Latest news with #foodpreservation
Zawya
23-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Miral, ne'ma, and Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island join forces to empower students with the recipe for sustainable food preservation
Abu Dhabi, UAE — Miral, the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with ne'ma (the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative), and Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island hosted two food preservation workshops designed to educate students on resourceful and sustainable food practices. The engaging sessions were held at Yasmina British Academy and Yas American Academy, where 40 students participated. The workshops were led by chefs from Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island who showcased creative techniques to repurpose excess produce and minimise food waste. 'At Miral, we believe in the power of education to drive positive change,' said Taghrid AlSaeed, Executive Director of Marketing, Communications & Events at Miral. 'By partnering with ne'ma and Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island on this initiative, we hope to inspire students to explore alternative ways to minimise food waste through hands-on learning experiences. This initiative reflects our commitment to making a meaningful impact across our community and the environment, in line with our CSR pillars of Environment and Education.' During the workshops, students transformed over 50 kgs of surplus fruits and vegetables, provided by ne'ma, into a variety of delicious homemade preserves with extended shelf lives. Khuloud Hasan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer of Emirates Foundation and ne'ma Committee Secretary-General, said 'Youth are not just future leaders—they are today's changemakers. At ne'ma, we believe that fostering resourcefulness and social & Environmental responsibility from an early age is key to shaping a sustainable UAE. Through hands-on workshops and education, we empower students to adopt mindful consumption habits, supporting the national goal of cutting food waste by 50% by 2030. By equipping young people with the knowledge and skills to lead sustainably, we help build a resilient, food-secure future for all thanks to such collaborations with key partners such as Miral and Hilton.' 'At Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, we are deeply committed to sustainability and community engagement. This collaboration provided our chefs with a valuable opportunity to engage directly with students, demonstrating how thoughtful food preservation can transform surplus ingredients into something both purposeful and delicious. It was incredibly rewarding to witness the students' enthusiasm as they discovered innovative ways to reduce and repurpose food. By sharing these practical skills, we are helping to cultivate a more conscious and empowered generation that values both food and the environment,' said Nader Halim, Cluster General Manager, Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, The WB™ Abu Dhabi, Curio Collection by Hilton™, and DoubleTree by Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island Residences. Driven by a shared commitment to environmental stewardship and education, this initiative aims to equip students with valuable skills in responsible consumption and food waste reduction. The workshops fall under Miral's CSR pillar of Environment & Education, demonstrating Miral's commitment to developing long-term, sustainable and people-centric initiatives and programmes as part of its efforts to ensure a more sustainable future. About Miral Miral is the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, that contributes to the growth of the leisure and entertainment industry and Abu Dhabi's economic diversification. It conceives, creates, operates, and manages immersive destinations and experiences that attract visitors from across the world to create unforgettable memories, accelerating the realisation of the Emirate's tourism vision and growth. Responsible for the development of Yas Island and overseeing Saadiyat Island's Destination Management Strategy, Miral's portfolio of world-class assets incorporates entertainment, leisure, culture, sport, dining, retail, and hospitality experiences, aiming to deliver millions of memorable moments for residents and international guests alike. These include Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; CLYMB™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi; Yas Marina; and Yas Bay Waterfront, home to the UAE's largest indoor multi-purpose venue Etihad Arena, amongst others. Miral also has several projects being developed on Yas Island and across the emirate, including Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, a Harry Potter-themed land within Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, the expansion of Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, and a Disney Theme Park Resort. Miral encompasses three subsidiaries: Miral Destinations, which promotes unique destinations; Miral Experiences, which operates a diverse portfolio of world-class, award-winning immersive experiences; and Yas Asset Management, which operates and manages a portfolio of vibrant destinations including F&B, retail, marinas, and hospitality properties across Yas Island. For more information, visit About Hilton Hotels & Resorts For over a century, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has set the benchmark for hospitality around the world, providing new product innovations and services to meet guests' evolving needs. With more than 600 hotels across six continents, Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties are located in the world's most sought-after destinations for guests who know that where they stay matters. Experience a positive stay at Hilton Hotels & Resorts by booking at or through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits. Learn more about Hilton Hotels & Resorts at and follow the brand on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Washington Post
22-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Washington Post
How to blanch fresh produce to preserve flavor, color and texture
We love fresh, seasonal produce for its superb flavor and vibrant color, especially during the summer. But these prized traits are fleeting. This is where blanching can come in to save the day, helping to keep those fruits and vegetables at their best to enjoy now or months later. Think of the technique like flash-boiling: Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil, season it with salt, briefly submerge the produce, then plunge said produce in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once it has cooled, dry the produce and enjoy it, or store it in a number of ways.
