Farm&food February 2018 Edition - Strawberries - Pig Processing - The Upper Deck
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farm&food February 2018 Edition N1000 MAGAZINE from land and sea to table Strawberries Unilever ’s Backward Integration Nutrition Corner Why buy Pig Processing organic? Calamari more … farm&food 1
HELPING TO CREATE A BRIGHTER FUTURe Unilever is a socially responsible and responsive organization, delivering significant social and brand investments that are helping to create a brighter future for numerous Nigerians. Unilever Nigeria is delivering key interventions that advance our corporate purpose ‘to make sustainable living commonplace’. In driving these interventions, we are guided by the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP), our blue print for achieving our vision of doubling the size of our business whilst reducing our environmental footprint and increasing our positive social impact. Our USLP is focused on three main pillars: - Improving Health & Wellbeing - Enhancing Livelihoods - Decoupling growth from environmental impact Unilever believes in taking small everyday actions that can make a big difference for consumers, the communities in which it operates and the environment. Unilever has confidence in the Nigerian economy and will remain a major player in the country by continually investing, developing capabilities and growing brands that most suit the consumers’ needs. farm&food 2
from the editor We would like to welcome you to the February 2018 edition of Farm & Food magazine. Our exploration of produce from Jos starts in earnest with strawberries. I was presented with a bowl of the lovely fruit from Jos and I have honestly never tasted anything like it. There is so much we are yet to do with agriculture in Nigeria. A friend also made strawberry jam from the same Jos strawberries which we sadly couldn’t capture in this edition but we have it on good authority that the jam was delicious. Agriculture has, and will continue to feed various global industries. One of such is Unilever and they have graciously put out information on their efforts at backward integration in the Nigerian agriculture space in this edition. Publisher / Editor-In-Chief Babatunde Olaoluwa Jeje babatunde@alliantis-a.com +234 802 223 5455 farm&food 3
contents Fruit of the Land …5 Strawberries …6 Lamb …8 Fruit of the Sea …11 Calamari …12 Food on the Table …13 Food Traveller: Caribbean Island Adventure …14 Nigerian Haute Cuisine …15 Nutrition Corner …17 Food Calendar …19 Food & Markets … 20 Why buy organic? …21 Agriculture Pullout … 23 Backward Integration by Unilever …24 Food Transport Primer — Post Harvest …25 Processing Pigs for Meat …27 Contributors Banji Ladipo Uchechi Ogwo Nutrition Corner Travelling Chef farm&food 4
strawberries conquer the land. At first introduction to Europe, the plants grew vigorously but produced no fruit. It was discovered in 1766 that the female plants could only be pollinated by plants that produced large fruit. This is when the Europeans became aware that plants had the ability to produce male-only or female- only flowers. As more large-fruit producing plants were cultivated the Chilean strawberry slowly decreased in population in Europe, except for around Brest where the Chilean A bowl of Nigerian strawberries strawberry thrived. became more common. People began using it for its supposed Strawberry cultivars vary widely The first garden strawberry medicinal properties and in size, colour, flavour, shape, was grown in Brittany, France botanists began naming the degree of fertility, season of during the late 18th century. different species. In England the ripening, liability to disease and Prior to this, wild strawberries demand for regular strawberry constitution of plant. On and cultivated selections from farming had increased by the average, a strawberry has about wild strawberry species were mid-16th century. 200 seeds on its external the common source of the fruit. The combination of membrane. Cultivation follows strawberries and cream was one of two general models— The strawberry fruit was created by Thomas Wolsey in annual plasticulture, or a mentioned in ancient Roman the court of King Henry VIII. perennial system of matted literature in reference to its Instructions for growing and rows or mounds. Greenhouses medicinal use. The French harvesting strawberries showed produce a small amount of began taking the strawberry up in writing in 1578. By the end strawberries during the off from the forest to their gardens of the 16th century three season. for harvest in the 14th century. European species had been Charles V, France's king from cited, The garden strawberry The bulk of modern commercial 1364 to 1380, had 1,200 was transplanted from the production uses the strawberry plants in his royal forests and then the plants plasticulture system. In this garden. In the early 15th century would be propagated asexually method, raised beds are formed western European monks were by cutting off the runners. When each year, fumigated, and using the wild strawberry in a French excursion journeyed to covered with plastic to prevent their illuminated manuscripts. Chile in 1712, it introduced the weed growth and erosion. The strawberry is found in strawberry plant with female Plants are planted through Italian, Flemish, and German art, flowers that resulted in the holes punched in this covering, and in English miniatures. The common strawberry that we and irrigation tubing is run entire strawberry plant was have today. underneath. Runners are used to treat depressive removed from the plants as illnesses. The Mapuche and Huilliche they appear, in order to Indians of Chile cultivated the encourage the plants to put By the 16th century, references female strawberry species until most of their energy into fruit of cultivation of the strawberry 1551, when the Spanish came to development. At the end of the farm&food 6
harvest season, the plastic is delicate strawberries are still foods, beverages, confections, removed and the plants are harvested by hand. Grading and perfumes and cosmetics. plowed into the ground. packing often occurs in the Sweetness, fragrance and Because strawberry plants more field, rather than in a processing complex flavour are favourable than a year or two old begin to facility. In large operations, attributes. In plant breeding and decline in productivity and fruit strawberries are cleaned by farming, emphasis is placed on quality, this system of replacing means of water streams and sugars, acids, and volatile the plants each year allows for shaking conveyor belts. compounds, which improve the improved yields and denser taste and fragrance of a ripe plantings. However, because it In addition to being consumed strawberry. Esters, terpenes, requires a longer growing fresh, strawberries can be and furans are chemical season to allow for frozen, made into preserves, as compounds having the establishment of the plants well as dried and used in strongest relationships to each year, and because of the prepared foods, such as cereal strawberry flavour and increased costs in terms of bars. Strawberries and fragrance, with a total of 31 forming and covering the strawberry flavourings are a volatile compounds significantly mounds and purchasing plants popular addition to