Food Research: Making sure food from your garden is safe to eat ♦ Bottle feeding E. coli to calves could prevent food poisoning ♦ Sugar-sweetened drinks linked to increased visceral fat

Coffee flour offers a potentially healthier way of enjoying java Scientists are developing the flour milled from a new invention -- par baked coffee beans -- both as a food ingredient and a nutritional supplement.

Making sure food from your garden is safe to eat This May 25, 2013 photo shows French breakfast radishes at the Bayview Farmer’s Market in Langley, Wash., that are typical of many edibles that are eaten raw. They need to be washed before serving to remove dirt and bacteria as well as any residual pesticides. This photo …

Bottle feeding E. coli to calves could prevent food poisoning Scientists in Nova Scotia are trying to come up with a way to prevent cattle from hosting the toxic strain of E. coli that can make humans sick if they eat meat contaminated with the bacteria.  Food safety research scientist Martin Kalmokoff, who works at the Atlantic Food and Agriculture Research Centre in Kentville, said the research is trying to figure out why certain types of …

Sugar-sweetened drinks linked to increased visceral fat Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages every day was associated with an increase in a particular type of body fat that may affect diabetes and heart disease risk.

Bacteria Research: Monitoring chicken flock behaviour could help combat leading cause of food poisoning ♦ Antibiotics pave way for C. diff infections by killing bile acid-altering bacteria

Efficacy of major chlamydia drug confirmed In one of the most tightly controlled trials ever conducted of drugs used to treat sexually transmitted infections, researchers have confirmed that azithromycin remains effective in the treatment of urogenital chlamydia.

Ecologist finds another cause of antibiotic resistance One researcher is concerned that there's more to the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria than the misuse of common medications. A senior research ecologist, this scientist believes environmental contaminants may be partly to blame for the rise in bacterial resistance, and he tested this hypothesis in streams on the US Department of Energy's Savannah River Site

Antibiotics pave way for C. diff infections by killing bile acid-altering bacteria Bile acids, which are altered by bacteria normally living in the large intestine, inhibit the growth of Clostridium difficile, new research indicates. The work sheds light on the ways in which some commonly used antibiotics can promote C. diff infections by killing off the bile acid-altering microbes.

Monitoring chicken flock behaviour could help combat leading cause of food poisoning A new technique that monitors the movement of chickens can be used to predict which flocks are at risk of becoming infected with Campylobacter -- the most common bacterial source of food poisoning in humans in the UK.

Health Research: Pioneering artificial pancreas to undergo final tests ♦ Could bug-busting viruses control food poisoning? ♦ Minor flu strains pack bigger punch

Could bug-busting viruses control food poisoning? Viruses that can seek and destroy food poisoning bugs in the gut are currently being investigated by researchers. The work could offer the potential for treating and preventing intestinal illnesses in children in developing countries including those caused by Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli.

Pioneering artificial pancreas to undergo final tests A device to automatically monitor and regulate blood-sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes will undergo final testing in two clinical trials beginning early this year.

Racial bias may be conveyed by doctors' body language Physicians give less compassionate non verbal cues when treating seriously ill black patients compared with their white counterparts, a small trial revealed. It is the first to look at such interactions in a time-pressured, end-of-life situation.

Minor flu strains pack bigger punch Minor variants of flu strains, which are not typically targeted in vaccines, carry a bigger viral punch than previously realized, a team of scientists has found. Its research, which examined samples from the 2009 flu pandemic in Hong Kong, shows that these minor strains are transmitted along with the major strains and can replicate and elude immunizations.

Health News:Salmonella found at the Good Earth Egg ♦ 100 diners hospitalised after food poisoning at Chinese restaurant ♦ 137,000 lives lost annually in Africa due to food contamination

137,000 lives lost annually in Africa due to food contamination A new report by the global organizations WHO and FAO, indicate that the world loses millions of lives due to unsafe food with Africa accounting for the highest deaths totaling to over 137,000 lives annually.Annually, 91 million  people worldwide fall ill  due to foodborne diseases.

