Category: Scientific/Technical Items
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Study Alleges Diet Soda Linked to Increased Stroke and Dementia Risk
A study examining the health effects of sugary and artificially sweetened beverages has allegedly concluded that consumption of the latter was associated with an increased risk of stroke and dementia. Matthew P. Pase et al., “Sugar and Artificially Sweetened Beverages and the Risks of Incident Stroke and Dementia,” Stroke, May 2017. Based on data from…
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EFSA Reassessment Finds No Safety Concern for Use of Acacia Gum
The Panel of Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food, a branch of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), has conducted a reassessment on the effects of acacia gum used in food products and reportedly found 30,000 milligrams per person per day to be well-tolerated. The scientific opinion apparently found no carcinogenic or other…
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Cornell Addresses Criticisms of Food and Brand Lab Director Brian Wansink
Cornell University has issued a statement concluding that alleged statistical errors in studies authored by Brian Wansink, director of the university’s Food and Brand Lab, “did not constitute scientific misconduct.” Known for his work focused on how ads, packaging and other factors influence eating behavior, Wansink reportedly attracted criticism after he published a blog post…
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Study Claims Honeybee Gut Bacteria “Perturbed” by Antibiotics
A study has purportedly suggested that antibiotic treatments for foulbrood and other pathogens can disrupt the gut microbiota of honeybees, increasing their susceptibility to opportunistic bacterial infections. Kasie Raymann, et al., “Antibiotic exposure perturbs the gut microbiota and elevates mortality in honeybees,” PLoS Biology, March 2017. To examine the effects of common bee antibiotics, University…
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FDA Issues Guidance on the Use of Fruit and Vegetable Juices as Color Additives
Responding to food manufacturers’ requests, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published industry guidance to clarify when fruit and vegetable juices “may be used as color additives for foods without additional premarket review and approval from the agency under its color additive petition process.” Under current regulations, the agency provides that “the safety…
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Study Analyzes Food and Beverage Industry Responses to Product Reformulation
After analyzing food and beverage industry responses to a 2015 consultation by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, researchers with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have claimed that product reformulation—“the process of altering a food or beverage product’s recipe or composition to improve the product’s health profile”—“has been largely voluntary.” C. Scott,…
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Rudd Center Claims “Smart Snack” Packaging Confuses Students
The University of Connecticut’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity has published a study on student and parent perceptions of competitive foods and beverages sold in schools under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Smart Snack nutrition standards. Jennifer Harris, et al., “Effects of Offering Look-Alike Products as Smart Snacks in Schools,” Childhood Obesity, September…