Today we had a field trip to SATS (Singapore Airport Terminal Services) Inflight Catering Centre 1 near the Budget Terminal. They had very strict security procedures - requiring us to fill in a Health Declaration Form before going, not allowing photographs even in the plain corridors. Nevertheless, the QA Manager and her Assistant Manager were pretty good presenters, well-articulated. And we really got to see the operations close up which was pretty cool. Oh yea I thought they would show us the R&D stimulation flight room I remember that it was mentioned somewhere probably on TV some time back but a pity they just showed us pictures of it which I now have like no memory of.
Oh yea I was quite surprised to see a worker using his hands (of course with gloves on) to pick cooked vegetables from a huge tray to put in each serving tray.
Mm and they said they have 800 types of menu. Cool. Satay even, which everyone was saying how come they never got to try that. Anyways, SATS and the other Inflight Caterers really rock, I think. I still remember how delicious my meals on the planes were - to and fro USA, and the domestic flight too. Furthermore, the SATS personnel said they actually keep the cooked vegetables up to 24 hours and the cooked meat up to 48 hours before they would dispose them if not sent out to the planes.
Anyways, after the field trip we went to Terminal 2 for dinner at Fish & Co. They had been wanting Popeye's but a few of us didn't want. Actually I wasn't even sure if I wanted dinner out but the boredom of going home immediately steered the decision. Dinner was pretty good. Oh yea I think it was the first time I got so outwardly frustrated due to irritation by an fst person. Ha. I was just being verbally mean saying that he could just go when he was trying to announce that he and pg were going to get more food from downstairs and he had to be physical about it. Emo ah pek. I hate it when guys do anything more violent than touching my head. Bad childhood experience with an irritating elder brother? And I ended up trying to get back physically too - black pepper on the shoulder was chosen :D
Waha shit I just wanted to mention the good laughing and go do my lab reports die its so late alr. Okayyys. So there was Eva, Pg, YL, and MF, after Binny, Ame and Kw left to take buses. I didn't know Eva could be sooo funny. I love her expressions - they were so hilarious. We were spamming photos on the train home and there was one that she was looking towards her side (cos we girls were sitting in one row and I was at the side trying to take photo of them) and she looked like a timid suspicious child somehow hahaha... Pg was funny as usual and what sparkled off my laughing-so-hard was that YL took a photo of our reflections in the train window behind Pg with his head cut off showing only his stunned-look eyes and above. Oh yea MF was saying maybe SATS put alcohol in the OJ they treated us to - thus our hysteria. And I drank 2 cups!
Another was of Pg falling asleep - Eva took a close up. Then at Tanah Merah MF proposed taking an emo pic since there was still a long way to home and I think Eva did it so well - she makes a good model for artistic photos - not overly emo (which I did and she was laughing cos I appeared pouty), just quietly looking down yet radiating some sadness. MF contributed to the funniness of that photo cos she was in the same pose as Eva but with a tiny smile. Hahah she couldn't bear pretending to be emo.
Then Eva had the idea of an angry photo and oh my that was another classic. It amazes me that she appears so calm kind of alike laura and not the sort who would act or be cheeky yet she can in fact be so hilarious.
The last one was when YL suggested a whatever look and I failed - YL said I look like I was begging for money wahaha...
Symrise has entered the mainstream beer market with a new range of flavours designed to make life simpler for brewers in international markets.
The German flavour and fragrance company is a well established supplier of flavours for fruity beers but is now entering the traditional market with its newBrewTopia range.
The idea behind the range is to make the beer making process simpler and more efficient by allowing brewers to create a range of different beer types using the same malt but with different BrewTopia flavours.
International focus
A spokesperson for Symrise told Food Navigator that this will be especially interesting for brewers in international markets like the US, Africa, and Asia, where accessible raw materials may be used to make a wider range of better tasting beers than was previously possible.
Instead of importing different crops to add flavour, international brewers can use existing supplies with the new flavours to improve the quality and range of their beers.
However, in old, traditional beer making countries like Germany, which have strict brewing rules, the spokesperson said the BrewTopia flavours may not suitable.
Different nuances
Symrise claims that the flavours can be adapting to any brewing needs to create all the nuances sought in traditional beers like pilsners, ales and stouts.
Special boosters can be used to compensate for underdeveloped aspects like fruitiness, malt and hops, while cooling flavours can round off the profile of a beer.
As well as being suitable for traditional beer types, the BrewTopia flavours can also be added to non-alcoholic beers and malt drinks to give a fuller, more authentic beer taste.
“BrewTopia guarantees a full flavor sensation in the finished product of each type of beer,” said Harald Schmidt, category director for alcoholic beverages at Symrise. “At the same time, we offer the industry individuality and flexibility in its applications.”
Symrise said the new flavours can even be added to craft beers to leave a distinctive brand fingerprint.
"She stress me but don't let me do work." -Sweetee is funny.
In a whisper, "Are you all going to eat?" Sisi got no response from Sweetee nor Sar AH. Then I started giggling and I suppose Bonbon was smiling too cos Sisi said next, "Why you all laugh and they ignore me."
The TeaBeer group is crazy. They can focus so much on their project that they mostly go without food.
