#New Technique Busts Chocolate Counterfeiters Scientists say they have figured out how to identify the genetic origin of the cacao fruit a finding that should help put a damper on counterfeit chocolate.
As the worldwide demand growing for ultra-premium chocolate made from top-quality cacao beans has risen so too has the practice of blending in cheaper substitutes for the good stuff.
The problem is that unlike coffee grapes cereals and tea which can be subject to existing methods of genetic testing to verify their origins cacao has been a tougher nut to crack.
and lead author of a new paper that recently appeared in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.#
But one expert noted that devising a genetic test won t make the chocolate taste any better.#
and the company that is marketing the high-priced bar. Grivetti noted that high-quality chocolate is determined often by its production methods rather than
whether it came from a small remote plantation.##oeyes you can run a genetic test#Grivetti said.
and food security and yet we tend to tackle these as separate problems as if they have no interconnections.
What if the world s food water and energy problems were tackled together in a way that lowered costs
-but it does demonstrate great potential because of the links it builds between water energy and food.
At the top of the Spencer Gulf near Port Augusta in South australia Sundrop Farms is turning sunlight and seawater into fresh water and food inside greenhouses.
Philipp Saumweber is a Harvard MBA formerly of investment bank Goldman sachs who was struck by the basic idea that food needs to be produced in a very different way from how it largely is today.
The concept is to turn sunlight and seawater(#oesundrops#)into clean food water and energy.
The food produced is clean uniform and produced with minimal use of pesticides since the sterilised airflow reduces pest invasion
there is no single answer for the world s food needs. And there are still huge research challenges in reinventing food production in a crowded world.
But there are also vast entrepreneurial opportunities. So from an Australian perspective it will be exciting to keep watching to see how the Sundrop Farms model works out.
The Explorers Club Annual Dinner has become famous for a cocktail hour that dares its adventurous attendees to be daring with their palettes though not all were up for the challenge.
Could I say that I gave up eating bugs for Lent? former NASA astronaut Mike LÃ pez-Alegrã a told Live Science last week ahead of the party.
See Photos of the Exotic Foods at the 2014 Explorers Club Gala The smell of durian (think rotting meat wrapped in dirty socks) filled one corner of the black-tie gala.
and tasted like steak. The crispy carcasses of muskrats alligators and snakehead fish populated the other carving boards
Eaters in gowns and tuxedos found even the most innocuous-looking appetizers such as mozzarella and tomato skewers seasoned with mealworms crickets and other critters.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos joked that he had to pick cockroach out of his teeth as he got on stage during the more traditional sit-down dinner portion of the evening.
While the hors d'oeuvres were in keeping with the intrepid spirit of the evening Gene Rurka the man behind the menu had another motive in serving creepy crawlies to A-list explorers.
The message I'm trying to bring across to people is that we're basically out of food Rurka told Live Science in an earlier interview.
We have to look at alternative methods of agriculture not just your beef your pork your chicken.
Lowering Salt Cuts Strokes and Heart attacks (Op-Ed) This article was published originally at The Conversation.
and developing the crop varieties that now feed billions of people worldwide. The fruits of their research the seed were freely available to all.
#Among the 36 varieties of 14 species shared on April 17 Were wrinkled Crinkled Crumpled cress from Frank Morton of Wild Garden Seed in Oregon Full Pint malting barley from Pat Hayes of Oregon
#New Mushrooms Discovered in Chinese Grocery This article was published originally at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices:
and discovered significant differences in three of their packet of dried mushrooms enough to mark them as new species. Their work also highlighted the use of modern DNA sequencing technologies for identifying species in food and for monitoring foods
and out in the soil they gather nutrients for the plant and protect it against diseases
and water stress enhancing plant growth in exchange for sugars the plant produces via photosynthesis. Without their fungal assistants plants as we know them would not exist.
and return nutrients stored in organic matter to the soil. While the most fungi are beneficial some fungi are devastating plant pathogens
and the production of a range of food products including soy sauce blue cheese bread beer and wine.
and enzymes along with food identification and potentially new food sources#sometimes in places you d least expect.
