2/28/15 Health News: Secret Treaty Leads to Food Safety Labeling Concerns ♦ NC Salmonella Outbreak ♦ Oat breakfast cereals may contain mold-related toxin ♦ Plus More

Trans-Pacific Partnership could prevent clearer food – health advocates Australia’s Pacific free-trade deal could stand in the way of clear country-of-origin labelling being considered by the Abbott government in the wake of the hepatitis A outbreak linked to imported frozen berries Continue Reading

NC SALMONELLA OUTBREAK LINKED TO RE-COOKED PULLED PORK  A Salmonella outbreak in North Carolina this past fall that sickened dozens of people has been linked to re-cooked pulled pork served at a church conference. According to news reports published Friday, the problem was probably smoked Boston butt prepared overnight by a member of the Living Word Tabernacle Church in Bessemer City, NC, and then re-cooked the... Continue Reading

Oat breakfast cereals may contain a common mold-related toxin  Oats are often touted for boosting heart health, but scientists warn that the grain and its products might need closer monitoring for potential mold contamination. They report that some oat-based breakfast cereals in the US contain a mold-related toxin called ochratoxin A that's been linked to kidney cancer in animal studies Continue Reading

Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D may control brain serotonin, affecting behavior and psychiatric disorders  Although essential marine omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D have been shown to improve cognitive function and behavior in the context of certain brain disorders, the underlying mechanism has been unclear. In a new paper, serotonin is explained as the possible missing link tying together why vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acids might ameliorate the symptoms associated with a broad array of brain disorders.Continue Reading

Adults with disabilities screened for cancer less often  Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are much less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer, research shows. "As individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live longer, their risk of developing chronic conditions like cancer increases. Suboptimal screening may contribute to a greater cancer burden," Continue Reading

9/914 Health News; Baby foods contain raised levels of cancer risk chemicals ♦ Taiwan food safety remains problematic ♦ French lavender farmers furious over EU regulation

Baby foods, cereals and crisps found to contain raised levels of cancer risk chemicals

Three baby foods as well as crisps, cereals and chips contain raised levels of a chemical linked to cancer.The Food Standards Agency (FSA) found higher than expected levels of acrylamide in a range of popular products.The substance, which develops during the cooking process, has been linked to a higher risk of cancer. Continue Reading

Taiwan food safety remains as problematic as ever

Food safety usually seems to be high on the priority lists of consumers, but it seems like we have little control over it. We trust the suppliers to protect us, but time and time again they have failed us. Tons of recycled oil have been uncovered at a Pingtung factory where products were reprocessed and redistributed through a major supplier, Chang Guann, to many food processing … continue reading

French lavender farmers furious over EU regulation they see as poisonous for their product

The sweet smell of lavender is tinged with bitterness this year in the south of France, as farmers who harvest the flower protest European regulations linking the plant to chemical toxins. Billboards proclaiming "Lavender is not a chemical" dot fields that yield what in Provence is known as blue gold — lavender oil, worth over 100 euros a kilogram. continue reading