Category: Scientific/Technical Items
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Study Credits Family of Viruses in Decline of Honeybee Population
A recent study has reportedly suggested that multiple viruses are responsible for the increase of colony collapse disorder (CCD) among global honeybee populations. Reed M. Johnson, et al., “Changes in transcript abundance relating to colony collapse disorder in honey bees (Apis mellifera),” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, August 2009. According to researchers, “Microarray analysis…
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Researchers Claim Brains of the Elderly Obese Show More Atrophy
According to researchers with the University of Pittsburgh and UCLA Schools of Medicine, brain scans of 94 elderly individuals showed that “obese subjects with a high BMI (BMI>30) showed atrophy of the frontal lobes [planning and memory functions], anterior cingulate gyrus [attention and executive functions], hippocampus [long-term memory], and thalamus [sensory information processing and relay]…
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Researchers Develop Index to Evaluate Nutrient-Dense Foods
U.S. researchers have reportedly developed a nutrient-density classification system that offers “a positive, scientific approach to inform people about what to eat rather than what not to eat.” V.L. Fulgoni 3rd, et al., “Development and validation of the nutrient-rich foods index: a tool to measure nutritional quality of foods,” Journal of Nutrition, August 2009. The researchers…
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Study Authors Urge Regulatory Reform of Food Allergen Labeling
A recent audit of food allergen labeling practices has reportedly concluded that “deficiencies and ambiguities are prevalent,” calling on federal agencies to back the “strict enforcement of labeling laws as well as additional regulation.” M.M. Pieretti, et al., “Audit of manufactured products: use of allergen advisory labels and identification of labeling ambiguities,” Journal of Allergy…
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Chinese Researchers Find Nanoparticles in Human Lung Tissue
Chinese researchers studying seven women purportedly exposed to nanoparticles in the workplace for 5-13 months sought to determine if their shortness of breath and pleural effusions could be linked to their exposure. Y. Song, et al., “Exposure to nanoparticles is related to pleural effusion, pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma,” European Respiratory Journal, August 20, 2009. According to…
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Researchers Consider Use of Nanoparticles to Color Water-Based Foods
According to Louisiana and Arkansas university researchers, entrapping betacarotene with nanoparticles could provide a way to use “natural” ingredients as food colorants. Carlos Astete, et al., “Ca2+ Cross-Linked Alginic Acid Nanoparticles for Solubilization of Lipophilic Natural Colorants,” Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry, August 3, 2009. The research was undertaken in response to consumer concerns about…
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Study Finds No Link Between Artificial Sweeteners and Increased Cancer Risk
An Italian study has reportedly found that the consumption of artificial sweeteners, including saccharin and aspartame, does not increase the risk of developing gastric, pancreatic or endometrial cancers. Cristina Bosetti, et al., “Artificial Sweeteners and the Risk of Gastric, Pancreatic, and Endometrial Cancers in Italy,” Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention (August 1, 2009). Classifying participants as…
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Study Suggests Food Stamp Program May Play a Role in Obesity
A recent study has reportedly claimed that the average American woman enrolled in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is 5.8 pounds heavier than someone of the same socioeconomic background who does not receive food stamps. Jay L. Zagorsky, et al., “Does the U.S. Food Stamp Program Contribute to Adult Weight Gain?”, Economics &…