#Pregnancy Diet & Nutrition: What to Eat, What Not to Eat What a woman eats
and drinks during pregnancy is her baby's main source of nourishment. So experts recommend that a mother-to-be choose a variety of healthy foods
and beverages to provide the important nutrients a baby needs for growth and development. A pregnant woman needs more calcium folic acid iron and protein than a woman who is not expecting according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG.
Here is why these four nutrients are important. Folic acid also known as folate when found in foods is A b vitamin that is crucial in helping to prevent birth defects in the baby's brain and spine known as neural tube defects.
It may be hard to get the recommended amount of folic acid from diet alone. For that reason the March of Dimes an organization dedicated to preventing birth defects recommends that women who are trying to have a baby take a daily vitamin supplement containing 400 micrograms of folic acid per day for at least one month before becoming pregnant.
During pregnancy they advise women to increase the amount of folic acid to 600 micrograms a day an amount commonly found in a daily prenatal vitamin.
Food sources: leafy green vegetables fortified or enriched cereals breads and pastas. Calcium is used a mineral to build a baby's bones and teeth.
If a pregnant woman does not consume enough calcium the mineral will be drawn from the mother's stores in her bones
and given to the baby to meet the extra demands of pregnancy explains the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Many dairy products are fortified also with Vitamin d another nutrient that works with calcium to develop a baby's bones and teeth.
Pregnant women age 19 and over need 1000 milligrams of calcium a day; pregnant teens ages 14 to 18 need 1300 milligrams daily according to ACOG.
Food sources: milk yogurt cheese calcium-fortified juices and foods sardines or salmon with bones some leafy greens (kale bok choy.
Iron: Pregnant women need 27 milligrams of iron a day which is double the amount needed by women who are not expecting according to ACOG.
For better absorption of the mineral include a good source of Vitamin c at the same meal
when eating iron-rich foods ACOG recommends. For example have a glass of orange juice at breakfast with an iron-fortified cereal.
Food sources: meat poultry fish dried beans and peas iron-fortified cereal. Protein: More protein is needed during pregnancy
but most women don't have problems getting enough of these foods in their diets said Sarah Krieger a registered dietitian and spokeswoman on prenatal nutrition for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in St petersburg Florida.
She described protein as a builder nutrient because it helps to build important organs in the baby such as the brain and heart.
Food sources: meat poultry fish dried beans and peas eggs nuts tofu. During pregnancy the goal is to be eating nutritious foods most of the time Krieger told Live Science.
To maximize prenatal nutrition she advises emphasizing the following five food groups: fruits vegetables lean protein whole grains and dairy products.
When counseling pregnant women Krieger recommends they fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables a quarter of it with whole grains and a quarter of it with a source of lean protein and to also have a dairy product at every meal.
Fruits and vegetables: Pregnant women should focus on fruits and vegetables particularly during the second and third trimesters Krieger said.
Get between five and 10 tennis ball-size servings of produce every day she said. These colorful foods are low in calories
and filled with fiber vitamins and minerals. Lean protein: Pregnant women should include good protein sources at every meal to support the baby's growth such as meat poultry fish eggs beans tofu cheese milk and nuts Krieger said.
Whole grains are an important source of energy in the diet and they also provide fiber iron and B-vitamins.
At least half of a pregnant woman's carbohydrate choices each day should come from whole grains such as oatmeal whole-wheat pasta
or breads and brown rice Krieger said. Dairy: Aim for 3 to 4 servings of dairy foods a day Krieger suggested such as milk yogurt and cheese
which provide good dietary sources of calcium protein and Vitamin d. In addition to a healthy diet pregnant women also need a daily prenatal vitamin to obtain some of the nutrients that are hard to get from foods alone such as folic acid and iron according to ACOG.
For women who take chewable prenatal vitamins Krieger advised checking the product labels because chewables might not have sufficient iron levels in them.
Detailed information on healthy food choices and quantities to include at meals can also be found in the pregnancy section of the USDA's choosemyplate. gov. Caffeine:
Consuming fewer than 200 mg of caffeine a day which is the amount found in one 12-ounce cup of coffee is considered generally safe during pregnancy according to a 2010 ACOG committee opinion which was reaffirmed in 2013.
The committee report said moderate caffeine consumption does not appear to contribute to miscarriage or premature birth.
