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.

Children's Health: Not ordinary growing pains ♦ Olive, sunflower oil on baby skin weakens natural defenses ♦ Childhood family breakups harder on girls' health,

Olive, sunflower oil on baby skin weakens natural defenses Using olive or sunflower oil on newborn babies' skin damages the barrier which prevents water loss and blocks allergens and infections, new research has found.

Not ordinary growing pains A recent study shows that acupuncture may be a safe and effective adjunctive integrative medicine treatment for chronic pain in pediatric patients.

Childhood family breakups harder on girls' health, A childhood family breakup can have long-term negative consequences for the children. Recent research looks at overall health, depression, and smoking as a health-related behavior and finds that, for girls, all three are worse.

Children's ability to detect sugar varies widely Sensitivity to sweet taste varies widely across school-aged children and is in part genetically-determined. The findings may inform efforts to reduce sugar consumption and improve nutritional health of children.

Health News: FDA may soon change labels to slash your added sugar intake ♦ Exploring the paradox of metabolically healthy obesity ♦Temporary ambulance locations reduces response times

FDA may soon change labels to slash your added sugar intake A high-sugar diet has been associated with all kinds of negative health impacts, from obesity to diabetes to high blood pressure. Now, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is nearing a decision on a new proposal that could help people cut down on their sugar intake.

Exploring the paradox of metabolically healthy obesity Researchers have defined some key characteristics of the metabolically healthy obese -- those obese individuals who remain free from type 2 diabetes and other disorders, that usually associate with obesity. Their findings have implications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and obesity

New disease-carrying mosquito arrives in British Columbia, Canada Scientists are studying an invasive, disease-carrying mosquito, Aedes japonicus, after finding it for the first time in Western Canada. The mosquitoes could pose a significant hazard to health if global warming favors the development of some of the viruses it can transmit.

Temporary ambulance locations reduces response times and may save lives Ambulances deployed at temporary locations that can be changed depending on the time of day and accident statistics can reduce response time and may save lives on the way to the hospital.

Weight Loss Research: Are you hardwired to enjoy high-calorie foods? ♦ Obesity: Is junk food really to blame? ♦ Standing and exercise linked to lower odds of obesity

Are you hardwired to enjoy high-calorie foods? Research links genes to heightened brain reward responses to foods high in fat and sugar Researchers have identified two genetic variants that interact to alter the brain responses to high-calorie foods, a tie that could aid in the development of targeted treatments for obesity and overweight. Researchers found that two gene variants - FTO and DRD2 - influenced activity in the brain reward system when looking at pictures of high-calorie foods

Standing and exercise linked to lower odds of obesity While sedentary behavior (such as watching TV and commuting time) has been linked to negative health effects, it is unclear whether more time spent standing has protective health benefits. New research shows that standing for at least one-quarter of the day has been linked to lower odds of obesity.

Obesity: Is junk food really to blame? Soda, candy, and fast food are often painted as the prime culprits in the national discussion of obesity in the United States. While a diet of chocolate bars and cheese burgers washed down with a Coke is inadvisable from a nutritional standpoint, these foods are not likely to be a leading cause of obesity .

Bariatric surgery is safe option for managing type 2 diabetes in overweight or mildly obese patients Weight-loss surgery, long considered a treatment largely reserved for people with severe obesity, may also be a good and safe option for the treatment of uncontrolled type 2 diabetes in those who are overweight or have mild to moderate obesity.

Food Research: Dried plums can reduce risk of colon cancer ♦ Breakthrough in understanding sugar uptake ♦ Arsenic found in many American red wines

Dried plums can reduce risk of colon cancer,A diet containing dried plums can positively affect microbiota, also referred to as gut bacteria, throughout the colon, helping reduce the risk of colon cancer.

New research exposes health risks of fructose, sugary drinks There is compelling evidence that drinking too many sugar-sweetened beverages, which contain added sugars in the form of high fructose corn syrup or table sugar (sucrose), can lead to excess weight gain and a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Arsenic found in many American red wines, but health risks depend on total diet A new study that tested 65 wines from America's top four wine-producing states -- California, Washington, New York and Oregon -- found all but one have arsenic levels that exceed US drinking water standards. But health risks from that naturally-occurring toxic element depend on how many other high-arsenic foods and beverages, such as apple juice, rice, or cereal bars, an individual person eats.