Awhile later, Sisi left for
[sheeeesh. Why do I suddenly have this deja vu feeling that this has happened before?]
Anyways. Sisi was leaving and Sweetee asked if she's going to eat and she replied, "No, I'm going to the library."
Sighs.
Wah Sweetee just said Princess JT gave her Kinda Bueno yesterday saying that cos she's sad.
The characteristics and personality traits for an Aquarius person can tell you about their actions and thoughts towards things in their life.A person’s zodiac sign can tell you a lot about that person. The zodiac sign characteristics and personality traits are general traits for every person who is born under that sign. By reading these signs’ traits you can understand some of the inner workings of the people born under that sign. You can also learn about yourself and possible the reasons to why you act a certain way. They zodiac sign of Aquarius refer to people born between January twentieth and February eighteenth. The symbol of Aquarius is the Water Bearer. The Water Bearer pours water freely and equally which represents the creation and giving of life.
Aquarius people are original and do not follow anyone else. They enjoy being different from others. The personalities of most Aquarius people are progressive, liberal, with a fixed opinion. Because of Aquarius inflexibility they will have conflicts with many people.[heh, especially in projects]They ignore what others think and go off on their own way of thinking. They think of boredom in the terms of a disease and try to avoid it as often as they can.
Aquarius people seem to live in their own minds. They are open-minded and seek knowledge. They do not let their emotions get involved in their decisions. Therefore their judgments are done objectively. They tend to have a mistrust of emotions, which results in inner conflicts with themselves. Aquarius people are outgoing and people oriented. They can tolerate most people’s weaknesses. They are often concerned with the well being of the world. They do not get to close in relationships because they prefer to stay distant from others.[yea, I am, but I do want to get closer]
Independence is important to Aquarius and they will sacrifice anything to keep it.[YES] If they begin to feel trapped they will try everything to get free. They enjoy seeing others happy. [yes :)) ] Aquarius people want to do something important and meaningful in their life. They are creative and imaginative. But they are not interested in doing any hard work. They prefer to come up with an idea and let others do the work. They like to act like an expert in any field even though they might not know much about the subject. [Really?! I haven't noticed]
Aquarius people are not quick to point out other’s faults. They enjoy arguing with others as an intellectual exercise.[yep ;)]They take joy in verbally provoking people who they see as dull.[haha not just dull people! :D] They are determined not to be like anyone else. They are very kind people. Aquarius people are easygoing, honest, helpful, and reasonable people. They believe in live and let live. They are never boring and can change other people’s lives for the better. [Really? That's good :)]
Aquarius people who are in love focus all their interest into that one person. Their being seems to be on a higher plane while in love. They are very sincere, friendly, and liberal individuals. They enter social relationships prepared to give the best of them self. To keep an Aquarius person’s love you must love them completely and give them their freedom. [Yes.]Most Aquarius people are interested in books, science, and gadgets. [Yes. wheee] http://www.essortment.com/lifestyle/zodiacsignhoro_swrc.htm
I suddenly feel empty. Jeez. Whatever! Just focus on the good side okay. Sheesh its not so easy. Rah.. I miss.. :( Wells its the past. Stupid. Okay. Enough.
Kimchi is a standard Korean dish, traditionally made with Chinese Napa cabbage. It can be made mild or spicy as you prefer.
Kimchi
1 lb Chinese or regular cabbage
1 large carrot
1/4 lb white radishes
2 scallions, thinly sliced or 1 leek, cut into half moons
2 Tbs. sea salt
1/2 cup water
3� piece ginger, minced
2 clove garlic
2 to 4 hot red peppers, dried, 2 inches long, split or
1 Tbs. chili powder
1. Slice the cabbage lengthwise into quarters. Remove the tough core and
then slice the quarters into 1 to 2 inch-long pieces.
2. Slice the carrot and radishes lengthwise and then into 2 inch-long
sections. Slice the sections into very thin strips.
3. Toss cabbage, carrot and radishes with the scallions, salt and
water. Cover loosely and let stand overnight.
4. Drain liquid from the vegetables into a bowl. Add honey and vinegar to
the liquid and stir well until honey is dissolved.
5. Add ginger, garlic and peppers to the vegetables and pack them into
sterilized jars. Pour liquid into the jars. If more liquid is needed to
cover vegetables, add water.
6. Cover loosely with a lid and let sit at room temperature for 3 to 5 days
to ferment. (Longer winter, shorter summer) The liquid will bubble and the flavor will become sour.
7. Refrigerate the Kimchi for 3 to 4 days. The cabbage will become
translucent and will be ready to serve.
Was feeling like eating Dim Sum at 2am last night and found this, which has another review here. Or maybe I could go Zhou's Kitchen for the high tea buffet.
Innovative emulsions containing up to 60 per cent water may reduce the fat content of chocolate and offer low-fat formulations, suggests new research from the UK.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham produced stable cocoa butter water-in-oil emulsions containing up to 60 per cent water by mass, which did not cream on storage.
Additionally, the cocoa butter in the emulsions was found to be in the form that “consumers find the most attractive, as it melts between 32 and 34 °C”, according to findings to be published in the November issue of the Journal of Food Engineering.
