Everything’s Popping! (With the OU and Popcorn)
According to www.popcorn.org, Americans consume in excess of 17 billion quarts of popped popcorn annually – or about 54 quarts for every man, woman and child. The world’s primary popcorn producing region is the Midwestern United States and an entire food industry has grown up around it.
Why is popcorn so popular? Because it is nutritional, versatile and delicious! Popcorn is an easily prepared whole grain snack. Without butter or other additions, popcorn is about 31 – 55 calories per cup. It goes with almost anything, and can accept a wide variety of flavor enhancements. Today, you don’t have to do much work to enjoy this treat. While of course one can still purchase raw popcorn and either air or oil pop it, microwave popcorn has become ubiquitous. In fact, the first test of the microwave on food in the 1940’s was popcorn. By the 1990’s this product niche had over $240 million in sales. And while salt and butter remain the most popular flavors, today’s marketplace is full of gourmet popcorns — and not only caramel. There are cheese flavors, chocolate covered, nut balls and new flavor trends like jalapeno, too.
At Harlan: The Pursuit of Growth with Grains, Granola and the OU
It is not by coincidence that the Orthodox Union’s (OU) symbol is synonymous with quality. The high standards and care with which OU-certified products must be produced are recognized by consumers and manufacturers alike. For Harlan Bakeries, Inc. (Harlan), a manufacturer in pursuit of excellence and growth, obtaining the supervision and certification of the OU […]
Granola Brings Benefits to the Health-Conscious
Americans today are looking for alternatives. This trend has manifested itself in many different areas but is perhaps the most pronounced in the health sector. How often do we hear about alternative medicine? As a result, more and more Americans are electing to have a homeopath, chiropractor, or kinesiologist be their primary care physician in place of the more conventional medical doctor. In a word, Americans are looking to lead a more ‘natural’ lifestyle. After all, what can be better than what nature itself has to offer?
US Drives Global Kosher Ingredient Need
31/07/2007 – The growing kosher market is prompting manufacturers in countries without much local demand to gain certification so they can export to the high-potential US, and some are exporing continuous kosher production to keep down costs.
OU’s (Growing) Continental Connection
It looks like our neighbors across the Atlantic are catching onto the power of going kosher. U.S. food companies have long understood that it’s consumer demand that drives the market. They’ve also understood that kosher certification tops most consumers’ lists of demands. “If a European company wants to sell a product to the United States, whether it’s ingredients to be used by manufacturers or finished goods which are going to be used by the kosher-conscious American consumer, it’s has to be kosher,” says Rabbi Nahum Rabinowitz, OU Kosher Senior Rabbinic Coordinator, who heads the European desk. “With the OU’s worldwide recognition, it is in the best position to open markets for these companies.” Based on the current rate European companies are seeking OU certification, the trend to go kosher is in full swing.
Survey finds OU the Clear Leader in Kosher Certification
Consumers Trust OU to Ensure Highest Standards of Kosher, Food Safety and Cleanliness
Brandy is Dandy, but Needs Special Attention to be Kosher as Well
Brandy is short for brandywine and is derived from the Dutch brandewijn, meaning burnt, or distilled, wine. The alcohol for brandy is produced by fermenting fruits to produce wine. Because fermentation is a result of the action of microbes in yeast, there is a natural limit to the alcohol content of the fermented material. When the alcohol concentration reaches a level of about 12 percent, fermentation stops. The reason is that the alcohol kills any remaining yeast so that no more alcohol is produced; the limit of alcohol content in wine, therefore, is around 12 percent. There is, however, a type of bacteria, called acetobacter, which thrives on alcohol, turning it into vinegar, thereby souring the wine. Thus, wine is ordinarily subject to two drawbacks in quality: The one is a limit to its strength, the other, a limit to its shelf life.
Anuga: A Trade Show Lover’s Dream
Everyone close to me knows that I love trade shows. Having been a show director, exhibitor and attendee, and having visited every food industry trade event imaginable, I’ve seen them all. From specialty foods, ethnic events, ingredients, nutraceuticals and candy, just to mention a few, nothing prepared me for the enormity, scope and venue of […]
Second Annual Essay Contest for Grades 4-12
It’s baaaaaak! The Second Annual OU Kosher Essay Contest for Grades 4-12, building upon the success of the First Annual Event, is now open for entries from students across North America, with the deadline for submissions being March 7, 2008.
Profile: Meeting the Demands of Shemittah
Israeli Farmer Ariel Porat Speaks with Journalist Michael Freund
It’s that time of year again in the Jewish State. An entire industry has shut down, workers are refraining from taking up their posts, and their tools and machinery lie about idly gathering dust.
