3/5/15 Health News:McDonald’sTo Phage Out Chicken with Antibiotics ♦ Marijuana: The allergen you never knew existed ♦ Outcomes of lung transplantations ♦ Plus More

McDonald’s Plan To Phage Out Chicken Fed Medically Important Antibiotics  McDonald’s announced Wednesday that, within two years, all of the chicken served at its 14,000 U.S. restaurants will come from farms which raised the birds without medically important antibiotics.Continue Reading

Marijuana: The allergen you never knew existed  As marijuana’s legal status throughout the country continues to change, people should know it can cause allergic reactions.Continue Reading

Outcomes of lung transplantations since implementation of need-based allocation system Since implementation of a medical need-based allocation system of donor lungs in 2005, double-lung transplantation has been associated with better graft survival than single-lung transplantation in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.Continue Reading

Administering sedatives for patients receiving general anesthesia questioned Although sedatives are often administered before surgery, a randomized trial finds that among patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia, receiving the sedative lorazepam before surgery did not improve the self-reported patient experience the day after surgery, but was associated with longer time till removal off a breathing tube. Continue Reading

Stress markers in unemployed linked to poor health  It appears that stress markers in unemployed people can be found, independent of smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight/obesity. Results from a study suggest that long-term unemployment may be especially damaging to health. Authors also note that older job seekers appear more affected. Continue Reading

2/5/15 Health News: Food scandal hits McDonald’s sales ♦ Bean curd contaminated ♦ Virus blocks human immune response ♦ Wound healing is impaired in diabetics

Food scandal hits McDonald’s sales

The head of McDonald's Japan on Thursday apologised after unexpected objects - including a human tooth - were found in the chain's food as the burger giant reported its first annual loss in 11 years. Continue Reading

Hong Kong: Two batches of preserved bean curd contaminated with Bacillus cereus

The Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department urged the public not to consume two batches of bottled preserved bean curd following a notification from the Macau authorities that the products concerned were contaminated with Bacillus cereus. Continue Reading

How a cancer-causing virus blocks human immune response

Scientists have revealed how a type of cancer-causing virus outwits the human body's immune response. The discovery might help explain why some cancer therapies that incorporate interferon fail to treat certain cancers and might lead to more effective treatments Continue Reading

Got bees? Loss of pollinators increases risk of malnutrition, disease

More than half the people in some developing countries could become newly at risk for malnutrition if crop-pollinating animals -- like bees - continue to decline, experts say. Despite popular reports that pollinators are crucial for human nutritional health, no scientific studies have actually tested this claim - until now. Continue Reading

Dental experts show why wound healing is impaired in diabetics

A critical molecule has been identified by a team of dental scientists that helps explain why diabetics suffer from impaired healing. Their results pinpoint a target for therapies that could help boost healing Continue Reading

7/23/14 Health News: What is in McDonald’s french fries? ♦ China food scandal spreads, drags in Starbucks, Burger King ♦ Governments agree to rein in veterinary drugs in our food

What exactly is in McDonald’s french fries?

Potatoes

Mickey D’s uses varieties like the Russet Burbank, which have a nice oval shape and just the right balance of starch and sugar. Excess sugar can cause a fry to have brown spots where it’s over-caramelized, leaving a burnt taste and deviating from the uniform yellow-arches color. Just in case, the spuds are blanched after slicing, removing surplus sugar. Continue Reading

China food scandal spreads, drags in Starbucks, Burger King and McNuggets in Japan

A toxic food scandal in China is spreading fast, dragging in U.S. coffee chain Starbucks, Burger King Worldwide Inc and others, as well as products of McDonald's Corp as far away as Japan. McDonald's and KFC's parent Yum Brands Inc apologized to Chinese customers on Monday after it emerged that Shanghai Husi Food Co Ltd, a unit of U … continue reading

Governments agree to rein in veterinary drugs in our food

Governments have agreed new food standards calling for zero residue of veterinary drugs in meat, and limiting lead pollution in infant formula and toxins in maize, a UN body said Tuesday.The Codex Alimentarius Commission - the top global decision-making body for food standards - made a raft of recommendations at its ongoing annual meeting in Geneva, Angelika … continue reading