Thursday, 13 March 2014

Natural Product Found In Grapefruit Can Prevent Kidney Cysts From Forming

Naringenin, which is also present in other citrus fruits, has been found to successfully block the formation of kidney cysts, an effect that occurs in polycystic kidney disease, by regulating the PKD2 protein responsible for the condition. With few treatments currently available, symptoms...
Read more Grapefruit Can Block The Formation Of Kidney Cysts

Debunking Water Myths: Weight Loss, Calorie Burn and More

Drinking a lot of water is often advised to those who are trying to lose weight, but a nutrition expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham says it is not the magic bullet to weight loss.
“There is very little evidence that drinking water promotes weight loss; it is one of those s...
Read more Bottled Water Myths Debunked

Success Of New Bug-Fighting Approach May Vary From Field To Field

A new technique to fight crop insect pests may affect different insect populations differently, researchers report. They analyzed RNA interference (RNAi), a method that uses genetic material to “silence” specific genes – in this case genes known to give insect pests an advantage. T...
Read more Some Crop Insect Pests Resistant To Crop Rotation

AZTI-Tecnalia develops a methodology for authenticating canned tuna species within 24 hours

AZTI-Tecnalia, the R&D centre based on marine and food research, has developed a new method to authenticate canned tuna, which allows you to check if a product is albacore tuna, yellowfin or bigeye tuna, and others tuna species within 24 hours. So far, the genetic methods for establishing...
Read more Canned Tuna Species Authenticated Within 24 Hours

Feigen-Mandelbrot Recalled

AUSTRIA – Heiderbeck Käse Vom Feinsten GmbH is recalling Feigen-Mandelbrot (Fig and almond bread) because the product may be contaminated with plastic debris.
The recalled products are:
PAIARROP Feigen-Mandelbrot (fig and almond bread) packaged in 200 g with expiry date: 02/07/2014 and ...
Read more Heiderbeck Käse Vom Feinsten GmbH Recalls Feigen-Mandelbrot

Bucking Conventional Wisdom, Researchers Find Black Sea Bass Tougher Than Expected

Black sea bass are bottom-dwelling fish, and are often caught at depths of greater than 60 feet. When the fish are brought to the surface, the rapid change in pressure causes the fish’s swim bladder to expand. This forces other organs out of the way and can result in visible “barotrauma” – such...
Read more Black Sea Bass Survives Barotrauma

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Tracking eating habits to promote healthier diets

Poor food choices, such as overconsumption of carbonated soft drinks, are an important factor driving the global obesity epidemic and have been linked directly to diabetes and heart disease. While public health agencies are working to help people to make healthier choices, monitoring the...
Read more Researchers Use Checkout Grocery Data To Combat Unhealthy Food Choices

Environment MEPs Clamp Down On Wasteful Plastic Carrier Bags

In 2010 every EU citizen used an estimated 198 plastic carrier bags, some 90% of which were lightweight; these are less frequently re-used than thicker bags and more prone to littering. In a business-as-usual scenario, consumption of plastic bags is expected to increase further. Estimates also...
Read more EU To Reduce The Consumption Of Carrier Plastic Bags By 80% By 2019

Meat Appeal High On Lamb Producer List

“Scientists aim at getting a balance between the sensory and the yield nutritional value of the meat,” Dr Jacob says. Credit: Stijn Nieuwendijk

Consumers’ want for visually appealing meat, and the genetic science behind producing such a trait has been explored in a recent summary paper ...
Read more New Study Focuses On Lamb Meat Quality

Fruit and Veggies Costs Too High for Schools

David Just, a behavioral economist and co-director of the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition, says that while the new Harvard School of Public Health study shows an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption at school, food waste and costs are too high.
Just recently...
Read more Fruit And Vegetables Too Expensive For School?

Don't Choose a Diet Based on What's Trending

Research published in the journal Cell Metabolism has made a lot of headlines with findings that show adults age 50-65 who ate more protein were more likely to die from cancer. That headline quickly spread across social media.
“I think the study is valuable because it does show we need...
Read more Don’t Rely On Headlines When Choosing A Diet

Feigen-Mandelbrot Recalled

GERMANY – Fa. Heiderbeck Käse Vom Feinsten GmbH is recalling Feigen-Mandelbrot (Fig and almond bread) because the product may be contaminated with plastic debris.
The recalled products are:
PAIARROP Feigen-Mandelbrot (fig and almond bread) packaged in 200 g with expiry date: 02/07/2014 and ...
Read more Fa. Heiderbeck Käse Vom Feinsten GmbH Recalls Feigen-Mandelbrot

Aerosols Tend To Weaken Hurricanes And Cyclones

Aerosols in the atmosphere produced from human activities do indeed directly affect a hurricane or tropical cyclone, but not in a way many scientists had previously believed – in fact, they tend to weaken such storms, according to a new study that includes a team of Texas A&M University r...
Read more Aerosols May Cause Opposite Effects To Hurricanes Than Greenhouse Gases

Morrisons Seafood Cocktail and Prawn Mayo Sandwich Fillers Recalled

UNITED KINGDOM – Morrisons is recalling its Seafood Cocktail and Prawn Mayo sandwich fillers, because some of the packs may contain undercooked prawns. Morrisons has recalled the listed products and will be displaying product recall notices in stores. These notices explain to customers why...
Read more Morrisons Recalls Seafood Cocktail and Prawn Mayo Sandwich Fillers

Concession Stands Can Benefit From Offering Healthy Foods

In the fall of 2008, the booster club in Muscatine, Iowa took a chance. Researchers from the University of Iowa asked whether the club would add healthy foods – from apples to string cheese – to its concessions menu. And, by the way, would it also consider putting healthier ingredients in big s...
Read more Healthy Food In School Booster Clubs Paid Off

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Diagnosing Diseases In Real Time With Smartphone?

Smartphones are capable of giving us directions when we’re lost, sending photos and videos to our friends in mere seconds, and even helping us find the best burger joint in a three-mile radius. But University of Houston researchers are using smartphones for another very important...
Read more Diagnosing Diseases In Real Time With Smartphone?

Salmon Louse Delay Salmon

Salmon recaptured in the study with salmon louse on the gill coverings and head. The study shows that attacks of salmon louse on migrating smolt can increase mortality and change the age demographic of the spawning population. Individuals that are infected with salmon louse return at an older...
Read more Salmon Louse Delay Salmon

EASAC Recommends Urgent Action To Avoid Damage To Food Security And The Environment

Latest EASAC report on ‘Risks to Plant Health’ recommends urgent coordinated action to avoid damage to food security and the environment
Potentially devastating plant pests and diseases are highlighted in a new report from EASAC, the European Academies’ Science Advisory...
Read more EASAC Recommends Urgent Action To Avoid Damage To Food Security And The Environment

Healthy Diet Linked To Lower Risk Of Preterm Delivery

In the study, which was conducted by researchers from the University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the participants completed a scientifically evaluated questionnaire about what they had been eating and drinking since becoming...
Read more Healthy Diet Linked To Lower Risk Of Preterm Delivery

Where Nothing Grows Anymore

The region known as ‘Crete Senesi’ between Florence and Grosseto. The small hills are typically characterized by erosion (photo: Beate Michalzik/FSU).

Vast fields of sunflowers, sprawling pine trees and slim cypresses, as well as vineyards as far as the eye can see – these are typical memor...
Read more Where Nothing Grows Anymore