dairy correlated to favourable flavour each year, it is not always products, such as strawberry- and fragrance. One serving practical in all areas. flavoured milk, strawberry ice (100g) of strawberries contains The other major method, which cream, strawberry milkshakes, approximately 33 kilocalories, is uses the same plants from year strawberry smoothies and an excellent source of vitamin C, to year growing in rows or on strawberry yogurts. a good source of manganese, mounds, is most common in Strawberries and cream is a and provides several other colder climates. It has lower popular dessert during the vitamins and dietary minerals in investment costs, and lower British summer, famously lesser amounts. Strawberries overall maintenance consumed at the Wimbledon contain a modest amount of requirements. Yields are tennis tournament. In Sweden, essential unsaturated fatty acids typically lower than in strawberries are a traditional in the achene (seed) oil. plasticulture Another method dessert served on St John's Day, uses a compost sock. also known as Midsummer's At an altitude of 1,217 m above Strawberries can also be grown Eve. Depending on area, sea level, Jos in Nigeria enjoys a indoors in strawberry pots . strawberry pie, strawberry more temperate climate than rhubarb pie, or strawberry much of the rest of Nigeria. Most strawberry plants are now shortcake are also popular. In Average monthly temperatures fed with artificial fertilisers, Greece, strawberries are usually range from 21° to 25°C, from both before and after sprinkled with sugar and then mid-November to late January, harvesting, and often before dipped in Metaxa, a famous and night-time temperatures planting in plasticulture. To brandy, and served as a dessert. may drop as low as 8°C resulting maintain top quality, berries are In Italy, strawberries have been in chilly nights. Hail is common harvested at least every other used for various desserts and as during the rainy season, owing day. The berries are picked with a popular flavouring for gelato to the cool high-altitude the caps still attached and with (gelato alla fragola). In the weather. These cooler at least half an inch of stem left. Philippines, strawberries are temperatures have meant that Strawberries need to remain on also popular, in which it is used from colonial times until present the plant to fully ripen because for making the syrup in taho. day, Jos has been a favourite they do not continue to ripen holiday location for both after being picked. Rotted Strawberry pigment extract can tourists and expatriates based and overripe berries are be used as a natural acid/base in Nigeria. These conditions are removed to minimise insect and indicator due to the different exactly why the Jos plateau is disease problems. The berries colour of the conjugate acid and the only place in Nigeria where do not get washed until just conjugate base of the pigment. strawberries are grown. before consumption. As strawberry flavour and Strawberries that are reputed to fragrance are popular be some of the best in the The harvesting and cleaning characteristics for consumers, world. f&f process has not changed they are used widely in a variety substantially over time. The of manufacturing, including farm&food 7
lamb A sheep in its first year is called a lamb, and its meat is also called lamb. The meat of a juvenile sheep older than one year is hogget. The meat of an adult sheep is mutton, a term only used for the meat, not the living animals. In the Indian subcontinent the term mutton is almost always used to refer to goat meat. Lamb is the most expensive of the three types, and in recent decades sheep meat is increasingly only retailed as "lamb", sometimes stretching the accepted cordero lechal asado) is generally • Saltbush mutton — a term used distinctions given above. In thought to be finer than that of in Australia for the meat of Australia, the term prime older lamb, and fetches higher mature Merinos which have been lamb is often used to refer prices The areas in northern Spain allowed to graze on a triplex to lambs raised for meat. where this can be found include plants Other languages, for Asturias, Cantabria, Castile and • Salt marsh lamb (also known as example French, Italian and León, and La Rioja. Milk-fed lambs 'saltmarsh lamb' or by its French Arabic, make similar, or even are especially prized for Easter in name, agneau de pré-salé) is the more detailed, distinctions Greece, when they are roasted on meat of sheep which graze ons alt between sheep meat by age a spit. marsh in coastal estuaries that are and sometimes by gender • Young lamb — a milk-fed lamb washed by the tides and support and diet, though these between six and eight weeks old a range of salt-tolerant grasses languages do not use • Spring lamb — a milk-fed lamb, and herbs, such as samphire, different words to refer to usually three to five months old, sparta grass, sorrel and sea the animal and its meat. born in late winter or early spring lavender. Depending on where and sold usually before 1 July (in the salt marsh is located, the Other Definitions: the northern hemisphere). nature of the plants may be subtly • Milk-fed lamb — meat • Sucker lambs — a term used in different. Salt marsh lamb has from an unweaned lamb, Australia — includes young milk- long been appreciated in France typically 4–6 weeks old fed lambs, as well as slightly older and is growing in popularity in the and weighing 5.5 to 8 kg; lambs up to about seven months United Kingdom. Places where this is almost unavailable of age which are also still salt marsh lamb are reared in the in countries such as the dependent on their mothers for UK include Harlech and the Gower United States and the milk. Carcasses from these lambs Peninsula in Wales, the Somerset United Kingdom, while it usually weigh between 14 and 30 Levels, Morecambe Bay and the is popular in Iran and kg. Older weaned lambs which Solway Firth. Persian Gulf countries.The have not yet matured to become • Saltgrass lamb — a term used to flavour and texture of mutton are known as old-season describe a type of lamb exclusive milk-fed lamb when lambs. to Flinders Island (Tasmania). The grilled (such as the tiny • Lamb — a young sheep that is pastures on the island have a lamb chops known as less than one year old relatively high salt content, chuletillas in Spain) or • Yearling lamb — a young sheep leading to a flavour and texture roasted (lechazo asado or between 12 and 24 months old. similar to saltmarsh lamb. farm&food 8