Fish: Fish is a good source of lean protein and some fish including salmon and sardines also contain omega-3 fatty acids a healthy fat that's good for the heart.
It is safe for pregnant women to eat 12 ounces of cooked fish and seafood a week according to ACOG.
However they should limit albacore or white tuna which has high levels of mercury to no more than 6 ounces a week according to ACOG.
Alcohol: Avoid alcohol during pregnancy Krieger advised. Alcohol in the mother's blood can pass directly to the baby through the umbilical cord.
Heavy use of alcohol during pregnancy has been linked with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders a group of conditions that can include physical problems as well as learning and behavioral difficulties in babies and children according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC. Fish with high levels of mercury: Seafood such as swordfish shark king mackerel and tilefish are high in levels of methyl mercury according to the Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics and should be avoided. Methyl mercury is a toxic chemical that can pass through the placenta
and can be harmful to an unborn baby's developing brain kidneys and nervous system. Unpasteurized food:
According to the USDA pregnant women are at high risk of getting sick from two different types of food poisoning:
listeriosis caused by the Listeriabacteria and toxoplasmosis an infection caused by a parasite. The CDC reports that Listeria infection may cause miscarriage stillbirth preterm labor and illness or death in newborns.
To avoid listeriosis the USDA recommends forgoing the following foods during pregnancy: Raw meat: A mother can pass a Toxoplasma infection on to her baby
which can cause problems such as blindness and mental disability later in life reports the CDC.
To avoid toxoplasmosis the USDA recommends avoiding the following foods during pregnancy: Some foods may increase a pregnant woman's risk for other types of food poisoning including illness caused by salmonella and E coli bacteria.
Foodsafety. gov lists these foods to avoid during pregnancy and why they pose a threat.
Morning sickness When a mother-to-be is experiencing morning sickness the biggest mistake she can make is thinking that
It's better to eat small amounts of foods that don't have an odor since smells can also upset the stomach she suggested.
Food cravings It is common for women to develop a sudden urge or a strong dislike for a food during pregnancy.
Some common cravings are for sweets salty foods red meat or fluids Krieger said. Often a craving is a body's way of saying it needs a specific nutrient such as more protein
or additional liquids to quench a thirst rather than a particular food she said. Eating for two When people say that a pregnant woman is eating for two it doesn't mean she needs to consume twice as much food or double her calories.
A woman is not eating for two during her first trimester Krieger said. During the first three months Krieger tells women that their calorie needs are basically the same as they were before pregnancy
because weight gain is recommended to be between 1 and 4 pounds in this early stage of pregnancy.
Krieger typically advises pregnant women to add 200 calories to their usual dietary intake during the second trimester
Ostriches are omnivores which means they eat both vegetation and meat Although they prefer plants especially roots seeds
and leaves they also eat locusts lizards snakes and rodents according to the San diego Zoo. They also eat sand
and pebbles to help grind up their food inside their gizzard which is a small pouch where food is crushed
and ripped up before it reaches the stomach. Ostriches don't need to drink water; they get all the water they need from the plants they eat.
and flap their wings outward to display their plumage. When they are ready to mate the male's beak
and shins will turn bright red. Sometimes his neck will change to a red color to match.
Ostrich eggs are 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter and can weigh up to 3 lbs.
Eggs are laid in a communal nest called a dump nest which can hold about 60 eggs at one time.
Males as well as females sit on the eggs until they hatch which can take 42 to 46 days.
Ostrich offspring are larger than any other bird baby. At birth chicks can be as big as chickens.
The males and females share the responsibility of taking care of the young according to the San diego Zoo.
and hunters kill chimps for food. People have argued that these increasing human impacts could also be putting more pressure on chimpanzee populations leading to more chimpanzee violence Wilson said.
Over the past several decades it's become standard practice for farmers to give animals such as chickens and pigs regular doses of antibiotics.
Their Roles in Heart Health Questioned Eating more of the good kinds of fat and less saturated fat may not be the best way to reduce the risk of heart disease a new review suggests.
Researchers did not find a strong link that people who ate lots of the good (polyunsaturated fats found in vegetable oils
and low amounts of saturated fats found in foods such as butter and pork had reduced a risk of heart disease.
