Scientists say Gulf of Mexico seafood is safe but Americans remain deeply suspicious about the Gulf's fish, shrimp and crabs because of the BP oil spill, a panel of seafood specialists said Sunday at the 2011 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting and Food Expo®.
A potential life-saving treatment for severe E. coli food poisoning outbreaks – developed more than a decade ago – hasn’t gone forward into clinical trials because of lack of commercial interest.
The following faculty members from The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences are available to provide expert commentary on the outbreak of E. Coli in Europe.
For consumers in the United States concerned by the outbreak of E. coli in Europe, the American College of Gastroenterology offers background information on foodborne illness, tips for food safety, and expert insight from its resources on digestive health on what to do in the case of foodborne illness.
Today, at an event hosted by the GW School of Public Health and Health Services, the Food and Drug Administration’s Deputy Commissioner for Foods, Mike Taylor, delivered a speech that focused on prevention as a core principle of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Taylor’s remarks engaged both food industry stakeholders and the public health community. He delivered the message that not only is the federal government committed to the issue of food safety and prevention, but also that prevention of food safety problems is in everyone’s interest in order to create a healthy and sustainable food system working at local and global levels, to feed our population.
Martin Wiedmann, food-safety expert and associate professor of Food Science at Cornell University, comments on recent protests in Washington, D.C., advocating the sale of raw, unpasteurized milk.
When it comes to cooking over an open flame, men hold the spatulas and tongs as the dominant grillers, according the most recent North American barbecue study. As grills across the country heat up for picnics in the park or backyard barbecues, so does the risk of food poisoning, making this the perfect time to remind those at the helm of the grill how to protect themselves and their guests with simple steps from the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods’ Home Food Safety program.
The safety of seafood from the Gulf of Mexico became a central concern following the Deepwater Horizon blowout a year ago. Even after previously closed Gulf waters began reopening in summer 2010, consumer confidence in the safety of Gulf seafood remained shaky. A new review published online May 12 ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) affirms that levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found thus far in Gulf seafood samples in fact have been well below levels that would be of concern for human health.
Cedars-Sinai researchers have reported two advances in the understanding of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, the most common gastrointestinal disorder in the United States, affecting an estimated 30 million people.
Increasingly for Americans the cost of food is becoming almost as important as the taste of it, according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation 2011 Food & Health Survey.
Ultraviolet light can safely sterilize food, water and medical equipment by disrupting the DNA and other reproductive molecules in harmful bacteria. Traditionally, mercury lamps have supplied this UV light, however mercury release from power generation and lamp disposal have generated discussion of harmful environmental impact. A potentially energy efficient and non-toxic alternative is the light-emitting diode, or LED, which can be made to emit at almost any desired wavelength.
As food suppliers attempt to meet the growing demand for local products, a new study finds it’s not always economically or environmentally viable for multi-product industries to focus heavily on local sales.
Although stevia-derived sweeteners are relatively new to U.S. grocery store shelves, consumers should feel confident using them because of extensive and rigorous testing worldwide during the past decade and beyond.
Chemical engineering students at the University of Arkansas have designed a system that can provide 3,000 gallons of clean drinking water per day without the use of electricity. Their design, which could be used to treat water in remote or disaster-stricken areas, recently won the Intel Innovation Award.
A combination of forest byproducts and crustacean shells may be the key to removing radioactive materials from drinking water, researchers from North Carolina State University have found.
Biochemist Yingfu Li and his research team have developed a simple test that can swiftly and accurately identify specific pathogens using a system that will ‘hunt’ for bacteria, identifying their harmful presence before they have a chance to contaminate our food and water.
Noting the importance of having a collective international resource of food-specific risk communication materials, the International Center of Excellence in Food Risk Communication is announcing its formation and its new website, www.foodriskcommunications.org.
