That milk smells funny!

http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21348

Ever wonder why Japanese milk tastes and smells different? It has to to with ESL vs. UHT.

UHT (Ultra High Temperature)

UHT is a flash-heating-and-cooling sterilisation process that allows food to retain its nutritional value while preserving natural taste, colour and flavour. The right combination of temperature and time is what UHT is all about. No chemicals, preservatives, microwaves, or any type of radiation are ever used. UHT milk is heated to a temperature between 135 and 150 degrees Celsius for a minimum of one second.

UHT treatment is used to achieve food sterility. Combined with aseptic packaging, it delivers shelf stable conditions for food. Shelf stable products do not require refrigeration. This saves on transportation and storage costs. Natural resources are also saved by reducing green-house gas emissions.

There are many products that can benefit from UHT technology. Some examples: milk, cream, juice and soy-based products.

ESL (Extended Shelf Life)

ESL milk is quite different from well-known UHT milk. UHT milk is heated to a temperature between 135 and 150 degrees Celsius for a minimum of one second. ESL milk is only heated to a temperature between 85 and 127 degrees Celsius for a minimum of two seconds.

ESL milk can be stored for up to 21 days and it is as nourishing as pasteurised milk. But be careful, the longer shelf life is based on the package not being opened and that it is refrigerated.

Being good too good to be true

The other day pulled a sharp comment while talking about cockroaches. We were talking about heating the home at night (my ‘cheap’ coworkers worry about dry air, uh huh, but not freezing faces or the appearance of camping inside a house or apartment), and I mentioned how there is a problem with flying cockroaches in HK, yet many places don’t have screens on the windows. Japan seems to share the same problem, the no screens bit. Even on newer places, the landlords just don’t seem to want to ante up.

Anyway back to my comment, a female worker popped her head into the room, and I quipped, “Don’t worry, we weren’t referring to you when we were talking about pests we can’t get rid of!” Left with nary a peep.

Oh well, you can’t please everyone, might as well please someone.

Reminds me of a character online who keeps quoting G K Chesterton, especially the religious aspects. Actually the non-religious aspects are a much easier sell, the man was against imperialism (and socialism and capitalism, oh brother, here comes utopia). He certainly was a proflic writer who considered himself more of a journalist than a writer. He actually seems to have been very good at being both.

Why is it though so many good writers want to find their god and give him credit for everything? What’s wrong with believing that skill, a little luck, and timing can do it?

work in progress