New dietary guidelines must be sustainable, regardless of politics The new iteration of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans must incorporate sustainability considerations -- both for the health and wellbeing of Americans and the world in which we live.

Breakthrough in understanding sugar uptake Researchers have reached a breakthrough in understanding how fructose is transported into our cells. This could be a potential benefit for the development of novel treatments against some forms of cancer, obesity and diabetes

Food Health: Cooking oil that can be used 80 times ♦ Southern-style eating increases heart disease risk ♦ Five reasons why sugar is added to food

Researcher creates AFDHAL cooking oil that can be used 80 times Using palm oil and Rutaceae herb, researchers have developed cooking oil that can be used 80 times. This cooking oil was scientifically defined using the main ingredients which are not only capable of reducing oil absorption in fried cooking up to 85 per cent but also minimize the risks of getting cardiovascular and cancer.

Southern-style eating strikes again: Study finds diet pattern increases heart disease risk Southern favorites like fried chicken and bacon may taste great when consumed, but they can have negative effects on heart health.

How clean is your spinach? Ever wonder what that the words triple-washed or pre-washed on a bag of baby spinach mean? Not much according to engineers. They discovered that small peaks and valleys in baby spinach leaves could be a key reason why there have been numerous bacterial outbreaks involving leafy green vegetables.

New research backs belief that tomatoes can be a gout trigger People who maintain that eating tomatoes can cause their gout to flare up are likely to welcome new research that has, for the first time, found a biological basis for this belief.

Five reasons why sugar is added to food From a food science and technology perspective, sugar (sucrose) plays several roles when it comes to the functional properties in food. Experts explain the functional properties of sugars and why they are often added to foods.

children's Health: Sexting and internet safety ♦ Maltreated children's brains show 'encouraging' ability to regulate emotions ♦ Teen smokers struggle with body-related shame, guilt

Sexting and internet safety climb top 10 list of health concerns for children across the U. S. With more kids online and using cell phones at increasingly younger ages, two issues have quickly climbed higher on the public's list of major health concerns for children across the U.S: sexting and Internet safety.

Teen smokers struggle with body-related shame, guilt Are teen smokers who pick up the habit doing so because they have a negative self-image? Does the typical teenaged smoker try to balance out this unhealthy habit with more exercise? And if so, then why would an adolescent smoke, yet still participate in recommended levels of physical activity?

Complete resection of high-grade brain cancer yields better survival in children -- especially girls For children with aggressive brain cancers called high-grade gliomas, the chances of survival are improved when surgery is successful in eliminating all visible cancer.

High sugar consumption among children relates to poor family functioning, The quality of general family functioning is a major determinant of healthy dietary habits, according to new research. A British study found that a mother's perception of effective general family functioning has a significant effect on limiting the intake of sugary foods and drinks by their three and four year old children. In contrast, less effective family functioning leads to high frequency intake of sugary foods and drinks by three and four year old children in the family.

Maltreated children's brains show 'encouraging' ability to regulate emotions There's a common assumption that children subjected to abuse or trauma will have problematic emotions across the board -- muted responses to positive situations and extreme reactions to negative ones. But a new study's findings suggest that maltreated children are perhaps more resilient and adaptable than previously thought. Given the right strategies, abused children have a surprising ability to regulate their emotions.

Food Research: Big brains needed carbs ♦ Regular consumption of spicy foods linked to lower risk of early death ♦ Sugar in your cuppa not just about a sweet tooth

Probiotics improve behavioral symptoms of chronic inflammatory diseases in mice Probiotics may improve the behavioral symptoms of chronic inflammatory diseases by altering communication between the immune system and the brain.

Sugar in your cuppa not just about a sweet tooth New research has given tea and coffee drinkers new information about why their favorite drinks taste as they do. The study shows that sugar has an important effect in reducing the bitterness of tea and coffee, not just by masking it but by influencing the fundamental chemistry.

