TRACING WITH QR CODES TO PREVENT FOOD FRAUD.

The recalls concerning a lot of food items and pet products have sensitized the public about food sources,handling and codes.

The recalls are usually done per batches or dates of manufacture depending on where the error occurred, this has led to various means of tracing and tracking products that are fast,cheap and easy to use.   A company recently came up with an innovation using QR CODE

 A traceability system developed in New Zealand uses Quick Response (QR) codes so consumers with smartphones can have an easily accessible history of the source and status of an item, whether it happens to be a dairy product, a car, or any other merchandise.

 ID locate is a relatively new product developed by a company based in Auckland, NZ. Companies implementing the system pay a one-time setup charge and then a monthly maintenance fee, while consumers interested in their brands can use it for free.

 Woman scanning food with phone at storeSimon Bell, who handles technical and operational issues for the company, explained that the generated information can alert consumers to a food fraud problem, a related recall, or other issues involving a particular product.

 “It’s all database-driven so when they scan the QR code, it generates a particular URL so whatever information we have around that particular product is unique. It could be anything.

When a consumer scans it, it instantly tells them whether there’s a recall on that product,” “We’ve got a really good understanding of unique coding and imaging and a really good understanding of the application process.

 It’s incredibly secure and incredibly mobile; we can roll and do it in 15 minutes. We haven’t found anybody else who can do what we can do,” he said.

 There is almost no limit to the information which can be tracked on a food item. Besides the origin and recall history, it could be data from an outbreak investigation, video footage, or other content specific to that individual product,

 Bell noted. Lots of research is being done these days involving genetically engineered foods and various product investigations, but nothing has systematically been done linking that research with the consumer, he said.

 Read more here;http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/11/food-traceability-tool-developed-in-new-zealand-uses-qr-codes/#.VlRqzHarSM8

Most Turkey Producers Allow Routine Antibiotic Use.

A report shows that most turkey producers allow the indiscriminate use of antibiotics as growth promoters. Humane farming advocates Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT) have released an overview of the antibiotics and other drugs used in turkey production.The organization is part of the Keep Antibiotics Working coalition, which recommends that food animal producers limit the use of medically important antibiotics to disease treatment in order to prevent overuse and subsequent spread of antibiotic resistance. FACT found that among the top 20 turkey producers, only Hain Pure Protein, marketed under the Plainville Farms Brand, and Tyson Foods, marketed under the Hillshire Brand, stated that they don’t allow their producers to routinely use antibiotics related to those used in humane medicine either for disease prevention or for growth promotion. FACT recommends that consumers avoid companies that allow ractopamine or routine antibiotic use and seek out companies that are transparent about the drugs they use in food production. The report also recommends that consumers look for products that are produced under a third-party certification that includes controls on veterinary drug use. read more here; http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/11/report-most-turkey-producers-allow-routine-antibiotic-use/#.VlRn23arSM8

NANO TECH WOUND HEALING OPTION FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS.

Scientists have developed antibacterial nano fibres of cellulose acetate loaded with silver that could be used in a new type of dressing to promote tissue repair. People with diabetes mellitus often suffer from impaired wound healing. Now, scientists in Egypt have developed antibacterial nanofibres of cellulose acetate loaded with silver that could be used in a new type of dressing to promote tissue repair. They reveal details of the new materials and their properties in the International Journal of Nanoparticles. The dressing absorbs fluids exuded by the wound, but also protects the wound from infectious agents while being permeable to air and moisture, the team reports. The use of this dressing also promotes collagen production as the wound heals, which helps to recreate normal skin strength and texture something that is lacking in unassisted wound healing in diabetes mellitus. The nano fibres from cellulose acetate, an inexpensive and easily fabricated, semisynthetic polymer used in everything from photographic film to coatings for eyeglasses and even cigarette filters. It can be spun into fibres and thus used to make an absorbent and safe wound dressing. The report is available here; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150810123758.htm

THE POWER OF VINEGAR!!!

