topic Re: On Air Food Waste in Kitchen

On Air Food Waste

jcart503 — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 12:18:56 GMT

I am appalled by the amount of food being wasted by the chef presenting the Prepology 4-piece Polka Dot Paring Set this morning. He is taking all of the food he demos with the knife and dumping it directly into the trash can. Is there some reason that beautiful fresh food can't be used for something else or donated to those in need? If QVC is allowing this, how much of the other food they present on air is being wasted? Come on QVC, let's get with the times and realize there are people just outside of Studio Park who have nothing to eat!

Re: On Air Food Waste

paShar — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 12:37:07 GMT

I didn't see the program but local health laws may prevent them from being able to give cut food to an outside agency. They probably could give any that hadn't been tampered with but I don't think anyone would take, for example, a sliced cucumber or tomato.

I agree, though, it does seem to be a waste. If they put it out on a tray or plate, the staff and crew would probably be happy to snack on it.

Re: On Air Food Waste

jcart503 — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 12:50:33 GMT

Shar, that is a great point. Like you said though, they could at least put it out for staff to snack on or take home to use in their own meals. I just hate seeing food go to waste when so many people struggle to put food on their own tables. Thanks for sharing!

Re: On Air Food Waste

Snicks1 — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 13:01:37 GMT

I did not see this particular show, but, I would expect that most times the food has sat under hot studio lights long enough to no longer be the best quality. Who knows what pests may/may not have crawled over it before the lights come up for the presentation. And I agree that laws most likely prevent the foods from being donated. JMO

Re: On Air Food Waste

ical — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 13:09:28 GMT

The knife presentation? Wait! What food? The raw eggplants?

Re: On Air Food Waste

Poodlepet2 — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 13:10:06 GMT

I have to agree with Pashar and Snickster. The set is not a restaurant setting by any stretch.....but when they present the prepared foods (the ones you see the hosts sampling), I bet the staff has a field day! Poodlepet

Re: On Air Food Waste

humpty dumpty — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 13:10:30 GMT

That is one thing that really bothers me about the all day food shows as well as the 2 or 3-hour food fests ... I think they could do it once and then for the next presentation, just show a "recorded earlier" presentation ...

I know they have a large crew with mouths watering waiting to get at the food ... but all of the cookies, candies, breads, not to mention whole hams, burgers, chicken breasts, lobster, side dishes and all the dishes they prepare just to sell a cookbook ... I think they go way overboard to make a sale ...

The QVC biggies need to come together and find a better way ...

Re: On Air Food Waste

ValuSkr — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 13:11:44 GMT

I share your concern; it does appear these programs waste a lot of food. They should let staff take home leftovers in their Lock 'n Lock containers. Of course, if David or Sharon are hosting, there may not be much left over.

Re: On Air Food Waste

lolakimono — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:16:02 GMT

I believe others have chimed in before that much of the food they make is not "edible" because it has been treated with products to make it appear more "yummy", like they do with food styling in magazines. There are a lot of products with chemicals to give the browned appearance, a glaze on top, or to preserve the appearance of juiciness/freshness of certain items.

Re: On Air Food Waste

VaBelle35 — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:21:26 GMT

I volunteered at our local food pantry about a month ago. Our group's job was to re-package all of the donated food into smaller containers/baggies.

We had a truckload of eggs to put into cartons of 6. We threw out more eggs than we saved. Any egg that couldn't be cleaned or had the slightest crack had to be tossed.

This was the same thing with all the other food. We tossed so much it was eye opening and sad.

The rules for food are extremely strict.

Re: On Air Food Waste

sciencegeek_1 — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 16:30:45 GMT

Some of that food is doctored to look good, an example is spraying things with Pam to make it look moist. I suspect some might even be frosted styrofoam and pies that are nothing but shaving cream with sprinkles on top.

And the real food is out and about quite a long time. If it can be immediately consumed by staffers, good. But if not, it's not safe.

How exactly do you think distribution to the hungry would work? It would have to be donated to an organization, wait while volunteers check that it meets their safety guidelines, then distributed.

Food shelves deal with non-perishables, and can do limited perishables, such as donations of a partial truckload of milk or eggs from a farm or food company. But it wouldn't have a way to preserve a single pie to give to a single family. Soup kitchens can't accept a casserole or pie with a slice out of it for safety reasons.

