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PepsiCo, WFP, USAID announce partnership to increase chickpea production, address hunger in Ethiopia

PepsiCo on Wednesday announced a public-private partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) and USAID to increase chickpea production in Ethiopia in order to secure access to the legume, which "plays an increasing role in its food products," the New York Times reports.

23 Sep 2011

ASU scientists receive USDA grants to combat food-related illness

Roughly 1 in six Americans are sickened every year by food-borne ailments, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The effects of these illnesses range from acutely unpleasant to lethal, and the problem may be getting worse, as our food supply becomes more global, with an increasing number of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

21 Sep 2011

Conference to discuss how research, technology and innovation can contribute to food for all

The conference, hosted by the European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), will discuss how research, technology and innovation can contribute to food for all. It will look at the best way to foster sustainability of food supply on a global scale.

20 Sep 2011

Dr. Oz and apple juice – FDA and experts fume at arsenic false alarm

Television's Dr. Mehmet Oz is being questioned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and others for sounding what they say is a false alarm about the dangers of apple juice.

16 Sep 2011

Horn of Africa: Fighting food insecurity with forests and trees

Restoring and preserving dryland forests and planting more trees to provide food, fodder and fertilizer on small farms are critical steps toward preventing the recurrence of the famine now threatening millions of people in the Horn of Africa, according to forestry experts from the CGIAR Consortium.

16 Sep 2011

Risks of infectious disease outbreak portrayed in the film 'Contagion' are 'very real'

In this New York Times opinion piece, W. Ian Lipkin, a professor of epidemiology and a professor of neurology and pathology at Columbia University and a paid technical consultant on the film "Contagion," which opened this weekend, writes about the risks of an infectious disease outbreak as portrayed in the film, stating, "Those risks are very real -- and are increasing drastically."

12 Sep 2011

New innovations in plant biotechnology could bring hope for patients with Celiac disease

From medicine and food to energy and agriculture, bio-based innovations are in great demand, providing new solutions to the challenges faced by societies in the 21st century. New innovations in plant biotechnology, such as the development of gluten-free wheat, could bring hope to those suffering from Celiac disease. On a global scale, as the world population nears seven billion people, biotechnology plays an increasing role in plant health and thereby, human food supplies.

31 Aug 2011

Researchers develop new methods to identify potential sources of food contamination

Unwanted bacteria, yeasts and moulds can cause major problems for the food industry as well as consumers. Norwegian researchers have developed new methods to identify potential sources of contamination.

22 Aug 2011

Some Muesli fattier than double quarter pounder

According to a consumer organization Choice, a morning bowl of muesli may contain as much fat as a McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder. The consumer organization tested 159 types of muesli and discovered that the popular breakfast meal isn't necessarily a healthy choice.

18 Aug 2011

Study unveils remarkable ecological advantages of well-balanced diet

If you want to protect the environment, you should first of all think about eating less meat. A study done at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) unveils the remarkable ecological advantages of a well-balanced diet. Switching to organic food is less effective than eating more veg.

16 Aug 2011

Parents view children's nut allergies as 'frivolous and self-indulgent fad'

Parents of nut-allergy sufferers face hostility and scepticism in trying to find safe environments for their children, a new study has found.

16 Aug 2011

Fresh food for years with newly discovered natural preservative

Scientists have discovered a natural preservative capable of destroying a whole class of bacteria, including E.coli and listeria and now food can be made to remain fresh and last for years. There would also be no need to refrigerate produce treated with the preservative, called, bisin, which is produced by harmless bacteria.

15 Aug 2011

Multi-prong approach needed to fight famine in Somalia

"The Obama administration deserves credit for acting in advance to ameliorate the effects" of drought in East Africa, a New York Times editorial states, noting that USAID has been working since last summer, when the crisis was predicted, to "plac[e] food and other supplies in Kenya, Djibouti and South Africa" and "working on programs to help Somalia and other countries improve food production to avert future crises."

12 Aug 2011

Ecological research on disease prevention and human biome

Public awareness about the role and interaction of microbes is essential for promoting human and environmental health, say scientists presenting research at the Ecological Society of America's (ESA) 96th Annual Meeting from August 7-12, 2011.

12 Aug 2011

Scientist urges federal officials to decide on genetically engineered salmon for consumption

A Purdue University scientist is urging federal officials to decide whether genetically engineered salmon would be allowed for U.S. consumption and arguing that not doing so may set back scientific efforts to increase food production.

6 Aug 2011

Obama administration issues new guidance on aid to drought-stricken Somalia

The Obama administration on Tuesday issued new guidance stating "the U.S. would not prosecute relief agencies for delivering aid to parts of Somalia controlled by the Islamist insurgent group al-Shabab, despite concerns that unrestricted aid in the failed state would be diverted to the wrong hands," Inter Press Service reports.

4 Aug 2011

U.N. issues appeal for air cargo space, warns about rising child mortality among Somalis in Kenya

UNICEF on Tuesday "appealed to the air transport sector to provide free and discounted cargo space to bring emergency food supplies into the region," the U.N. News Centre reports.

4 Aug 2011

Antibiotic-resistant Salmonella worries experts

According to an international team of researchers a strain of Salmonella that is resistant to important antibiotics has spread from Africa to Europe in recent years and has been spotted in a few samples of imported spices in the United States.

4 Aug 2011

36 million pounds of ground turkey recalled due to Salmonella

Meat manufacturer Cargill Inc. is recalling nearly 36 million pounds of ground turkey linked to a California death and at least 78 other salmonella illnesses nationwide, company officials said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the Class I recall, with the highest health risk, late Wednesday. All of the recalled products were produced at the company's Springdale, Ark., plant.

4 Aug 2011

Drink wine to prevent sunburns: Flavonoid research

According to a new Spanish study wine could protect against harmful sunburns. The researchers from the University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council find that a compound found in grapes or grape derivatives may protect skin cells from skin-damaging ultraviolet radiation.

1 Aug 2011