Butchery: The meat of a lamb is taken from the animal between one month and one year old, with a carcase as (carcass in American English) braising or weight of between 5.5 and 30 kg. stewing, or by This meat generally is more slow roasting tender than that from older sheep or American and appears more often on tables barbecuing. It is, in in some Western countries. some countries, sold • chops and arm Hogget and mutton have a already chopped or chops stronger flavour than lamb diced. • Rack — rib chops because they contain a higher concentration of species and riblets, rib Lamb shank definitions roast characteristic fatty acids and are vary, but generally • Loin — loin preferred by some. Mutton and include: chops or roast hogget also tend to be tougher than lamb (because of connective • Lamb shank is cut • Leg — sirloin from the arm of chops, leg roast (leg of tissue maturation) and are shoulder contains leg bone and lamb) therefore better suited to part of round shoulder bone, • Neck casserole-style cooking, as in and is covered by a thin layer of • Breast Lancashire hotpot, for example. fat and fell (a thin, paper-like • Shanks (fore or hind) covering). • Flank Lamb is often sorted into three kinds of meat: forequarter, loin, • Lamb shank is a cut of meat from the upper part of the leg. Lamb & Mutton Dishes: and hindquarter. The forequarter Mutton barbeque is a tradition in Meat from sheep features includes the neck, shoulder, front Western Kentucky. The area was prominently in several cuisines of legs, and the ribs up to the strong in the wool trade, which the Mediterranean, for example in shoulder blade. The hindquarter gave them plenty of older sheep Greece, where it is an integral includes the rear legs and hip. The that needed to be put to use. component of many meals, loin includes the ribs between the two. including religious feasts such as Thin strips of fatty mutton can be Easter; Turkey, in North Africa, the cut into a substitute for bacon Middle East, in Jordan, Pakistan Lamb chops are cut from the rib, called macon. and Afghanistan; in the Basque loin, and shoulder areas. The rib chops include a rib bone; the loin culture, both in the Basque Lamb tongue is popular in Middle country of Europe and in the chops include only a chine bone. Eastern cuisine both as a cold cut shepherding areas of the Western Shoulder chops are usually and in preparations like stews. United States. In Northern considered inferior to loin chops; both kinds of chops are usually Europe, mutton and lamb feature Cuts: in many traditional dishes, grilled. Breast of lamb (baby Commonwealth countries including those of Iceland and of chops) can be cooked in an oven. • Scrag end (of neck) the United Kingdom, particularly Leg of lamb is a whole leg; saddle • Middle neck in the western and northern of lamb is the two loins with the • Best End (of neck) uplands, Scotland and Wales. hip. Leg and saddle are usually • Loin Mutton used to be an important roasted, though the leg is • Chump (and chump chops) part of Hungarian cuisine due to sometimes boiled. • Leg (gigot in Scotland) strong pastoral traditions but • Shank began to be increasingly looked Forequarter meat of sheep, as of • Shoulder down on with the spread of other mammals, includes more • Breast urbanisation. It is also very connective tissue than some popular in Australia. Lamb and US and Ireland mutton are very popular in other cuts, and, if not from a young lamb, is best cooked slowly • Square cut shoulder —shoulder Central Asia and in certain parts of roast, shoulder China, where other red meats using either a moist method, such farm&food 9
mutton. This dish led to the famous Biryani. In Japan, although lamb is not traditionally consumed in most of the country, on the Northern island of Hokkaido and North- eastern Tohoku regions, a hot pot dish called Jingisukan (i.e. "Genghis Khan") is popular. In that dish, thin-sliced lamb is cooked over a convex skillet alongside various vegetables and mushrooms in front of the diners, then dipped in soy-sauce based dipping sauces and eaten. It was so named because lamb was thought to be popular in Mongolia. Lamb's liver, known as lamb's fry in New Zealand and Australia, is eaten in many countries. It is the most common form of offal eaten in the UK, traditionally used in the family favourite (and pub grub Nigerian Lamb Chops cut in the leg, and rosemary staple) of liver with onions and/ leaves sprinkled on top. The or bacon and mashed potatoes. may be eschewed for religious lamb is then roasted for two It is a major ingredient, along or economic reasons. hours at 180 °C and typically with the lungs and heart (the Barbecued mutton is also a served with carrots and potato pluck), in the traditional Scottish specialty in some areas of the (also roasted), green vegetables dish of haggis. United States (chiefly and gravy. Owensboro, Kentucky) and Lamb testicles, also known as Canada. However, meat from In Indonesia, lamb is popularly lamb's fries (a term also used sheep is generally consumed far served as lamb satay and lamb for lamb offal), is another less in the US than in many curry. Both dishes are cooked delicacy. European, Central American and with various spices from the Asian cuisines; for example, islands, and served with either Lamb kidneys are found in many average per-capita consumption rice or lontong. A version of cuisines across Europe and the of lamb in the United States is lamb and bamboo shoot curry is Middle East, often split into two only 400 grams per year with the specialty of Minang cuisine, halves and grilled (on kebabs in half the population never although similar dish could also the Middle East), or sautéed in a having tried it. be found inThai cuisine. sauce. They are generally the most highly regarded of all In Australia, the leg of lamb In Mexico, lamb is the meat of kidneys. roast is considered to be the choice for the popular barbacoa national dish. Commonly served dish, in which the lamb is Lamb sweetbreads are a on a Sunday or any other special roasted or steamed wrapped in delicacy in many cuisines. f&f occasion, it can be done in a maguey leaves underground. kettle BBQ or a conventional oven. Typical preparation In Medieval India, the armies, involves covering the leg of unable to cook elaborate meals, lamb with butter and rosemary would prepare a one-pot dish sprigs pushed inside incisions where they cooked rice with farm&food 10
fruit of the sea farm&food 11
calamari saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol. While the breaded and fried version of calamari is the most popular version served in restaurants, there are also versions of the squid not breaded that you can find in pasta, paella, soups, and salads. How It's Served This batter-coated fried squid is perfect when paired with salt and lemon on the side. Deep-fried or crispy baked calamari is typically served crisp and golden brown with a warm tomato sauce to dunk it with. You can also find it garnished with parsley or sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Dips like peppercorn Calamari is made out of squid. In Italy, squid translates mayonnaise, tzatziki, or tartar sauce can also be found directly as calamari, which is how the popular appetiser next to the calamari appetiser. gets its name. In fact, calamari is most often referred to as a squid dish from the Mediterranean area. This is a The dish is also popular in countries like South Africa and staple in both Italian and seafood restaurants, though Australia and can be found in fish and chip shops. there are other versions like the Asian "salt and pepper fried squid" found in bars and food trucks. Eating Squid Squid lends itself to just about every cooking method The Squid imaginable and is often eaten raw in sushi dishes. A This particular type of squid is a mollusk related to the versatile food, squid is available fresh, canned, frozen, cuttlefish and octopus and has 10 tentacles. dried, and pickled. Squid belongs to the same family as oysters, scallops, and octopus. When it is not deep-fried or breaded, squid is full of many health benefits because it is low in saturated