Identifying food safety hazards in greenhouse systems.

Identifying food safety hazards in greenhouse systems. According to the United States Department of Agriculture 2012 Census of Agriculture, sales from greenhouse-grown food crops equaled around $800 million in the U.S. Crops grown included tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, and berries, with hydroponic production operations making up about 64% of the total production (cwt) (USDA Census of Agriculture, 2012). Demand for greenhouse-grown produce continues to increase, providing growers with unique opportunities to tap into this expanding market. Although greenhouse systems provide a more protected environment than field-grown systems, it is important to understand the unique food safety risks and possible sources of contamination when growing produce in these systems. Identifying food safety hazards are necessary to implementing practices that reduce the risk of contamination during the pre-plant, production, harvest, and post-harvest handling stages. more

Moms who breastfeed may have reduced risk of multiple sclerosis.

Moms who breastfeed may have reduced risk of multiple sclerosis. Mothers who breastfeed for a total of at least 15 months over one or more pregnancies may be less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with those who don’t breastfeed at all or do so for up to four months, according to a study. Mothers who breastfeed for a total of at least 15 months over one or more pregnancies may be less likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with those who don't breastfeed at all or do so for up to four months, according to a study published in online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. more

Eating more vegetable protein may protect against early menopause.

Eating more vegetable protein may protect against early menopause.Long-term, high intake of vegetable protein from such foods as whole grains, soy and tofu, may protect women from early menopause and could prolong reproductive function. Results of a new study from epidemiologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health suggest that long-term, high intake of vegetable protein from such foods as whole grains, soy and tofu, may protect women from early menopause and could prolong reproductive function. Consuming enriched pasta, dark bread and cold cereal were especially associated with lower risk, while they observed no similar relation to eating animal sources of protein. A better understanding of how dietary vegetable protein intake is associated with ovarian aging may identify ways for women to modify their risk of early onset menopause and associated health conditions.The study appears in the current early edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology. Early menopause, the cessation of ovarian function before age 45, affects about 10 percent of women and is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and early cognitive decline, more

Diet rich in tomatoes cuts skin cancer in half in mice.

Diet rich in tomatoes cuts skin cancer in half in mice.This discovery builds on previous evidence of cancer-prevention benefits. A new study at the Ohio State University. has shown that daily tomato consumption appeared to cut the development of skin cancer tumors by half in a mouse. The new study of how nutritional interventions can alter the risk for skin cancers appeared online in the journal Scientific Reports. It found that male mice fed a diet of 10 percent tomato powder daily for 35 weeks, then exposed to ultraviolet light, experienced, on average, a 50 percent decrease in skin cancer tumors compared to mice that ate no dehydrated tomato. The theory behind the relationship between tomatoes and cancer is that dietary carotenoids, the pigmenting compounds that give tomatoes their color, may protect skin against UV light damage.more

'Solarsack' cleans water with heat from sunlight, cheaply and effectively.

'Solarsack' cleans water with heat from sunlight, cheaply and effectively. Two Danish students have developed have developed “SolarSack” for inexpensive and environmentally friendly water purification. The concept was tested in villages, refugee camps and slums in East Africa where it will be marketed. The product, known as SolarSack, is a special bag that is filled with four liters of water and placed in the sun for four hours. Using UVA and UVB rays, as well as heat from the sun, the water is cleaned of pathogenic bacteria. The user can then drink the water and reuse the bag for water purification. The method was approved by the World Health Organization which estimates that between 99.9 and 99.999 percent of the pathogenic bacteria in the water die. The students tested SolarSack in Kenya and Uganda with local users and organizations, and adapted it to their needs. And it's cheap. more

Malaria parasites able to sense their hosts' calorie intake

Malaria parasites able to sense their hosts' calorie intake.Scientists have found that the odds of dying with a malaria infection are lower when the host eats lower amounts of food. A new study has shown that the infectious agent responsible for malaria, the Plasmodium parasite, is able to to sense and actively adapt to the host's nutritional status.Using mouse models of malaria infection, scientists from Instituto de Medicina Molecular in Lisbon (iMM Lisboa), found that mice who ate 30% fewer calories had a significantly lower parasite load. Plasmodium parasites reproduce inside red blood cells every 48 hours. The study in Nature reveals for the first time that the parasite's rate of replication depends on the calories ingested by the host. This may ultimately dictate the outcome of a malaria infection: survival or death.more

Pesticides Linked to Depression In Farmers.

Pesticides Linked to Depression In Farmers. A landmark study indicates that seven pesticides, some widely used, may be causing clinical depression in farmers. Will the government step in and start regulating these chemical tools? Earlier this fall, researchers from the National Institute of Health finished up a landmark 20-year study, a study that hasn’t received the amount of coverage it deserves. About 84,000 farmers and spouses of farmers were interviewed since the mid-1990s to investigate the connection between pesticides and depression, a connection that had been suggested through anecdotal evidence for far longer. We called up Dr. Freya Kamel, the lead researcher on the study, to find out what the team learned and what it all means. Spoiler: nothing good. more