E number guide

From www.foodproductiondaily.com

Researchers in Ireland may have developed a naturally occurring enzyme preparation for baking, which increases loaf volume and crumb softness while also extending shelf life by three days.

I’m instantly suspicious of the phrase “developed a naturally occurring”. Is it naturally occuring or not? Does that make it better than a chemical (E-Number) or worse (GM foods). The word natural isn’t neccessarily to be trusted.

Anyways. The enzymes that are called hemicellulases, work on compounds found in wheat that inhibit the optimal development of dough. Hemicellulases act on arabinoxylans which are found naturally in layers of bran. These are large molecules that interfere physically with dough formation when water is added to flour.

Personally, we avoid wheat bread like the plague but I’m happy to see this working with Rye as well as wheat. It’s a long article so click on the link at the top of this posting to read it in full. More information of trying to manipulate the bread more. Apparently:

According to the scientists, the next step in their research will be to find a way to increase the amount of dietary fibre in bread while retaining crumb softness.

People really can’t be bothered to chew, can they?

This is the first in a random series (a false statement if I ever heard one). I’m looking beyond the technical and official sites to see what people are talking about on their websites in relation to e-numbers and additives.

I stumbled across this posting on a site called “hint of sarcasm” where the poster poses the question “Could 3/4 (maybe more depending on my mood) packets a day of brain haemorrhaging snacks lead to a slow, painful death for me?”.

I’d say yes, but then I would, I’m biased. But not only would the MSG content of your diet be bad, but so would the actual food content of them. Unfortunately when potato is fried it contains something called acrylamide, a chemical which is classified as a probable human carcinogen. So these damn tasty snacks get worse and worse I’m afraid!

As for the Monosodium Glutamate (E621) how much is safe? Well, I’ve tried to research that one and come up a blank. The manfacturers and food companies would have us believe it is perfectly safe, on the over hand there is an ocean of arguements to say otherwise. Personally, I try to avoid it totally.

A Welsh school in Ysgol Deganwy, Conwy has taken part in a year long trial to improve the diets of their students and observe the results. The headmaster, Dafydd Roberts, told the Daily Post newspaper that the educational psychologist working with the school “found 69% of children made significant increases - greater progress than you would expect over a one year period - in thinking skills, 50% in number, 33% in spelling and 30% in reading.”

He added that the staff noticed less afternoon lethagy and children were generally calmer “There was less hyperactivity, which led to improved concentration. Nearly half the parents who completed a questionnaire on the food project noticed a change for the better in their children’s behaviour.”

Thanks to this trial, e-numbers and a healthier style of diet is being applied all across Conwy country. Read the full story on the icNorthWales website.

Fresh from his success in the war against bad meals in UK schools, it seems that Jamie Oliver has taken his fight across the atlantic to the US. In his appearance on NBC’s Today show. He highlighted one particular success, saying “Definitely. I mean I think what, what I’ve always come and worked in America a lot and what we’ve achieved in England over the last couple of years is standards, laws. I mean, literally two days ago, laws were put in place to ban all the junk in the vending machines. Not let the processed foods in.”

He mentions the amount of e-numbers currently present in the school meals that are served up. You can read more about this on NewsBusters website.