fat. It is high in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and healthy fats. How Cultures Prepare Squid Popular in many countries, squid can be found in restaurants all over the world in places like Spain, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, Egypt, Malta, Korea, and more. Spain and Italy make squid in paella, risotto, soups, and pasta, while Portugal makes lulas, grilled whole kebabs of squid rings with bell peppers and onions. In Korea, fresh squid is often served with mustard and sauce before Like its cousin the octopus, it also has a protective being salted and wrapped in lettuce or pillard leaves. mechanism which releases a dark ink into the water when it senses danger. The squid ranges from one inch Squid is found in additional Asian countries like China, in size up to 80 feet, but the most common size for Thailand, Japan and Taiwan. Usually, the squid is grilled eating is less than 12 inches. Although the tentacles are whole and sold in food stalls and stands. You can find edible, the body is the prime section of meat which can more heavily spiced squid in stir-fries, rice, and noodle be stuffed whole, cut into flat pieces, or sliced crosswise dishes in Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisine. into perfect rings. www.thespruce.com The Taste of Calamari Calamari meat is firm and white with a mild, slightly f&f sweet, and almost nutty flavour. Eating small fried squid is an often firm and chewy experience, rich in vitamins and minerals. However, it does have high levels of farm&food 12
food on the table farm&food 13
food traveller | caribbean island adventure by Uchechi Ogwo “Welcome to Jamrock” said the petite looking attendant behind the counter, we both acknowledged her greeting eager to know what was on the menu and if it was pocket friendly. Indeed it was a decent menu and pocket friendly. However, journey turned into a 30-minute rigmarole in because we came a tad bid Lekki Phase 1. Alas! We were lost in Lekki Phase late they had run out of 1, unbelievable but true. By this time Dipo and I some of the menu items and were “hangry” (hungry and angry). Frustrated so Dipo settled for their at the drivers’ efforts to locate our destination Grilled Chicken Burger with we asked him to retrace his route and take us Sweet Potato Fries while I back to the pick-up point. had their Rice and Peas with Jerk Chicken, Steamed With rumbling tummies desirous of good spicy Cabbage and Fried Plantains. food, I felt we could save ourselves the trouble Wow! It was quite a spread and just eat at any of the eateries just to and a tasty one at that. quench the hunger pangs. Just as a Tuareg Halfway through our meal, a would spot an Oasis, I suddenly notice a well-lit gentleman who I reckon was signboard which read “JAMROCK CARRIBEAN the Restaurant Manager/ CUISINE” as we drove onto admiralty way. I love my Fridays usually, as Supervisor walked up to us Now, since we could not have our fish and a it affords me the time to to enquire about our meal, regular meal was a choice made in frustration, have a good meal whilst he said he had never seen us my sense of culinary adventure was rekindled unwinding with great here before and would like so I asked the driver to stop and end the trip company and that’s exactly to know who told us about (he definitely wasn’t getting a 5 star rating what I set out to do last them… (now wouldn’t he from me). As we walked into the restaurant we Friday as against the usual want to know). We both could hear the soft vibes of Bob Marley wailing expectation of grooving and laughed and said it was a in the background and there were two hefty clubbing for most of us. random walk in…he was dreadlocked Jamaican men sitting having a pleased and I told him he meal. In line with my Friday would definitely hear my routine I called my friend review about the place later Dipo to meet me in Lekki on. Phase 1 to set off on a culinary adventure at a Done with the meal and restaurant I had heard about feeling royally stuffed, we that features the paid our bill and hopped into Cameroonian Fish Lady the cab which I had hailed (I which led me to have a used Taxify this time!). craving for a Spicy Fish Meal. The Uber arrived on time Surely, I will be back to and so began our journey Jamrock for some more which had an unexpected tasty and affordable twist. Caribbean Cuisine. f&f Unbeknownst to me the Uber driver could not read a map and so a 10-minute farm&food 14
nigerian haute cuisine Passion wasn’t the problem. Kolawole Dosunmu unannounced. And so the evening came and diners had that in spades. After all, he was a motorbike gathered at the location, all trusting that the rider of the touring type. The dedication to the evening would be an enjoyable and memorable motorbike lifestyle is almost cult like and Chef KD experience. One of the other skills Chef KD Prime Prime, as Kolawole is better known in his cooking possesses is mixology, so cocktails were on tap all persona, brought the same dedication to cooking. evening. KD Prime is a regular at the better food festivals in Lagos with his very tasty adaptations of Nigerian Chef KD Prime’s partner in cuisine on the evening food. One popular dish he does is pork nkwobi, an was Chef Dave Gunn who is behind the Road Chef Igbo dish typically made with cow feet sautéed, location in Lekki Phase 1 in Lagos. The energy they after cooking until soft, in a very tasty sauce made both brought to the evening was seriously with local spices. His version is really rather tasty. infectious. The menu was unfolded and assembled dish after dish and they were all interpretations of It wasn’t a surprise to hear that KD Prime had Nigerian Classics indeed. The experience was made decided to go the food tour route. In fact, it was even more interesting as the kitchen was open and more a question of what took him so long. The very next to the dining area. first one took place on the 27th of January this year. The only information on what was going to The first course was goat meat pepper soup. be had on the evening was that it was a 5 course However, the goat meat was cooked separately dinner based on Nigerian Classics. Menu was and the soup was cooked separately. The marriage farm&food 15
of soup and meat came at the table as shown. Goat Meat pepper soup is a well known Nigerian Classic. The interpretation was lovely as the taste of the meat was clear and distinct from the broth which was also quite good. The marriage tasted very moreish. The next course on the unfolding menu was native palm oil rice topped with fried croaker and a mixture of scent leaves and greens. Ahhh… The third course was puréed yam pottage topped with six-day brined chicken that was poached and then seared before serving. The pottage was topped with fried cassava and is a KD Prime and Dave Gunn chilli sauce, the chicken, very popular Nigerian indeed produced what crisp chicken skin, food choice. The beef could only be called shredded utazi vegetable was flambeed before the Nigerian Haute Cuisine. It and sticks of fried dish was assembled. was a great evening and plantain. The fourth and we look forward to the main course was eba and The dessert was Canjika next KD Prime vegetable (afang) with served on a bed of frejon experience. f&f beef. Eba is made from topped with salted fermented, ground and caramel -- a Lagos classic. farm&food 16
