{"id":1115,"date":"2026-05-28T07:14:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T07:14:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/?page_id=1115"},"modified":"2026-05-28T07:20:29","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T07:20:29","slug":"faq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/?page_id=1115","title":{"rendered":"FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"1115\" class=\"elementor elementor-1115\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-89ed476 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"89ed476\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f9ed1c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6f9ed1c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Frequently Asked Questions About Food Sock Meals<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Do Food Socks contain preservatives?<\/strong><\/p><p>No. Food Sock Meals do not contain traditional chemical preservatives. Our meals achieve a 12-month shelf life through dehydration, which naturally reduces moisture and helps preserve the product safely. This allows Food Sock Meals to remain pantry-ready, convenient, and as natural and clean-label as possible.<\/p><p><strong>What ingredients are used in Food Sock Meals?<\/strong><\/p><p>Food Sock products are primarily soya-based meals made using carefully selected pantry ingredients, including:<\/p><ul><li>Pasta<\/li><li>Rice<\/li><li>Flavourings<\/li><li>Stock powders<\/li><li>Herbs and spices<\/li><li>Dehydrated vegetables<\/li><li>Pulses and beans<\/li><\/ul><p>We do not intentionally use mushrooms or nuts in our recipes. However, these allergens may be present in the manufacturing facility.<\/p><p><strong>Are Food Sock Meals Halaal, vegetarian, or vegan?<\/strong><\/p><p>Yes. All ingredients sourced for Food Sock Meals are Halaal compliant, and we are Halaal certified through the MJCHT.<\/p><p>Most Food Sock Meals are also vegan-friendly. The only exceptions are Mac &amp; Cheese and Melkkos products, which contain dairy ingredients.<\/p><p>Our flavourings are sourced from a reputable South African flavour house that has provided written confirmation that the flavourings contain no animal-derived ingredients, including:<\/p><ul><li>Meat<\/li><li>Poultry<\/li><li>Fish<\/li><li>Dairy<\/li><li>Insects<\/li><li>Animal by-products<\/li><\/ul><p>Laboratory testing is conducted through M\u00e9rieux NutriSciences.<\/p><p><strong>Do Food Sock Meals provide nutritional information?<\/strong><\/p><p>Yes. Full nutritional and micronutrient information is printed on every Food Sock package label for customer reference.<\/p><p><strong>How long do Food Sock Meals take to cook?<\/strong><\/p><p>Most Food Sock Meals cook in approximately 30 minutes on a stovetop at sea level using standard tap water.<\/p><p>Cooking times may vary depending on:<\/p><ul><li>Altitude<\/li><li>Water quality<\/li><li>Stove temperature<\/li><\/ul><p>At altitudes above 900 metres, water boils at a lower temperature, which may increase cooking time by 5\u201310 minutes. Hard or mineral-heavy water can also slightly extend cooking times. Using filtered water may improve cooking consistency.<\/p><p>Always follow the instructions on the packaging and test for doneness before serving.<\/p><p><strong>Are Food Sock Meals suitable for diabetics?<\/strong><\/p><p>Some Food Sock Meals, especially pasta-based varieties, may not be ideal for individuals managing diabetes due to carbohydrate content. However, they may still be enjoyed responsibly as part of a medically supervised eating plan.<\/p><p>Customers with diabetes should consult their healthcare professional or dietitian regarding suitability for their specific dietary requirements.<\/p><p><strong>Important Product Disclaimer<\/strong><\/p><p>Food Sock Meals are designed to be:<\/p><ul><li>Affordable<\/li><li>Shelf-stable<\/li><li>Nutritionally practical<\/li><li>Easy to prepare<\/li><\/ul><p>Please note:<\/p><ul><li>Some products contain flavour enhancers and colourants.<\/li><li>Products are not certified allergen-free.<\/li><li>Customers with severe allergies should exercise caution.<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Food Sock E-Numbers and Food Additives<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Flavour Enhancers<\/strong><\/p><p>Used to improve savoury flavour profiles in selected meals:<\/p><ul><li>E621 (MSG)<\/li><li>E628<\/li><li>E630<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Acidity Regulators<\/strong><\/p><p>Used for flavour balance and product stability:<\/p><ul><li>E330 (Citric Acid)<\/li><li>E363<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Stabilisers and Thickeners<\/strong><\/p><p>Used to improve texture and consistency:<\/p><ul><li>E412 (Guar Gum)<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Colourants<\/strong><\/p><p>Used to enhance visual appeal:<\/p><ul><li>E100 (Curcumin)<\/li><li>E124 (Ponceau 4R)<\/li><li>E150c (Caramel Colour)<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Anti-Caking Agent<\/strong><\/p><p>Used to keep powdered ingredients free-flowing:<\/p><ul><li>E551 (Silicon Dioxide)<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Antioxidant<\/strong><\/p><p>Used in selected oils for shelf stability:<\/p><ul><li>TBHQ (E319 equivalent)<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Allergen Awareness Information<\/strong><\/p><p>The following additives may be referenced on labels due to shared manufacturing environments and allergen disclosure regulations:<\/p><ul><li>E102 (Tartrazine)<\/li><li>E210\u2013E219 (Benzoates)<\/li><li>E220\u2013E229 (Sulphites)<\/li><li>E620\u2013E650 (Flavour Enhancer Group)<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Key Allergen Information<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Certain Food Sock products may contain:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>Gluten (specific soups and flavour bases)<\/li><li>Soy<\/li><li>Milk or dairy ingredients<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Most Food Sock Meals do not contain:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>Nuts<\/li><li>Peanuts<\/li><li>Egg<\/li><li>Fish (except fish-flavoured variants)<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Cross-Contamination Notice<\/strong><\/p><p>Food Sock Meals are produced in a facility that may also handle:<\/p><ul><li>Gluten<\/li><li>Sulphites<\/li><li>Tartrazine<\/li><li>Other allergens<\/li><\/ul><p>Strict cleaning procedures are followed, but trace amounts cannot be completely excluded.<\/p><p><strong>Free-From Product Guidance<\/strong><\/p><table><thead><tr><td><p><strong>Dietary Category<\/strong><\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Status<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><p>Gluten-free options available<\/p><\/td><td><p>\u2714 Yes (selected meals only)<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>Dairy-free options available<\/p><\/td><td><p>\u2714 Yes (selected meals only)<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>Nut-free<\/p><\/td><td><p>\u2714 Yes (no nuts intentionally used)<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>MSG-free<\/p><\/td><td><p>\u274c No (present in selected products)<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>Preservative-free<\/p><\/td><td><p>\u2714 Yes (shelf life achieved through dehydration)<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><p><strong>Why customers choose Food Sock Meals<\/strong><\/p><p>Food Sock Meals are designed for:<\/p><ul><li>Long shelf life without traditional preservatives<\/li><li>Convenient pantry storage<\/li><li>Affordable family meals<\/li><li>Emergency food supplies<\/li><li>Community feeding programmes<\/li><li>Easy home cooking with minimal preparation time<\/li><\/ul><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce18f89 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ce18f89\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Do Food Sock Meals contain real meat?<\/strong><\/p><p>No. Food Sock Meals are soya-based and do not contain real meat.<\/p><p>Our chicken, beef, mutton, and fish flavours are artificially derived to provide familiar, comforting flavours without using animal protein.<\/p><p>Using soya protein offers several important benefits:<\/p><ul><li>High-quality plant protein<\/li><li>Naturally cholesterol-free<\/li><li>Lower fat content than most meat products<\/li><li>Long shelf life without refrigeration<\/li><li>Consistent quality and affordability<\/li><\/ul><p>This allows Food Sock Meals to remain:<\/p><ul><li>Shelf-stable<\/li><li>Budget-friendly<\/li><li>Nutritious<\/li><li>Easy to store and prepare<\/li><\/ul><p>Food Sock Meals are ideal for emergency food cupboards, community feeding programmes, student accommodation, elderly care, camping, and everyday affordable family meals in South Africa.<\/p><p><strong>\u201cYou Don\u2019t Eat Soya\u201d \u2026 Are You Sure About That?<\/strong><\/p><p>Many South Africans consume soya every day without realising it. Soya and soy-derived ingredients are commonly found in everyday foods, snacks, sauces, baked goods, takeaway meals, and processed products.