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Restaurant Daily News Saturday, May 20, 2017 8 0 HACCP SOLUTIONS NO BUSINESS SHOULD BE WITHOUT FDA, FSMA, HACCP – some days the foodservice industry seems like one giant bowl of vegetable soup. That's why Wilpack Packaging has designed a solu- tion to make safety compliance simple. Everyone in the industry has heard about the FDA's FSMA ruling; however, understanding it might be a different mat- ter. The main objective of the FDA's efforts is to protect food from farm to table by creating a modern, risk-based framework for food safety compliance. The goal is to create practices that pre- vent food safety risks, such as intentional and unintentional adulteration of food products. Understanding food safety liabilities and potential legal issues not only pre- serves your reputation and protects con- sumers, but also safeguards the restaurant owner's bottom-line. In the U.S., a cus- tomer only needs to prove food was con- taminated or compromised and had the potential to cause illness or injury. This leaves the potential for any foodservice establishment or delivery service in a food supply chain to be held liable. With the proper preventive practices in place, facing a food safety issue does not have to be a daunting task and can be handled in an efficient manner. Wilpack Packaging offers a way to mitigate risk by providing point of serv- ice, tamper evident sealed packaging solutions to reduce or elim- inate the potential of adul- teration of your food prod- ucts. Protect the freshness and integrity of your prod- ucts along with your reputa- tion. Wilpack's table top, tamper evident sealing equipment provides a 'must have' tool for every kitchen. Whether you have your own deliv- ery service or contract a delivery service, sealing up your sauces, dressings and specialty items ensures not only that they won't spill, but also that they arrive to the customer just as they were created. We covered the safety reasons every foodservice establishment should offer tamper evident sealed products. Now let's talk about customer satisfaction. In a recent survey, over 86 percent of cus- tomers said that their biggest complaint regarding foodservice was food spilling in the bag. Wilpack's tamper evident solution not only offers safety to consumers, but also the superior service of spill proof packaging. Ensure your products get to the consumer they way they were created and intended. By implementing sealed packaging solutions, you not only show customers your commitment to quality and integrity – you also show them you care. Wilpack has the solution you need to show customers they matter … and keep them coming back. Visit Wilpack Packaging at booth #10039 in the Lakeside Center to start imple- menting preventive practices for compli- ance and customer satisfaction. Learn more at www.wilpackpackaging.com. KITCHEN MEASUREMENT TOOLS FROM CDN An interview with Shawn DiGruccio, Executive Vice President, CDN. RDN: What is CDN known for? SD: CDN specializes in kitchen measurement tools, with a wide assort- ment of thermometers, timers and scales, from the basic to the unique, including custom and private label products. We're known for product innovation, superior customer service, quality and value. We stand out as a global category leader with the personal service and commitment of a business that's been family owned for over 30 years. As one of the fastest grow- ing foodservice suppliers in our field, our products are used in over 15,000 foodser- vice locations worldwide, including large international coffee and restaurant chains. RDN: What makes CDN products differ- ent from the competition? SD: Superior customer service, competi- tive pricing and innovation are among our biggest advantages. We exclusively tool many of our own products. Our qual- ity and durability show in premium mate- rials, such as 304-grade stainless steel, and our standard five-year warranty on most products. Our broad line includes many NSF-certified models, with inno- vations such as thermometers with easy field calibration, thin-tip technology and Biocote, a HACCP-approved anti-micro- bial. RDN: Are you expanding your scales line in 2017? SD: Yes. We've expanded the line with eight different series: Master Scales, Submersible Scales, Specialty Scales, Precision Scales, Receiving Scales, Glass Scales, Basic Scales and Mechanical Scales. Our NSF-listed Master Scales Series includes six sizes, with different dimen- sions/footprints. Sturdy and water resist- ant, with removable 304 stainless steel platforms, recalibra- tion, LCD displays, data hold and more. In the Submersible Scale Series, our Digital Portion Control Scales stand out for their high IP67 rating. There are two versions: battery operated (SD1108) and recharge- able (SD1110) with an AC adaptor. A Specialty Scale, the Digital Nutrition Scale (SD1106) displays nutri- tional data along with units of measure. Based