“Results [of our study] suggest low-fat chocolate formulations using this route may be feasible,” wrote the researchers, led by Dr Phil Cox.
In an email to FoodNavigator, Dr Cox stated: “We have just patented an extension to the preliminary work and are in discussion with companies.”
The issue of health is no longer a marginal topic for the food industry but wholly mainstream, and it finds confectioners, biscuit and cake makers seeking to juxtapose today's consumer desire for indulgence with their desire for foods with a healthy profile.
According to a recent study from the US, only 5 per cent of American children between 6 and 11 were overweight before 1980, but 25 years later this number had risen to 19 per cent. Similar increases have been reported in Europe, with the International Association for the Study of Obesity estimating in 2006 that the number of obese school age children in Europe increased by almost 50 per cents since the late 1990s.
“As chocolate is notoriously high in calories (a gram of fat contains approximately nine calories), it may be detrimental to maintaining a healthy weight,” explained the researchers. “There may thus be a gap in the market as low-fat chocolates with desirable taste and texture are currently not readily available.”
In order to fill this gap, the Birmingham-based researchers prepared water-in-oil emulsions, meaning a continuous phase of cocoa butter with a dispersed water phase. Dr Cox and his co-workers used polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR, Kerry Bio-Science) and soy lecithin (Sigma) as emulsifiers, both of which are extensively used in current commercial chocolate manufacture.
Emulsifiers are used by food makers to reduce the surface tension between two immiscible phases at their interface - such as two liquids, a liquid and a gas, or a liquid and a solid - allowing them to mix.
Using a ‘margarine line’, which is a continuous process, or a high-shear mixer, the researchers prepared emulsions with droplets ranging from one to 10 micrometres in size.
“It is thought that the bench scale margarine line is a better method of creating a cocoa butter emulsion,” wrote the researchers. “It is likely to be more successful for creating an emulsion of the correct polymorphic form as temperature and shear can be controlled with more precision. […] It is also a better method for creating emulsions with a small droplet size.
“Furthermore, it is likely to be more appropriate for large-scale industrial production as it is a continuous process,” they added.
Source: Journal of Food Engineering
November 2009, Volume 95, Issue 1, Pages 172-178, doi: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2009.04.026 “Development and characterisation of tempered cocoa butter emulsions containing up to 60% water”
Authors: J.E. Norton, P.J. Fryer, J. Parkinson, P.W. Cox
Inulin can replace trans-fatty acids in snack food formulations, turning it into a healthy snack with good consumer acceptance, says a new study from Brazil.
Inulin is already extensively used as a fat and sugar replacer, but the new studies report that the prebiotic fibres can be used as a non-fat-flavouring solution in snack bars, according to results published in the International Journal of Food Science & Technology.
Researchers led by Vanessa Capriles from Sao Paolo University report that substitution of partially hydrogenated vegetable fat, used as the flavour fixative agent, with inulin-oligofructoseincreases the dietary fibre content of the finished product sevenfold, with similar overall acceptability.
Furthermore, the glycaemic index was reduced by 25 per cent.
“This study showed that it is feasible to replace the fat fixative agent with a non-fat-flavouring solution enriched with inulin and oligofructose in snack production,” wrote the authors.
“The results from this study also indicate that bioactive ingredients were successfully incorporated into a convenience food such as a snack, while maintaining the high sensory acceptability typical of this food product,” they added.
The study taps into the two sides of healthy food - adding in health promoting ingredients, and removing unhealthy ingredients, in this case trans fats.
Trans fats and heart health
Though trace amounts of trans fats are found naturally, in dairy and meats, the vast majority are formed during the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oil (PHVO) that converts the oil into semi-solids for a variety of food applications.
Trans fats are attractive for the food industry due to their extended shelf life and flavour stability, and have displaced natural solid fats and liquid oils in many areas of food processing.
But scientific reports that trans fatty acids raise serum levels of LDL-cholesterol, reduce levels of HDL-cholesterol, can promote inflammation can cause endothelial dysfunction, and influence other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), has led to a well-publicized bans in New York City restaurants, and other cities, like Chicago.
In the food industry this has been mirrored by an increase the in pressure on food manufacturers to reduce or remove trans fatty acids from their products and reformulate.
The food industry as a whole has expressed its commitment to removing trans fatty acids from its products, but such reformulation is not straightforward and presents challenges.
Commercial baked goods such as crackers, cookies and cakes, along with many fried foods, like french fries and doughnuts contain trans fats.
The new study looked at inulin and oligofructose (Beneo Synergy1, Orafti) to replace trans-fats in snack bars. The new snack had low fat levels of around 0.1 per cent, and a fibre content of 15.3 per cent.
When tested by 42 consumers, the inulin-oligofructose-containing bar had an acceptability score of 6.6 compared to 7.4 for the traditional bar, flavoured with the fatty fixative agent.
“The healthy low-fat fibre-enriched snack produced presented the high sensory acceptability typical for this food product type,” they concluded.
