Postscript: Futurist Thoughts on Food Service

1. Postscript: Futurist Thoughts on Food Service Chapter 21

2. Food Philanthropy • Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (1996) • Provides liability protection for donation of excess food to nonprofit organizations • Food philanthropy will become part of corporate mission statements

3. The Greening of Food Service • Food service operators becoming more environmentally conscious • Increased efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle • Decreased energy consumption with new equipment/practices • Reduction in the use of disposables

4. Certified Green Restaurant • Green Restaurant Association (GRA) is a national nonprofit organization • Promotes environmental responsibility among food manufacturers, distributors, restaurants, and consumers • Provides consultation and environmental assessment • As part of its certification program

5. Utilities • Represent 30 percent of a building’s annual budget on average • Variety of methods available of reducing energy consumption • Energy efficient equipment and bulbs • Use of switches and timers • Eliminate running water thawing methods

6. Disposables • Sustainable packaging • One of an increasing number of consumer concerns related to the environment • Methods of reducing landfill waste • Use unbleached paper products • Use biodegradable products • Use foil/reusable lids instead of plastic wrap

7. Disposables (cont’d.) • Methods of reducing landfill waste (cont’d.) • Use Energy Star appliances • Eliminate or reduce bottled water use • Use reusable hemp or organic take-out bags • Purchase recycled office paper

8. Composting • Many food service operations are already composting food waste • Technology is making it easier to do so • Community landfills are beginning to restrict food waste disposal in the landfill

9. Future Food • Future food will cater to personal health • Once the medical community has a better understanding of human metabolism • People will personalize their diets to meet their own health needs

10. Cloned Food • In 2008, FDA concluded that meat and milk from cloned animals is safe for consumption • After a failed attempt to pass a law requiring the labeling of cloned food • The offspring of cloned animals have already entered the food supply

11. Cloned Food (cont’d.) • In-vitro meat (cultured meat) • Meat products manufactured by tissue engineering technology • Takes starter cells from live animals • Placed in a culture media to grow independently from the animal • Has potential to produce enough meat to feed the planet

12. Hydroponics • Have existed for 1,500 years • Used more in the last 60 to 70 years • Benefits of hydroponic growing methods • Requires less space, water, and fertilizer • The world’s arable land continues to shrink each year

13. Aquaculture • Opinions favoring the future growth of aquaculture • Supply of wild-caught fish will diminish as their stock diminishes • Hatcheries can be a conservation tool • Aquaculture products are less prone to disease and toxins

14. Aquaculture (cont’d.) • Opinions against the future growth of aquaculture • Consumers prefer the taste of wild-caught fish • Regulatory process of gaining approval for aquaculture farms is difficult • Concerns about pollution of rivers and oceans by aquaculture waste material

15. Organic Food • The number of people using organic food products will double by 2010 • Products are more available and in greater varieties • Cost is decreasing • Public is becoming more educated

16. Organic Food (cont’d.) • Laws governing food safety are confusing • Various outbreaks of food-related sickness have occurred in recent years • Ground beef recalls, onions, spinach • E. coli contamination linked to each • The need for food safety is ever-present

17. Equipment • Equipment and food products • Primary capital assets of a food business • Requirements when making equipment selection decisions • Affordability, practicality, dependability, and flexibility

18. Refrigeration • Proper quick-cooling methods for heated foods important for food safety • Flash (blast) freezing • Method of rapid freezing for foods prone to spoiling • Other benefits: improved food quality, increased shelf life, and reduced shrinkage

19. Beverage Equipment • Increased use of in-house beverage equipment is likely • No single juicer style works best for all produce • Centrifugal ejection juicers: fast, easy to use, and clean • A blixer is a hybrid of blender and mixer

20. Cooking Equipment • Induction cooking surfaces • Induction generates a magnetic field that produces heat in steel pots and pans • Cooktop doesn’t heat up, only the pan • More energy efficient than electric or gas • Turbochef ovens • Uses convection; many are ventless

21. Cooking Equipment (cont’d.) • Rethermalization units • Hot Logic technology heats and holds temperature of food • Allows holding times of 4-8 hours • Most used where there is no ability to prepare food on site, or in institutions

22. Cooking Equipment (cont’d.) • Immersion circulator cooking • Sous vide: method of cooking food at a specific temperature while under vacuum pressure • Foods are cooked in a water bath • Benefits: ability to tenderize tougher meat cuts; increased moisture retention; time savings and temperature control

23. Computerization and Digital Connectivity • Increased use of digital cameras, barcode scanners and PDAs among storeroom operators • Word-of-mouth marketing strategies • Use digital social media sites • Will reduce advertising expenditures with traditional static media

24. Legislation • Continued legislation aims at protecting the dining public • Motives range from food safety to obesity prevention • Food service professionals should stay abreast of laws and the political climate

25. Global Ethics • Food service operators must commit themselves to ethical and responsible practices • Protecting economy of our nation and public health of our citizens will be an escalating focus

26. Summary • Food philanthropy will become part of corporate mission statements • The greening of food service will be a major future trend • Personal health and food safety are growing consumer concerns

27. Summary (cont’d.) • New types of cooking equipment are becoming available • Use of hydroponics, aquaculture and cultured meat may increase • Legislation relating to food is dynamic • Heightened focus on global ethics a future trend