nutrition corner | hidden in plain sight — dangerous by Banji Ladipo substances in processed foods Seasoning Oil: Refined palm oil (contains TBHQ), onion. sweet soy sauce: sugar, water, salt, wheat, soybean, sesame oil. Chili Sauce: Chili, water, sugar, salt, tapioca starch, acetic acid, citric acid, (these I like writing about the things that this by the box and/or feeding it to two could have been made natural are good to eat. Where Nigerian food children, I would look a little harder, by using vinegar and lemon juice but is concerned, this covers most of our the plantain chips were made in industrial versions are cheaper) traditional foods. It's much more fun Colombia and the ‘vegetable oil’ is herbs, monosodium glutamate, working with those things, I get to palm and soya that hasn’t been disodium inosinate, disodium cook them for the camera or for partially or fully hydrogenated, that’s guanylate, flavours, sodium benzoate analysis. Then I get to eat them, for good, but for me to include this as a & sodium metabisulphite strictly scientific reasons, of course. regular feature of my family’s diet, I (preservatives). Fried onions. Sadly, sometimes I have to speak up would need to know that the soya is about the things we shouldn't eat not genetically modified (as it often It’s pretty obvious that there are which is equally important for a is). many things here that you wouldn’t Nigerian diet (or any other) but walk into a market or grocery store woefully less fun. This is that kind of This sort of thinking is Grandmaster and ask for. Can you imagine it, just article. Ninja level 9000 foody-health-nut shopping for dinner, you pick up a thinking and let’s be honest, apart chicken, a tuber of yam, some greens I will always advocate eating real from the food-obsessed like me, who and 20 grammes of disodium natural food, either fresh or with has the time, energy or inclination to guanylate? Rather than try to get simple processing like peeling or be analysing food labels to this everybody invested in understanding drying. Once food is in a packet, you degree? Here is a sample ingredient everything about food labels, in this must read the label to see what’s in it. As my children got old enough to buy snacks in shops away from my influence, I taught them a simple rule to apply when reading the label on a food packet. It is this, “If there is any item on the ingredient list that your grandmother would not recognise as food, don’t eat it.” We call this the Granny What Is rule. If you know that Granny is going to say, “what is maltodextrin?” or “what is soya Bad label, lots of E-numbers, I got as far as E319 which is TBHQ (see below) lecithin” then you can’t eat those things. This is a good starting point list from a packet of Indomie article, I’m just going to call out some for reading labels with a view to noodles. Non-food items are in Bold of the major baddies. The sorts of healthy eating. Italics. ingredients that deserve protection Noodles: wheat flour (62%), refined prayers, “any carcinogen fashioned A friend gave me a packet of plantain palm oil (contains TBHQ), salt, by the forces of evil against you shall chips yesterday, he had a box of sodium tripolyphosphate, potassium not enter your kitchen!” sort of them in his car and offered me one as carbonate, sodium carbonate, guar thing. . . I saw him off after a visit. It passed gum, riboflavin. Seasoning Powder: Granny What Is rule easily, the Salt, Sugar, monosodium glutamate, For the sake of clarity, DON’T EAT ingredient list has two items; disodium inosinate, disodium THE FOLLOWING! plantain and vegetable oil (not even guanylate, garlic powder, onion Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil. Or any salt). Perfect for an occasional powder, yeast extract, artificial Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable snack. If I were to consider buying flavour, pepper, silicon dioxide. Oil. .AKA .Trans fat. farm&food 17
these. Some have been shown to be carcinogens while all seem to amplify the sweet tooth of anybody taking them. In my experience, the more people use sweeteners, the more they want sweet things. It is also very difficult to get good science on these things. They are a huge business, This is a good label, no chemicals, no strange items largely due to their use in soft drinks like Coke and Pepsi. Each This product is produced by an I still it think has no place in a sweetener manufacturer spends industrial process that solidifies healthy diet for the following big bucks sponsoring 'scientific' vegetable oil making it a cheap reasons. studies that either 'prove' their alternative to butter and extending • The chemical process that version is safe or prove that their its shelf-life. It has been banned in creates it is known to leave traces rival's is not. There is a story about 6 European countries and even in of nasties behind (like mercury) how Stevia, which is arguably the the USA, where large corporations • It is a really cheap alternative to best of the lot was blocked from have too much influence over food sugar. This means that it tends to entering the U.S. market for years regulation policy, the FDA have show up in large quantities and in by the FDA under pressure from given companies until 2018 to foods (or food-like substances) the manufacturers of Nutrasweet remove it from all foods. It has that are designed for maximum (aspartame). been strongly linked to heart profit with no thought given to Despite all this, as a nutritionist I disease. health. It is an easy way to have to balance the harm from the High Fructose Corn Syrup identify junk. possibility of long-term issues like Abbreviated to HFCS, sometimes • Any conscious effort to eliminate cancer and organ failure suggested called ‘corn sugar’ and found in HFCS from a diet will almost by studies on artificial sweeteners many packaged foods and sweet inevitably lead to lower sugar with the more imminent problems drinks, this sweetener has a bad intake and that’s a good thing for like diabetes and obesity that come reputation. It is created by most people. from overloading on natural chemically processing corn and is TBHQ (Tertiary sugars. I can accept sweeteners as mostly found in the United States. butylhydroquinone) and friends a transitional measure, a bit like a It is believed by many to be the This chemical is used to prevent smoker's nicotine patch to help single largest single contributor to oxidation of packaged processed with training your taste-buds to the American obesity epidemic. I’m foods, especially fats. (e.g. palm require less sweetening. A not sure I’d necessarily go that far oil) It tends to show up as part of a progressive reduction in myself on the grounds that there chemical gang including propyl sweeteners, either natural or are many things wrong with the gallate, BHA and the notorious BHT artificial will make your body adjust average person’s diet and/or (butylated hydroxyanisole and and need less. lifestyle in the U.S.A. One must butylated hydroxytoluene Wetin you dey chop? (Seriously! also consider that other countries respectively). These gang You need to know!) (including nearby Mexico) that members are all known to the largely don’t use HFCS also have police (regulators) and there are Major Takeaway