Source: International Journal of Food Science & Technology
October 2009, Volume 44, Issue 10, Pages 1895-1901 “Effect of fructans-based fat replacer on chemical composition, starch digestibility and sensory acceptability of corn snacks”
Authors: V.D. Capriles, R.A.M. Soares, M.E.M. Pinto e Silva, J.A.G. Areas
Exposing Baker’s yeast to a salt solution prior to bread baking can improve the volume, texture, taste, and aroma of the finished product, says a new study.
According to results published in the Journal of Food Science, bread baked with the salt-stressed yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) reduced the time for fermentation by about 25 per cent, as well as improving the overall sensory properties.
The results indicate that all the major parameters of the finished bread were improved in the salt-stressed bread, offering opportunities for bread makers.
“Not only shorter fermentation time but also softer bread, and significant sensory properties for aroma, taste, and overall acceptability were obtained,”wrote the researchers from the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology in Taiwan and Rutgers University in the US.
“It was concluded that salt-stressed Baker’s yeast had significantly improved bread quality.”
Rising to the challenge
According to the Federation of Bakers, which represents the interests of the UK's largest baking companies, 25 million tonnes of bread are produced every year by the western European bread industry. Industrial bakers dominate some markets like Britain and Ireland, where they represent over 80 per cent of the market.
The new research reports an “innovative bread making process” whereby Baker’s yeast was stressed in 7 per cent salt solution. Bread was then baked with the salt-stressed yeast using a traditional straight dough process. Six different breads were formulated with different sugar levels, including 8, 16, and 24 per cent sugar, with traditional or salt-stressed yeast.
The results showed that the bread produced with the salt-stressed yeast and a sugar level of 16 or 24 per cent had significantly reduced fermentation times of 23 and 28 per cent, compared to the controlled bread when the yeast was salt-stressed for 40 minutes.
Furthermore, 40 minutes of salt stress resulted in a significant increase in gas and bread volumes, compared to the control bread. Bread produced with the salt-stressed yeast was also reported to be “softer and significantly improved sensory properties for aroma, taste, and overall acceptability were obtained”.
Glycerol content is key
Commenting on the mechanism, the researchers report that exposure of the yeast to salt solutions leads to an accumulation of glycerol in the cell membranes. Increases in volume may be due to “glycerol acting as a lubricant for the gas bubbles, allowing greater expansion”, suggested the Taiwanese and Rutger researchers.
“Specific volume increased with increasing levels of glycerol. Therefore, the larger loaf would have a less dense gluten network giving less resistance to compression,” they said.
“Overall, better sensory properties for aroma, taste, and overall acceptability were obtained for samples made with salt-stressed Baker’s yeast for 40 min compared to control samples.”
Source: Journal of Food Science
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01337.x “A Novel Bread Making Process Using Salt-Stressed Baker's Yeast”
Authors: Lien-Te Yeh, Albert Linton Charles, Chi-Tang Ho, Tzou-Chi Huang
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122610047/abstract
Over-indulgence may be all fat’s fault, according to a new study which reports that fat molecules may over-ride the body’s appetite-suppressing signals.
Scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center report that fat, and palmitic acid in particular, may signal the body’s cells to ignore the appetite-suppressing signals of leptin and insulin. Palmitic acid is a common saturated fatty acid occurring in foods such as butter, cheese, milk and beef.
Despite being a study with animals, lead researcher Dr Deborah Clegg said that the findings strengthen the common dietary recommendation that individuals limit their saturated fat intake.
It also strengthens calls for reformulation of food products to reduce saturated fat content. The UK’s Food Standards Agency, for example, launched the Saturated Fat and Energy Intake programme (SFEI) in February 2008, as part of a bid to tackle cardiovascular disease and obesity.
The tough draft recommendations call for certain biscuits, cakes and pasties to reduce their saturated fat levels by 10 per cent on 2008 levels by 2010, for example.
The findings of Clegg and her co-workers, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, support such calls.
“Normally, our body is primed to say when we’ve had enough, but that doesn't always happen when we're eating something good,” said Clegg. “What we’ve shown in this study is that someone's entire brain chemistry can change in a very short period of time.
“Our findings suggest that when you eat something high in fat, your brain gets 'hit' with the fatty acids, and you become resistant to insulin and leptin,” she added. “Since you're not being told by the brain to stop eating, you overeat.”
Over-riding the safety system
The researchers used rodents and showed that certain fats are able to activate a gene called PKCθ (Protein kinase C, theta), which can then override the signaling of leptin and insulin.
Using rodents, the Texas-based researchers exposed the animals to fat in different ways: By direct injection of palmitic acid, monounsaturated fatty acid and oleic acid (an unsaturated fatty acid) into the brain; infusion of the fats through the carotid artery, or feeding the animals through a stomach tube three times a day.
“We found that the palmitic acid specifically reduced the ability of leptin and insulin to activate their intracellular signaling cascades,” said Clegg. “The oleic fat did not do this. The action was very specific to palmitic acid, which is very high in foods that are rich in saturated fat.”
Furthermore, the effects appear to last for about three days, said Clegg, which may explain whey people say they are hungrier than normal on Mondays following a weekend of overindulgence.
The study represents the first report of PKCθ activation in the brain, said the researchers. The next step, said Clegg, is to determine how long it takes to reverse completely the effects of short-term exposure to high-fat food.