Telegraph
21-07-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Findus Crispy Pancakes to air-fryer chips: How the British freezer has changed though the years
The idea of preserving food by stashing it in a very cold place is as old as humanity itself. But the process wasn't successfully domesticated until a century ago, when Clarence Birdseye returned from a stint as a fur trapper among the Inuit community in Newfoundland between 1912 and 1926. Noting that the fish they caught would freeze immediately when pulled from the water at this latitude, Birdseye was impressed that it kept its texture and flavour when defrosted months later. He discovered that the same retention of flavour applied to peas if they were blanched after picking and then immediately frozen, even keeping their bold green colour. Fast forward to 1929 and, operating under the catchy moniker Captain Birdseye, Clarence introduced frozen food to the American consumer. It wasn't until the 1970s that home freezers (produced by brands such as Lec and Co-op) began to replace traditional larders on this side of the Atlantic. They've housed our homemade and processed comestibles ever since... Having smoked endless cigarettes and sipped Party Sevens and Lambrini until we passed out on our paisley bedspreads, our only hope of getting up in time for work was the teasmade going off. Which it almost never did. Our frozen-meal choices reflected our lack of concern for our health. Vegetables and homemade soups were considered suspicious interlopers while Crispy Pancakes and lasagne filled the drawers (courtesy of Findus), along with boxes bearing BirdsEye Steakhouse Grills and, for afters, Sara Lee gâteaux and Arctic Roll. Meanwhile Rodney ' Likely Lads ' Bewes enticed the housewives of Britain to buy BirdsEye products during ITV ad breaks with the pay-off line: 'Be a good girl, have a proper lunch tomorrow'. Different times indeed. Our freezers had to keep up with our frenetic, shoulder-padded lifestyles but the nutritional content of what was in them was firmly stuck in the epoch of Dennis Skinner and the three-day week. It was the advent of the frozen microwave meal – Vesta Chow Mein or Beef Curry? Take your pick – which could be heated up in our new Panasonic in minutes, meaning a near-instant dinner for the stressed, junior-executive coat-hanger salesman. The results were barely an improvement on boil-in-the-bag; questionable, too, was the noxious ooze of a BirdsEye Chicken Kiev, a common precursor to the glacial, impasted horror of a Wall's Viennetta. We maxed out our credit cards like avaricious Gulf sheiks in Harrods, but, looking back, our diet was in fact on the level of an Uzbek coal miner. Only we had McCain Oven Chips and a lot more plastic trappings to fill the pedal bin. By the end of the Thatcher era, home freezers were as ubiquitous as Gazza and Danny Baker's 'Daz' adverts. But we were starting to consider our life expectancy. Enter the health-conscious ready meal, a category dominated by WeightWatchers and Lean Cuisine, which tried to tempt us with 'meals' such as Honey Mustard Chicken with Grey Poupon, which, if you're wondering, is just another kind of mustard. Frozen-food manufacturers also assumed that we wanted smaller versions of things – which we did, buying up McCain Micro Chips and Chicago Town Mini Pizzas in our droves, perfect for that sensation of feeling both fiscally cheated and still really hungry come 9pm. We wanted to live longer but our new commitment to healthier frozen choices extended neither to our children – who, for the first time, were able to gorge on freezer treats marketed exclusively to them such as Turkey Dinosaurs and Calippo Shots – nor to our pudding choices, alternating as we did between Mars ice creams and tubs of Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough. Happy type 2 diabetes to us all. As budget airlines made a trip to Bali a more tempting option than a fortnight in Benidorm, frozen food manufactures struggled to produce versions of pho, sushi and nasi goreng that tasted even remotely like what we ate on holiday. In response, produce actually became more parochial, but with a premium twist. The downmarket reputation of the freezer-friendly microwave meal for one was rescued by M&S, Tesco and Sainsbury's launching top-rung ranges of dinners, from beef bourguignon to 'luxury' fish pies. If the concomitant prices were too high, there was also the option of a frozen Yorkshire pudding from Aunt Bessie, one of the most successful ways in which a dish perfected in the 1920s gas oven could be transposed to the era of Big Brother and Benetton. One of the few outliers with international aspirations was Sharwood's, which branched