Frozen feather in your cap

by SJ Barlow/Jane Duncan - 22/03/2011

"If you’d uttered the words ‘frozen food’ a decade ago, you’d have been met by an eerie silence. Today, however, the truth is starting to out and, with help from the scientists, people are starting to realise that frozen is just as good for you as fresh. "

Being able to stock up the freezer is more than handy as the recession hangs like the most resilient of icicles, and Bernard Matthews Foodservice has a few super cool, new products up its sleeve for school caterers…

Frozen is fresher, say the experts
The common assumption that fresh food has greater nutritional value than its frozen counterpart is misconceived, according to a report by the British Frozen Food Federation1.

“Rapid and highly organised methods of freezing have evolved with the express purpose of minimising nutrient losses2,” said Duncan Marsh, general manager of Bernard Matthews Foodservice, which supplies a range of British, frozen turkey products to help school caterers develop menus which meet School Food Trust guidelines.

“In contrast, the report finds that fresh produce has been shown to spend up to a month in the chain of producers, wholesalers and retailers before consumers have access to store and prepare them. During this time, significant deterioration occurs to the extent that they can have lower nutritional value than their frozen equivalent3.”

Frozen food has been essential to cooks as far back as the Romans and Ancient Chinese, who froze their foods in caves filled with snow, and, while there’s no denying the campaign for ‘fresh’ has gained momentum in the past few decades, frozen is again becoming more important as the recession forces caterers to take a fine toothcomb to their operations.

“The Food Standards Agency has accepted that, nutritionally, frozen is as least as good for you as fresh4, so why should caterers be afraid to look at products naturally preserved in this way?” said Duncan. “It’s about recognising facts and using them to your advantage.

“Poultry freezes really well, a particularly important factor if your kitchen is limited on space. British turkey also offers an excellent margin opportunity as it is cheaper to buy than other meats, but can be sold at the same price.”

New frozen turkey breast chunks for healthier fast food
Bernard Matthews Foodservice has launched two new frozen British turkey breast products to help education caterers serve up healthier fast food, from pizza to sizzling kebabs.

Roast Turkey Breast Chunks and mild Tikka Turkey Breast Chunks answer demand for low in saturated fat toppings and ingredients for use in kids’ favourite dishes.

The latest ready-to-eat from defrosted additions to the Big Green Tick range, developed in conjunction with LEAs and school caterers, are made from fully traceable from farm to fork British turkey breast, are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives and are ultra versatile, making them ideal for use on school menus all year round.

Duncan said, “By working in conjunction with the industry, we knew how difficult it was for caterers to excite a ‘picky’ audience while complying with the School Food Trust nutrient-based standards.

“Children love classics such as cottage pie and roast dinners, but they also love ‘finger food’ such as pizza and kebabs,” he said. “Our new Quality British turkey breast chunks make it easy for primary and secondary school caterers to offer fast casual dishes with the reassurance that the key ingredient is low in saturated fat and free from unnecessary extras.

“They can be used in place of chicken and other proteins in everything from jacket potatoes, wraps and salads to kebabs, pizzas and pasta dishes. The mild flavour of Tikka Turkey Breast Chunks is great for kids when used as a pizza topping or as a filling for wraps, while the Roast Turkey Breast Chunks can be used with sauces to create tasty pasta bakes and jacket potato fillings.”

A 55g serving of each product contains just 63 calories and one percent of a child’s guideline daily amount of sugar and fat. It is, however, the low saturated fat that holds real appeal, with both fillings containing just 0.3g per 55g serving of what are known as ‘nasty fats’.

Each product comes in 2x2kg cases and has a six month shelf life. Once defrosted, the products should be refrigerated and used within seven days.

“Turkey kebabs are very tasty…and the children love them. They want finger food. They want to take it and walk with it. Wraps are favourites too.”
Suzanne Duncan – LACA School Chef of the Year 2010

Big Green Tick Frozen Turkey Thigh Mince and Frozen Diced Turkey Thigh
Also new for 2011 are Frozen Turkey Thigh Mince (4mm) and Frozen Diced Turkey Thigh (20-25mm cubes) for a host of kids’ favourites including pasta Bolognese and curries.

Each product has, on average, significantly less saturated fat than lean beef for a healthier alternative.*

Made from fully traceable from farm to fork, turkey thigh, trimmed to remove excess fat and skin, they are individually quick frozen (IQF) for guaranteed freshness. Both come in 2kg bags, with five bags per case.

Duncan said the new products added an additional dimension to the Big Green Tick sub-range, offering turkey as an ingredient for recipes. “Only one in five children regularly eats a school meal and, as a leading supplier, we understand caterers need to provide balanced meals that meet the School Food Trust guidelines and which kids will love,” he said.

“Our new Big Green Tick ingredient products are guaranteed to satisfy the pickiest of young customers when used in kids’ favourite recipes, whilst providing an excellent way of concealing vegetables and enhancing the nutritional value of a dish.”

The Big Green Tick range, which also includes Cooked Sliced Turkey Breast in Stock, Turkey Meatballs and Turkey Burgers, is a key part of the new Change Your Meat, Not Your Menu campaign from Bernard Matthews Foodservice, promoting the many reasons why caterers should make the swap to British turkey.
For more information on Bernard Matthews Foodservice product ranges and how to put turkey on your menu, visit www.bernardmatthewsfoodservice.co.uk or call the Foodservice team on 0845 519 4097.

Big Green Tick turkey products from Bernard Matthews Foodservice are:

•        Made from Quality British turkey
•        Fully traceable, from farm to fork
•        Source of protein
•        Free from artificial colours and flavours
•        Super versatile for menu rotation
•        Easy to prepare, cook and serve
•        Loved by kids

*Lean beef has on average between 3-4g of saturated fat per 100g compared to BGT Turkey Thigh which has between 1-2g of saturated fat per 100g.

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Sources

1.        BFFF & Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) Frozen Foods report 2009
2.        BFFF & Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) Frozen Foods report 2009
3.        BFFF & Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) Frozen Foods report 2009
4.        Food Standards Agency 2010

For further information, please contact:
Proactive Communications
SJ Barlow/Jane Duncan
Tel: 0845 466 3700 / 07977 184136
Email: sj@proactivecommunications.co.uk / jane@proactivecommunications.co.uk

More Details: http://www.foodindustrycareers.co.uk