100 diners hospitalised after food poisoning at Chinese restaurant were rotting meat left in sink One hundred diners were hospitalised with food poisoning at a filthy Chinese restaurant. Scores of sick customers who had eaten at the Real China had to be rushed to A&E following an outbreak of salmonella. Southampton Magistrates' Court heard shocked inspectors found hunks of raw meat left in a sink and dirty tea towels dumped on the kitchen floor.

Nonoperative treatment of appendicitis may have unknown long-term risks and costs It is too early to change the standard treatment of appendicitis in US adults to initial antibiotic therapy only, rather than surgical removal of the appendix, or appendectomy, authors of a new systematic review study conclude.

Salmonella found at the Good Earth Egg The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports Salmonella was found at an egg facility in Bonne Terre, Missouri. According to DHSS, they recently conducted a testing at the Good Earth Egg Company processing facility in Bonne Terre and received samples that indicated the presence of Salmonella bacteria.

Health News: Mexican cilantro sickened 546 people ♦ Company owner faces life sentence for food poisoning outbreak ♦ Alzheimer's drug could prevent bone fractures

CDC: Cyclospora outbreak linked to Mexican cilantro sickened 546 people The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that the recent Cyclospora outbreak sickened 546 people from 31 states from May to August. The numbers of reported cases in the U.S. have returned to baseline levels, the agency noted. CDC stated that epidemiologic and traceback investigations conducted in Texas, Wisconsin, and Georgia by...

Company owner faces life sentence for food poisoning outbreak Inside, Almer wrote: I did not know where to send this to since my mother is no longer alive, so I am sending it to you, the person who is responsible for where she is today. Shirley Mae Almer, 72, survived lung cancer and a brain tumor, but not one of America's favorite foods: peanut butter. Parnell's company, PCA, had manufactured the creamy stuff that she slathered on

Virus re-engineered to deliver therapies to cells Researchers stripped a virus of its infectious machinery and turned its benign core into a delivery vehicle that can target sick cells while leaving healthy tissue alone

Alzheimer's drug could prevent bone fractures The most common drug used to treat Alzheimer's disease increases bone mass in mice, according to a recent article. Researchers say this means the drug could also be used to treat bone loss diseases like osteoporosis and periodontitis, following further clinical research.

Pickles ,chili sauce and BBQ sauces recaled

Homemade of Leavenworth, Washington is recalling pickle and sauce products because they may have been improperly produced. Washington State Department of Agriculture routine sampling discovered that a bottle of Homemade Bread and Butter Pickles had a pH level high enough to allow the growth of Clostridium botulinum. Required records were not available to support that safe processing guidelines were followed on all sauce and pickle products produced at Homemade.

Food borne botulism is a severe type of food poisoning caused by the ingestion of foods containing the potent neurotoxin formed during growth of the organism. Food borne botulism can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.

Recalled products are packaged in clear glass bottles with metal caps. There are no lot codes or expiration dates on recalled products. The following products have been recalled:

• Bread and Butter Pickles (16 oz./454 g)
• Icicle Pickles (16 oz./454 g)
• Pickled Beets (16 oz./454 g)
• Chili Sauce (12 oz./340 g)
• Lite BBQ Sauce (12 oz./ 340 g)
• Medium BBQ Sauce (12 oz./340 g)
• Hot BBQ Sauce (12 oz./340 g)
• Horseradish BBQ Sauce (12 oz./340 g)

The recalled products were sold from small retailers and fruit stands in Chelan and Douglas counties in Washington State.

Homemade has made the decision to recall all pickle and sauce products to ensure the safety of their customers. To date the company has not been notified of illness associated with their products. Robert Eadie, owner of Homemade, believes that “the health of customers is a priority for my company, which is why I am working with the Washington State Department of Agriculture and a recognized process authority to take steps necessary to ensure the safety of my products.”

Consumers who have purchased recalled pickles and sauces are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 509-548-5301 Monday through Friday during the hours of 9AM to 5PM PST.