FILL YOUR CUP FIRST WITH VITAVATE

FIND YOUR FOCUSED FLOW 

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SCIENCE AND TECH

Lab Grown Meat Rice

In the culinary backstreets of Yonsei University, South Korea, a group of gastronomic mavericks are rewriting the menu of the future with something that's nothing short of a revolution on a plate: "meaty" rice.

This isn't just another ingredient; it's a culinary crossbreed designed to challenge everything we think we know about food.

By marrying beef muscle and fat cells with the staple simplicity of rice, treated with a dash of fish gelatine for good measure, they've cultured a new kind of sustenance.

After an 11-day dance in a petri dish, what emerges is rice, but not as we know it. This rice is heartier, with a texture that commands your attention, packed with protein and a hint more fat, all while slashing the carbon guilt that comes with your standard steak.

But here’s the rub: will people actually eat it? In my travels, I've seen that the soul of food lies not just in its creation but in its consumption. This "meaty" rice proposes a future where we can sustainably feast, offering a lifeline to a planet gasping for breath. It's bold, it's brave, and it's a testament to the boundless possibilities of human innovation. To the culinary adventurers at Yonsei University, I tip my hat. You've served up a dish that's not just food, but a conversation starter for the next chapter of our culinary journey.

AGRICULTURE, SCIENCE, AND TECH

Brittany, The Black Food Scientist: Color Changing Cocktail Chemistry

Brittany, known as "the black food scientist," focuses on creating a unique and visually stunning cocktail, a riff on the classic gin fizz. Here are the key points:

1. Introduction: Brittany introduces the concept of cocktail chemistry, specifically a color-changing gin fizz, excluding the traditional egg white.

2. Empress Gin: She uses Empress Gin, which is notable for its vivid blue-violet color. This color comes from the butterfly pea flower, known for its ability to change color based on pH levels.

3. Anthocyanins Explained: Brittany explains anthocyanins, pigments responsible for various red, pink, blue, and violet hues in foods like berries and some carrots. Their unique property is changing colors in response to different pH levels.

4. Cocktail Ingredients: Besides the Empress Gin, the ingredients include homemade thyme-flavored simple syrup (made from equal parts sugar and water), lemon juice, and sparkling water.

5. Making the Cocktail: Brittany mixes two ounces of gin with three-quarters of an ounce of thyme simple syrup and the juice of half a lemon in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. She emphasizes the importance of vigorous shaking.

6. Color Change Demonstration: Upon pouring the mixture into a glass, she highlights the color shift from deep violet-blue to a lighter pink-purple. This change is due to the lemon juice lowering the pH and affecting the anthocyanin in the butterfly pea flower.

7. Finishing Touches: She tops the drink with seltzer water, resulting in a delicious and visually appealing gin fizz.

8. Conclusion: Brittany wraps up by encouraging viewers to impress themselves or their friends with this fun and scientific cocktail creation. She ends with her signature sign-off, promoting both happy eating and drinking.

Overall, the video is a blend of science and mixology, showcasing how chemistry can be applied to create enjoyable and intriguing beverages.

EDUCATION

Coaching & Training

Excellent food safety practices start with people who uphold standards, policies, and procedures. At AQR, we want to help our clients develop a food safety culture by coaching and training staff on foundational food safety principles. Partner with AQR to elevate your people and culture.

AGRICULTURE, SCIENCE, AND TECH

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s my groceries

Tech: Google's drone delivery company Wing, owned by Alphabet and partnered with Walmart, is expanding its services to a second location in Dallas, aiming to cater to approximately 60,000 households. The service offers a quick solution for last-minute holiday shopping and urgent needs, such as forgotten gifts or recipe ingredients. With deliveries that can take under 30 minutes and sometimes as fast as three minutes, Wing has already completed over 350,000 deliveries across the U.S. and other countries, adapting to various weather conditions and landscapes.

Science: The Maillard reaction is a chemical process that's crucial for creating the rich, browned flavors in many cooked foods. It occurs when proteins and sugars in food are transformed by heat, resulting in new flavors, aromas, and colors. This reaction not only makes food taste better but also signals nutrition and safety to humans, encouraging us to eat. It's a complex reaction involving multiple steps: the presence of heat to initiate the reaction, moisture control to facilitate it, and time for the flavors and aromas to develop.

AGRICULTURE, SCIENCE, AND TECH

White House, USDA, and Black Farmers

Farmers: The White House is allocating billions to support Black farmers, launching a $2.2 billion Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to aid those discriminated against by the USDA in farm lending before 2021. Tom Perez, director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, emphasized the importance of addressing historical discrimination. The program offers compensation up to $500,000 and includes three options designed to minimize impact on small firms.

EDUCATION

Internal Auditing

This internal auditing training is a 2-hour self-paced, online course that introduces internal auditing best practices and processes for food plant inspections. Whether you’re completely new to internal auditing and want to create a strong foundation or looking for a refresher, you will learn everything needed to be a key contributor to your audit team.

In this course, certified GFSI auditors will lead you in internal auditing training focusing on the fundamentals of internal auditing to give you a solid understanding and prepare you for external audits. You can expect to learn about auditing best practices through interactive quizzes and real-world examples.

AGRICULTURE, SCIENCE, AND TECH

Same ol’ story Farmers vs Big Business

Farmers vs PepsiCo: PepsiCo India has won a controversial legal battle to patent its FC5 potato variety, specifically bred for Lay's potato chips. The FC5 variety, known for its low water content, was commercialized in 2009 and patented in 2016. However, legal disputes arose when PepsiCo accused Indian farmers of illegally cultivating this patented variety.

Cookie Science: Baking powder, a combination of sodium bicarbonate and an acid, is crucial in cookie recipes for leavening. It releases carbon dioxide gas when moistened, helping cookies rise. Modern, double-acting baking powders are more effective than homemade single-acting ones, as they release gas both before and during baking. The amount of baking powder varies with the cookie type, influencing texture and spread.