Drinking coffee cuts risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.(HCC)

Drinking coffee cuts risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.(HCC) .A new study has shown that drinking cups of coffee a day reduces risk of liver cancer. A large meta-analysis of more than 2 million adults found that drinking one cup of coffee a day was associated with a 20 percent reduced risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a type of liver cancer. Drinking two cups of caffeinated coffee per day was linked to a 35 percent reduced HCC risk; in fact, the more coffee people drink, the lower their HCC risk Neurological diseases, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver and endometrial, cutaneous melanoma skin cancer and liver cancer are some of the diseases that are suppressed by coffee consumption. continue

New veterinary diagnostic networks to aid poultry, livestock production in Sub-Sahara.

New veterinary diagnostic networks to aid poultry, livestock production in Sub-Sahara. With the help of a US$14.4 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation over the next 3 years, Zoetis announced plans to develop veterinary and outreach services to aid the growth of poultry and livestock production in Ethiopia, Nigeria and Uganda. The animal health company said the grant would enable the development of veterinary laboratory networks, increase the availability of local veterinary medicines and services, implement sustainable diagnostics programs and strengthen local veterinary expertise. “Access to medicines and technology will help farmers raise healthier animals and secure more sustainable revenue, which is critical to the economic development of the region and well-being of its population,” said Juan Ramón Alaix, chief executive officer for Zoetis. As one of the most rapidly developing regions in the world, Sub-Saharan Africa is also home to some of the largest food-animal populations in the world – and the highest density of impoverished farmers.1 According to Zoetis, food animals are essential assets to rural communities and maintaining their health is critical to achieving food security in areas of exceptionally high animal and human disease incidence. This program, funded by the foundation, will be called the African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement (ALPHA) initiative. Zoetis said it would collaborate with governmental authorities, local veterinary associations, national and international NGOs, farmer associations and the private sector to “maximize its ability to positively impact the region.” Over the course of 3 years, the company said it would “use the progress made and key learnings to work toward a longer-term sustainable business model and animal health infrastructure” for food-animal production in the region. source

Sanderson Farms vet drawing new battle lines against ILT.

Sanderson Farms vet drawing new battle lines against ILT. Sanderson Farms growers have been asked to stop driving their farm trucks off the farm to help prevent outbreaks of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT), according to Phil Stayer, DVM, head veterinarian of the company. He described the most recent ILT outbreak in North Carolina as a “community” disease. “If your neighbor gets it, you can get it,” He noted that there’s so much ILT virus in the environment it’s now found on farm lanes. If growers drive on local roads, their vehicles are exposed. That’s why Sanderson Farms has asked growers to restrict use of their farm trucks. Growers have also been asked to keep their private vehicles off the farms, he said. Stayer’s investigation into the causes of the outbreak showed that farmers were parking their trucks in front of the broiler house air inlets. Virus on the truck then got inside the chicken house via air. ILT usually gets tracked into the poultry house on a person’s feet, Stayer said, but not in this case. The veterinarian noted that feed trucks delivering to farms are another potential source of viral contamination. However, they’re disinfected as they come onto farms and they don’t remain for long. Farmers, on the other hand, tend to park their trucks by the broiler house for long periods of time, which they’ve now been asked not to do. As an extra precautionary measure, Sanderson Farms is also limiting the number of people who can go into broiler houses until the outbreak ends, Stayer noted. source

IAEA and FAO go mobile to tackle food fraud

IAEA and FAO go mobile to tackle food fraud: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are to look at mobile tools to combat food fraud and contamination.

Mars recalls chocolate over salmonella fears

Mars recalls chocolate over salmonella fears: Mars Chocolate UK and Mars Ireland are recalling some Galaxy, Maltesers Teasers and Minstrels chocolate products, after routine testing revealed the presence of salmonella.

Farmers using ash and sand to tame army worms spread.

Farmers using ash and sand to tame army worms spread. A section of farmers in Nakuru have resorted to traditional methods of dealing with army worms, a deadly pest that has invaded large swathes of land, causing devastation to farmers. John Sialo, who owns a five-acre land in Rongai, uses ash and sand to control breeding and finally kill the worms.According to Mr Sialo, the method has helped control invasion in his farm and in his children's farms. The mixture, which was used by farmers to control crop diseases in the older days, is mixed in a ratio of one to two, with the sand being the most. With the help of his family members, the father of nine makes enough mixture to cater for maize plantation in his piece of land.The mixture is then applied to the maize funnel at knee height. According to a research by International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology, ash is alkaline and therefore useful as a fungicide and a pesticide. Insects that come into contact with wood ash are burned and killed. The research stated sand contains moisture and high micro-organism concentrations that help to reduce the larvae of the pests before they mature. more

Cash for weight loss.

Cash for weight loss.A new study has shown that selling rewards programs to participants entering a weight loss program is a low cost strategy to increase both the magnitude and duration of weight loss. The study, published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, has shown that selling rewards programmes to participants entering a weight loss programme is a low cost strategy to increase both the magnitude and duration of weight loss. A team from the Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH) led the research, which has implications for insurance companies and employers looking for low cost strategies to improve population health. Worldwide, overweight and obesity are increasingly prevalent conditions, which have led to the rise of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. They have also increased absenteeism among employees and raised private and public healthcare costs. However, they are largely preventable by making healthier food choices and engaging in regular physical activity. Yet, because people often succumb to temptation, they often fail to make healthier choices. source