...fresh thinking from Medirest

...fresh thinking from Medirest
What is Steamplicity?
An innovation in cooking methodology using fresh foods
in sealed containers and a pressure steaming process
managed through microwave energy as the heat
source. The steam produced during cooking is released
through a unique patented steam-release valve
allowing the food to be precisely cooked to its optimum
in terms of taste and quality.
What are the key features?
Medirest understands the importance
of providing high quality, nutritious
food. We have therefore developed
Steamplicity as a unique and innovative
way to provide meals to patients, staff
and visitors in hospitals.
•
Cooks fresh product from raw excluding potato,
rice, pasta and some red meats
Cooking time ~ 3 to 6 minutes ~ all products and
sizes
Cooked to optimum in terms of taste quality and
vitality
Multi-portion to individual plated meals
Steamplicity is a method of cooking, using steam
pressure, that maintains the freshness and flavour
of food and also gives patients greater choice and
flexibility at mealtimes.
Single ingredient to complete meal
Can be used in all markets
This is a unique innovation in food services available
to the Australian Healthcare industry through Medirest
Australia.
Why is it an innovation?
The Benefits
It is one of the few completely new cooking processes
developed for the foodservice sectors in many years. It
combines a number of key elements that are important
to today’s clients and consumers:
It offers real flexibility for clients who are looking for
an alternative to a traditional food service:
Less space needed for the foodservice operation
Health & Wellness
Good for your health, fresh cooked pressure steamed
food.
Less capital investment required for equipment
and maintenance
Less wastage through accurate ordering and
preparation on site
Less energy required for traditional cooking
equipment, therefore reduced costs
All the taste, all the vitality!
Flexibility
Less space needed, less capital investment, less
wastage, less energy.
It meets the needs of clients to provide a foodservice
offer that has Health and Wellness at its core:
Service and choice – a la carte menu, available anytime.
The food is cooked using a patented steam
pressure method acknowledged as a healthy
cooking method
All Steamplicity dishes are ready-prepared using
only the best ingredients from nominated suppliers
The product provides great service and choice with
a wide menu range in any situation
Microwave ovens are used to steam-cook food to
its optimum taste, texture and temperature
Easy - best use of staff skills where it counts!
Quality
Consistency - the same quality every time.
Freshly cooked for the Patient.
Steam pressure cooking - time, temperature and taste.
Consumer Benefits
Great food that maximises nutrition and vitality
Great food that maximises nutrition and vitality:
Great quality of meals to consumers every time
The food is freshly cooked using steam pressure
in a way that is recognised as being the healthiest
method, retaining most nutrients naturally found in
the ingredients
They were then chemically analysed. The retention of
Vitamin C in fresh broccoli cooked using the Steamplicity
method was more than double that of the traditionally
cooked sample (80.8mg per 100g compared to 37.8mg
per 100g). A similar pattern is shown in the Folic Acid test
with the Steamplicity broccoli having just under double
the retention when compared with the fresh traditionally
cooked broccoli (88.3 micrograms per 100g compared
with 45.4 micrograms per 100g). See table below.
Retention of Vitamin C (Milligrams) and Folic Acid
Steamplicity fits perfectly into a healthy food choice
demanded by today’s consumers
Retention of Vitamins
A UK food company was commissioned to carry out
research to ascertain how much vitamin C and Folic
Acid are retained in Steamplicity cooked vegetables in
comparison with other traditional cooking methods.
Two types of vegetables, broccoli and carrots, were
cooked in 4 different ways; traditional boiling, boiling
then refreshing, cook-chill and Steamplicity.
100
90
80
88.3
80.8
70
60
45
50
37.8
40
30
20
10
0
Steamplicity
Traditional
VITAMIN C
Steamplicity
Traditional
FOLIC ACID
Vegetables cooked by Steamplicity preserve
anti-cancer chemicals
Researchers at the University of Warwick have found
that the standard habit of boiling certain vegetables
severely damages their anti-cancer properties. Previous
studies have shown that consumption of ‘Brassica’
vegetables, (Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower
and green cabbage) decreases the risk of developing
cancer. However the latest research shows that the anticancer chemicals present in these vegetables, known as
glucosinolates, are lost more through boiling than with
steaming and microwaving.
The researchers, Prof Paul Thornalley and Dr Lijiang
Song tested broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and
green cabbage, by cooking them in various ways;
boiling, steaming, microwave cooking and stir-fry.
The vegetables were then tested for the chemical
glucosinolate, which has the anti-cancer properties.
Boiling appeared to have a serious impact on the
retention of the anti-cancer chemical with losses (shown
in adjacent table).
