/10/07 17:33:29

12 UniversitY CAterer

NEWS

UNIvERSITY CATERER PB

NEWS

☛ Food oN THe Move sHowwhen: 16–17 october excel, LondonThe UK spends more than any other european country on food to eat in transit. The grab-and-go here is huge! This invaluable show will feature suppliers from across the industry and give you some useful advice on food for your own operation.www.easyfairs.com

☛ Ice creaM aLLIaNce exHIbITIoNwhen: 30 october – 1 November Nec birminghamThe ice cream trade is heading for Pavilion 1 at the Nec in birmingham for the Ice cream 2007 exhibition. The exhibition will show the latest :Ingredients & Flavourings, Toppings & Inclusions, cones & wafers, plus Packaging solutions and much more. Ice cream fans will not be disappointed.www.ice-cream.org

☛ bbc Good Food sHow scoTLaNd when: 2–4 November seccscotland boasts a rich diversity of quality produce, which you can savour at this year’s bbc Good Food show scotland. Prepare to enjoy a day out packed with the bonhomie that the country is famous for. The bbc Good Food show scotland has also teamed up for the first time this year with whisky Live – where you will discover why scotland is the whisky centre of the world.www.glasgow.bbcgoodfoodshow.com

☛ worLd Food MarKeTwhen: 21–22 November excel, LondonThe world Food Market is back and bigger than ever. This year it features suppliers featuring food from more than 20 countries. The perfect opportunity to pick up some global inspiration for your on campus catering.www.worldfoodmarket.co.uk

☛ bbc Good Food sHow when: 2–4 November London olympiaThis year’s show promises to be even better than ever with its brand new theatre the Ultimate cooking experience and the dining experience hosting London’s most prestigious restaurants. Hour have been extended on Friday and saturday to 9.30pm, so if you’re pushed for time during the day you can pop in after work and savour the delights of the dining experience and some fine drinks from a super list of exhibitors.www.londonbbcgoodfoodshow.com

☛ brITIsH PoTaTo 2007 when: 29–29 November Yorkshire event centrebritish Potato 2007, sponsored by branston Ltd and organised by the british Potato council, is the event where the potato industry does business. whether you’re looking for new kit, new ways to improve your competitiveness or just to be involved with your industry. www.potato.org.uk

☛ wINe PLUs when: 16–17 January London olympiawine Plus is now established as the most important event in the wine calendar for on-trade. visitors can sample wines from carefully selected on-trade suppliers as they prepare their principle wine lists for the year ahead. www.potato.org.uk

☛ reaL Food FesTIvaLwhen: 24–17 april earls court, LondonThe inaugral real Food Festival is a great opportunity to find out more about the slow food movement and how to focus your operation on sustainable supply, ethical practices and getting the best possible fare on your menus. be sure to attend and be part of this great event.www.realfoodfestival.co.uk

Events for your diary…

8-12.News.kh.indd 12 10/10/07 17:33:35