~*The Hypnotizing world of Nano Foods*~

In 1959,my mother was seven years old … In her school lunch box,she’d find a sandwich and a fruit. The sandwich,would be made of fresh white cheese,produced in my grandfather’s village, and home-made apple jam,that my Grandmother would have confectioned,during the apples harvest season.

In 1992,I was seven years old … In my school lunch box,I’d find a sandwich and a candy. The sandwich would be made of,cold cuts,such as ham or turkey with processed cheddar cheese . My snack ,would vary on a daily basis,ranging from salty,such as chips to sweet,such as colorful candy bars .

Today,in a seven years old kid’s school lunch box,you’d find,a bottle of orange juice that’s rich in fish oil,a club sandwich that contains,undetectable,nano-capsules of Omega-3 and a chocolate bar that cuts out the need for sugar.

It is true, that my imagination,sometimes,acts like a drug,however,today,it didn’t. Dazed,in front of the gigantesque world of nano foods,I am wondering,if my kids will ever have a school lunch box . . .

Nanotechnology is a powerful new technology,for taking apart and reconstructing nature at the atomic and molecular level.It embodies,the dream that scientists can remake the world from the atom up,using atomic level manipulation,to transform and construct a wide range of new materials,devices,living organisms and technological systems.It is responsible for determining, not only that biological and non biological structures measuring less than 100 nm exist,but also,that they have unique and novel functions application.In fact,it intends to offer,healthier food,fewer and better targeted chemicals,less waste,less packaging and the promise of a technological solution to the problem of,undernourished people in the world.

Nanotechnology,is all around you,already:a revolutionary,Vitamin B12 spray,which you simply spray inside your child’s mouth that will absorb the nano-sized vitamins directly through the mucal cells will relief you from bribing your kids to eat fruits and vegetables.Also,nano-capsules delivered chemicals in rapeseed cooking oil,will stop cholesterol entering your bloodstream. And,nano packaging with self cleaning abilities or nano-scale filters that will allow you to remove all bacteria from milk or water without boiling.There are already,fridges in Asia and America that use nano-silver to kill bacteria,and smart food packaging that will warn,when oxygen,has got inside,or if food is going off.

Every major food corporation is investing in nanotech and over the past 8 years,the government in Europe has pumped £1.7 billion in research money into the field. In fact,there are now over 300 nano food products available on the market worldwide,and many more yet to come;nano-particles,in chewing gum will carry teeth-cleaning chemicals that you won’t be able to taste.Another nano system to excite cooks,uses stable molecules to tie down volatile ones:manufactured starch such as,cyclodextrin is being used to bond those frustratingly evanescent flavors in food,like the fast fading taste of paprika.Also,Nano-encapsulated preservatives can be activated,if your chicken is going to sit in the fridge for a while.

In a world where your kid,will be drinking milk that tastes exactly like coke,you might lose trust in scientists and the industry that’s driven by profit making.Even though,this technology might be offering you solutions.What guarantees you,that those nano particles aren’t crossing your cell membranes and causing brain damage? In fact,preliminary scientific research has shown that many types of nano particles,can result in increased oxidative stress,which can result in the formation of free radicals that can lead to cancer,DNA mutation and even cell death.

What will our food and technological future look like? We are in an epic battle for control of our food supply and our health.Shall we dive back into our ancestors lifestyles,where only fresh and natural products where fashionable? Or,follow nowadays technological trends to avoid being out of step?These are the paradigms that we need to choose between.We may not want it,but scientists are halfway there .

by Dietitian Nicole Maftoum

~*What's behind the crisps of your french fries?*~

When hunger is the best cook,enthusiasm and inspiration in the kitchen can be at a low ebb, thus,nothing would sound better than the luscious crisps of golden French Fries! They are so versatile to the extent that one could include them in a myriad of easy,laid back recipes. However,before thinking about those recipes,it is vital to learn how to master the art of frying potatoes.Although the fact that,these days,health consciousness has reached a high point where deep frying tends to be avoided,moderation remains the only key that will help you squeeze the most out of life!

*Cooking oil

Choose your cooking oil carefully Oils with high 'smoke points',in other words those,which do not break down at deep-frying temperatures,are best. Peanut oil,Safflower oil,Sunflower oil,and Canola oil are some good choices.

**What about olive oil?

The lower quality olive oils,such as virgin and fine olive oils,have low smoke temperature,so they start smoking at a low temperature and smell bad.Therefore,they are not ideal for frying. However,the new “light” olive oil,due to an extremely fine filtration process is lighter in both color and fragrance,and has little of the classic olive-oil flavor,giving it a higher smoke point than regular olive oil,and can be used for deep-frying.

** Is coconut oil a good alternative?
Experts are extremely excited nowadays,about the hidden health benefits of coconut oil such as,hair care,skin care,stress relief,digestion,etc.In fact,its high content of medium chain triglycerides,that could be easily converted into energy,don’t lead to accumulation of fat in the heart,and arteries.Coconut oil can be used for deep-frying and upon heating,it doesn’t lose its health benefits.

*Temperature
The best temperature is 350 to 375 °F. If you don't have a thermometer,test the temperature when the oil is heated by dropping a potato stick into the pan;there should be sizzling around the edges,but if it’s too violent,then turn down the heat and wait a minute before trying again.

~Cut the potatoes lengthwise into sticks
The thicker the stick is,the less oil it absorbs. Soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes to remove the starch,which gives you crispier potatoes,and to avoid browning or discoloration.


~Dry potatoes thoroughly before Frying
The potatoes must be dry when they are fried,or the starch will absorb the water on the surface and won't seal the potatoes so they will absorb grease.

*For the frying fears
If you don’t have a deep fat fryer,it might not be entirely necessary to fill pans to swimming pools levels with hot oil but instead to fry smaller batches at a time,in more shallow depths. According to a study,when prepared in different skillets such as Aluminium, Iron and stainless steel,the best results in doneness,texture and appearance appeared in potatoes fried in the tough-coat skillet and the Hindalium (cast Aluminium).

~Home made is healthier
Home made French fries are healthier than restaurants.Since most of the time,they deep fry their potatoes in shortening because it’s cheaper than vegetable oil and gives this ecstatic crisp. But,damages human health due to it’s high content in trans fats.


*Potatoes are naturally fat and cholesterol free
A medium sized potato (140 g) is high in Vitamin C,Vitamin B6 and Potassium.In fact,it has more potassium than a banana. It is also a source of fiber,along with niacin,thiamine, magnesium and iron. Heat sensitive vitamins such as vitamin C are lost during the process of deep-frying.Also,when a potato is deep-fried,its water content is replaced by the fat;you want a potato that has more solids than liquids,so it absorbs less oil.




The improving understanding of French fries threats on human being’s health has enabled advances in technology:a revolutionary fryer in which you display 1 kg of freshly cut potatoes with just a tablespoon of oil and which yields French fries that are crispy on the outside,soft on the inside,with only 3% fat content.Isn’t that,too good to be true?Could that fryer win the everlasting battle of resisting deep-fried French fries?

by Dietitian Nicole Maftoum