By Keeva Stratton
With so much buzz around food, Rescu. was invited to check out Fine Food Australia—Australia’s largest industry only event, showcasing the best in food and food related products from around the world—to see what the latest food trends are and what we can soon look forward to being served up at a café near us.
Celebrating the best local and international produce:
From sensational local produce, to new and interesting offerings from around the world, the festival highlighted a range of producers and distributors who were on hand to show off their best products.
While the international foods being imported were interesting (such as the superb Sicilian sweets from Antica Pasticceria Chiofalo), the quality local offerings (such as Blue Hills Honey, Wild Oz meats and Meander Valley dairy) were also exciting.
Eco friendly food, and food packaging:
From how they are grown, to how they are packaged, all things eco friendly were an exciting focus of the festival. Those of us with a green heart will be pleased to know that producers such as Coffee 1st have devised ethical and sustainable ways to source and produce their coffee beans. Think Eco were one of many on hand offering biodegradable and compostable food packaging solutions, and Cafetto had even created a range of espresso machine cleaning products called Evo that are phosphate free and environmentally friendly.
Greater options for allergies:
What is actually in what we eat has been a focus of many health conscious consumers for some time. But with the significant rise in allergies, those affected will be happy to know that their options are growing, and a focus on allergy free ingredients and production methods is also increasing.
Yes You Can offered a yummy selection of gluten free goodies; Ozganics gluten and dairy free range has won many awards; and Ceres Organics’ RAW fruit and nut bars are peanut free, which is a relief for those who are allergic to peanuts but not tree nuts.
Going nuts for Coconuts:
Speaking of nuts, coconut is clearly the current focus of foodies and health junkies alike. We’ve talked about coconut water as being a big hit with celebrities, but with serious health and beauty claims that span from helping with weight gain, to eczema, to irritable bowel, it’s no wonder coconut is fast becoming the latest miracle oil.
Coconut oil has a particularly high smoking point, which means it can be heated without its nutritional qualities breaking down. It is also a diverse oil, with products ranging from cooking oils, to waters, to moisturisers and soaps. Brands on hand to talk about their extraordinary range of coconut products included Nui and Nature Pacific.
A Focus on Food Safety:
With Australians generally getting more and more excited about cooking, the CSIRO was also on hand to remind us about the importance of food safety, both in commercial kitchens and in the home. From food preparation to storage, there are so many opportunities for food to become potentially dangerous to your health, or that of your guests and family. To learn more about safe food practices, we recommend you visit the CSIRO website, or get your hands on a copy of their guide to food safety, Make it Safe (available at www.publish.csiro.au).
Fine Food Australia is an annual event. For more information visit: https://www.finefoodaustralia.com.au/
Image Credit: Fine Food Australia
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