Noodle Factory - Lucky Me!

Lucky Me! Noodle Factory
Integrated English Program (IEP) - Educational Trip 2008
Septemeber 27, 2008
Address: Monde Nissin Plant, Felix Reyes St. Bo. Balibago, Sta. Rosa, Laguna
Tell No: 754-8297 / 09063162349

Mondo Nissin Corporation for more than 2 decades now, has been consistent in giving the Filipino consumers high quality products like Monde biscuits and Luck Me! Noddles.

The most and loved favorite noodles, LUCK ME! now opens its door to its Luck Me! Noodle factory, giving the chance to get to know more about noodles and discover the wonderful world of noodles.

Start of our our educational trip. Our first stop Lucky Me! Noodle Factory at Sta. Rosa, Laguna. At the noodle factory, everyone enjoyed and have fun with the inter-active plant tour. The kids and parents learn the process of making noodles but also health benefits that it gives to our body. The importance of good nutrition and regular exercise shall be imparted to the students and parents in a fun and entertaining way that we really appreciate. The tour guide is also frieldly and accomosdating. Recomended for the kids especially pre-school who loves eating instant noodles :D

IEP group pic after the plant tour. Say Lucky Me!

When you say instant noodles, What's the first word that you will think?

PRESERVATIVE. A preservative is a natural or synthetic chemical that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, wood, etc. to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by undesirable chemical changes.

PRESERVATIVE IN FOOD Preservative food additives can be used alone or in conjunction with other methods of food preservation. Preservatives may be anti-microbial preservatives, which inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi, or antioxidants such as oxygen absorbers, which inhibit the oxidation of food constituents. Common anti-microbial preservatives include calcium propionate, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, sulfites (sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite, potassium hydrogen sulfite, etc.) and disodium EDTA. Antioxidants include BHA and BHT. Other preservatives include formaldehyde (usually in solution), glutaraldehyde (kills insects), ethanol and methylchloroisothiazolinone. The benefits and safety of many artificial food additives (including preservatives) are the subject of debate among academics and regulators specializing in food science and toxicology.

The Truth about Preservatives

Manufacturers add preservatives during processing to keep food fresh, prevent fats and oils, and food containing them from developing an off-flavor. Preservatives improve food safety, slow product spoilage caused by mold, air, bacteria, fungi, or yeast, and help control contamination that can cause food-borne illness including life-threatening botulism.

Specifically, they help by:

• Ensuring food safety
• Extending a product's shelf life
• Improving or maintaining a food's nutritional value
• Improving food texture or consistency
• Assisting in food processing

Natural and Artificial... What's the diff?

There are 2 types of preservatives - natural and artificial. The main difference between the two is that the previous is found in and made by nature, while the latter is synthetically derived or man-made.

There are many natural preservatives, such as salt, vinegar, sugar, which have been used to preserve meat and vegetables. Artificial preservatives such as sulfites help prevent color changes in fruits and vegetables and inhibit bacterial growth in wine, fermented foods, some snack foods and baked goods. Sulfites also have antioxidant properties.

Other examples of natural and artificial preservatives:

Natural Preservatives
Acetates
Celery juice
Citrates
Citric Acid
Mixed Tocopherols
Ascorbic Acid
Malic Acid

Artificial Preservatives
Benzoates
BHA/BHT
EDTA
Nitrates/Nitrites
Proprionates
Propyl Gallate
Sorbates
Sulfites
TBHQ

Are Preservatives Bad?

Preservatives are not bad for your health. In many people's minds, all additives are harmful chemicals, but actually they are not. Preservatives are classified by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) ingredient, and have been used for centuries to help make the food we eat as safe as possible.

What other foods have preservatives?

Except for the food grown in your own garden, practically all food products have preservatives, or have undergone a preservation process to keep it fresh longer. Almost every manufacturer adds preservatives to food during processing, in order to prolong a product's freshness.

Common foods that use artificial preservatives are dried fruits, wine, juice, cured meats, bread, cakes, and cheese, among others.

Natural preservatives are also starting to be used in a wide variety of healthy foods. One example of a healthy food using natural preservatives is yoghurt.