out from sauces into frozen Indian meals. More redolent of Doncaster than Delhi, they were at least an improvement on the Vesta curries of the 1970s. Meanwhile, BirdsEye dipped its toe into health-food signalling with its frozen Chicken Dippers, 'now with Omega 3'. The strapline was later quietly dropped from the packaging, presumably when it became apparent that most consumers thought Omega 3 was a games console; an item which freezes just as adequately as battered chunks of cheap hen. The premium trend reached its apotheosis with the M&S Gastropub range and, a notch higher still, Charlie Bigham's frozen meals which, if eaten daily, remain capable of bankrupting Warren Buffett himself. Yet this was also the era when we started to get artisanal with our freezer drawers. Herbs? Avocado chunks? Smoothies? Bone broth? We discovered we could freeze them all. While ensuring that there was still room for bags of frozen seafood mix for our make-from-scratch endeavours, as well as the ever-expanding thin-crust pizza ranges with toppings that, finally, extended beyond margarita and pepperoni. This was also the decade that saw Instagram infiltrate our kitchens. All at once, Little Moons mochi ice cream balls became an essential dessert staple among children and Instagrammers with the IQ of children but with access to a tripod and portable charger. Domestic freezers today can breathe a sigh of capacious relief after the full-to-bursting era of Covid stockpiling. They still contain forgotten Plant Chef and Moving Mountains vegan burgers, which we will eventually eat with the kind of grudging sanctimony usually displayed by Jeremy Corbyn's inner retinue. As for kitchen newcomer the air fryer, well, that's just far more fun isn't it? Discovering that frostbitten Brussels sprouts from last Christmas taste good in the Ninja is the present-day equivalent of Alexander Fleming mucking about with penicillin. We must now, naturally, give frozen chips the same treatment. TGI Friday's and Greggs have, oddly, compelled us to eat in rather than dining out by launching 'fakeaway' chicken meals and frozen sausage rolls respectively, and I won't even pass comment on the 'innovation' that is frozen veggie tots. Of course, there's little room left in our Miele for any Rodney Bewes-endorsed goods today. But open your freezer on a full moon and it's still possible to hear a Findus Crispy Pancake rattling its icy chains.
The Sun
02-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Why you should be putting VINEGAR on your leftovers & it could actually make your food taste better too
USING leftovers for a meal the next day is a brilliant way to save on money. But there's a clever way people are making theirs last twice as long, using a staple you've probably already got in your kitchen cupboard - vinegar. 2 2 While white vinegar is commonly used for cleaning purposes, it also works really well for preserving food. "When added in small amounts to cooked dishes, sauces or marinades, it can help limit the growth of bacteria and fungi that cause food to spoil prematurely," the pros at kitchen and bathroom company Plumbworld explained. As well as white vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar as a preservative - with bottles of the liquid selling for as little as £2.07 in local stores. The reason vinegar works so well is because it contains acetic acid, which helps lower the pH level of food - creating an environment in which bacteria and mould struggles to survive. Most notably, this includes harmful microorganisms such as Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli, and Salmonella. 'The acid in vinegar makes it harder for bacteria to multiply," the experts added. "It is a simple kitchen tool that can boost the safety of your leftovers without complicated steps." Each vinegar type has its own level of acidity - white and apple cider vinegars have about 5% acetic acid, which is "strong enough to offer mild preservation benefits without making your food taste too sharp". To try it yourself, add a teaspoon of vinegar to sauces and dressings before storing, while a splash is sufficient for cooked vegetables. "A splash of white vinegar added to leftover soup or pasta sauce before chilling can help extend freshness without noticeably affecting the flavour," they continued. I made a weeks worth of sandwiches for just 30p - my hack means I have my lunch sorted whenever I need it, people think it's revolting but it saves me money "With grains like rice or quinoa, mixing in a little vinegar-based dressing can discourage microbial growth while adding a subtle tang." Keep your leftovers in an airtight container too - as this helps limit oxygen, whilst the vinegar