widespread obesity issues. quite low limits imposed on the It is always better to eat natural There are a number of ‘scientific’ food industry but they are foods as created by nature. If the articles that suggest that HFCS is as permitted in food despite being need for speed or convenience healthy as plain sugar. Sadly, if you known to cause cancer in animals forces you to eat processed and have enough money, you can get and aggravate ADHT in humans. packaged foods and drinks, then your own ‘scientific’ studies to Apply Granny What Is rule, avoid you must always read the label. show whatever you want them to. them! Try to avoid any packaged food There were many ‘scientific’ studies that includes obvious non-food sponsored by the tobacco industry One last thing. I’m not a fan of any items and never eat any of the that ‘proved’ that smoking artificial sweetener like acesulfame items on the list above. And please cigarettes was not detrimental to K, aspartame, saccharin, sorbitol, do not feed them to children. health some years ago. sucralose, stevia and xylitol. There are many reasons for my dislike of f&f farm&food 18
brought to food calendar you by February Produce Each row from left to Nutritional Facts magnesium. Mango fruit help the body to fight right: pulp is rich in vitamin C, against bacteria. You Need To Know pre-biotic dietary fibre African Star Apple; and many kinds of Avocados contribute Ginger; Pineapple; African Star Apple is a polyphenols. It is free nearly 20 essential Beetroot good source of calcium, from fat, sodium and nutrients, including a vitamins and fibre. The cholesterol. good amount of fibre Mangoes; Carrots; calcium lends strength to and folate, potassium, Bananas; Avocado your bones and teeth, Carrots give good Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and it may also lessen amount of vitamins A, C, folic acid, minerals and Papaya (Pawpaw); symptoms of D, E and K, as well as phytonutrients, vitamin Plantains; Oranges; premenstrual syndrome. minerals such as C, iron, potassium and Onions It contains good magnesium, potassium lutein. They also act as a measures of vitamin C and calcium. They "nutrient booster" by and vitamin A. are highly nutritious and enabling the body to cleansing due to their absorb more fat-soluble Mangoes provide energy. high fibre content and a nutrients. They contain vitamin A, good source of vitamin C, calcium, iron, antioxidants. They boost potassium and the immune system and farm&food 19
food & markets farm&food 20
why buy organic? Organic food sales are growing, problems, disrupted hormone yet the lion's share of the food function, autism, and cancer. market is still overwhelmingly Pesticides and chemicals have controlled by conventional also been linked to infertility food. problems in males and females. When parents-to-be Below are some ready-to-go choose organic food, their facts about organic food baby-to-be is exposed to that consumers need to fewer health risks. know. 3 Organic Food Keeps Our 1 Organic Food is Healthy and Water Clean Safe You may hear, "Organic food Pesticides and chemicals don't isn't more nutritious - don't belong in drinking water, lakes waste your money." However, or oceans, but right now most The Soil Association notes that of the water on earth is at risk. an organic diet increases Surface water runoff from non- consumption of vitamins, Pesticides can cause organic farms and other non- minerals, antioxidants and neurological problems, cancer, organic food operations can essential fatty acids. infertility, nausea, vomiting, deposit pesticides into lakes, Health and safety should not be diarrhoea, allergies and asthma, confused with nutrition. While wheezing, rashes and other skin most research can't prove, problems, ADHD, birth beyond a doubt that organic defects and more. Logic food is more nutritious, it is 101 says don't eat much safer, which may translate poison, right? Why not to a healthier body, able to go organic and avoid absorb healthy nutrients. pesticides? Non-organic food often contains harmful hormones and 2 Organic Food pesticides. Pesticides are Builds Strong Future poisonous - by nature, Generations they're designed to kill. It's comforting to imagine unborn babies protected and safe in the womb, but research by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows rivers, and reservoirs. that chemicals, Companies who dispose of pesticides in food and pesticides incorrectly can other pollutants cross contaminate soil and drinking the placenta. water supplies as well. Many These pesticides and pesticides don't break down in other toxins can water and may remain in the create health risks for water system for years. Organic babies. Many studies link food farming methods help to pesticides to low birth keep water clean plus use less weight, birth defects, water, thus preserving the neurological and behavioural earth's water supplies. farm&food 21
4 Organic Food Helps Protect 7 Organic Food Offers Animals Outstanding Flavour Wild animals, fish, and birds Taste is subjective, but depend upon healthy plants, you're more likely to get streams, rivers, and lakes in fresher flavour with their habitat. When pesticides organic. Organic foods infiltrate animal habitats many don't contain artificial creatures suffer. preservatives, so they sit on the shelf for less time, 5 Organic Food Results in Less and consumers get a Soil Erosion fresher, better tasting product. Everyone should be worried about soil erosion. Soil erosion Prepared organic foods are promotes flooding and drought. really where taste difference that demand with better, more Soil erosion results in excess come in. Organic foods don't competitive prices. dust in the air, which blows contain chemical fake flavours, The only way to show the around causing air pollution. so the true taste of the food government and businesses This excess dust, "Carries about shines through. For example, that people care about quality, 20 human infectious disease try a taste test between organic affordable organics is to buy organisms, including anthrax and non-organic ketchup - the quality organics. Your organic and tuberculosis." Conservation organic ketchup tastes like purchases now make a tillage, cover crops, windbreaks fresh tomatoes while the difference in the long run. and other sustainable farming conventional tastes like it was Luckily, for now, organics are methods used on organic farms seasoned with fake tomato becoming more affordable. help control soil erosion. Soil flavouring. from organic farms is also 9 Organic Produce is not Force pesticide-free and won't add 8 Organic Food is Becoming Ripened pesticides into the air. More Affordable Going to the open market can 6 Organic Food Conserves Fossil Many people complain that sometimes be a game of Fuels organic food is too expensive. Russian Roulette when it comes Organic food can cost more to buying fresh produce. Conventional agriculture than conventional foods. Carbide is used more and more production uses more fossil However, money talks. When to ripen fruit quickly. Calcium fuels than organic food people continually purchase Carbide contains arsenic and production. In fact, one study organic food it shows consumer phosphorus, both of which can shows that sustainable farming support for organics and be fatal for human beings. It is a methods may use 23% to 56% then companies will try to meet known carcinogen and can alter less fossil energy than human cells into cancerous conventional farming cells. methods. Buying organic food supports 10 Organic Produce is best found sustainable farming, at your local farmer’s market. which in turn preserves non- f&f renewable fossil fuels, saves money spent on energy resources and reduces global warming impacts. farm&food 22
