How E. coli O157:H7 binds to vegetables
24 April, 2014Research presented at the Society for General Microbiology's annual meeting shows that the disease-causing E. coli O157:H7 interacts directly with plant cells, allowing it to anchor to the surface of a plant where it can multiply.
Tough bikkies: food texture impacts calorie perception
23 April, 2014The texture of food plays a significant role in how calorie-dense consumers perceive it to be, with hard or rough foods perceived to have fewer calories, new research published in the Journal of Consumer Research has shown.
Developing healthier foods, virtually
16 April, 2014A 'virtual mouth' developed by the CSIRO is providing researchers with new information on how to produce healthier foods - while still ensuring they taste good.
Cracking down on counterfeiting with a smartphone
14 April, 2014How can you tell if a food product is counterfeit? Soon, if MIT researchers have anything to do with it, you'll be able to use your smartphone.
Shrinking Chinese households drive demand for convenient packaging
11 April, 2014Packaging for Chinese consumers needs to meet the needs of busier, smaller households, Canadean says. The one child policy has seen the average Chinese household shrink to 2.8 people, while the family structure has changed to a new '4-2-1 composition': four grandparents, two parents and one child.
Dealing with thermoduric microbes in the dairy industry
11 April, 2014While pasteurisation may have revolutionised the food industry, certain microbes can survive pasteurisation. Sanjeev Anand, a South Dakota State University dairy science professor, is developing ways to combat these heat-resistant microorganisms.
Food safety detective combats food fraud
10 April, 2014To combat food fraud, we need to identify which factors play a role in vulnerability of organisations and the food chain, according to Saskia van Ruth, the newly appointed Professor of Food Authenticity and Integrity at Wageningen University.
GM food found to be biochemically the same as non-GM food
10 April, 2014A new study into the make-up of GM foods could allay consumers' fears about the products, researchers say. Cornell University researchers found that the metabolic profile of GM tomatoes was the same as their non-GM counterparts.
New method pasteurises eggs in 20 minutes
09 April, 2014USDA researchers have developed a way to pasteurise raw eggs in-shell using radiofrequency heating. The method takes 20 minutes and does not affect the eggs' taste, texture or colour.
Recyclable plastic cartons to save 1 million eggs
01 April, 2014UK supermarket giant Tesco has successfully trialled recyclable plastic packaging that will prevent more than one million eggs going to waste each year.
Soda tax may not be the solution to obesity epidemic
31 March, 2014Is increasing taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages really the key to curbing the obesity epidemic? According to a recent study, not really.
Nestlé unveils Food Safety Institute
27 March, 2014Nestlé has opened a food safety research centre in Beijing as part of efforts to help meet China's growing demand for healthy, safe food - one of the top three concerns among Chinese consumers.
It's official: dark chocolate really is good for you (and now we know why)
19 March, 2014While many of us cite the health benefits of dark chocolate as the reason for our addiction to the stuff, the exact reason for these health benefits has remained a mystery for many years - until now.
Smart tag keeps tabs on food spoilage
18 March, 2014Forget use-by dates - what if the packaging could tell you if a product was safe to eat? Researchers have developed a smart tag that can tell whether the product inside has spoiled without the need to open the container.
Safer BPA alternative created from papermaking waste
17 March, 2014A safer alternative to Bisphenol A (BPA) has been developed from a waste product from making paper: lignin. Researchers say the BPA alternative could be market-ready in five years.