<\/p><p><strong>Common foods that often contain soya<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Processed foods<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>Bread and bread rolls<\/li><li>Breakfast cereals<\/li><li>Biscuits and muffins<\/li><li>Crackers and savoury snacks<\/li><li>Chocolate and chocolate coatings<\/li><li>Margarine<\/li><li>Mayonnaise and salad dressings<\/li><li>Instant soups and stock cubes<\/li><li>Gravy powders and sauce mixes<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Meat and convenience foods<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>Sausages and processed meats<\/li><li>Burgers and meatballs<\/li><li>Chicken nuggets and fish fingers<\/li><li>Ready meals<\/li><li>Instant noodles<\/li><li>Frozen pizzas<\/li><li>Takeaway burgers and wraps<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Cooking ingredients<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>Soybean oil<\/li><li>Vegetable oil blends<\/li><li>Lecithin (E322)<\/li><li>Flavour enhancers and umami powders<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Baked products<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>Wraps and tortillas<\/li><li>Pizza bases<\/li><li>Hamburger buns<\/li><li>Pancake mixes<\/li><li>Rusks and pastries<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Snacks and confectionery<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>Potato chips and flavoured crisps<\/li><li>Microwave popcorn<\/li><li>Pretzels<\/li><li>Marshmallows<\/li><li>Toffees and caramels<\/li><li>Chocolate spreads<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Sauces and condiments<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>Tomato sauce<\/li><li>BBQ sauce<\/li><li>Chutneys<\/li><li>Curry sauces<\/li><li>Stir-fry sauces<\/li><li>Marinades<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Hidden ingredient names that may indicate soya<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>Vegetable protein<\/li><li>Vegetable oil<\/li><li>Emulsifier E322<\/li><li>Mono- and diglycerides<\/li><li>Natural flavourings<\/li><\/ul><p>Soya is one of the world\u2019s most widely used food ingredients because it is affordable, versatile, protein-rich, and shelf-stable.<\/p><p><strong>How do I keep my pantry pest-free when storing dry foods?<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>Can dry foods develop weevils or pantry insects?<\/strong><\/p><p>Yes. Pantry pests such as weevils, moths, and beetles are a natural environmental issue that can affect many dry food products, including:<\/p><ul><li>Flour<\/li><li>Rice<\/li><li>Pasta<\/li><li>Grains<\/li><li>Pulses<\/li><li>Dehydrated foods<\/li><\/ul><p>Reducing chemical preservatives in food production means occasional infestations can occur naturally over time.<\/p><p>While unpleasant, pantry insects and weevil eggs are generally harmless if accidentally consumed, as cooking temperatures destroy them.<\/p><p><strong>Food Sock pantry storage recommendations<\/strong><\/p><p>To keep Food Sock Meals fresh and pest-free:<\/p><ul><li>Store products in a cool, dry place<\/li><li>Keep packaging sealed<\/li><li>Transfer long-term storage products into airtight containers<\/li><li>Use older stock first (\u201cfirst in, first out\u201d)<\/li><li>Freeze long-term stored products for 3\u20134 days if desired<\/li><\/ul><p>Although Food Sock Meals have a 12-month shelf life, prolonged storage increases the risk of contamination from the surrounding environment.<\/p><p>Our suppliers are regularly monitored and products undergo laboratory testing to maintain high food safety standards.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Frequently Asked Questions About Food Sock Meals Do Food Socks contain preservatives? No. Food Sock Meals do not contain traditional chemical preservatives. Our meals achieve a 12-month shelf life through dehydration, which naturally reduces moisture and helps preserve the product safely. This allows Food Sock Meals to remain pantry-ready, convenient, and as natural and clean-label [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"tpgb_global_settings":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1115","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"tpgb_featured_images":null,"tpgb_post_meta_info":{"get_date":"May 28, 2026","get_modified_date":"May 28, 2026","author_name":"admin_FS","author_url":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/?author=2","author_email":"info@ikaroo.co.za","author_website":"","author_description":"","author_facebook":"","author_twitter":"","author_instagram":"","author_role":["administrator"],"author_firstname":"","author_lastname":"","user_login":"admin_FS","author_avatar":"<img alt='' src='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cf0e59760d8601e193074c4f1f3d67ec5c2b7d745ce705385fdc403575fa2b39?s=200&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cf0e59760d8601e193074c4f1f3d67ec5c2b7d745ce705385fdc403575fa2b39?s=400&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-200 photo' height='200' width='200' decoding='async'\/>","author_avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cf0e59760d8601e193074c4f1f3d67ec5c2b7d745ce705385fdc403575fa2b39?s=96&d=mm&r=g","comment_count":0,"post_likes":0,"post_views":0},"tpgb_post_category":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1115"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1123,"href":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1115\/revisions\/1123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodsocksgrt.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}