In the event of a much-feared bioterror attack involving ricin, food manufacturers may want to reach for the laundry cabinet. That’s because household bleach appears to be an effective, low-cost way to decontaminate the toxin on metal food preparation surfaces, scientists are reporting. They will describe the finding in Anaheim, Calif., during the 241st National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
A nanotechnology-based biosensor being developed by Kansas State University researchers may allow early detection of both cancer cells and pathogens, leading to increased food safety and reduced health risks.
Scientists are reporting on a new material containing an ingredient used to make bricks that shows promise as a transparent coating for improving the strength and performance of plastic food packaging. Called “nano-bricks,” the coating could help foods and beverages stay fresh and flavorful longer and may replace some foil packaging currently in use, they said. Scientists will describe the new, eco-friendly material at the 241st National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim.
Five major scientific societies cautioned today that global production of phosphorus fertilizer could peak and decline later this century, causing shortages and price spikes that jeopardizing world food production. The white paper, Chemistry for a Sustainable Global Society, also cautioned about the supply of other natural resources where monopolies or political instability affect supplies or inflate prices.
To provide helpful background and context on food colors in advance of the FDA public meeting on this topic, the International Food Information Council Foundation would like to offer resources and experts.
J. Scott Smith, Kansas State University professor of food chemistry, and a K-State research team have found that ready-to-eat meat products -- such as hot dogs, pepperoni and deli meats -- are relatively free of carcinogenic compounds.
Many busy moms and dads rely on leftovers to feed their families throughout the week. IFT has teamed up with FoodSafety.gov, an online resource for food safety information from the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to educate consumers on food safety involving leftovers. Jennifer Cleveland McEntire, PhD, Senior Staff Scientist and Director of Science and Technology Projects at the Institute of Food Technologists provides tips on the safe handling and reheating of leftovers that can save you and your loved ones from foodborne illnesses in a blog post for FoodSafety.gov.
The Food Network, celebrity chefs, diet-related health issues and a heightened awareness of contemporary food movements (organic, local and sustainable) appears to be translating into more college students choosing to major in food science. On college campuses across the United States, undergraduate food science programs are showing substantial enrollment increases. An article in the March 2011 issue of Food Technology magazine, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), shows that the total number of students graduating with B.S. degrees from IFT-approved food science programs in the U.S. has almost doubled from 319 in 2004 to 591 in 2010.
As misperceptions about modern food production and technology become increasingly common, a new alliance has formed to better articulate how our food is produced. Today the Alliance to Feed the Future is announcing its formation and its new website, www.alliancetofeedthefuture.org.
Bacteria like salmonellae infect their host cells by needle-shaped extensions. A group of Viennese scientists employed recently developed methods of cryo-electron microscopy and have been able to clarify the structure of this infection apparatus on the near-atomic scale. The exact knowledge of the needles’ building plan may help to develop medication to prevent infection.
Space food for astronauts tastes better and is now healthier than ever before due to significant food science developments. However, a new study in the Journal of Food Science (JFS) published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) highlights the challenges that need to be addressed so that astronauts can travel to Mars and beyond.
The following news briefs are from the Institute of Food Technologists® (IFT), a nonprofit scientific society with members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. This media update includes information on new studies from the Journal of Food Science (JFS) as well as IFT news regarding science, policy and upcoming events. Topics include: Food for NASA’s Mission to Mars (JFS study); Does Guinness Travel Well? (JFS study); Agriculture, Food, Nutrition and Natural Resources R&D Round Table; Dietary Guidelines Online Resource Page; and Wellness11 Media Invite.
A visionary plan for a “Desert Development Corridor” in Egypt, researched and created by Boston University geologist Dr. Farouk El-Baz, has been adopted by the country’s interim government as its flagship program. According to El-Baz, the plan – which includes the construction, along 1,200 kilometers, of a new eight-lane superhighway, a railway, a water pipeline, and a power line – would open new land for urban development, commerce, agriculture, tourism and related jobs.
Recently, a research team from the Department of Emergency Medicine at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University discovered an alarming amount of lead contamination in ceramic cooking and eating utensils sold in Philadelphia’s Chinatown.
