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Food scientists develop rapid screening technique to detect pesticide residue in vegetables

Food scientists from the National University of Singapore developed a rapid and highly sensitive screening technique capable of detecting minute amounts of pyrethroids in vegetables, a common type of synthetic pesticide applied on agricultural crops. The innovative strategy makes use of magnetic nanoparticles to simplify pyrethorid extraction, reducing the screening process to under two hours.

20 Feb 2018

Study sheds light on Salmonella death at low temperatures

The most economical way to kill bacteria that cause common food-borne illnesses -- mostly caused by Salmonella enterica -- is heat, but, the mechanisms that kill Salmonella at lower temperatures were not fully understood until now, according to a team of researchers.

7 Feb 2018

Minor errors can lead to fatal consequences

It is not only about relatively minor gastrointestinal illnesses like self-limiting diarrhea. In particular among persons from risk groups (small children, expectant mothers, very old people or people whose immune system has been weakened by previous illness), a food-borne infection can also be severe, cause lasting damage and even prove fatal under certain circumstances.

6 Feb 2018

New method developed to detect bacteria in food and water

Researcher Lili He and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have devised a low cost, easy to administer method that could help detect the presence of bacteria in food and water samples.

25 Jan 2018

PolyU develops new method for quick authentication of Chinese herbal medicines

The Food Safety and Technology Research Centre under the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has developed a new method for rapid authentication of Chinese herbal medicines, including Ganoderma (known as Lingzhi in Chinese), and Gastrodiae Rhizoma (known as Tianma in Chinese).

9 Jan 2018

Pittcon Release eBook Featuring the Latest Scientific Advances

Ahead of the 2018 conference and expo, Pittcon has released an eBook that highlights the latest advances in a range of scientific disciplines. It is an ‘ultimate compilation’ of scientific articles and interviews with some of the worlds leading scientists.

From Pittcon 19 Dec 2017

Declining trend of salmonellosis cases has leveled off in the EU

The declining trend of salmonellosis cases in the European Union has leveled off according to the annual report on zoonotic diseases published today.

13 Dec 2017

New scientific yardstick released to help early detection of Alzheimer's disease

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre released a new scientific yardstick, in the form of a certified reference material, to help early detection of Alzheimer's disease.

12 Dec 2017

Teachers call for ban on sale of energy drinks to under-16s in schools

One of Britain’s leading teaching unions is calling for schools to be banned from selling energy drinks to children aged under 16 due to the large amount of caffeine they contain.

11 Dec 2017

Quick Automated DNA Purification offered with the Promega Maxwell® RSC PureFood Pathogen Kit

Maxwell® RSC PureFood Pathogen Kit offers food safety labs an easy and consistent automated DNA purification method for PCR-based testing of food pathogens.

From Promega Corporation 7 Dec 2017

Bacteria carrying colistin resistant mcr-1 gene commonly exist in ecosystem, study finds

Food Safety and Technology Research Centre of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University recently found that bacteria that carry the colistin resistance gene mcr-1 commonly exist in human and various types of food and environmental samples collected from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.

6 Dec 2017

Scientists develop antibacterial ‘sugar-glass’ coating that uses viruses to destroy bacteria

With antibiotic resistance on the rise, bacterial contamination of food is becoming more problematic. Now in a study appearing in ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, scientists report that they have developed an antibacterial "sugar-glass" coating in which viruses that destroy bacteria are embedded and are kept stable for up to three months.

8 Nov 2017

Antibiotic use in healthy farm animals needs to stop: World Health Organization

According to new advisory guidelines from the United Nations health agency WHO yesterday (7th November 2017), the farmers and the food industry need to stop the use of antibiotics among healthy farm animals routinely. At present many farmers use these antibiotics on healthy animals to make sure that they grow better and diseases are prevented in them.

7 Nov 2017

Bulgaria reports outbreaks of bird flu (avian influenza)

Veterinary authorities in Bulgaria have called for culling of nearly 8,000 ducks according to a food safety agency yesterday after two more regions there have reported avian flu infection. According to the agency a total of four outbreaks of bird flu have been registered in Bulgaria at this time.

5 Nov 2017

Scientists make breakthrough by suppressing aflatoxin-producing fungus in groundnut

Scientists at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, in St. Louis, MO and their collaborators at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in Hyderabad, India, United States Department of Agriculture and Louisiana State University have made a significant research breakthrough by suppressing the aflatoxin-producing fungus in groundnut.

1 Nov 2017

FDA statement revokes claims that soy protein reduces heart disease risk

Yesterday (30th October 2017), Susan Mayne,Ph.D. and director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, issued a statement on behalf of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stating that the claims made by earlier studies that soy protein can reduce the risk of heart disease is not true.

30 Oct 2017

New device that fits on a key chain can accurately test for allergens

More than 50 million Americans have food allergies and often just trace amounts of allergens can trigger life-threatening reactions.

26 Oct 2017

UAB expert provides in-depth understanding of food-borne illnesses

Parties and gatherings are typically centered around food, making it important to know the do's and don'ts of handling food.

13 Oct 2017

New test enables accurate, rapid testing of Salmonella bacteria

A new test allows accurate, rapid testing for Salmonella, a bacteria that is one of the leading causes of food-borne illness across all regions of the world. Salmonella can infect animals as well as people, with commonly reported cases of people falling sick after handling pets and livestock.

5 Oct 2017

PolyU develops first-of-its-kind FHSCS tailor-made for local catering establishments

Hong Kong is renowned as the culinary capital of Asia, with local catering establishments of unique styles providing great varieties of Eastern and Western dishes cooked in different ways.

28 Sep 2017