Source: The Journal of Clinical Investigation
Volume 119, Number 9, Pages 2577-2589, doi:10.1172/JCI36714. “Palmitic acid mediates hypothalamic insulin resistance by altering PKC-θ subcellular localization in rodents”
Authors: A.-L. Lefevre, C. Cruciani-Guglielmacci, C. Magnan, F. Yu, K. Niswender, B.G. Irani, W.L. Holland, D.J. Clegg
I suddenly remembered Y & Y insisting on helping us move all our luggage from Jiayi's friend's place in Elmhurst to our last hostel's location near East Village (or was it West?). I thought it was a significant gesture of friendship. They were so hard up on time that they had rushed to cover 3 museums in one afternoon yet they still offered to help us when actually if we were less stingy (heh) we could have simply taken a cab instead of lugging everything up and down the Metro stations. (surprising even though its NYC, the world-famous cosmopolitan and like all-so-good city, some of their Metro stations have no lift access, only dirty stairways)
Anyway, yea the memory came to me cos I was wondering about friendships. How true friendships are. And oh but what's true friendship first? haha. People have said that travelling allows you to see how your friends really are, and I can add in a matter of just a few days. There were indeed many examples.
Its quite sad that I haven't seem to be forming anymore true friendships. People are just too private and protective of whatever. Sigh.
Oh I just googled true friends and found a nice article.
"Friendship involves recognition or familiarity with another's personality. Friends often share likes and dislikes, interests, pursuits, and passion.
How can we recognize potential friendship? Signs include a mutual desire for companionship and perhaps a common bond of some kind. Beyond that, genuine friendship involves a shared sense of caring and concern, a desire to see one another grow and develop, and a hope for each other to succeed in all aspects of life. True friendship involves action: doing something for someone else while expecting nothing in return; sharing thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or negative criticism.
True Friendship - Relationship, Trust, Accountability
True friendship involves relationship. Those mutual attributes we mentioned above become the foundation in which recognition transpires into relationship. Many people say, "Oh, he's a good friend of mine," yet they never take time to spend time with that "good friend." Friendship takes time: time to get to know each other, time to build shared memories, time to invest in each other's growth.
Trust is essential to true friendship. We all need someone with whom we can share our lives, thoughts, feelings, and frustrations. We need to be able to share our deepest secrets with someone, without worrying that those secrets will end up on the Internet the next day! Failing to be trustworthy with those intimate secrets can destroy a friendship in a hurry. Faithfulness and loyalty are key to true friendship. Without them, we often feel betrayed, left out, and lonely. In true friendship, there is no backbiting, no negative thoughts, no turning away.
True friendship requires certain accountability factors. Real friends encourage one another and forgive one another where there has been an offense. Genuine friendship supports during times of struggle. Friends are dependable. In true friendship, unconditional love develops. We love our friends no matter what and we always want the best for our friends."
Glass is greener on the other side, says trade body
By Rory Harrington, 23-Sep-2009
The green credentials of glass are equal to or even better than those of PET bottles, a leading glass industry body has said.
The British Glass Manufacturers Confederation (BGMC) made the statement as it challenged the findings of a survey that the environmental impact of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was less than that of aluminium and glass.
The research, commissioned by Canadian company Husky, said PET production resulted in less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and used less energy than glass or aluminium cans. Survey flawed
But BGMC director general David Workman told FoodProductionDaily.com that the survey was flawed because it had not taken a number of vital considerations into account when calculating the overall carbon footprint of PET versus glass. While the environmental impact of glass may be top-loaded at the start of the manufacturing process, this decreases greatly the further downstream it travels in terms of recycling and the effects glass has if disposed of in the environment, he said
The first of the report’s defects was that the life cycle analysis (LCA) was only a “cradle to grave” examination, rather than a “cradle to cradle” one he explained. This meant the report failed to consider what happens to the container after it has been used. A cradle to cradle model factors in aspects such as recyclability- a particular strength of glass compared to plastics, said Workman. “Therefore it can only be considered as a partial LCA,” he said of the research by consultants Allied Development Corporation.
“For its conclusions to be taken seriously it would have needed to have been a full "cradle to cradle" exercise - something that the plastics industry has shied away from, and for good reasons,” he added.
Recycling
The UK glass industry, he said, recycled 60 per cent of its waste stream, with 60 per cent of this material being used to make new bottles and jars. “It is a process that can be repeated ad infinitum,” he said. “We have a verifiable audit trail that proves that our recycled content figure for glass packaging range between 45 per and 55 per cent dependent on whether process waste is included.”
The inert nature of glass is another significant characteristic that should be included in any proper environmental assessment, he said. “Glass is an inert material and therefore does not taint products filled into it nor do any environmental damage if, after use, it gets into landfill or our rivers and oceans,” said Workman. Overall analysis
Glass bottles also offer a longer shelf life on most products and “as a result helps to prevent food and drink waste, which does far more environmental damage than all forms of packaging”, he claimed.
Glass can be considered greener because its raw materials are plentiful and locally sourced. The fact that more post consumer waste is used to make new containers further reduces its environmental impact, said the trade chief. “All of these factors make glass the most sustainable of all packaging materials and need to be included in any meaningful life cycle analysis,” he concluded.
