5-second rule: to eat or not to eat. That is the question? – Part 1.

Image credit: Unsplash by Josephina Kolpachnikof

We all heard about the 5-second rule. Your mother always told you never to eat from the floor, but is it just an old wives’ tale? How long does it take germs to cross-contaminate food on the floor? cross-contamination can happen at different levels. Some are a higher risk than others. For example, when a piece of food falls on the floor versus food covered with a plastic barrier. So, if you drop a piece of say, bread, on the floor that is still in the plastic. The risk would be less than a piece of bread that is exposed to the floor.

5-second rule: regulatory body, food code, texture, and moisture of food – Part 2.

The second part of the 5-second series will consist of the food code requirement in regulatory bodies, and texture of food. Like I mentioned in the first part, the risk of cross-contamination is based on several factors.

TAHINI & FOOD SCIENCE BEHIND IT

Image credit: Unsplash by alpaksoy

My favorite thing in Middle Eastern food is tahini. A small amount goes a long way due to viscosity and intense flavor. It can act as an emulsifier in a blend (oil-water for example) and is Found in hummus, among other dishes. I decided to research more on this ingredient to learn about its properties, and how it works in food. This ingredient is close and dear to my heart. My mother used to serve it on the table with cauliflower, eggplant, halva, and even chicken dishes.

British Retail Consortium (BRC) global standard for food safety

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British Retail Consortium (BRC) is used to satisfy the GFSI audit, which is the Global Food Safety Initiative, the main body that oversees all other audits. In this blog, we will discuss BRC and some tips to use.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Compliance: Proactively Mitigating Errors

When creating a HACCP program, there are a number of important components that are sometimes overlooked or aren’t fully implemented. Certification auditors will note these errors, which may prevent your business from achieving the certifications that you need. Below are some of the most common errors and how to mitigate them: