4 The editorial. Is there a future for the Finnish Sheep? Eastern has passed and the Finns have during the holidays consumed lamb prepared in several different ways. The meat barometer of 2007 shows that we consume 3,3 million kg lamb yearly and that only 0,7 kg are of Finnish origin. We import principally lamb from New Zeeland as does several countries in Europe.
Today we have in Finland only 50-60 000 sheep. In the 1960-ties there were about 1,5 million sheep in Finland. It was not very much but it was enough for our own demand.
Our authorities have during the years started various projects in order to increase the production, but neither of the projects has been successful. Can we hope for an improvement when the population is so small and scattered all over the country? Chief editor Veli Saarenheimo wonders why the Finns consume lamb only during Eastern.

6 The Finnish food is palatable and healthy. When our minister of agriculture and forestry Sirkka-Liisa Anttila speaks about Finnish food she knows very well that she is not alone when realizing the Finnish Food program. Seven ministries and the whole food chain take part in this work. Sirkka-Liisa Anttila hopes that we shall develop our food culture. Today most of the Finns have more than enough food. Now it is time to emphasize the delicacy and healthiness of food.
The food did not sneak into our government program as a surprise or by chance. It was the result of an intense collaboration between Sirkka-Liisa Anttila and Jaana Husu-Kallio, head of the Finnish Food Safety Authority EVIRA. The food industry has a dominating role when the program is realized because today the Finns consume more and more highly processed food.
- Raw materials, methods and productive apparatus of high quality shall be used in the production of healthy food, stresses the minister.
Also the Finnish products should be easier to recognize in the large assortment of food products. The price competition in the advertising of the trade is today massive and in this respect Anttila wants a change. The trade uses yearly 150 million euros on advertisings a sum that of course is paid by the consumers.
- The food advertising could become more diversified and give information about the qualities of the food and not only the price.
The primary condition of the food program is of course the profitability of our farming.
- To maintain the basic production is a problem. In negotiations with the trade the food industry comes second and the farmers have the weakest position in the chain, tells Anttila.
If the position of the partners is very unequal then the markets cannot function. A growing part of the consumers want information about how the food is produced. According to the minister the consumers have the right to know if the fodder used in our meat production contains gm-soy.

10 The phosphates - friends or enemies? Recent research suggests that there is a connection between phosphates and osteoporosis. Phosphorus is a very special element. In some forms it is poisonous or unwholesome and in other forms it is necessary. In the human body it is most common mineral next to potassium, and occurs in the skeleton by 85% as potassium phosphate. According to professor Christel Lamberg-Allardt the science shows that when phosphor is added as phosphate the disposition to osteoporosis grows. A big amount of phosphor is harmful for kidney patients mentions nutritionist Sirkka Kylliäinen.
Phosphate is a common additive in meat because it has a good influence on meat and meat products. It improves the water holding capacity, the weight loss increases and the products become more juicy and tasty. The phosphate is an antioxidant and also improves the color of the products.
Osteoporosis is a skeleton disease that causes brittleness of the bones. Bone is a living tissue in which the cells die and new are formed all the time. As long as this process is in balance the person feels well, according to Christel Lambard-Allardt.
A healthy lifestyle influences both osteoporosis and many other diseases. Overweight is a risk factor also for diabetes and heart–diseases and vascular disorders.

14 The packages are easy to open. Lihalehti ordered an inquiry from TNS Gallup in order to know the opinion of the consumers regarding how easy or how difficult it is to open packages of cold cuts and meat products. The consumers compared different packages and according to them processed meat products, as sausages for food and frankfurters were more difficult to open than food packages in general. On the other hand the consumers were of the opinion that packages of cold cuts were easier to open than other packages of food.

18 The Meat Grinder and the recipe of the month. This year the “Food Editors” were awarded the price ”A good food culture”. The price is 10 000 euro and is donated by the Finnish Fair Foundation in co-operation with the Finnish Food and Drink Industries Federation FFDIF. The price was given during the Gastro fair in Helsinki. In the statement of reasons it was mentioned that the food editors had considerably influenced the Finnish food and drink culture. A new book for vocational schools has been published. The authors are the professor of Helsinki University Hely Tuorila, lector at Haaga-Helia, university of applied sciences (UAS) Kirsti Parkkinen and lector at the Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia Katri Tolonen. The book deals with sensations that can be felt from foodstuffs, consumer guidance and consumer tests that promote product development and the high quality of food products.
The eco-markets are doubled. During the years 2000-2006 the value of eco-products have doubled on the world markets. The most important markets are in USA, Germany, Britain, France, and Italy. 95% of the eco-products are sold in Europe and North America. The Swiss buy eco-products for 102 euros per person/year, the Finns spend only 15 euros. In industrialized countries the demand on eco-products is growing faster than the production.
Aspo buys Kauko-Telko from Kesko. As a result of the purchase the turnover of Aspo rises to 500 million euros. The company has 1 200 employees, half of them are working abroad. Kauko-Telko has some powerful spheres of activities that fit very well the Aspo concept. Aspos operations will be strengthened in the food branch and they deal with raw materials, apparatus and service. The competition authorities in several countries must accept the deal. A decision is expected within a few months.
The broiler chain got new directives. The directives stipulate the standard of farming in Europe and concern stocking density, the quality of the air, the mortality of the birds, the training of the producers and the information within the branch. According to Lea Lastikka, executive director for Finland’s Poultry Association, the situation in Finland is really very good and the directives are mostly already in use.
- In the year 2005 we draw up directives for broiler farming and now we only have to bring them up to date, tells Lea Lastikka.
Of all countries in Europe only Finland follows the principle ”all in all out”.
- We don’t screen out and we change peat bedding after each litter. We have very few cases of salmonella in Finland, stresses Lastikka.
Appointments. Per 17.3 2008 Jaakko Pulkkinen is appointed industrial safety officer at Atria Suomi Oy. At Paulig Jaana Tuominen has been appointed head of the Paulig concern and managing director at Paulig Oy. Bertel Paulig is retiring and leaves his position as chairman but he remains in the company as chairman of the board.
Packaging technology PTR (the Association of Packaging technology and Research) has published a reference book “Functional packaging”. It is aimed at the packaging industry but is also useful for everybody handling food.
The recipe of the month is a “Casserole from Burgundy” cooked on minced meat.

24 More meat on the plate! According to the consumers the meat dishes are today healthier than before. This opinion is based on the amount of fat in meat dishes. When we speak about sausages and convenience food the consumers estimate how much fat, salt, additives and energy the product contains. Consumers over 35 years of age prefer a daily intake of meat. Young women 15-24 years of age consume less meat.

26 Thomeko draws up a new strategy. In December last year Thomeko got a new managing director, Tomi Niemi. It is his job to guide the company in the quickly changing food branch. Thomeko has during the last ten years grown considerably and is today Finland’s leading turnkey supplier for the food processing industry. Thomeko provides state-of-art materials and supplies, machinery and equipment, as well as a comprehensive set of installation and maintenance services. The turnover of the company is 19 million euro. A considerable part comes from artificial casing, one million from packaging material and spices and additives represent one million. According to Tomi Niemi it is essential to have long-term cooperation with the customers that enables Thomeko to tailor optional solutions to their customers needs.
- It is not important who makes the job, the most important its how well the job is done. And above all we have to develop a deep understanding of our customers business, stresses Tomi Niemi.

29 At North Trade processing is developed. A trend in the meat import business is a larger assortment and highly processed products. The trade, the horeca-sector and the industry want to have tailored products. The premium-segment, which includes eco-meat, is the fastest growing segment. North Trade is the leading importer of meat products in Scandinavia and it purchased at the end of the year 2006 Suomi Farmi Liha and the Swedish company Pegrom. Today the turnover is over hundred million euro. The Swedish company was established in Finland at the right moment. The import of meat had grown year by year and at the same time the production of Finnish beef had declined. Nort Trade is the third largest importer of meat. Market leader is Tuontiliha and STC-Meat. Finns own both companies. In Sweden the meat market has a different profile. Sweden imports meat twice as much as Finland, about 15% of the total consumption. The share of eco-meat is about 6 % of the total consumption, in Finland it is clearly under 1per cent.