The researchers concluded their analysis did not yield clearly supportive evidence for current cardiovascular guidelines
However the results did show a link between eating more trans fats which are hydrogenated the partially oils added to foods to keep them fresh longer and an increased risk of heart disease.
Some guidelines have suggested that eating more polyunsaturated fats which are found in high levels in foods such as salmon walnuts
and sunflower seeds may lower the risk of heart disease. The researchers examined data from population studies of diets
and also looked at markers of fatty acid levels in the blood which are considered a more accurate measure of eating patterns than self-reported diet information.
The analysis showed that when it came to eating specific types of fat such as linoleic acid and arachidonic acid
which are both polyunsaturated fatty acids the effects of the fat on cardiovascular risk varied widely even
We believe that a more'food-focused'approach should be considered so that people consume the fatty-acid food sources that are beneficial
or not harmful to cardiovascular health rather than pills Chowdhury said. 11 Surprising Facts About the Circulatory system
But these findings are not a reason to add foods such as red meat bacon and cream
which are loaded with saturated fat to the diet the researchers said. Other research has suggested that
instead rather than making healthier food choices. When avoiding red meat and processed meats people should replace those foods with nuts fatty fish
and healthy oils rather than with white rice white bread potatoes sugary drinks or other refined carbohydrates Chowdhury said.
Heart-healthy foods These data do not change the need for consuming a heart-healthy diet they simply point out that not all fatty acids are created equally said Linda Van horn a professor of preventive medicine
and a research nutritionist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of medicine in Chicago and American Heart Association spokeswoman who was involved not in the study.
Van horn said the paper questions the strength of the evidence underlying recommendations for eating a lot of polyunsaturated fats or limiting saturated fats.
The findings don't change anything that is in the American Heart Association (AHA) recommended diet because the study does not say that saturated fat is not a problem Van horn told Live Science.
Saturated fats and trans fats should still be limited in the diet she said. And polyunsaturated fats such as safflower oil and monounsaturated fats like olive oil are still useful for cooking.
A diet high in fruits vegetables whole grains unsalted nuts and fish remains the best course of action to achieve a heart-healthy diet Van horn said.
Follow Live Science@livescience Facebook & Google+.+Original article on Live Science e
#19 New Swift & Clever Praying mantises Discovered Swift deadly hunters lurk in the trees many camouflaged to look like lichen or bark.
One of the most well-known traditional Russian foods is spelled borshch also borscht a beet soup that is full of vegetables
and meat and typically served with a dollop of sour cream a staple of many Russian dishes.
Pirozhkis (not to be confused with pierogis) are small pastries that can be filled with potatoes meat cabbage or cheese.
Caviar or ikra traditionally made from the eggs of sturgeon found in the Black sea or Caspian sea is served often on dark crusty bread or with blini
which are similar to pancakes or crepes. Blini are served also rolled up with a variety of fillings ranging from jam to cheese and onions or even chocolate syrup.
Vodka is a popular alcoholic drink traditionally made from the distillation of fermented potatoes. Beer and tea are consumed also widely.
Russians observe Christmas on January 7 as a public holiday according to the Julian calendar used by the Russian orthodox church.
The public holiday was reestablished in 1991 following the fall of the Soviet union. Similarly Easter is celebrated according to the Russian orthodox calendar.
Russia Day is celebrated on June 12. This marks the day in 1990 that the Russian parliament formally declared Russian sovereignty from the USSR. Initially it was named Day of the Adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation
'Scientific agencies including the American Association for the Advancement of Science have found no evidence of danger from consuming GMO foods
and topical creams Khalatbari said. We're seeing a huge increase in different consumption methods he said.
because they already know that adjusting diet and exercising are the things they need to do. 10 Fitness Apps:
Green coffee bean extract: Perhaps the most well-known weight-loss supplement that Oz has popularized is green coffee bean extract
whose major ingredients are chlorogenic acids. You may think magic is make-believe but this little bean has scientists saying they've found the magic weight-loss cure for every body type.
Testifying in front of the panel Oz defended his endorsement of green coffee beans by citing a study that found people who took the supplements did lose weight.
A study in mice published last year in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that chlorogenic acid in green coffee bean extract didn't help prevent weight gain in mice fed a high-fat diet
and was linked to an unhealthy buildup of fat in the liver. Raspberry ketone: Oz has called raspberry ketones the No. 1 miracle fat-burner.