Global food use of bulk and high intensity sweeteners
By Jess Halliday, 24-Sep-2009
Some 70.4 million tonnes of sweeteners were used by the global food and beverage industry in 2008, including sugars. But which sweeteners are most used, in volume terms?
Humans are predisposed to like sweet foods, and sugar (sucrose) is far and away the most popular sweetener added to foods. But rising obesity rates are causing more attention to be paid to products' sugar content, and the development of ‘light’ foods, with fewer calories, is a major driver for new product development.
This means that there is massive interest in low or zero calorie ingredients that can provide the same or similar sweetness in a healthier product. But reducing sugar is rarely so simple as to just remove the sugar and replace it directly with a sweetener. Sugar performs other technical functions in formulations as well as giving it the sweet edge, such as bulking it out or giving it the right texture.
Moreover, different sweeteners have different taste profiles, so to meet consumer taste expectations for a particular product several sweeteners are often blended.
And just to complicate matters even more, consumers in different countries and regions have slightly different ideas about what the most pleasant sweet taste is.
There are two main categories of sweeteners used in foods and beverages: bulk sweeteners and polyols; and high intensity sweeteners. Bulk sweeteners, including sugars, are also known as nutritive sweeteners, have a technical role in the food as well as sweetening it. They contribute to the bulk, the texture and the viscosity of foods. High intensity sweeteners, also called non-nutritive, do not have a technical role in addition to their sweetening capacity. This means that if any of the attributes normally provided by sugars is required, the chosen high intensity sweetener will need to be blended with a bulk sweetener or some other bulking agent.
High intensity sweetener tend to be more expensive than bulk, but are used in a far smaller quantities.
Euromonitor International data put world use of high intensity sweeteners at 77183.4 tonnes in 2008 – of which the most popular five, saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose and cyclamate – make up the lion’s share.
Euromonitor found that 70336474.9 tonnes of sugars and bulk sweeteners were used.
The top non-sugarbulk sweeteners made up 700579 tonnes.
Have Read
'04 year-end holidays (highest number of books read in a long time)
-The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (gd read)
-Princess Diaries: Third Time Lucky by Meg Cabot (fun read)
-Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (must read - inspirational)
-Slab Rat by Ted Heller (full of office politics and R21 stuff - not for kids)
-The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (makes u want to finish it)
-A walk to remember by Nicholas Sparks (simple but meaningful)
-The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (can identify with)
-The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (romantic love story with too much R21 stuff)
-Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks (even more R21. ugh)
-The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
-Unstrung Heroes by Franz Lidz (autobiography about his four uncles and father)
-The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks
-The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (very unique POV of an autistic boy)
-The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux (love the breadth of the plot, one of my favourites)
-Wild Orchids by Jude Deveraux (alternating between two first persons' view - unique, but don't like e plot)
-Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder (philosophy tb in a story; gets abit dry though plot saved)
-forgot what i read...-
-Working Wonders by Jenny Colgan (story of an urban planner)
-Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (impressive intelligence with bits of great humour)
-Just between Us by Cathy Kelly (thickest bk i've ever read-600+pg, too long for me but not bad)
ha, started a few bks but didn't enjoy them enough to read more.
'06
-Life of Pi by Yann Martel (novel based on true story; a lot to learn from the book - animals, religions,
survival, appreciation of simplicity; marvelous descriptions of both the tangible and the intangible,
such that I could feel their realness; bits of very enjoyable humour; a must read)
-The Complete Analects of Confucius, Volume 1 - Asiapac Comic Series (some good teachings.
didn't read everything though)
-The Parable of the Pipeline by Burke Hedges (lent to me by Shujun; like she said, its a short version
of Rich Dad Poor Dad - good financial tips)
-The Alchemist by Paul Coelho (simple story with deep meaning)
-Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
(hai, doesn't seem to be working for me - cos im not applying..)
-haven't been updating from Jun'06 to Jul'07-
'07
-Take a Chance by Sarah Webb (very interesting twist towards the end)
'08
-A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer (very saddening. made me realise how significant family is in how a child behaves)
-Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite by Paul Arden (refreshing book with many pics)
-The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Rui Zafon (amazing how people can think of so much plot to pack into one book, wld b a gd tv series)
-The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (the story is interesting but i think the ending cld hv been better written)
-This Book Will Save Your Life by A.M. Homes (a bit thought-provoking on relationships but i didnt like e abrupt ending)
-Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner (gd knowledge but partly qte repetitive)
-For One More Day by Mitch Albom
-The C Words by Mark Mason (made me keep wanting to read on. light & funny)
'09
-Return to Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux (another good read from Deveraux)
-The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (gosh such vivid descriptions! very well written book. i liked d theme of friendship and the realness of the story)
'10
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (a must-read!! i love the expressed thoughts of the protagonist, esp those about friendships, and the writing style - it seems like she's telling me her story specifically to me)
How to Save Your Own Life by Michael Gates Gill (an inspiring read, for emotional liberation and greater joy in life)
Reading
on hold
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
Waiting for chance to get hold of
The Little White Car by Danuta de Rhodes
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon or The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
My Left Foot by Christy Brown
Gotai Fumanzoku or An Unsatisfactory Body (Translated into English as No One's Perfect) by Hirotada Otatake
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Other Recommended Readings by Marc
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin – Few books have had as significant an impact on the way society views the natural world and the genesis of humankind.