agricultural pullout farm&food 23
Sponsored Article backward integration Unilever Nigeria has spurred us to enhance our facing. However, this is not a partners local local sourcing capabilities.” deterrent factor but an farmers, to reduce opportunity to help them scale importation of inputs Yaw cited examples of steps up their skills and compete at taken by Unilever to achieve this the international level. The In line with the Federal drive in Packaging and agro- Procurement Director-Markets, Government of Nigeria’s based materials. “Already, Unilever West Africa, Supply strategy to deepen the quality Unilever has achieved over 80% Chain, Mwanza Thomas stated of growth through the in local sourcing of packaging that, “Our motivation and backward integration policy, materials. The aim is to achieve commitment to operate Unilever Nigeria Plc has 100% by the end of 2019 and sustainably is far superior to expressed, as well as overcome the current these challenges. We are demonstrated its support for challenges of local vendor’s working with relevant the policy through its “Partner capacity to meet up with global authorities and local investors to Win” initiative. best standard.” In agro-allied to ensure their produce meet sector, Unilever is partnering the required standard for our Partner to Win is Unilever with intermediary companies, products.” Nigeria’s initiative of investing in for the supply of cassava and capabilities of intermediary starch. It would be recalled that the companies to enable them Federal Government of Nigeria convert farm produce to usable Speaking on the economic designed the backward goods that will be sourced by benefits of aligning with the integration policy to deepen the the company as part of its raw government on this strategy, economy and achieve robust materials locally. The Yaw said, “By working with the growth. As it currently stands, organisation believes this will intermediary companies to imports are still the dominant enable it achieve a significant source these materials, we are source of inputs into food, reduction in the importation of contributing to up-scaling the beverages and tobacco in raw materials by working with technical skills required for Nigeria, accounting for more local partners. sustainable commercial farming than 70% of all raw materials. in Nigeria. We are also investing The Economic Recovery and According to Yaw Nsarkoh, the in the production of palm oil for Growth Plan (ERGP) blueprint Executive Vice President, use in Blue-Band spreads and anticipates a strong backward- Unilever Ghana Nigeria, 90% of soaps, and exploring local integration led growth in the its brands in Nigeria are production of herbs and spice agro-processing, food and manufactured locally. The goal for our seasoning cubes. We manufacturing sector. is to achieve 100%. In December, believe that our partnership 2017 the Company with these investors will not Unilever Nigeria PLC (RC 113) commissioned its Blue-Band only create jobs within the 1 Billings Way, Oregun Margarine factory with the aim agriculture sector but also P.O. Box 1063, Ikeja Lagos of ending the importation of the provide support that will T;+234 (1) 279 3000 product. Providing the enhance their technical know- Fax: +234 (1) 2716068 motivation for this decision, how and skills.” www.unilevernigeria.com Yaw said, “The backward integration programme of the The ability of the local suppliers Federal Government is a sound to meet international standards policy and as an organisation we for such materials and the are committed to this initiative. possibility of locally produced We have found strong goods being more expensive connections between this policy than imported goods are key and our business model. This challenges the company is farm&food 24
food transport primer — post harvest The preservation of food is a and possess large, highly unfavourably to storage at low very important aspect of food vacuolate cells. The freezing temperatures which are well production. Losses are point of their tissues is relatively above their freezing points, but experienced in Sub-Saharan high (ranging from -3 °C to -0.5 below a critical temperature Africa during transportation of °C), and disruption caused by termed their chilling threshold food such that up to half of freezing generally results in temperature or lowest safe what is transported could be immediate collapse of their temperature. Chilling injury is rotten by the time the tissues and a total loss of manifested in a variety of consignment gets to market. cellular integrity. Freezing symptoms including surface and Effective food preservation is all underpinned by cold chain Lowest safe Commodity logistics. Farm & Food published temperature an article in the first edition (°C) about cold chain logistics but 3 Asparagus, cranberry, jujube will now start to look at the separate components of the 4 Cantaloupe, certain apple cultivars (such as McIntosh and cold chain in the transportation Yellow Newton), certain avocado cultivars (such as Booth of temperature sensitive and Lula), lychee, potato, tamarillo produce, fruits and vegetables. The first point for the 5 Cactus pear, cowpeas, durian, feijoa, guava, kumquat, lima introduction of the cold chain is bean, longan, mandarin, orange, pepino right at the point of harvest. We 7 Certain avocado cultivars (such as Fuerte and Hass), chayote, shall be looking at what is okra, olive, pepper, pineapple, pomegranate, snap bean needed to kick start the cold chain process. 10 Carambola, cucumber, eggplant, grapefruit, lime, mango Temperature is the most (ripe), melons (casaba, crenshaw, honeydew, persian), important environmental factor papaya, passion fruit, plantain, rambutan, squash (soft rind), that influences the deterioration taro, tomato (ripe), watermelon of harvested commodities. Most perishable horticultural 13 Banana, breadfruit, cherimoya, ginger, jackfruits, jicama, commodities have an optimal lemon, mango (mature-green), mangosteen, pumpkin and shelf-life at temperatures of hard-rind squash, sapotes, sweet potato, tomato approximately 0 °C. The rate of (maturegreen), yam deterioration of perishables however increases two to three- occurs in cold storage systems internal discolouration, pitting, fold with every 10 °C increase in either due to inadequate water soaking, failure to ripen, temperature. Temperature has a refrigerator design, or to uneven ripening, development significant effect on how other thermostat failure. of off flavours and heightened internal and external factors Freezing can also occur upon susceptibility to pathogen influence the commodity, and exposure to inclement weather attack. dramatically affects spore conditions as occurs when germination and the growth of produce is allowed to remain for Heat Injury pathogens. Temperatures either even short periods of time on High temperature conditions above or below the optimal unprotected transportation are also injurious to perishable range for fresh produce can docks during winter. crops. Transpiration is vital to cause rapid deterioration. maintaining optimal growth Chilling Injury temperatures in growing plants. Freezing Some commodities (chiefly Organs removed from the plant, Perishable commodities are those native to the tropics and however, lack the protective generally high in water content, subtropics) respond effects of transpiration, and farm&food 25
