Canola meals (two commercial meals and one low‐heat meal) were processed to reduce fiber content, then washed with selected solvents to reduce the content of antinutritional substances and further concentrate protein. The meals, fiber‐reduced meals, and washed meals were used to provide 40% of total protein (26–38% of feed) in the diets of 6‐g rainbow trout for 3 weeks or 25% of total protein (21–31% of feed) in the diets of 23‐g chinook salmon for 11 weeks. Air‐desolventized (low‐heat) canola meal, as compared to commercial meal, provided no protein quality advantage in trout feeds. Fiber reduction processing of commercial meal increased meal protein content by 11–16% and reduced crude fiber by 23–50%, but did not have any effect on the quality of protein for trout or salmon. Solvent‐washing of fiber‐reduced meal improved fish response to canola meal, probably due to reduced glucosinolate content, but possibly also due to reduced sinapine content and alterations in protein availability. Protein concentration was increased by 25–40% by washing, and glucosinolate concentration was reduced by 40–90%.

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An intervention to promote use of food thermometers when cooking small cuts of meat was conducted using the Transtheoretical Model. Objectives were to (i) increase use of food thermometers by home food preparers, (ii) improve consumers' attitudes regarding use of a food thermometer, and (iii) examine relationships between stages of change and decisional balance, self-efficacy, and processes of change. A randomly selected group of residents of Washington and Idaho (n = 2,500) were invited to participate in the research; 295 persons completed all phases of the multistep intervention. Following the intervention program, there was a significant increase in food thermometer use when cooking small cuts of meat (P < 0.01); those persons classified in action and maintenance stages increased from 9 to 34%. Ownership of thermometers also significantly increased (P < 0.05). The three constructs related to the Transtheoretical Model that were used in the study (decisional balance, self-efficacy, and processes of change) were very useful for examining differences among people at different stages of change because the responses for each set of questions differed positively and significantly (P < 0.01) as stages of change classifications advanced from precontemplation (no interest in thermometer use) to action and maintenance (individuals who use food thermometers). Additional educational campaigns designed to increase use of food thermometers are needed. Because most consumers are currently in the precontemplation stage, food thermometer campaigns will be most effective when they are focused on raising awareness of the food safety risks and the benefits of using food thermometers when cooking small cuts of meat.

Canola rapeseed is a major oilseed in Canada, Europe and Japan. Recently, Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status was granted to low erucic acid rapeseed oil for use in the U.S. market. Commercial oil extraction of the seed results in a meal that contains 44% protein and which has been subjected to considerable heat. The meal is presently utilized as livestock feed supplement. A number of processes for the preparation of protein concentrates and isolates from canola/ rapeseeds and meal have been proposed, although none have proven commercially viable. In addition to protein concentration, a successful process must reduce the levels of glucosinolates, phenolics, phytates and fiber. These antinutrients present a barrier to the use of canola/rapeseed protein materials in foods. Processes to produce protein concentrates have included water extraction of undesirable compounds from heat denatured, dehulled seed followed by solvent extraction for oil recovery and the isopropanol washing of dehulled, defatted flours. Isolates have been prepared by traditional alkaline extraction, and by acid or water extractions followed by isoelectric, heat or polyelectrolyte precipitation of the protein. Isolates have been chemically and enzymatically modified to improve fooduse properties. In this paper, the effects of various processing methods on the functional properties of solubility, color and flavor of canola protein products are reviewed.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the thermal inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef cooked to an internal temperature of 71.1 degrees C (160 degrees F) under conditions simulating consumer-style cooking methods. To compare a double-sided grill (DSG) with a single-sided grill (SSG), two different cooking methods were used for the SSG: for the one-turnover (OT-SSG) method, a patty was turned once when the internal temperature reached 40 degrees C, and for the multiturnover (MT-SSG) method, a patty was turned every 30 s. Patties (100 g, n = 9) inoculated with a five-strain mixture of E. coli O157: H7 at a concentration of 10(7) CFU/g were cooked until all three temperature readings (for two sides and the center) for a patty were 71.1 degrees C. The surviving E. coli O157:H7 cells were enumerated on sorbitol MacConkey (SMAC) agar and on phenol red agar base with 1% sorbitol (SPRAB). The order of the cooking methods with regard to the cooking time required for the patty to reach 71.1 degrees C was as follows: DSG (2.7 min) < MT-SSG (6.6 min) < OT-SSG (10.9 min). The more rapid, higher-temperature cooking method was more effective (P < 0.01) in destroying E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef. E. coli O157:H7 reduction levels were clearly differentiated among treatments as follows: OT-SSG (4.7 log10 CFU/g) < MT-SSG (5.6 log10 CFU/g) < DSG (6.9 log10 CFU/g). Significantly larger numbers of E. coil O157:H7 were observed on SPRAB than on SMAC agar. To confirm the safety of ground beef cooked to 71.1 degrees C, additional patties (100 g, n = 9) inoculated with lower concentrations of E. coli O157:H7 (10(3) to 10(4) CFU/g) were tested. The ground beef cooked by the OT-SSG method resulted in two (22%) of nine samples testing positive after enrichment, whereas no E. coli O157:H7 was found for samples cooked by the MT-SSG and DSG methods. Our findings suggest that consumers should be advised to either cook ground beef patties in a grill that cooks the top and the bottom of the patty at the same time or turn patties frequently (every 30 s) when cooking on a grill that cooks on only one side.