Regular consumption of spicy foods linked to lower risk of early death Eating spicy food more frequently as part of a daily diet is associated with a lower risk of death.The association was also found for deaths from certain conditions such as cancer, and ischemic heart and respiratory diseases.

Excessive workout supplement use: An emerging eating disorder in men? In an effort to build better bodies, more men are turning not to illegal anabolic steroids, but to legal over-the-counter bodybuilding supplements to the point where it may qualify as an emerging eating disorder, according to research.

Paleo diet: Big brains needed carbs Understanding how and why we evolved such large brains is one of the most puzzling issues in the study of human evolution. A new study argues that carbohydrate consumption, particularly in the form of starch, was critical for the accelerated expansion of the human brain over the last million years. Eating meat may have kick-started the evolution of bigger brains, but cooked starchy foods together with more salivary amylase genes made us smarter still.

Health News: FDA takes on sugar in food labels ♦ 3D digital scanning shortens denture-fitting time from days to minutes ♦ Some Vietnam vets currently have PTSD 40 years

FDA takes on sugar in food labels Food labels should contain more detail about how much sugar is in a product, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. It's proposed a rule to require that food labels not only say how much sugar is in a product, but what percentage the sugar adds to the daily recommended intake.

Some Vietnam vets currently have PTSD 40 years after war ended While it has been 40 years since the Vietnam War ended, about 271,000 veterans who served in the war zone are estimated to have current full posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) plus subthreshold war-zone PTSD and more than one-third have current major depressive disorder.

Device keeps donor livers healthy outside the body until transplant A deceased donor liver has been preserved and kept healthy outside the body in a device that mimics the body’s physiological functions and successfully transplanted into a human, for the first time in Ontario

3D digital scanning shortens denture-fitting time from days to minutes Dentures, known as false teeth, are prosthetics constructed to replace missing teeth. Fitting removable dentures is a long and painful process in which a patient has to visit the clinic multiple times so that soft and hard plastic material, resembling silly putty, can be used to take exact measurements of her mouth. Failure to take exact measurements causes discomfort and pain. Now researchers report that this time can be cut way back with the use of 3D digital scanning techniques

Low birth weight combined with unhealthy adult lifestyle may increase type 2 diabetes risk People who are a low weight at birth and have unhealthy habits as adults, such as eating nutritionally poor diets or smoking, may have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people born at an average weight who live similar lifestyles.

Weight Loss Research: Sugar and carbs, not physical inactivity, behind surge in obesity ♦ Keeping food visible throughout the house is linked to obesity ♦ Hate to diet? It's how we're wired

Fat tissue controls brain's response to food scarcity, helping regulate optimal amount of body fat for brain function An enzyme secreted by the body's fat tissue controls energy levels in the brain, according to new research. The findings, in mice, underscore a role for the body's fat tissue in controlling the brain's response to food scarcity, and suggest there is an optimal amount of body fat for maximizing health and longevity. The findings may help explain the many studies that show a survival benefit to having a body mass index toward the low end of what is considered overweight.

Sugar and carbs, not physical inactivity, behind surge in obesity  Excess sugar and carbs, not physical inactivity, are behind the surge in obesity, say experts. It is time to bust myth that anyone -- including athletes -- can outrun a bad diet,

Hate to diet? It's how we're wired If you're finding it difficult to stick to a weight-loss diet, scientists say you can likely blame AGRP neurons -- hunger-sensitive cells in your brain. New experiments show these neurons are responsible for the unpleasant feelings of hunger that make snacking irresistible. The negative emotions associated with hunger can make it hard to maintain a diet and lose weight,

Keeping food visible throughout the house is linked to obesity

Researchers have identified two seemingly unrelated but strong predictors of obesity: having low self-esteem related to one’s weight, and keeping food visibly available around the house, outside the kitchen. The study focused primarily on determining whether the home environment – architectural features and food storage and availability – was associated with obesity, but also measured a number of psychological factors. While arc

7/31/14 Health News; BILL INTRODUCED TO TAX SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES ♦ Labels detect contaminated meat ♦ RAW MILK SEIZURE ♦ Tainted meat scandal bites McDonald's