slows down bacteria growth. It's important to remember, however, that while vinegar helps slow down spoilage, it doesn't make food immortal. Leftovers should be eaten within three to four days, and should be put promptly into a fridge with a temperature of below 5 °C. Fridge or cupboard? The essential food storage guide Foods must be stored correctly to keep them fresh and prevent the spread of bacteria. Nutrition expert Birgit Brendel said bread will last longer when stored in the fridge or freezer. However, this can compromise the flavour. Storing in ceramic or pottery containers is an alternative that allows for air to flow easily and slow the growth of mould. Robert Morris, managing director of food safety consultants, Complete Food Safety, revealed the best place to store fresh fruit and vegetables. He said salad foods should be stored in the fridge drawer, but away from anything grown in the soil such as carrots, parsnips and beetroot. Tomatoes are an exception to the rule as fridges can alter the natural ripening process and diminish their taste. He also advised against putting avocados and bananas in the fridge as this will cause them to blacken quicker. "It is also important not to rely on vinegar as a substitute for basic food safety — such as reheating thoroughly, cooling cooked food quickly, and never leaving leftovers out at room temperature for more than two hours," they added. "These practices work alongside vinegar's preserving power — not in place of it. "Vinegar is a helpful tool, but not a magic cure — good hygiene and proper refrigeration are still essential."
CNET
01-06-2025
- General
- CNET
4 Apple Cider Vinegar Health Benefits You May Not Know About
Though it's been used throughout history as medicine and for food preservation, apple cider vinegar is having a moment on social media. In the last few years, ACV has been lauded for its supposed health benefits, but is pouring yourself an ACV drink actually all you need to give your body a boost? While apple cider vinegar does offer some potential health benefits, it isn't a miracle cure. To find out exactly what ACV has to offer and its potential side effects, we spoke with registered dietitians for the full story. Taste-Testing 6 Apple Cider Vinegar Drinks Taste-Testing 6 Apple Cider Vinegar Drinks Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 1:32 Loaded : 25.71% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 1:32 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Taste-Testing 6 Apple Cider Vinegar Drinks What is apple cider vinegar? When you combine apples, sugar and yeast and allow it to ferment, it creates apple cider vinegar. Over several weeks, the yeast will digest the sugar to make alcohol. Once this happens, natural bacteria will turn the alcohol into acetic acid, which gives apple cider vinegar its pungent odor and taste. You have two options when you buy apple cider vinegar: filtered and pasteurized, or raw and unfiltered. The cloudy sediment that collects in the bottom of the bottle is "the mother," which is a combination of bacteria and yeast. Some speculate that the mother is what provides the health benefits, as it contains trace amounts of healthy bacteria and probiotics. Apple cider vinegar can be used in the kitchen, around the home and for your health as a: Cleaner Dandruff treatment Denture cleaner Deodorizer Dressing or vinaigrette Facial toner Fruit and vegetable wash Hair rinse Marinade Mouthwash Preservative Weed killer Anna Gragert/CNET 4 potential apple cider vinegar health benefits Although more research is needed, several small and medium-sized studies show the benefits of apple cider vinegar for some health issues and as a potential weight loss aid. 1. May help control blood sugar and diabetes Up to 95% of diabetics have type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Type 2 diabetes occurs from insulin resistance, which is "when cells in the body don't respond properly to insulin, which leads to increased levels of sugar or glucose in the blood," according to Amelia Ti, a registered dietitian and diabetes educator in NYC. Even if you don't have diabetes, it's best to keep blood sugar levels in the normal range. Studies have shown that apple cider vinegar can improve insulin response and lower blood sugar levels after meals. Consuming apple cider vinegar before going to sleep has also been shown to reduce fasting blood sugar after waking. Make sure to talk with your doctor before consuming ACV if you have diabetes, especially if you're on medication because of potential side effects. "ACV alone will not lower blood sugar levels and should not be considered a substitute for diabetes medications," Ti said. 2. Kills harmful bacteria Those looking to preserve food naturally may want to consider using apple cider vinegar. It is a known pathogen killer, which includes microbes like staph and candida. Vinegar is a popular preservative in Korea because it can prevent E. coli and norovirus from growing in food. E. coli can cause food poisoning when consumed but the bactericidal effects of the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can prevent it from occurring. 