direct sources of heat, such as percent RH. RH can be sweet corn, and summer sunlight, can rapidly elevate controlled by one or more of squash). the temperature of tissues to the following procedures: above the thermal death point 1. adding moisture (water Cooling Methods of their cells, leading to mist or spray, steam) to air Temperature management is localised bleaching, necrosis with the use of the most effective tool for (sunburn or sunscald) or humidifiers; extending the shelf life of general collapse. 2. regulating air movement fresh horticultural Relative humidity (RH) is and ventilation in relation commodities. It begins with defined as the moisture to the produce load in the the rapid removal of field heat content (as water vapour) of cold storage room; by using one of the cooling the atmosphere, expressed as 3. maintaining the methods listed in the table. a percentage of the amount of temperature of the moisture that can be retained refrigeration coils in the Packing fresh produce with by the atmosphere (moisture storage room or transit crushed or flaked ice provides holding capacity) at a given vehicle to within about 1 °C rapid cooling, and can provide temperature and pressure of the air temperature; a source of cooling and high without condensation. The 4. providing moisture RH during subsequent moisture holding capacity of barriers that insulate walls handling. The use of crushed air increases with of storage rooms and ice is, however, limited to temperature. transit vehicles; produce that is tolerant to RH can influence water loss, 5. adding polyethylene liners direct contact with ice and decay development, the in packing containers and packaged in moisture-resistant incidence of some using perforated containers. physiological disorders, and polymeric films for uniformity of fruit ripening. packaging; Clean, sanitised water is used Condensation of moisture on 6. wetting floors in storage as the cooling medium for the the commodity (sweating) rooms; hydrocooling (shower or over long periods of time is 7. adding crushed ice in immersion systems) of probably more important in shipping containers or in commodities that tolerate enhancing decay than is the retail displays for water contact and are RH of ambient air. An commodities that are not packaged in moisture-resistant appropriate RH range for injured by the practice; containers. Vacuum cooling is storage of fruits is 85 to 95 8. sprinkling produce with generally applied to leafy percent while that for most sanitised, clean water vegetables that release water vegetables varies between 90 during retail marketing of vapour quickly, thereby and 98 percent. The optimal commodities that benefit allowing them to be rapidly RH range for dry onions and from misting, such as leafy cooled. During forced-air pumpkins is 70 to 75 percent. vegetables, cool-season cooling on the other hand, Some root vegetables, such as root vegetables, and refrigerated air is forced carrot, parsnip, and radish, can immature fruit vegetables through produce packed in best be held at 95 to 100 (such as snap beans, peas, boxes or pallet bins. Forced-air cooling is applicable to most Variable Cooling Method horticultural perishables. Ice Hydro Vacuum Forced Air Room Precise temperature and RH Cooling times (h) 0.1-0.3 0.1-1.0 0.3-2.0 1.0-10.0 20-100 management are required to provide the optimum Water contact yes yes no no no environment for fresh fruits with the product and vegetables during cooling and storage. f&f Product moisture 0-0.5 0-0.5 2.0-4.0 0.1-2.0 0.1-2.0 loss (%) Capital cost high low medium low low Energy efficiency low high high low low farm&food 26
processing a pig for meat All you need to know on butchering your own pig, from preparing your workstations through slaughtering, dehairing and hanging to butchering, preserving and rendering to curing, cooking, smoking, air drying and freezing. Contents • Introduction: Picking your pig and preparing your workstations • Slaughtering: Humane killing methods, blood collecting and preservation • Scraping and hanging: Dehairing or skinning, fat and be less manageable for system. They should not be gambrel hanging home slaughter. crowded, exposed to high • Gutting: Preserving edible Judging livestock is fairly temperatures or unnecessarily parts, removing inedible parts, complex, can take years to learn stressed. Just before slaughter, cleaning to do properly, but here are they can be hosed clean, or • Primal separation: Tools for some of the basics you can start scrubbed by hand if they will separation, disjointing, primal with. Look for an animal that is tolerate handling without cuts broad in the back, more flat and becoming stressed. It is not only • Secondary cutting: shoulders, firm than rounded, as this cruel to stress animals and to hams, pork chops, ribs, neck, indicates less waste backfat. If cause them unnecessary pain, it bones you could balance a tea-tray on results in a poorer meat • Preserving and rendering: the pig's back without it product. Lard, headcheese, sausage, wobbling, this is a desirable bacon, ham animal. A good wide stance is Preparing your workstations: • Variety Meats: Heart, kidney, another hint that there is some You will need (ideally) three liver, lungs, tripe, spleen solid muscle present; a pig that workstations and a slaughter • Long term storage: Curing, stands with its hind legs too area. You should have all these cooking, smoking, air drying close together is a less desirable set up before the animal is and freezing animal. hosed clean and transported to • Recipes: Brine, dry cure, the slaughter area. spices, ham, terrines, pate, The shape of the ham, the curve An instructional manual that blood sausage of the buttock and the hind leg, includes some good visual is something else to look at diagrams is a very good idea to Introduction closely. A good, full, round have available at your first Picking your pig and preparing curve means plenty of meat on butchering. Guides to raising your workstations the animal. A lean, angular, and harvesting home livestock For home use purposes, you will slanted jut to the leg and butt are available at farm supply probably want to select a young means that the ham is less stores and some large gilt (female pig) or a castrated muscular and lower yielding. bookstores, and if you do your male that weighs from 82 to 113 Before slaughter, pigs should be own slaughter, one of these is kgs. A smaller pig is not as given free access to water but essential for the diagrams on economical, and a much larger be denied food for at least 12 accurate and human stunning pig will have a higher and preferably 24 hours in order and bleeding. percentage of body weight in to help purge the digestive farm&food 27
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