Nobody wants sliced onions from a demo. Nobody. I wouldn't even take them home if I were an employee.

While it's nice to be idealistic, this is the REAL world.

Re: On Air Food Waste

sidsmom — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 16:48:05 GMT

Like many suggested, much of the food being presented is not edible. Here's a link & a few tips/tricks that photographers use...and safe to assume QVC would do the same. I would also guess the prop they use for 'juicy' hamburgers is injecting water into the cooked item.

Food Photography Tips & Tricks

-) Motor oil is sometimes used instead of maple syrup because it glistens more in the light.

-) Shaving cream is sometimes used in place of whipped cream because it's easier to give shape to shaving cream.

-) Boot polish can be used when things are char grilled to increase shine.

-) Colored mash potatoes can be used in place of ice cream because they are easier to work with since they don't melt.

-) Cake icing and powdered sugar can also be used in place of ice cream

-) Spray fabric protector on pancakes to prevent them from absorbing the maple syrup to make them look less soggy.

-) Plastic ice cubes don't melt.

-) Glycerine can be coated on seafood to make it look juicy.

-) Liquid glucose can make noodles look hot and fresh.

-) Spray deodorant can make grapes shine.

-) Mayonnaise can sometimes be used instead of whipped cream as well. It's also easier to shape.

-) Strawberries are sometimes colored with lipstick.

-) Hairspray can make old cake look new.

-) Glue can be used in place of milk in cereal shots.

-) Rice can be painted with lacquer to make it shiny and less sticky.

-) Photoshop is used to remove imperfections that are common in many foods.

-) McDonalds uses a series of techniques, taking great pains to "style" the food and the way it looks on camera. Of note, pickles and onions are pushed to the edge of the burger which makes the burgers appear to be more full of condiments. Cheese that isn't completely melted is melted using a blowtorch, making it appear that the burgers have perfectly melted cheese when they don't. Photoshop is used to remove imperfections in the bread, where as bread usually contains imperfections. Steam usually compresses McDonald's burgers making the buns and burgers appear smaller and less appetizing, where as in the shoot, that's not the case.

Re: On Air Food Waste

GCR18 — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 17:02:09 GMT

Alot of the food has been treated with something and/or is handled during the presentations. While it seems obvious to donate it, it's not that simple. Shelters and such have food safety rules they need to abide by.

Re: On Air Food Waste

espree — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 17:02:40 GMT

I agree with those who mentioned food law restrictions. A good friend of mine was not allowed to take home, from her daughter's wedding, the leftover food from the buffet that they paid for.

Re: On Air Food Waste

chickenbutt — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 17:05:38 GMT

Thanks for that info, Sidsmom. That was a fun read. Food-styling is a whole art in and of itself.

Re: On Air Food Waste

Sooner — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 17:10:56 GMT

Also, it is a cost of doing business, an advertising cost, it isn't washed and prepped like food you eat anyway I would guess. It is a demonstration item, used, tossed and nobody is hurt. They are selling hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of product. In the scope of things, no big deal.

Re: On Air Food Waste

circles — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 17:49:30 GMT

interesting info, sidsmom....I enjoyed reading the "secrets" of pretty looking food....

Re: On Air Food Waste

MalteseMomma — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 18:01:34 GMT

you know what bothers me..............those ridiculous food wastes of rolling around in tomatoes/pumpkins or whatever kind of food is chosen to throw at each other.

People are starving all over the world and others are rolling around in tomatoes.

Re: On Air Food Waste

sciencegeek_1 — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 18:21:09 GMT

For those of you concerned about multiple presentations, the food is the same as used earlier. For example, the displays of lobsters are refrigerated for later. Only the one they cook for the host to taste is new.

Re: On Air Food Waste

chickenbutt — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 19:58:08 GMT

On 9/21/2014 MalteseMomma said:
you know what bothers me..............those ridiculous food wastes of rolling around in tomatoes/pumpkins or whatever kind of food is chosen to throw at each other.

People are starving all over the world and others are rolling around in tomatoes.

Gadzooks, I've never heard of this. Is this a regional sort of thing? I agree with you that it is a terrible shame to waste food!