DELAURO INTRODUCES BILL TO TAX SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES NATIONWIDE

On Wednesday, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced the Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Tax (SWEET) Act — a tax on drinks such as sodas, energy drinks, sweet teas and sports drinks that she first announced at the National Soda Summit in Washington, D.C., on June 5. The SWEET Act would institute an excise tax of 1 cent per... Continue Reading

Smart labels detect contaminated meat before it hits shelves

Have you ever worried about getting salmonella or E. coli poisoning from meat? Researchers at the University of Alberta are working on a new way to spot spoiled meat before it hits grocery-store shelves. Anastasia Elias and Dominic Sauvageau, professors in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, are developing smart materials to detect harmful microbes that cause … continue reading

RAW MILK SEIZURE STIRS DEBATE IN MICHIGAN

Michigan farmers and some of their downstate customers are still talking about an enforcement action taken two weeks ago by the Michigan Department of Agriculture. The incident has prompted hundreds of comments on local newspaper and Facebook pages. A delivery truck from Standish, MI-based My Family Co-Op was making its run south on Interstate 75... Continue Reading

Tainted meat scandal bites McDonald's

The fast food chain's Japanese unit said Tuesday that it will fall short of profit and sales targets for the year, after a longtime meat supplier was shut down last week by authorities for unsanitary practices. As meat from the supplier has been pulled out of circulation, McDonald's outlets in China, Hong Kong and Japan have stopped selling items such … continue reading

3/20/14 Health News: Tumor DNA Detects Cancer Early ♦ Children's Diets 'Far Too Salty ♦ HIV Home Testing Kits ♦ Sugar Tax May Be Necessary

Circulating Tumor DNA Early Indicator of Cancer

A blood test that identifies cancer and helps track progression is showing promise as an early warning sign, say researchers. The so-called liquid biopsy works by detecting circulating tumor DNA. "The most significant advance is that it can give us an indication that cancer is there up to 5 months before it even shows up on a tissue biopsy," said Sarah-Jane Dawson, MD, from the Molecular Biomarkers and Translational Genomics Laboratory at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Continue Reading

Children's Diets 'Far Too Salty'

Children in the UK are eating far too much salt, with much of it coming from breads and cereals, research suggests. Children should eat less than a teaspoon of salt a day, but 70% of the 340 children in the study published in Hypertension ate more than this. Breads and cereals accounted for more than one-third of the salt in children's diets. A fifth came from meat and one-tenth from dairy products. This was despite a UK-wide drive to cut salt levels in food. Continue Reading

Is the UK Prepared for HIV Home Testing Kits?

In a little over four weeks, it will be legal to pop into the supermarket, buy an HIV home testing kit and within 20 minutes of using it at home, get a result. Surprised? So are many others, yet this legislative change has been made by the Department of Health, and supported by the Scottish Government. Since 1992, legislation has protected the public by stipulating that marketing and sale of test kits is illegal and that the results of an HIV test must be given under clinical supervision. Continue Reading

Sugar Tax May Be Necessary, England's Chief Medical Officer Says

A sugar tax may have to be introduced to curb obesity rates, the chief medical officer for England has said. Dame Sally Davies told a committee of MPs that unless the government was strong with food and drink manufacturers, it was unlikely they would reformulate their products. She said she believed "research will find sugar is addictive", and that "we may need to introduce a sugar tax". The food industry said it was working on reducing sugar in products.

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Games are used to Affect Childrens Bad Food Choices

“Advergames,” or free online games designed to promote branded products, are an example of evolving food marketing tactics aimed at children. The primary objective was to classify foods marketed to children (aged 2–11 y) in advergames as those meeting or not meeting nutrition recommendations of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), and the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

The study identified 143 websites that marketed foods to children aged 2 to 11 years through advergames. Foods were classified on the basis of each of the 4 agency criteria. Food nutrient labels provided information on serving size, calories, micronutrients, and macronutrients.

The websites advertised 254 meals, 101 snacks, and 84 beverages. Proportions of meals and snacks meeting USDA and FDA recommendations were low. Only a small proportion of meals and fewer snacks meet the recommendations of all the agencies. Beverage recommendations were also inconsistent across the 3 agencies that provide recommendations (USDA, IOM, and CSPI). Most beverages advertised in advergames did not meet some of these recommendations.

