Food & Beverage & Tobacco
For bagged or boxed wine, cool is best
December 18, 2012 1:28 pm | News | Comments
In the most comprehensive study to date on how storage temperature affects wines with different packaging systems, University of California, Davis researchers found that bag-in-box wine is more vulnerable to warmer storage temperatures than bottled wine.
Platinum nanoparticles may keep fruit fresh longer
May 13, 2013 8:16 am | News | Comments
Ripening fruit, vegetables, and flowers release ethylene, which works as a plant...
An electronic nose can tell pears and apples apart
May 8, 2013 12:13 pm | News | Comments
Swedish and Spanish engineers have created a system of sensors that detects fruit...
In-package plasma process quickly, effectively kills bacteria
April 17, 2013 8:49 am | by Brian Wallheimer, Purdue University | News | Comments
Kevin Keener, a professor of food science at Purdue University, looks for new ways to...
Fast-growing fish may never wind up on your plate
December 5, 2012 10:45 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsAfter weathering concerns about everything from the safety of humans eating the salmon to their impact on the environment, Aquabounty was in a position to become the world's first company to sell fish whose DNA has been altered to speed up growth. But after positive feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2010, the agency still has not approved the fish and the company could soon run out of money.
Fluorescent pH-sensitive nanoparticles indicate bacterial growth
October 30, 2012 1:26 pm | News | CommentsThe food industry is strict in its vigilance toward bacteria in products. Now their efforts may be eased by a new bacteria monitoring method developed by researchers in Germany. The fluorescence of nanoparticles embedded in an agarose growth medium, they report, changes significantly when the pH value changes because of bacterial metabolism. This can be monitored in real time with a simple digital camera.
New simulation method produces realistic fluid movements
September 26, 2012 5:58 pm | News | CommentsWhat does a yogurt look like over time? The food industry will soon be able to answer this question using a new fluid simulation tool developed by scientists at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, as part of a broad partnership with other research institutions. The method distinguishes itself significantly from known simulation methods which use mesh structures where the vertices are locked in a fixed position. In the new method, the mesh structure is replaced by a dynamic structure where the vertices move one at a time.
Scientists developing new material to increase shelf life of beer
September 18, 2012 6:06 am | News | CommentsScientists at CRANN, a nanoscience institute based at Trinity College Dublin, have partnered with brewing company SABMiller on a project to increase the shelf life of bottled beer in plastic bottles. Their research centered on a nanostructured boron nitride additive that, when added to plastic bottles, will make them impervious to carbon dioxide and oxygen.
U.S. research and development most prevalent in small number of regions
September 13, 2012 4:29 am | News | CommentsAccording to data from a 2008 Business R&D and Innovation Survey by the National Science Foundation, businesses perform the lion's share of their R&D activity in just a small number of geographic areas, particularly the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland area and the New York-Newark-Bridgeport area.
Biorefinery finds treasure in spent coffee grounds and stale bakery goods
August 20, 2012 10:18 am | News | CommentsIn a report presented this week at the American Chemical Society meeting in Philadelphia, researchers based in Hong Kong, in cooperation with Starbucks restaurant chain, described their work on development and successful laboratory testing of a new biorefinery designed to change food waste into a key ingredient for making plastics, laundry detergents and scores of other everyday products.
Discovery may lead to tomatoes with vintage flavor and quality
June 29, 2012 12:38 pm | News | CommentsA University of California Davis research team began studying the genes influencing tomato fruit development and ripening after spending two summers screening tomato plants for transcription factors that might play a role in both fruit color and quality. What they’ve found is that selection for tomatoes with optimal ripening qualities compromises the sugars that contribute to the fruit’s flavor.
Government to speed tracking of E. coli in meat
May 3, 2012 9:02 am | by Sam Hananel, Associated Press | News | CommentsA new Agriculture Department program will begin tracing the source of potentially contaminated ground beef as soon as there is an initial positive test. Current procedures require USDA officials to wait until additional testing confirms E. coli before starting their investigation. Under the new process, the source could be traced 24 to 48 hours sooner.
Sensor tests fruits' ripeness
May 1, 2012 10:27 am | by Anne Trafton, MIT News Office | News | CommentsEvery year, U.S. supermarkets lose roughly 10% of their fruits and vegetables to spoilage, according to the Department of Agriculture. To help combat those losses, Massachusetts Institute of Technology chemistry professor Timothy Swager and his students have built a new sensor that could help grocers and food distributors better monitor their produce.
FDA wants limits on antibiotics given to animals
April 11, 2012 11:23 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsAntibiotics are mixed with animal feed to help livestock, pigs and chickens put on weight and stay healthy in crowded barns. Scientists have warned that this routine use leads to the growth of antibiotic-resistant germs that can be passed to humans. Now the Food and Drug Administration is weighing in on the matter, calling on drug companies to help limit the use antibiotics.
Red wine, fruit compound could help block fat cell formation
April 5, 2012 9:55 am | by Brian Wallheimer, Purdue University | News | CommentsA compound found in red wine, grapes, and other fruits, and similar in structure to resveratrol, is able to block cellular processes that allow fat cells to develop, opening a door to a potential method to control obesity, according to a Purdue University study.