on the USDA National Nutrient Database, it generates information on calories, sodium, protein, fat, carbohy- drates, cholesterol and fiber. Our new 132-lb/60-kg Mechanical Scale (SM13201) is a heavy-duty spring scale for shipping and receiving. It offers speed, simplicity, stability and durability. RDN: Tell our readers about some of the new thermometers. SD: The CDN ProAccurate ® Infrared Gun/Thermocouple Thermometer (INTP662) combines two advanced tech- nologies in one professional tool: infrared for non-contact surface tempera- tures and thermocouple probe for internal temperatures. It is NSF cer- tified. Our CDN Thermocouple Surface Grill Thermometer (TCT572SG) offers precise measurement of surface temperatures in just three to six seconds, in a wide temperature range. Our best-selling CDN ProAccurate Digital Thermometer (DT392-1.7) now comes with a 1.7-mm thin tip. It is NSF certified, with simple one-button opera- tion. Adding value to another best-seller, the CDN ProAccurate Cooking Thermometer with Calibration Tool (IRT- 220-Cal) features a newly designed cali- bration tool that has a wrench built into the sheath. It is NSF certified. RDN: What about timers? SD: Our top timers are perennial global best sellers. We have models for any foodservice application, both digital and mechanical, and we can create custom models if an operation has a special need. For more information, contact CDN at 800.338.5594, visit www.cdnkitchen.com or stop by booth #1634. THE RISE OF GREEK & MEDITERRANEAN ON MENUS Mediterranean cuisine is thriving in restaurants today. "This is a great time for Greek and Mediterranean foods and flavors," declares Peter Parthenis, Jr., Grecian Delight President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are seeing a wave of new Mediterranean concept restau- rants, plus the penetration of these ethnic flavors across mainstream menus," he notes. NRA's 2015 Global Palates report stated Mediterranean has had the highest consumption increases over the past six years of any ethnic food. In the same year Technomic reported that Mediterranean was projected to be the fastest growing emerging menu cluster over the next five years. In the two years since this predic- tion, Mediterranean concepts continue to debut and expand, along with the prolif- eration of Mediterranean cuisine across all menu formats. Sauces are one example of how Mediterranean flavors can be incorporat- ed into mainstream menus to provide an ethnic twist and menu differentiation. As far as new items go, sauces have low back-of-house complexity and these items have great potential for broad application beyond just a dip or appetiz- er. "We see opportunities to bring Mediterranean flair to a variety of dishes with options like a Four Pepper Cilantro, Tzatziki or even a Feisty Feta spread," states Parthenis. Many restaurants are using hummus in sandwiches and wraps as a protein for vegetarian offerings, an alternative to mayonnaise or as a double protein hit to deli-style sandwiches. In fact, hummus, tzatziki and Greek feta sauces were called out by Technomic as trending topping options to help boost burger sales. Pitas and flatbreads are also bringing global flair to menu offerings. According to D a t a s s e n t i a l ' s MenuTrends database, in 2016 there were more than 65 new menu items featuring flat- breads. "The most common restaurant application of flatbreads today is actually as a pizza, but over 40 percent of new menu introductions for flatbread in the last year were as a sandwich carrier," states Parthenis, "demonstrating strong continued interest in pitas and flatbreads for multiple menu applications." A predicted trend for 2017, by Food and Drink Resources, is street-food inspired dishes. "There is no better option for restaurants looking to capital- ize on the street-food trend than with shawarma or gyros," declares Parthenis. These Mediterranean street-food staples are increasing in popularity across all foodservice segments, powered by the increasing numbers of Millennial and Gen Z restaurant consumers and their interest in global flavors and experiences. Nowhere is this growing mainstream popularity more clearly reflected than in the significant penetra- tion growth of gyros on K- 12 and C&U menus over the last two years. "Younger consumers crave the authenticity and the true global street-food experience that gyros and shawarma provide," explains Parthenis. Grecian Delight, A Pure Mediterranean Foods Company, brings you the very best of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine with products including gyros and specialty meats, pitas and flatbreads, tzatziki, hummus and spreads, falafel and additional Mediterranean specialties. Visit Grecian Delight at booth #4848 to experience the Mediterranean Street Food Station and to see a wide variety of products and menu solutions. For more information, go to www .greciandelight.com, call 800.621.4387 or stop by booth #4848.