The findings indicate that a large number of foods with low nutritional value are being marketed to children via advergames. A standardized system of food marketing guidance is needed to better inform the public about healthfulness of foods advertised to children.

In the United States, 1 in 3 children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years is overweight or obese.  Inappropriate high-calorie food choices and portions, relative to the amount of physical activity, contribute to childhood obesity.

Other diet-related health considerations include consumption of total fat, saturated fat, added sugars, cholesterol, and sodium. These nutrients when consumed in excess can cause cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and other obesity-related conditions. Time spent using the computer, watching television, or using game consoles displaces the time and energy spent in playing sports and engaging in physical activity. Simultaneously, high-calorie foods such as sweetened beverages and French fries can lead to displacement of nutrients from more healthful foods .

Among the 439 foods from the 19 brands, there were 254 meals, 101 snacks, and 84 beverages . Approximately 95% of the advertised meals and 78% of the snacks did not meet the USDA and FDA recommendations for total fat.

Only a few foods met the USDA recommendations for added sugar (13.4% of meals and 3% of snacks), while 90% of meals and 26.7% and 25.7% of snacks met CSPI and IOM criteria. The USDA and FDA had stringent recommendations for sodium; only 3% to 5% of meals and 46% (FDA) and 59% (USDA) of the snacks met the sodium recommendations.

The nutrition recommendations made by USDA, CSPI, and IOM (FDA does not provide recommendations for beverages) for beverages that were examined in this analysis were also inconsistent. Only the USDA and IOM recommend 100% fruit juice, and this was met by 10.7% of the beverages analyzed. The USDA and CSPI recommend no added sugars or sweeteners, and this criterion was met by 4 beverages analyzed for both agencies. The IOM recommends that beverages contain less than 22 g of sugar per 8 fluid ounces; 34.5% of beverages met this recommendation.

CSPI is the only agency that mentions caffeine in its recommendations and recommends that beverages contain none; most (86.9%) beverages met this recommendation. The only recommendation that was consistent across all 3 agencies was for milk. All 3 recommend nonfat or 1% milk, but these beverage types were not found advertised through advergames.

The evidence indicates that the nutrition recommendations of the USDA, FDA, IOM, and CSPI for foods marketed to children vary greatly. Companies that market foods to children should exercise social responsibility Clear criteria and enforcement of food advertising guidelines and regulations is warranted. in the absence of consistent and enforceable The voluntary standards we now have are inconsistent and unenforceable.

The tactic addressed in this study, the advergame, is new, and the rapid pace of technological innovation will continue to provide more new and unique advertising opportunities for food companies. For example, the expanding popularity of mobile technology such as smartphones and tablets provides another venue for advertisers to reach children. In our technology-driven society, highly interactive advergames engage the player in ways that traditional one-way media, such as television, cannot.

Food marketers, presumably recognizing the potential persuasive effect of advergames on children’s attitudes or behaviors, have used advergames to reach their target audience more frequently than have marketers of nonfood products . This reach is achieved by promotion of advergames on food product packages, on portal websites, and via television advertisements . As new techniques evolve, it becomes even more critical that parents and the public be provided with sound nutritional and health guidance through food marketers.

Advergames most often promote high-calorie food products, potentially blurring the lines between advertising and entertainment and compounding children’s inability to recognize and resist intent. Conversely, studies have also demonstrated that using advergames can be an effective method of increasing nutritious food choices  and can potentially be a positive alternative strategy for obesity interventions aimed at children.

Childhood obesity is a complex issue, and the food industry has the power of promoting foods that could positively affect children’s food preferences and consumption patterns . A multinational study of children aged 6 to 12 years in 10 countries (the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Greece, the Netherlands, and Sweden) showed a positive association between the hours spent watching television advertisements promoting energy-dense (sweet, salty, or high-fat) foods and the prevalence of childhood overweight. This relationship was inverse when the advertisements promoted nutrient-dense foods (fruits, vegetables, bread, and fish products). This result could also occur with advergames. Regulation of advertising of foods high in calories, fat, salt, and sugar is imperative to protect the health of the younger generation.