Coffee may cause high achievers to slack off
March 29, 2012 11:04 am | News | CommentsWhile stimulants may improve unengaged workers' performance, a new University of British Columbia study suggests that for others, caffeine and amphetamines can have the opposite effect, causing workers with higher motivation levels to slack off.
Agilent, FDA collaborate to improve testing for salmonella
March 19, 2012 8:08 am | News | CommentsAgilent Technologies Inc. announced that it has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the United States Food and Drug Administration to develop new tools to detect and analyze pathogens in food.
Infrared spectrometry analyzes wine without consumables
February 23, 2012 10:14 am | White PapersBased on Bruker Optic's existing Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry platform, a new ALPHA Wine Analyzer has been introduced that can perform simultaneous analysis of different parameters with a single measurement. As described in a short white paper, Bruker Optics' new instrument uses attenuated total reflection to determine at least 14 wine parameters without sample preparation or reagent use.
Indiscretions of a champagne bubble paparazzi
February 14, 2012 9:39 am | News | CommentsArmed with a high-speed camera, a researcher in Reims, France, has sought to more thoroughly understand the champagne bubble. These bubbles are produced through a process called nucleation, triggered by impurities on the glass. But this new study focuses on the fizz itself, and the dramatic effect of cohesive forces and surface tension.
Getting caffeine fix as easy as taking deep breath
February 8, 2012 10:37 am | by Rodrique Ngowi, Associated Press | News | CommentsAeroShot went on the market late last month in Massachusetts and New York, offering a single shot of caffeine for $2.99. But instead of a liquid, the tube contains caffeinated air and is meant to be inhaled. Critics challenge its safety, but one biomedical expert says it’s harmless.
Carbonized coffee grounds remove foul smells
February 8, 2012 4:28 am | News | CommentsFor coffee lovers, the first cup of the morning is one of life's best aromas. But did you know that the leftover grounds could eliminate one of the worst smells around—sewer gas? In research to develop an eco-friendly filter to move toxic gases from the air, scientists at The City College of New York found that a material made from used coffee grounds can sop up hydrogen sulfide gas, the chemical that makes raw sewage stinky.
A zap of cold plasma reduces harmful bacteria on raw chicken
February 2, 2012 10:51 am | News | CommentsA new study by food safety researchers at Drexel University demonstrates that plasma can be an effective method for killing pathogens on uncooked poultry. The study shows that plasma, since it is non-thermal, could successfully reduce pathogens on the surface of fruits and vegetables without cooking.
The mathematics of taste
January 24, 2012 4:03 am | by Larry Hardesty, MIT News Office | News | CommentsGivaudan has turned to researchers in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) for help analyzing taste-test results. To analyze taste-test results, the CSAIL researchers are using genetic programming, in which mathematical models compete with each other to fit the available data and then cross-pollinate to produce models that are more accurate.
Researchers to sequence Chardonnay genome
January 18, 2012 11:28 am | News | CommentsThe University of British Columbia's Wine Research Centre and The Australian Wine Research Institute have announced they have received $585,000 to produce the first assembled genomic sequence of the Chardonnay grape. Although the most abundant white wine grape variety, very little is currently known about the Chardonnay genome.
Switch to LEDs will extend meat shelf life, researchers say
January 17, 2012 5:52 pm | News | CommentsAfter comparing light-emitting diodes against fluorescent lights in meat refrigeration units, Kansas State University’s Kyle Steele found that retailers could save a substantial amount of money by using them, and not just because of the LEDs’ operating efficiency.
Novel device removes heavy metals from water
December 19, 2011 3:08 am | News | CommentsEngineers at Brown University have developed a system that cleanly and efficiently removes trace heavy metals from water. In experiments, the researchers showed the system reduced cadmium, copper, and nickel concentrations, returning contaminated water to near or below federally acceptable standards.
Stability trials LIMS software speeds data access
December 15, 2011 4:19 am | Product Releases | CommentsLaboratories in the pharmaceuticals, food and drink industries regularly need to check the stability of their products and raw materials over prolonged periods of time. Two Fold Software Limited is adding Stability Trials software to company’s Qualoupe LIMS software to help organizations track stability.
Stress causes clogs in coffee and coal
December 15, 2011 3:46 am | News | CommentsScientists still aren't sure what causes clogs in flowing macroscopic particles, but new experiments suggest that when particles undergo a force called shear strain, they jam sooner than expected. Nuts, coffee and coal inherently produce this type of movement, but many hoppers and other dispensers aren’t engineered for it.
Volumetric titrator reduces reagent waste
December 13, 2011 7:25 am | Product Releases | CommentsJM ?Science’s AQV-2200S AQUACOUNTER Karl Fischer Volumetric Titrator features small volume titration cells requiring only 20 mL of titration solvent for accurate measurements. The instrument is suitable for a wide measurement range from 100 ppm to 100% water content.
