Food Research: Proof-of-concept for low-cost drug made in lettuce ♦ One in three Americans to need more vitamin E ♦ Soda tax boosts retail prices of sugary drinks

Proteins from rice: raw materials instead of waste Proteins remain after starch is extracted from rice. Until now, this valuable raw material was disposed of by rice starch producers at great expense. A new process is being developed to split proteins into smaller pieces, or peptides, and then clean them. The peptides can be put to good use in products such as cosmetics or nutritional supplements.

Proof-of-concept for low-cost drug made in lettuce Scientists have used a plant-based system to make shelf-stable drugs. The researchers confirmed the viability of their method for FDA approval and human use, producing an effective drug that promotes tolerance to clotting factors, which could be taken by hemophilia patients, using freeze-dried lettuce leaves

Soda tax boosts retail prices of sugary drinks, A new study addresses questions about the efficacy of a voter-approved soda tax passed in 2014. Voters in Berkeley approved the first excise tax in the country on sugar-sweetened beverages, but questions soon arose about whether the move would have its desired effect by increasing the retail price of soda. The latest signs say yes.

Metabolic syndrome leads one in three Americans to need more vitamin E One-third of Americans who have a cluster of health problems that add up to metabolic syndrome don't absorb dietary vitamin E as effectively as healthy people.