All three other methods; steaming, microwave cooking
and stir-frying gave no significant loss of the anti-cancer
chemical. Professor Thornalley said: “If you want to
get the maximum benefit from your five portions-aday vegetable consumption, if you are cooking your
vegetables boiling is out. You need to consider stir frying,
steaming or microwaving them.”
The fifth set of data collection was conducted by the
Compass Survey Shop. We seek the views of our existing
customers on a regular basis and this 2 part research
was designed to gain important qualitative feedback.
The first part was conducted to obtain some specific
feedback on vegetable preference from across the
Compass business. The second part is a summary
of the normal quarterly Patient satisfaction surveys
conducted by Medirest.
Vegetable
Loss
Loss when cooked by
cooked by steam/microwave
boiling
Broccoli
77%
No significant losses
Cauliflower
75%
No significant losses
Cabbage
65%
No significant losses –
other studies show 8%
Environment
Health Safety and Environment
Medirest has developed a new environmental
programme which complements our existing
ISO14001:2004 Environmental Management System (EMS)
and Environmental Handbook programmes. Our focus on
recycling waste resource material and using appropriate
stock management techniques to reduce waste resource
production has significant benefits.
Health and safety and our impact on the environment
are top priorities for us as a business. We:
Adhere to Medirest’s HACCP, health & safety and
food safety policies
Are regularly audited by the company’s technical
support team
Medirest endeavours to use products made from
recycled materials where possible and will continue to
invest in environmental innovations to better service the
community. An example of this is the bespoke alternative
to traditional cleaning systems to the Microfibre based
solution Medirest will provide.
Source all our ingredients from approved suppliers
Can trace products back to their origin for a full audit
of safety and quality
Employ a full time food safety/quality assurance
manager
Quality Assurance
Are approved by environmental health officers from
support training services who audit us every six
months
Medirest’s Quality Management system (QMS) is
accredited to ISO 9001:2000. The QMS provides
a comprehensive library of policies, procedures,
resources and work practices that not only address ISO
requirements but are tailored to meet Australian Federal
and State Legislative requirements particularly in the
areas of Food Safety, OH& S, Risk Management and
Environmental Practices from preparation in the kitchen to
meal consumption and incorporates Dietetic Standards,
Diet Orders and Diet Review Standards..
Risk Management
Medirest’s dedicated focus on food and support systems
ensures our risk management systems are specific
to our industry. The risk management team supports
the operations team to lower the cost of workers
compensation, improve safety for our staff and clients.
Medirest’s reward and recognition process underpins the
audit process, where the highest achieving teams and
sites are recognized at our annual awards ceremony.
Vending
Steamplicity is able to provide a solution to serving hot
meals after hours with a full suite of branded vending
options that can form a secondary point for meals,
beverages and confectionery. A great
looking option for providing hot after
hours meals for staff, relatives
and doctors. The system can
be optioned to use tokens
and cash so you as a
client have control over
subsidising meals for
staff and doctors as
well as providing a
superior choice at
any time of the
day or night.
What Our Customers Say
Claire Rayner, President of the Patients’ Association...
“Steamplicity is a major breakthrough in the drive for
better hospital food. We have been very impressed
with these new steam-cooked meals because they
are appetising and nutritious and patients are clearly
enjoying them.”
Jessie Winyard, Chairman of the West Herts.
Trust Patients’ Panel...
“We are very impressed with Steamplicity. I think patients
benefit enormously. The quality and variety of food is
very good. Nursing staff have also been very impressed
and supportive.”
Simon Williams
Former Policy Director at The Patients’ Association Simon
has seen at first-hand patients enjoying the food and
was very impressed with what he considered to be “a
huge leap forward in catering for patients in hospital.”
Roger d’Elia, Operational Services Manager,
Hertfordshire
Partnership NHS Foundation Trust “Introducing the
Steamplicity system across the Trust’s Mental Health
Services inpatient catchment has revolutionised the
outcomes to our service users.
The quality of the products used has raised the bar.
Customer satisfaction has risen by 20%
Plate wastage has reduced from circa 20% to 2%
Sustained good achievement scores for PEAT and
the HCC audits
Accept no imitations!
The success of Steamplicity has led
other meal providers to develop their
own imitations. Without the unique
valve technology that is exclusive to
Medirest’s parent company,
Compass Group, imitation
products cannot deliver the same
benefits as Steamplicity.
Medirest (Australia) Pty Ltd
Unit 3, 63-71 Boundary Road
Melbourne 3051
www.steamplicity.com.au