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World Food Prize recipients call for investment in agriculture in developing countries

The 2010 World Food Prize recipients say despite the economic situation "it's no time for the United States to back off a historic pledge to invest in boosting the production of the world's poorest farmers," the Des Moines Register reports.

15 Oct 2010

World Food Prize symposium to give out award; focus on issues facing smallholder farmers

Global agriculture officials and as many as 60 farmers from around the world this week at the annual World Food Prize symposium in Des Moines, Iowa will focus on the challenges facing small farmers, the Associated Press reports.

14 Oct 2010

Scientists identify genetic contribution to sense of smell

Scientists at the Monell Center have used a well-known example of individual differences to identify a genetic contribution to the sense of smell. Most people detect a distinct sulfurous odor in their urine shortly after eating asparagus. However, there are some who seemingly do not notice the unpleasant odor.

29 Sep 2010

Media outlets examine reaction to Obama's plan for Global Development Policy

The Associated Press examines international aid and advocacy groups' reaction to the new U.S. Global Development Policy President Barack Obama unveiled Wednesday at the U.N. Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

27 Sep 2010

Study finds mothers' education levels affect child mortality

A study published in the journal Lancet on Friday found that "a mother's education level has a huge, if indirect, effect on the health of her children," the Washington Post reports.

18 Sep 2010

Nine new projects to uncover link between diet and health

9 new projects aimed at uncovering links between diet and health and worth a total of £4M are announced today by a public-private partnership of three research councils (BBSRC, EPSRC and MRC) and 13 food and drink companies. The new projects tackle issues such as reducing fat content or proportion of saturated fat in food, fortification with bioactive compounds including Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants and increasing the dietary fibre in white bread.

15 Sep 2010

Potassium salt intake can improve blood pressure: Study

An increased intake of 'good' potassium salts could contribute significantly to improving blood pressure at the population level. The favourable effect brought about by potassium is even estimated to be comparable with the blood pressure reduction achievable by halving the intake of 'bad' sodium salts (mostly from table salt).

14 Sep 2010

Lactic acid fermentation reduces acrylamide formation during production of potatoes and coffee

A small research-based Norwegian company has developed a method to reduce the formation of the carcinogenic compound acrylamide during industrial production of potatoes and coffee. International food giants are paying attention.

9 Sep 2010

Researchers unveil protection mechanism of telomeres from DNA repair

In the latest issue of the journal Nature, Miguel Godinho Ferreira, Principal Investigator at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC) in Portugal, lead a team of researchers to shed light on a paradox that has puzzled biologists since the discovery of telomeres, the protective tips of chromosomes: while broken chromosome ends generated by DNA damage (such as radiation or cigarette smoke) are quickly joined together, telomeres are never tied to each other, thus allowing for the correct segregation of the genetic material into all cells in our body.

9 Sep 2010

Babies weaned on junk food: Study

According to a recent study in Perth, Australia, babies here are being fed high calorie junk foods like biscuits, cakes, hot chips and ice cream before they turn one. This practice affects their eating habits for life say researchers. The report appeared in the Australian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics. The study was undertaken by the Telethon Institute of Child Health Research, University of Western Australia and Curtin University and South Australia's Flinders University.

7 Sep 2010

FAO calls for special meeting to address global food price spikes

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization "has called a special meeting on the recent spike in food prices, responding to fears of a repeat of the shortages that led to riots in parts of the world two years ago," the Associated Press reports.

4 Sep 2010

Low doses of n-3 fatty acids do not reduce overall rate of major cardiovascular events

Results from the Alpha Omega Trial, a multicentre, placebo-controlled trial in men and women following myocardial infarction (MI), suggest that low doses of n-3 fatty acids given in the form of enriched margarines do not reduce the overall rate of major cardiovascular events.

30 Aug 2010

Light signaling pathways, circadian rhythms affect biological functions: Research

A new study of the genetic basis of circadian rhythms - the biological responses related to daily light exposure - has found that a few minutes of light exposure in a fungus directly affects a huge range of its biological functions, everything from reproduction to coloring and DNA repair.

27 Aug 2010

Parents should give their children's lunches a sugar makeover: Delta Dental Plans Association

As parents send their kids off for the first day of school, it's a good idea to put as much thought into what they're packing in their kids' lunchboxes as they do into their school supplies.

25 Aug 2010

Nutritional labeling, point-of-purchase signs influence healthy food choices: Study

Poor diet and physical inactivity leading to obesity are poised to overtake tobacco use as the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. With over 30% of U.S. adults obese, the significant adverse health effects of obesity (including heart disease and diabetes) are widespread throughout the country. Two studies published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shed light on behaviors regarding food choices and good nutrition and report on how nutritional labeling and point-of-purchase signs are influencing healthy food choices.

2 Aug 2010

Three toxins in food identified as triggers to gluten intolerance: study

Coeliac disease cause by intolerance to gluten present in food and drinks like bread, pasta, cereals, biscuits and beer commonly affects many people all over the world. This affects 1 percent of all people in UK, especially women. Patients are advised to stay away from gluten to prevent damage to their intestines. In spite of this in five years most patients develop problems in their intestines. A gluten free diet is also difficult to maintain. Possible symptoms include diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, recurrent stomach pain, tiredness, headaches, weight loss and mouth ulcers. These may be mild, moderate or severe in different individuals.

22 Jul 2010

Bioethics through the lens of literature

What if I were grown only so that my organs could be harvested, and I had to care for others whose organs are being taken, too, while I wait for my own death? What if doctors cut off a piece of the tumor that killed me and grew it in a lab for the next sixty years? What if scientists discovered a gene that would ensure my happiness no matter what life throws at me?

16 Jul 2010

Mutation in ion channel that changes its dynamics is implicated in epilepsy: Scientists

In 2004, Washington University in St. Lous researcher Jianmin Cui was handed a puzzling clue to the structure of an ion channel his lab had been studying for five years.

24 Jun 2010

First Edition: June 21, 2010

Today's news includes an exploration of the impact of Medicare payment rates on physicians, an analysis of the fate of the COBRA subsidy and how an innovation may offer a medical malpractice fix.

21 Jun 2010

U.S. officials announce new agriculture research initiative to aid farmers in developing countries

Citing USAID's Feed the Future initiative as "central" to U.S. foreign policy, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday announced plans to "leverage the work" of U.S. researchers to "benefit farmers in developing countries worldwide," PTI/The Hindu reports.

18 Jun 2010