Category: Issue 365
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Study Claims Previous Report Underestimate Human BPA Exposure
A recent study has reportedly claimed that human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) greatly exceeds the daily threshold set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which specifies the upper limit of BPA intake at 50 micrograms per kilogram of body weight. Julia Taylor, et al., “Similarity of Bisphenol A Pharmacokinetics in Rhesus Monkey and Mice:…
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IOM Launches New Obesity Prevention Activity
The Institute of Medicine’s (IOM’s) Food and Nutrition Board recently launched a new activity titled “Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention,” which aims to review IOM’s obesity-prevention strategies and make further recommendations. Sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, an ad hoc committee of academic, industry and scientific experts will undertake a 21-month study intended for…
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Russian Seed Bank May Be Spared
After a Russian court approved the transfer to a housing development foundation of land outside St. Petersburg where more than 6,000 varieties of fruits and berries are grown, scientists fearing the loss of a major seed bank were reportedly heartened to learn that President Dmitry Medvedev has taken an interest in the matter and ordered…
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Defense Counsel Asserts Caffeine Overdose Led to False Murder Confession
A Kentucky man accused of murdering his wife reportedly notified the court that he would defend himself by claiming that a high caffeine intake, from soft drinks, energy drinks and diet pills, made him temporarily insane and unable to form the requisite criminal intent to kill his wife. During opening statements, however, his attorney apparently…
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Snapple Seeks to Dismiss Remaining Individual Claims in HFCS Litigation
Snapple Beverage Corp. has requested that a federal district court dismiss the individual claims remaining in litigation alleging that the company misled consumers by labeling beverages containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as “all natural.” Weiner v. Snapple Beverage Corp., No. 07-8742 (S.D.N.Y., motion filed September 17, 2010). In August 2010, the court issued an order…
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Boston Considers Action on Sugary Drink Sales in City-Owned Buildings
Boston city officials are reportedly considering a move to prohibit or restrict sugar-sweetened beverages sold on city-owned property as a way of combating obesity. The city, which has already prohibited smoking in restaurants and bars and trans fat in fast food restaurants and bakeries, recently convened health, education and housing leaders to develop a policy…
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EFSA Reaffirms Safety of Food Derived from Cloned Pigs, Cattle
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a scientific statement reaffirming its 2009 conclusion that “in relation to food safety, there is no indication that differences exist for meat and milk of clones and their progeny compared with those from conventionally bred animals.” The food safety watchdog’s assessment, however, pertains only to pigs and…
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EPA Issues Rule on Multi-Walled and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), concerned about potential hazards to human health and the environment, has issued a final rule that will require anyone intending “to manufacture, import, or process either [multi-walled or single-walled carbon nanotubes] for a use that is designated as a significant new use by this final rule to notify EPA at…