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Verner Wheelock PhD looks back at recent changes in the food market. He considers peoples' views of food, the likely origins of their beliefs, and describes how retailers are meeting — or anticipating — demands

Sound judgement on food additives should be based on assessments made competent scientists rather than by those who lack the necessary training, knowledge or expertise, says Verner Wheelock PhD, who heads the Food Policy Research Unit at the University of Bradford

Describes the development of Halo, a new milk‐type product which has less than 20 per cent of the amount of saturated fat to be found in semi‐skimmed milk; and a very acceptable taste. Shows how the product was developed by Northern Dairies in line with Government targets to reduce the level of saturated fat in each individual′s diet. Discusses product development, ingredients, research on taste and acceptability and concludes that Halo is tasty and acceptable and can help to make a substantial reduction in the consumption of saturated fat.

Within any food product range, prices can vary quite widely. The article takes the view that an individual consumer is prepared to pay a premium for what he/she regards as high quality. The article examines some of the characteristics which apply to those products at the expensive end of the range – and suggests that they may be categorized into those of genuine quality and those of pseudo quality. Genuine quality refers to products which provide real improvements, e.g. nutrition or keeping quality, when compared with the basic end of the range – and incur extra costs to produce. By contrast, pseudo quality confers no additional benefit on the consumer in terms of the food and often exploits consumer ignorance. Concludes that the food industry should place much greater emphasis on genuine quality. By doing so, public confidence in the industry would be raised.

Describes a genuinely new food ingredient which has been on the market for eight years. Considers some of the scientific studies which demonstrate that Quorn can be very valuable for helping consumers to adjust to the dietary recommendations.

The pig industry plays a major role in the economy of Denmark. A large proportion of the production is exported to markets in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, USA and Japan. Considerable resources are devoted to maintaining high standards of food safety. Describes and explains the legislation, procedures and surveillance which have been devised to ensure that the presence of chemical residues is kept to a minimum.

The significant innovation introduced by the Food Safety Act 1990 is the “due diligence” defence. This is discussed in conjunction with guidelines published by a consortium of interested bodies. Many food businesses will be required to take positive action to stay within the law. The legislation is seen to be part of developing emphasis on new quality management systems, own‐label products and advances in food retailing.

Explains and summarizes the key points in the recent government consultation document on Industry Guides to good hygiene practice.

The current position on Listeria monocytogenes is reviewed.

Describes a system which indicates the “healthiness” of individual foods. The nutrition score, based on energy density, is a single criterion which is determined objectively. It is concluded that, if used on a wide scale, it would be extremely helpful to consumers who wish to construct their diet in line with the recommendations for healthy eating.