Chemistry researchers at McGill University have taken a key step towards making a cheap, portable, paper-based filter coated with silver nanoparticles to be used in emergency situations such as floods, tsunamis and earthquakes.
New nanomaterials research from the University at Buffalo could lead to new solutions for an age-old public health problem: how to separate bacteria from drinking water.
The following news briefs are from the Institute of Food Technologists® (IFT), a nonprofit scientific society with members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. This month’s briefs are derived from Food Technology magazine and Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. The monthly media update also includes information on science, policy and IFT events. Topics include: sweet potatoes and vitamin A deficiency, gluten-free foods, new ingredients to boost immunity, Food Safety Law addresses product traceability, consumers demanding convenient meals at home, webcast on product tracing and Wellness11 Media Invite.
Although all varieties of sweet potatoes are nutritious, those that are orange may be the best source for vitamin A. An article in the February 2011 issue of Comprehensive Reviews of Food Science and Food Safety (CRFSFS) discussed how orange sweet potatoes could help prevent vitamin A deficiency in developing countries where this nutritional disease causes over 600,000 deaths per year--mostly of young children or pregnant women.
Using nano materials, food scientist Julie Goddard is improving food-handling safety by adding a thin anti-microbial layer to surfaces such as conveyor belts and work tables. Only tens of nanometers thick, it chemically “re-charges” its germ-killing powers every time it’s rinsed with common bleach.
Government regulators could more realistically assess the value of improving food safety if they considered the fact that consumers typically want to avoid getting sick – even if it means they have to pay a little extra for safer food.
In the confined space of a classroom, gastrointestinal illnesses can spread quickly, causing sufferers many painful and uncomfortable symptoms. But what is to blame for a school-based outbreak? In most cases, improper food handling is the culprit, says a Ryerson University public health expert.
Scientists are connecting tungsten to clusters of childhood leukemia cases in the Western U.S. after finding high concentrations of the element in residents' bodies. A Kansas State University scientist is digging deep to learn how tungsten contaminates the nation's groundwater and aquifers.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have found that particular strains of a food-borne bacteria are able to invade the heart, leading to serious and difficult to treat heart infections. Their study is available online in the Journal of Medical Microbiology.
Researchers recently tested the merits of two new dishware sanitizers, and found them more effective at removing bacteria from restaurant dishes than traditional sanitizers.
The following news briefs are from the Institute of Food Technologists® (IFT), a nonprofit scientific society with members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. This month’s briefs are derived from Food Technology magazine. The monthly media update also includes information on science, policy and IFT events. Topics include: food safety legislation, food habits of the new American family, front-of-pack labeling, healthy beverages, 14 healthy foods, a product tracing webcast, and Wellness11.
On Jan. 7, The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) held a forum in Washington, D.C. to discuss the implications of the new food safety legislation. The event, which attracted over 500 participants both in-person and via webcast, focused on product tracing, third-party certification, and preventive control plans, and featured the insights and perspectives of the following experts: 1) John Bode, OFW Law; 2) David Acheson, Managing Director, Leavitt Partners; 3) Robert E. Brackett, Illinois Institute of Technology; 4) Anthony T. Pavel, Partner, K&L Gates.
Inexpensive igloo-shaped, pollution-eating devices nicknamed “Poo-Gloos” can clean up sewage just as effectively as multimillion-dollar treatment facilities for towns outgrowing their waste-treatment lagoons, according to a new study.
NSF International, an independent public health organization that tests and certifies a wide range of plumbing and drinking water treatment products, strongly supports the passage of the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act on January 4th, which significantly reduces the amount of lead allowed in plumbing products that contact drinking water.
The Australian Government National Water Commission funded a study to establish an approach to assess the quality of water treated using managed aquifer recharge.
Encouraging new evidence suggests that the bulk of the world’s fisheries – including small-scale, often non-industrialized fisheries on which millions of people depend for food – could be sustained using community-based co-management.
A new study by a Kansas State University professor and colleagues finds how the culture of food safety is practiced within an organization can be a significant risk factor in foodborne illness.