32 Mattila Brothers celebrate their 50 years. Smoked meat keeps its position and is very popular. Leo Mattila founded the company 1958 and his brother Kauko Mattila joined the operations some years later.
- When we are doing something we are doing it properly was the proverb of Leo Mattila and we have it still in use, tells chairman of the board Essi Sivula.
The Mattila Brothers have about forty employees and the turn over is about six million.
- You find our secret in the sauna. We aim at a good profit, which is the basis for all investments, tells Aarno Lautala who from the year 2003 is managing director at Mattila Brothers.

36 The best parties take place in the kitchen. Moving to a home of your own is a turning point with moments of pleasure and moments of stress. Many students in Helsinki live together creating compromises. They usually cooperate when buying kitchens machines, kitchens utensils and services. Spices and ingredients for baking are also bought together as well as film.
- In the beginning we washed up every other day, today we do our own washing up, tells student Päivi Pulsa. The assortment in her fridge differs from that in her parent’s. In Päivis fridge there are foodstuffs that only need warming. More demanding cooking can wait.

40 Can we recycle our waste? All phases of the food production result partly in waste. The waste costs and is an environmental problem. Probably one could change the costs to a profit by changing the bio waste to a useful raw material..

42 The professional fair Gastro presented innovations. The fair is aimed at institutional kitchens and the hotel- and restaurant branches. 84% of the visitors were of the opinion that the biggest problem in the future is the lack of professional personnel. 18 000 persons visited Gastro and the wine fair ViiniExpo.

44 At the eco-farm you can buy eco-products. Barbara and Thomas Alm have not regretted their decision. At their farm Morby the production is since 1995 completely ecological.
- We don’t need to advertise, the bush-telegraph functions well, tells Barbara.
Today they produce eco-meat an eco-vegetables. According to Thomas Alm the change to eco-production was preliminaries before joining EU. Today we know that it was a good solution, especially economically.
- The prices on agricultural products declined so drastically that nothing moved, stresses Thomas.
- The cattle is slaughtered and processed in the neighborhood and all products are sold from the farm ready packed, explains Barbara.

48 How are things at H-Hetki? Janne Räsänen managing director at H-Hetki based in Hyvinge believes that the company in the near future will grow considerably. The co-operation with Lihel gives H-Hetki a new line of production – the marinades. Lihel is part of the international Paulig concern that operates from Estonia, but still Lihel orders their marinades from H-Hetki. The company was founded in May 2005 and purchased two business activities, Kauko Gourmet and Hyvinkään Palvi.
H-Hetki imports and processes meat and meat products for instance duck, pigeon, red deer, wild boar, guinea fowl and meat from Argentina. Their customers are mainly gourmet restaurants. H-Hetki has about 40 employees and the turnover was last year 3,1 million euro.

50 Index of services.

60 My work.” When Jyrki Auvinen was 26 years of age and worked during the summer in a pub he could not imagine that he once should study for a profession as a consultant, dealing with hygiene and environmental questions. After 20 years in the food branch in the Helsinki region Auvinen moved to Seinäjoki and founded a company of his own. “Kehittämispalvelut Jyrki Auvinen”. (Developed services by Jyrki Auvinen)
- We are and will remain a small business but I am all the time improving my professional skills. Even if the hygiene questions in the meat branch in general are good and in order mistakes can always happen, stresses Auvinen.
It is very important to focus on a safe working environment.
- It is important that the whole personnel take part in the discussions. This is best realized by training. In the meat branch slippering is one of the greatest risk factors and the risks are doubled when it is speedy, the personnel is tired and stressed and the environments are cramped. Here we have still much work to do, explains Jyrki Auvinen.

62 Eviras pages deal this time with the sheep and goat register. Evira draws up the register and the animals can be reported on Internet, by phone or filling a form.

64 The columnist Sakari Nupponen, editor at the evening paper Ilta-Sanomat, is since his youth a passionate film freak. This time he writes about food, love and passion for food on the film screen and on dvd.

Translation: Nina Hackman.