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell – Gladwell looks at how a small idea, or product concept, can spread like a virus and spark global sociological changes. Specifically, he analyzes “the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable.”
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens – This is a tale that lingers on the topic of attaining and maintaining a disciplined heart as it relates to one’s emotional and moral life. Dickens states that we must learn to go against “the first mistaken impulse of the undisciplined heart.”
Lolita – This is the kind of book that blows your mind wide open to conflicting feelings of life, love and corruption… and at times makes you deeply question your own perceptions of each. The story is as devious as it is beautiful.
Getting Things Done by David Allen – The quintessential guide to organizing your life and getting things done. Nuff said.
How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman – 900 pages of simple instructions on how to cook everything you could ever dream of eating. Pretty much the greatest cookbook ever written. Get through a few recipes each week, and you’ll be a master chef by the time you’re 30.
Honeymoon with My Brother by Franz Wisner – Franz Wisner had it all… a great job and a beautiful fiancée. Life was good. But then his fiancée dumped him days before their wedding, and his boss basically fired him. So he dragged his younger brother to Costa Rica for his already-scheduled honeymoon and they never turned back… around the world they went for two full years. This is a fun, heartfelt adventure story about life, relationships, and self discovery.
Self-note: Tip for my future business =D
give employees reasonably high pay to keep them- otherwise they are unlikely to stay loyal.
treat employees not according to how well they treat me but how conscientious they are at work
(of course, musn't expect them to only do work throughout the entire working hours -
give some breathing space too, we are humans, not machines) Movies watched(listing started on 6jan08)
in cinema from VCD/DVD
1Sep07: "Hairspray" w TK, GH & SH
14Sep07: "Ratatouille" w mom & extended family
28Dec07: "The Pianist" w Jus & Pam (heartbreaking but good lessons; i recommend!)
2Jan08: "I Am Legend" w Sherm (scary! but good acting; thought provoking; i recommend!)
5-6Jan08: "A Good Year" alone (excellent show! i like the acting; funny; good lessons; touches my heart; i recommend!)
11Jan08: "Le Grand Chef" w WLing, JT & Irene (good! funny, very touching, :) nice; watch if like humour+meaning+food)
7Feb08 (CNY 初一): "Ah Long Pte Ltd" w parents (pretty hilarious - but u gotta understand dialects, some teary parts. wells typical of jack neo movies but with diff content)
11Mar08: "The Leap Year" w Sherm (so sweet! :) and apart from couple relationship it touches the theme of mother-daughter and best friends too)
6Jun08: "P.S. I Love You" w Sherm (don't know if its coz we watched it on laptop, coz it didn't impress me as much as it did for him in cinema)
8Jun08: "The Forbidden Kingdom" w Lisa, Karen & Sandy (ums..guess i'm really not into kungfu)
8Jun08: "What Happens in Vegas" w Lisa, Karen & Sandy (simple,relaxing show)
7Jul08: "我和狗狗的10个约定" w Sherm, his ma & sisters (very simple,touching but actually not my type of show)
10Jul08: "Before Sunrise" w Sherm (hmm maybe watchg on laptop really affects appreciatn of movies..)
30Sep08: "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" w Sherm (i didn't like it as much as i thought i wld when i saw the ads)
31Dec08: "Yes Man" w Mom (inspiring and funny)
11Feb08: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" w Mom (not as impressive as i thought it wld be)
1Jul09: "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" w Yumei, YY & Matt (the best thing was the soundtrack. heh.)
14Aug09: "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra" w Joyce (it was awesome! best action movie i've ever watched)
17Aug09: "Food, Inc." w SYL & RuiQ (learnt some stuff abt the American food industry but it was a bit boring and not worth the $10)
22Sep09: "The Time Traveller's Wife" w WB, VanD, WLing, CHL, Irene, VanQ, Mf, Pg (i liked it. having read the book really helps w udsg)
21Nov09: "Gokusen" w Mf, Eva, Tony, Sarah (funny inspirational movie)
24Dec09: "十月围城" w Tony, WLing, VanQ (action action and a bit funny? tony criticised the plot. my fav scene was the running n jumping through the crowd along the five-foot ways w/o cuts)
30Dec09: "Sherlock Holmes" w Irene, Tony, Sweetee (my favourite genre of books made into a movie - what else can be more cool? acting effects humour excitement suspense all in)
12Jan10: "Avatar 3D" w Mom (didn't appreciate the digital effects which everyone wowed about. content etc was so-so. cathay's 3D glasses were too heavy for me)
8Feb10: "The Truman Show" w Ky n sis n Yuhshin (a must-watch. very thought-provoking, funny. reminder to be spontaneous and create your life the way you want, instead of falling into a typical routine
14Feb10: "New York, I Love You" w Mom (I loved it! a good couple movie with meaningful pointers to keep it going. but i think some stories could be more developed)
16Feb10: rewatched "The Pianist" (still find it good, tho i still feel first viewings are the best)
17Feb10: "Valentine's Day" w CHL n WB (laughed throughout - a feel-good movie; liked the fact that the various stories binded tog so well with the little surprises here and there, vs NY ILU in which each story was separate)
20Feb10: "赤壁二" w Addy, Karen, Sharon, SJ (should have watched the first one first cos i ended up not knowing who's who and what's happening and had to keep asking :/ and couldn't pay attn.. if not i think it should be a pretty good movie..)