Vinegar is acetic acid and it has antibacterial properties aside from it being a powerful cleaning agent.The benefits of acetic acid are utilized in the food industry where its utilized to clean food,table tops,food cabinets e.t.c. Check out older posts on vinegar. Vinegar can be used in various strength depending on what you want to use if for; the vinegar-water combination can be used as follows 1) can be used to clean and disinfect wounds. 2) as a flea repellent. 3) clean and disinfect tables,kitchen utensils. 4) wash fruits and vegetables. A new study now reveals that vinegar can be used in treatment of burn wounds;Infections of burn wounds are difficult to treat with traditional antibiotics as they do not effectively reach the wound, and the infecting organisms are often highly antibiotic resistant.The study, published in PLOS ONE, demonstrated that low concentrations of acetic acid can be used to treat bio films, and therefore could be used as alternatives to topical (surface applied) antimicrobials and traditional antimicrobial dressings for preventing bacterial colonization of burns. Miss Fenella Halstead, NIHR SRMRC Clinical Scientist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, explained, "As resistance to antibiotics grows, we need to find ways to replace them with alternative topical agents that can kill bacteria and help our burns patients. The evidence in this study offers great promise to be a cheap and effective measure to do just that." Read more about study here; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150915105208.htm

SNAKE VENOM USED TO STOP BLEEDING.

In what seems to be an ironic twist 2 scientist have demonstrated the ability of snake venom to stop bleeding even in the presence of anticoagulants.Rice University researchers Jeffrey Hartgerink, and Vivek Kumar developed SB50;an hydrogel. The product a nano fiber an hydrogel called SB50 incorporates batroxobin, a venom produced by two species of South American pit viper. It can be injected as a liquid and quickly turns into a gel that conforms to the site of a wound, keeping it closed, and promotes clotting within seconds.The hydrogel may be most useful for surgeries, particularly for patients who take anti-coagulant drugs to thin their blood. Batroxobin was recognized for its properties as a coagulant -- a substance that encourages blood to clot -- in 1936. It has been used in various therapies as a way to remove excess fibrin proteins from the blood to treat thrombosis and as a topical hemostat. It has also been used as a diagnostic tool to determine blood-clotting time in the presence of heparin, an anti-coagulant drug. The batroxobin combined with the Rice lab's hydrogels isn't taken directly from snakes, Hartgerink said. The substance used for medicine is produced by genetically modified bacteria and then purified, avoiding the risk of other contaminant toxins. read more here;http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151026111913.htm

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN HORSES.

The use of antimicrobial s in food animals have been linked to the emergence of antibiotic resistance in man and animals as well.The emergence of the super bugs has been the light on the way food animals are raised and managed,with people clamoring for antibiotic-free livestock production.Antibiotics in livestock should be used as treatment protocol and not as growth promoters in animals,because these residues do more harm to man that consume these animals.These antibiotic residues have been linked to several ailments plaguing man today. The antibiotic resistance war has enveloped the companion animals as well as other pets, a lot of pet lover/owners and handlers abuse the use of antibiotics as well resulting in resistance which affects their owners as well.The E.coli infection affecting man and animals are borne from gross misuse of antibiotics ; a recent study shows the resistance in horses; new review in the Equine Veterinary Journal reveals that antimicrobial resistance is prevalent in bacteria from horses, particularly E. coli. Also, while methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) can be common in hospitalized horses, it is less frequently present in the general equine population. The emergence of multidrug resistance in many other bacterial species, however, represents a huge challenge for society. Read more here http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151120182819.htm

A BREECH IN BIOSECURITY PROTOCOL FINGERED FOR SPREAD OF BOVINE VIRAL DIARRHEA.

Bovine viral diarrhea that affected about 5,000 cattle of which 500 were destroyed in Germany,indicates a breech of bio security protocol as the cause of high incidence. Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) leads to severe disease and significant economic losses Caused by the Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV). Bovine Viral Diarrhea suppresses the immune system and causes a variety of symptoms, including respiratory problems, infertility, and abortion. "A dairy farmer first noticed a reduction in milk yield, respiratory symptoms, nasal discharge, fever, sporadic diarrhea and sudden deaths -- these symptoms were also noted on other farms as the infection spread, but did not immediately indicate BVD as the cause," said Dr. Jörn Gethmann, lead author of the study from Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute. "We were surprised by the high morbidity and mortality an induced by a BVDV strain in this outbreak." The researchers supported the competent local authorities in tracing the spread of the virus. They visited eight farms and obtained data on a further 13 farms. They discovered that the virus was not transmitted directly by infected cattle, but mostly by people such as vets and traders who were moving between farms. "We were surprised to see the effective transmission to other farms without persistently infected animals involved," commented Dr. Gethmann. Bio security is very important at all levels of production; a simple hand washing ,wearing protective clothing,tyre dips,foot baths and use of protective gloves will prevent spread of infectious agents. Read more here;http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150921090151.htm