Saffron extract: This expensive exotic spice that is frequently used in Middle Eastern cooking has much folklore describing its ability to lighten up mood
but modern science hasn't found it is a miracle appetite suppressant as Oz has claimed.
Your Chicken Might (Op-Ed) Paul Shapiro is the vice president of farm animal protection at The Humane Society of the United states (HSUS.
when people eat chickens from most American factory farms. To kill fecal contamination on chicken flesh factories typically drench bird carcasses in chlorine.
Moreover even after chlorine treatment the meat later can potentially be exposed to pathogens and contaminated.
Most producers confine chickens by the tens of thousands inside huge dank warehouses in which the animals have little to do
These chickens animals who are normally quite athletic are manipulated genetically to grow so obese so fast that many can't take more than a few pitiful steps before collapsing under the enormous weight of their oversized breasts.
Today's poultry chicken has been bred to grow so rapidly that its legs can collapse under the weight of its ballooning body.
while conscious resulting in more fecal contamination and as the Washington post described more potential for animal suffering and food safety problems at chicken slaughter plants.
It's clear that the chlorine is simply an attempt to put lipstick on a pig or decontaminant on a chicken.
As Americans grapple with a long string of meat recalls periodic episodes of food-poisoning outbreaks that sicken many
(and sometimes kill) and trade restrictions due to unsafe meat perhaps it's time to start looking at the root of the problem.
If this prompts more Americans to eat less meat and more plant-based meals good.
but move the country toward a more humane society and one hopefully where people are more likely to encounter chlorine in the pool than in their meals.
and grow food for a nation. Since he was 15 Ray Gaesser has planted tended harvested and sold crops through all kinds of conditions good times and bad.
And I was sitting in a Thai restaurant in Soho having some dinner with some friends telling them this story that I just told you.
So yeah it's sort of like those French desserts that have the thousand layers mille-feuille.
It's like pastry. It's like a really good pastry. NEA: Can you talk a little bit about what you're working on now?
Sussman: Through doing the Oldest Living things series I was thinking more and more about deeper and deeper time.
Banana Peels to Nasal Pork Nobel laureates awarded the 2014 Ig Nobel prizes tonight (Sept. 18) at Harvard university honoring those scientific achievements that first make people laugh
which is responsible for people thinking they see an image of Jesus'face in their toast.
Face pareidolia has conjured also up the Virgin mary in a grilled cheese sandwich and a face in the rocky formations on Mars. In their brain-scanning study the scientists Jiangang Liu Jun Li Lu Feng Ling Li Jie Tian
Pork benefits: Another group of creative thinkers was awarded the Medicine Prize. Turns out pork is not just good eating.
Researchers from the United states and India used strips of cured pork meat to treat uncontrollable nosebleeds in a 4-year-old with Glanzmann thrombasthenia a rare blood disorder that causes easy
bruising and nosebleeds. Cured salted pork crafted as a nasal tampon and packed within the nasal vaults successfully stopped nasal hemorrhage promptly effectively the researchers write in their study
which was published in 2011 in the journal Annals of Otology Rhinology & Laryngology. Bear masks:
Baby poop landed scientists from Spain the Nutrition Prize. The team was looking for priobiotic bacteria that could be fermented with sausage
and would survive the acidic digestive tract such as the bacteria found alive in human feces. So they turned to dirty diapers:
Ultimately they made a kind of Mediterranean fermented pork sausage called fuet which included a strain of bacteria from infant feces.
#Nearly 600 Years of Tree Rings Show Altered Ocean Habitat Ocean currents that deliver important nutrients to shallow coastal waters have become weaker and more variable over the last half-century
and other marine animals that nourish themselves in these nutrient-rich waters according to a new study.
when winter winds lift deep nutrient-rich waters up to the shallow layers of the sea.
These nutrients fuel phytoplankton growth in the sunlit surface waters. Since 1950 California has experienced more winters with weak coastal upwelling than in the last five centuries.
and stir up clouds of nutrients. Phytoplankton at the surface rely on this seasonal influx of nutrients.
These organisms are the backbone of the marine ecosystem and support huge populations of fish and seabirds.
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