3. Could lead to weight loss Another benefit of apple cider vinegar that may be useful is its ability to help with weight loss. When taken before or during a meal, ACV has been shown to help with satiety (the feeling of fullness). In one study, participants ate approximately 200 to 275 fewer calories when apple cider vinegar was combined with a meal. In three months, participants taking one to two tablespoons of ACV per day saw up to 3.7 pounds in weight loss and a reduction in body fat. 4. Might improve cholesterol levels High cholesterol and triglyceride levels can increase your risk of heart disease. Incorporating up to an ounce of apple cider vinegar into your day, along with a lower-calorie diet, may reduce total cholesterol and triglycerides while also increasing HDL "good" cholesterol. Those with type 2 diabetes may also see positive results on their total cholesterol and triglyceride levels when adding a half ounce of ACV to their diet. Potential apple cider vinegar side effects Although there are benefits of apple cider vinegar use, there are also potential side effects to consider. The high acidity can strip tooth enamel, which won't come back once it's gone. If you drink it undiluted, it may cause damage to your esophagus or throat. Here are some other potential side effects of apple cider vinegar: Can cause esophageal (throat) burns or ulcers when consumed in excess Can cause hypokalemia (low potassium levels) Can cause nausea or vomiting Can interact with diuretics, insulin and other medications Can weaken tooth enamel Watering it down with water or juice not only makes ACV more palatable but it can also reduce the risk of damaging your throat and teeth. Combining one or two tablespoons with either may also cure an upset stomach. Marisa Moore, a registered dietitian nutritionist, also advises, "It's important to remember that no one food is a silver bullet. If you choose to incorporate apple cider vinegar, do so safely and with a focus on maintaining a balanced whole diet for your overall health and well-being." How much apple cider vinegar should you drink daily? Apple cider vinegar dosage depends on the reason you're using it. In general, Ti says, "I recommend 1 teaspoon to tablespoon ACV diluted in 6-8 ounces of warm water before meals." If you want to drink it, dilute it with water or your favorite juice or tea. You can also eat it by incorporating it in your favorite foods, especially dressings, vinaigrettes and even when making your own mayonnaise. There are also premade apple cider vinegar drinks, which may make ACV more pleasant to taste. You can find these drinks from brands such as Bragg, Poppi, Remedy and Sidekick Sodas. Local health stores and even grocery stores may carry these, so keep an eye out if you're interested in apple cider vinegar drinks. You can also add a cup or two to a bath for skin issues. Mixing a tablespoon of ACV with a cup of water, and then soaking gauze or cotton in the solution can make a wet wrap. To use apple cider vinegar as a hair rinse, combine up to two tablespoons with a cup of water, then pour over the hair after shampooing. Wait five minutes, then rinse. It can be drying, so use it sparingly. ACV can also irritate the scalp, so a weaker dilution may be better. Annick Vanderschelden/Moment/Getty Images The bottom line Some studies have found the benefits of apple cider vinegar but we need more research to definitively prove how beneficial it is. It may help with weight loss, controlling type 2 diabetes, blood sugar and cholesterol and it can also prevent harmful bacteria growth on foods. Drinking undiluted apple cider vinegar can cause tooth enamel erosion or throat damage. Mixing ACV with water or juice before consuming it can prevent damage to the teeth and throat. As with any natural remedy, speak with your doctor before trying apple cider vinegar and do a skin test before using it on your skin. "Remember that the advantages of adopting an overall healthy lifestyle (e.g. nutritious and balanced diet, adequate hydration, regular physical activity/movement, good sleep, stress management, etc.) are far greater than those of any single food, drink, or supplement," Ti said. "There is no quick fix and ACV is definitely not a miracle solution."
