Did You Know?
Controlled-Release Microparticle Technology Arrives
A new technology, developed by Select Release, L.L.C. of Richmond VA, promises to enable consumers to absorb nutrients added to food and beverages more easily than present technology allows. This technology, which utilizes controlled-release microparticles that enable the body to assimilate the additives over sustained periods of time in order to optimize effectiveness, has already been licensed by Perry’s Majestic Beer, Inc. for use in micro-brewed beverages and applesauce beginning in March 1999.
New Rapid Test for Antibiotic-Resistant Strain of Salmonella
In late January, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced that USDA scientists had developed a technique to rapidly detect DT104, a potentially deadly strain of Salmonella bacteria that resists many antibiotics. Glickman added that while no test kit presently exists for rapid detection of DT104, the USDA hopes that such kits will be developed without delay. Such a kit, noted Glickman, might be able to detect the pathogen in blood samples or in run-off water from animal production.
Vitamin A Linked to Brain Functions
Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California have discovered the first evidence that vitamin A affects brain cell activity in a region linked to memory and learning, and that vitamin A deficiency in children may prove a hindrance to learning. “We have long known that vitamin A is needed for proper development of the nervous system in a growing embryo,” explains Ronald Evans, Salk professor and senior author of the study, published recently in the magazine Neuron. “This is the first evidence that vitamin A is needed for brain function during life.”
Wine Wins Again
Winemakers rejoiced recently when the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms announced a ruling to allow wine producers to put labels on bottles to notify consumers of the potential health benefits of their product. While expected to help sales in the $11 billion industry, wine company execs also hailed the decision as a vital step in shielding the industry from the kind of legislative and legal assaults that have plagued tobacco companies throughout the decade.
Sprouts Safety
FDA Consumer magazine recently published the following tips for eating sprouts, which are becoming increasingly linked to food-borne disease outbreaks involving the bacteria Salmonella and Escherichia coli 0157:H7:
- Buy only sprouts kept at refrigerator temperature. Select crisp-looking sprouts with the buds attached. Avoid musty-smelling, dark, or slimy-looking sprouts.
- Refrigerate sprouts at home. The refrigerator should be set at no higher than 40°F.
- Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw foods.
- Rinse sprouts thoroughly with water before use. Rinsing can help remove surface dirt. Do not use soap or other detergents.