Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Ode to Autumn

2003; Wiley; Volume: 28; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1046/j.1467-3010.2003.00362.x

1471-9827

Stephanie Valentine,

Dietetics, Nutrition, and Education

The old ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ (Keats 1890) is here again, I see. Schools are back after the summer holidays, and another cohort of students will be launching into their A-level courses. Several years ago, the British Nutrition Foundation convened an ad-hoc group, including colleagues from industry and higher education, to advise the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on suitable content for potential A-level Food Technology courses. These needed to be relevant, realistic and acceptable for progression into higher education and/or employment. Ali Farrell's examination of how these new courses in Food Technology are bedding-in at A-level (pps. 273–9) provides insights from the perspectives of a Principal Examiner, a teacher and two students at AS and A2 level respectively. Clearly, it has been challenging to get this new course off the ground, but the enthusiasm which is evident, especially from the students, demonstrates that it has been a worthwhile effort from all concerned. The Foundation is committed to continue to offer support to students and teachers, through in-service training sessions, conferences and online resources to ensure that this course goes from strength to strength. Suggestions for future collaboration are always welcomed. As the days grow undeniably shorter and the first twinges of rheumatism begin to torment the joints, maybe it is time to draw up a chair and sink into the latest FLAIR FLOW synthesis document from Dr Frankie Phillips , entitled ‘Nutrition for healthy ageing’ (pps. 253–63) . Since ‘the risk of nutrition-related health problems increases in later life’, it is good to know that the European Union (EU) has funded a range of projects investigating the contribution of food and nutrients towards a healthy old age. Roubenoff et al. (2000), for example, recommend 10 top tips for diet and lifestyle for healthy ageing. With World Health Organization (WHO 2002) estimates of an increasing proportion of older adults in the EU (largely as a result of improvements in hygiene and nutrition and advances in medical science), it is reassuring to have evidence that, while a healthy lifestyle cannot stop the years advancing, a well-balanced diet and moderate physical activity can have a positive impact on independence and well-being in later life. Peter Forbes’ report ‘In the Nutritional Mix: the work of the Food Additives and Ingredients Association’ (pps. 315–8) considers a different aspect of longevity: namely the function of preservatives and other additives in modern foods. He provides a timely reminder that food is not risk-free, although consumers may have raised expectations of this possibility prompted by increasingly sophisticated modern technology. Colour and flavour both play a crucial role in making food appetising. If you are feeling bold, you may be tempted to try out Heston Blumenthal's shocking recipes for crab ice cream or ‘blackcurrant jelly’ made from beetroot and tartaric acid (at your own risk) . . . maybe a novel idea for Halloween? Do you know what makes the feathers of the flamingo pink? Or how the pigmentation of wild and farmed salmon is acquired? These are both matters which attracted recent public attention, especially when the media picked up on the carotenoid canthaxanthin, and its use in animal feeds. Brigid McKevith strikes a serious note, as she teases out the facts behind the headlines in relation to the use of colouring agents in foods and considers the likely implications of new legislation [Directive 2003/7/EC (European Council Directive 2003)] for compliance throughout the EU from December 2003 (pps. 243–5) . Finally, look out for the British Nutrition Foundation's Task Force Report, Plants: Diet and Health, published earlier this summer and to be launched this Autumn. The importance of fruit, vegetables and other plant foods in the human diet and the health benefits they offer have been recognised for a considerable time. However, more recently a large array of plant substances, sometimes referred to as phytochemical or plant bioactive substances, have been the subject of research. Their effects may be, for example, hormonal, anti-inflammatory or antioxidant. What does seem clear is that it is important to consume a wide variety of plant-derived foods in order to maximise any health-promoting potential they may have. Make a date in your diary for the London-based conference on Thursday 11 September 2003. Don’t leave it too long. It will be Christmas before we know it!