Food Safety News and Research

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Previously unknown E. coli strain affects more than 1,500 in Europe; source remains unknown

The WHO on Thursday said "that an unusually lethal strain of E. coli, which has infected more than 1,500 people in Germany, mystified public health officials and threatened to touch off panic in Europe, was a previously unknown variant of the bacteria, raising new concerns about the extent and severity of the contagion," the New York Times reports.

3 Jun 2011

Bruker to showcase record performance achievements of maXis 4G system at ASMS 2011

Bruker, the pioneer of ultrahigh-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, today announced a major extension of the successful maXis UHR Qq-TOF technology range, which Bruker will showcase at the ASMS 2011 conference in Denver, Colorado, starting this Sunday, June 5.

3 Jun 2011

International Dairy Federation releases new publication on Integrated Supply Chain Management

Recent food crises have highlighted the sharp need for the prevention of possible adulteration of suppliers' milk through the implementation of integrated chain management principles. As part of the dairy sector's commitment to food safety, the International Dairy Federation (IDF) has just released a new publication on "Integrated Supply Chain Management".

27 May 2011

Low calorie sweeteners offer effective solution to manage weight

The desire to eat sweet things does not need to be suppressed, just managed, according to health and nutrition experts meeting at the International Sweeteners Association's conference in Brussels today.

19 May 2011

Thermo Fisher Scientific announces completion of Dionex tender offer

Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, today announced that it has successfully completed its tender offer for Dionex Corporation.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 17 May 2011

Bioniche Life Sciences opens new livestock vaccine manufacturing facility

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., a research-based, technology-driven Canadian biopharmaceutical company, today officially opened its new Animal Health and Food Safety Vaccine Manufacturing Centre at its corporate headquarters in Belleville, Ontario, Canada.

30 Apr 2011

Senomyx first-quarter 2011 revenues rise up 13%

Senomyx, Inc., a company focused on using proprietary taste receptor-based technologies to discover novel flavor ingredients for the food, beverage, and ingredient supply industries, today provided a corporate update and reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011.

30 Apr 2011

Food poisoning costs the United States billions: Report

According to a new report published Thursday, 14 different pathogens causing food poisoning cost the United States $14 billion annually in terms of human disease. The report comes from the University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute that found that out of all the pathogen-food combinations they studied, campylobacter in poultry was the single worst offender, causing more than 600,000 illnesses per year, hospitalizing more than 7,000 people and costing, annually, $1.3 billion and 9,500 quality-of-life years.

29 Apr 2011

Magnetic 'nanobeads' help detect chemical and biological agents

Researchers at Oregon State University have found a way to use magnetic "nanobeads" to help detect chemical and biological agents, with possible applications in everything from bioterrorism to medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring or even water and food safety.

27 Apr 2011

Mediaplanet publishes comprehensive guides to Conquering Hunger

On Friday, April 15th, 2011 Mediaplanet published one of the most comprehensive guides to Conquering Hunger and distributed it to millions with the help of the Global FoodBanking Network, Feeding America, and Heifer International.

22 Apr 2011

Baxter’s first quarter global sales increase 12% to $3.3 billion

Baxter International Inc. today announced strong financial results for the first quarter of 2011, and raised its outlook for full-year 2011.

From Baxter International Inc. 21 Apr 2011

Existing scientific evidence indicates no risk to human health from BPA exposure

The North American Metal Packaging Alliance, Inc. urges policymakers and media to take heed of a decisive analysis by independent toxicologists that concludes bisphenol A (BPA) poses no risk to human health.

20 Apr 2011

Drug resistant bug plaguing the meat industry: Study

It has been found that nearly half of the meat and poultry (47 percent) sold in U.S. grocery stores is contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus (“Staph”), a bacteria linked to a wide range of human diseases, and this bacteria is resistant to at least three classes of antibiotics in more than half (52 percent) of contaminated samples. This comes from a nationwide study by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) published this week in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

17 Apr 2011

Researchers develop sensor film to estimate packaged food quality

When it comes to packaged fish or meat, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between fresh goods and their inedible counterparts. Researchers have now developed a sensor film that can be integrated into the package itself, where it takes over the role of quality control. And if the food has spoiled, it changes color to announce the fact.

15 Apr 2011

Toxic substances including arsenic in baby food

The latest reports have revealed that there are small amounts of arsenic and other toxins that are found in soil, creeping into the ingredients used in top-selling baby foods. Manufacturers insist the levels are so low they do not pose a health risk. But scientists and food campaigners are calling for efforts to eliminate the chemicals from mass-produced products eaten by millions of young babies. Leading brands from Organix, Hipp, Nestle and Holle were tested by Swedish researchers.

10 Apr 2011

Nanotechnology-based biosensor may allow early cancer, pathogen detection

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.

30 Mar 2011

Food safety lawyer calls on Palmyra to pay medical expenses incurred by E. coli outbreak victims

Food safety lawyer Fred Pritzker is calling on Palmyra Bologna Company, Inc., maker of Seltzer's Lebanon bologna products, to pay medical expenses and other costs incurred by victims of a multistate E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

24 Mar 2011

Queen’s University completes first ever analysis of all food recalls over last decade

As the increasing number food scares causes consumers to question the safety of everyday food items, researchers at Queen's University Belfast have completed the first ever analysis of all the food recalls announced in the USA, UK and Ireland over the last decade.

22 Mar 2011

Aid delivery trickles in one week after Japanese quake, tsunami

"Across large parts of Japan stricken a week ago by a quake and tsunami, aid isn't getting through. Blizzards, impassible roads, worries over radiation exposure, fuel shortages and other logistical problems have stalled aid from getting to those who need it, even as officials have boosted the amount of food and other goods available to some easier-to-reach communities," the Wall Street Journal reports.

19 Mar 2011

China-Biotics enters agreement with US based nutritional product company

China-Biotics, Inc., the leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of probiotics products in China, today announced that the Company has entered into an agreement with a US based nutritional product company.

18 Mar 2011