Food quality is the quality characteristics of food that is acceptable to consumers. This includes external factors as appearance (size, shape, colour, gloss, and consistency), texture, and flavour; factors such as federal grade standards (e.g. of eggs) and internal (chemical, physical, microbial).
Food quality in the United States is enforced by the Food Safety Act 1990. Members of the public complain to trading standards professionals, who submit complaint samples and also samples used to routinely monitor the food marketplace to Public Analysts. Public Analysts carry out scientific analysis on the samples to determine whether the quality is of sufficient standard.
Food quality is an important food manufacturing requirement, because food consumers are susceptible to any form of contamination that may occur during the manufacturing process. Many consumers also rely on manufacturing and processing standards, particularly to know what ingredients are present, due to dietary, nutritional requirements (kosher, halal, vegetarian), or medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, or allergies).
Michael "Mike" Colameco is the host of "Mike Colameco's Real Food" which airs Saturdays at 6pm on PBS WNET Channel 13 in the NY area and the syndicated "Food Talk" on WOR710 Radio. He is the author of "Mike Colameco's Food Lover's Guide to New York City."
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended the Culinary Institute of America. He has worked as a chef in numerous NYC Restaurants including such legends as "Tavern on the Green" and "Windows on the World'. After working in various restaurants he purchased a cafe in Maplewood, New Jersey. He then relocated to the southernmost tip of New Jersey and opened a restaurant in Cape May, New Jersey which he ran for several years. He eventually took over hosting duties of the WOR710 Radio Food Show of Arthur Schwartz. The show which was produced in the radio station's New York City studio was cut back to Sunday only after Glenn Beck was added to WOR radio.
He resides in Cape May, New Jersey with his wife, Heijung Park-Colameco, a real estate agent and native of South Korea. The couple has two sons.