Monthly Archives: March 2014

At Yeast We Can Mold the Future

The food industry surely sees its share of yeast and mold concerns.   Both are relentless aggressors in food deterioration and spoilage that: “can invade and grow on virtually any type of food at any time; they invade crops such as grains, nuts, beans, and fruits in fields before harvesting and during storage. They also grow on processed foods and food mixturespetrifilm.”

Not only can the presence of yeast and mold compromise your product but they sometimes also make people sick.

So, how do we control unwanted yeast and mold when it comes to our food supply?   Obviously, industry innovations targeted at inhibiting yeast and mold growth have done a great deal for quality assurance and producers’ bottom lines.

Yet, peace of mind might be much more difficult to come by than a piece of moldy food in your operation.   Even with such preventative measures in place, yeast and mold still cause issues and are wont to show up anywhere at any time.  This provides a great deal of frustration to food producers, as their equipment, the facility, and the foods produced are all susceptible.  Consumers, naturally, can grow weary when yeast and mold compromise their latest purchase at the supermarket.

Thankfully, the industry continues to research methods to minimize the waste and possible ill health effects generated by yeast and mold issues.   For example, 3M recently introduced a new line of defense in this battle against yeast and mold: 3M™ Petrifilm™ Rapid Yeast and Mold Count Plates.

Instead of waiting on traditional agar methods, which may take up to five days to incubate, the new Rapid Yeast and Mold Count Plates provide results in 48-hours, allowing for more oversight of incoming ingredients and finished products leaving food facilities.  You can check out 3M’s Petrifilm™ Rapid Yeast and Mold Count Plates in 50-count boxes here or 500-count cases here.

Nelson-Jameson is continuously searching out new methods and products, like the 3M Petrifilm™ Rapid Yeast and Mold Count Plates, to ensure food safety and integrity.  Keep checking back here for more updates on food safety and quality issues, including a host of innovative solutions that target food quality and safety concerns.

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Tech Tip: Flagged vs. Unflagged Broom Bristles

fvsunf2There are many options when looking at the bristles in your brooms – material, stiffness, color, etc. One option is a flagged or unflagged bristle.

The ends of flagged bristles look like split hairs – these bristles are ideal for sweeping up fine powders or debris in dry areas. When used in wet applications it is common for these bristles to become “matted-up” and dirty.

Unflagged bristles are commonly used in wet applications, and are ideal for larger debris. They will not, however, sweep up the fine debris as effectively as a flagged bristle will.

Both flagged and unflagged brooms have their applications within many facilities. Choosing the correct one can make your clean-up job easier.

For more information, see our selection of brooms and sweeps on our website or contact our Customer Service Department at 800-826-8302.

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