From cassava to KFC: global standardised diet threatens local crops
06 March, 2014A new study of global food supplies has confirmed what experts have long suspected: in the last 50 years, human diets around the world have grown more and more similar - by a global average of 36%.
Canned food can do you good, study shows
05 March, 2014Canned food has received the tick of approval after an analysis of more than 40 scientific studies found that canned foods are a good way to help people increase their fruit and vegetable intake, regardless of geography or income level.
Dark chocolate proven beneficial for heart health
04 March, 2014Researchers from The Netherlands have found that dark chocolate helps restore flexibility to arteries while also preventing white blood cells from sticking to the walls of blood vessels.
Even low-level BPA exposure is too much, expert says: primate foetuses affected
03 March, 2014Daily exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), even at very low concentrations, has been shown to cause foetal abnormalities in primates, raising questions about its effects on human foetuses.
Strawberries shown to reduce cholesterol
26 February, 2014Eating strawberries can lower your cholesterol, researchers have found, but you may need to eat quite a lot - in the order of half a kilo each day - to have the desired effect.
Safer baby food through high-pressure thermal sterilisation
25 February, 2014Treating baby food puree with high-pressure thermal sterilisation (HPTS) instead of conventional thermal processing showed a reduction of furan, food scientists from the Technische Universität Berlin have found.
Scientists warn of chemical dangers in food packaging, but not without their critics
25 February, 2014 by Jo Adetunji, The ConversationEnvironmental scientists have warned the long-term effects of synthetic chemicals used in packaging, food storage and processing food could be damaging our health.
Infrared technology key to non-destructive food quality testing
21 February, 2014Non-destructive food quality testing could soon be a reality, thanks to researchers from the University of Western Australia. The technique is similar to using infrared thermometers to detect body temperature.
Zip-Pak Fragrance-Zip aroma-emitting zipper closure
21 February, 2014 | Supplied by: Zip-Pak Pty LtdZip-Pak has developed the Fragrance-Zip, a zipper closure solution designed to emit a customised aroma upon initial and subsequent openings of a flexible package. The scent is embedded in the reclosure during the manufacturing process. The fragrance can be incorporated into any style of resealable Zip-Pak closure. The company claims it can duplicate most aromas, enabling a package to replicate a desired scent whenever opened.
Food safety and UV-cured printing inks
21 February, 2014 by David Helsby, President, RadTech Europe
There is much to be said in favour of radiation-curing inks, as world-leading manufacturers of packaging print equipment already know. Because UV inks cure faster, work throughput is much more positive than with traditional print drying tunnels.
Make haste, use waste
21 February, 2014 | Supplied by: FoodWaikato
The Bio-Resource Processing Alliance (BPA) has NZ$2.5 million per year available to help NZ biological-based manufacturing businesses gain maximum value from waste and by-products.
The nose knows best? Not really, researchers say
19 February, 2014The nose isn't the only organ associated with smell, according to researchers from the Université de Montréal. Apparently vision also plays a role in how we perceive smell.
High-vitamin C foods could reduce stroke risk
19 February, 2014While an apple a day may keep the doctor away, an orange a day could reduce your risk of stroke. Researchers have found that eating foods high in vitamin C could reduce the risk of the most common type of haemorrhagic stroke.
Good gracious - greater grains!
08 February, 2014Research undertaken by Flinders University scientists could help increase the nutritional output of the staple grains of developing countries. The team has shown that they can alter the distribution of micronutrients such as zinc and iron in rice and wheat, creating more nutritious crops. Staple food crops such as wheat and rice form the bulk of diets in poorer countries, but they contain very low levels of essential micronutrients; iron and zinc in particular. Whole grains contain higher levels of micronutrients but most of these are found in the outer layers of the grain which are often removed prior to cooking.
A universal definition of "whole grain"
07 February, 2014The term "whole grain" seems like it should be relatively straightforward. In reality, there has never been a complete legally endorsed definition of whole grain flour and products.