4Mar10: "Alice in Wonderland 3D" w Mf (i found the 3D effects of this @ CCK Shaw SO much better than Avatar @ The Cathay =/ and the movie was much more enjoyable too! - cheered a sad me up :)) favourite quote - the Mad Hatter: “You used to be much muchier before. ... You have lost your muchness.”)
18Mar10: "Nodame Cantabile" w Irene, Mf (i thoroughly enjoyed some of the orchestra pieces - SO impressive! the expressions of the actors were really amusing :D)
23Apr10: "Ice Kacang Puppy Love" w Mom (funny, touching and meaningful - about love between friends and family. i cried 3 tissues! cos some touching parts i could really understand the feelings of the characters involved)
Inception
Letters to God (very simple Christian movie)
22Nov10: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" w Ame, Irene (they loved it. pretty good, i guess the main problem i had was that im not familiar with HP :X)
13Dec10: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" w Sj (not bad, could follow the story unlike HP. like the meaningful teachings, too long - in a post)
2Mar11: "The King's Speech" w Ame (hilarious, inspirational, tho it doesn't impress me that much to understand why it's the Oscar winner)
Mar11: "10 Things I Hate About You" very funny. silly sweet high school romance. just right for having breaks in between doing homework
23May11: "Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides" w Wb Yl Ame Pg (pretty good - scenery, freakish parts, fighting scenes, dressing, humour, bits of Christianity like when the Spanish said "only God gives life")
6Jun11: "Xmen First Class" w Wb Ame Pg (i was very keen on watching it and it was really good! intellectual, makes sense, cool action, some humour)
9Jun11: "Legally Blonde 2" w Irene (seems like some dumb blonde movie but kind of meaningful too - speaking up for yourself and what you stand for)
17Jun11: "Something Borrowed" w Sandy Lisa (quite funny, somewhat meaningful wrt friendships. they didn't like the lack of sense for one part tho)
16Jul11: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" w Irene, Sweetee, Kw (not bad. i didn't understand some parts again but the humour and effects were pretty good)
Aug11 "Horrible Bosses" w Ma (she fell asleep! gosh. the movie was very crude i must say but there was the humour)
25Oct11: "The Three Musketeers" w H (i would rate it 3.5 for humour/intellectual language and 4 for action. it's by the same producer or director as Sherlock! but a bit less awesome albeit a good chill out movie)
5Nov11: "Real Steel" w Hl (action packed but not too hardcore for me. i liked that there was the father and son element and how the father eventually softened his heart and especially the part when charlie was having trouble telling max sth and max was so understanding saying "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me." touching and demonstrates true fighting spirit)
12Dec11: "50/50" w L (adopting her words - a heavy topic put across in a lighthearted way, but not taking away d meaning. most of it was rather hollywood-ish trashiness but there were a couple of punch lines "u can't change ur parents, but u can change d way u respond to them.")
25Dec11: "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" w KY (ultimate action packed! super tense almost throughout the movie, and interesting Tom Cruise made it such that not everything happened smoothly - he would jump and misland and get all sorts of injuries..it's really the courage to jump without hesitation even though you are not sure you'll be alive after that. KY loved d movie and said she would watch it again!)
3Jan12: "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" w KY (i love mystery (: and the witty sarcastic dialogues. good level of excitement with the action. didn't understand some parts as usual. i like Holmes and Watson they depict such a true pair of buddies ;D)
23Jan12: "You are the Apple of My Eye" w mom (now i understand why guys like this movie so much - the anxiety of chasing after a girl and the acts schoolboys do to get the girl's attention and hopefully affection. the initial fluttering and the subsequent quarrelling)
22Mar12: "The Iron Lady" w KY (really love Thatcher's sharp words. inspiring and thought-provoking, tho i was still left uncertain of what to do with my life, the movie is definitely an encouraging one)
29Mar12: "Barney's Version" w SJ (a funny movie of a screwed up life of a man who had 3 wives, smoked and drank but very heartwarming at the same time, the relationships with the dad and the 3th wife - quotable quotes!)
27Apr12: "The Hunger Games" w Mom
4May12" "Avengers" w MF n PS (funny, action-packed)
7Jul12: "The Amazing Spiderman"
21Jul12: "The Dark Knight Rises" (fantastic depth, loved the twists)
20Aug12: "ParaNorman" w Mom (simple funny animated movie, heartwarming support)
Performances watched (listing started on 25Apr10)
20Jan10: Patrick Marber's Closer by outoftheBLUE, NUS Science w Pam (
13Mar10: The Rain Came Down Like Pearls the Night I Died... The New Musical - Sing & Tell by Mark Chan w Addy & Jy
21Mar10: Quintessence by NUSCO w CHL