All Food Security & Safety articles
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NewsDangerous E. coli strain blocks gut’s defense mechanism to spread infection
When harmful bacteria invade through the digestive tract, gut cells usually fight back by pushing infected cells out of the body to stop the infection from spreading. Scientists have discovered that a dangerous strain of E. coli can block gut this defense, allowing the bacteria to spread more easily.
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OpinionCould livestock-originated probiotics replace synthetic antibiotics for livestock?
In many developing countries, the use of antibiotics in both humans and animals is often indiscriminate and poorly regulated. Could livestock-originated probiotics be a suitable replacement?
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NewsBacterial genomes hold clues for creating personalized probiotics
A new study demonstrates the ability to predict the nutritional adaptations of Bifidobacterium strains by analyzing the distribution of hundreds of metabolic genes in thousands of Bifidobacterium genomes.
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FeaturesFrom barnyard to bench: what sequencing reveals about microbial life across the farm-scape
We understand the water cycle and the flow of nutrients in ecological systems, but might microbial life also follow a cyclical, interconnected pattern, and how does that look with regards to food production?
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NewsResearchers reveal the cellular network behind oral tolerance
A new study has resolved a long-standing paradox surrounding oral tolerance and revealed the cellular network responsible. These findings may clarify this network’s malfunctions, which underlie food allergies and sensitivities and disorders such as celiac disease.
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NewsUnderestimated risk: Germs in the kitchen
In the most recent BfR consumer monitor, only 17 per cent of respondents said they were concerned about kitchen hygiene. The level of concern about microplastics (68 per cent) and residues of plant protection products in food (52 per cent) is significantly higher.
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FeaturesNature’s pesticides: unleashing the potential of microbial interactions
Discover how scientists leverage knowledge of the microbial interactions that impact plant and animal health.
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NewsBad bacteria can trigger painful gut contractions; new research shows how
After a meal of questionable seafood or a few sips of contaminated water, bad bacteria can send your digestive tract into overdrive. Your intestines spasm and contract, efficiently expelling everything in the gut. Source: Parthasarathy Lab and Guillemin Lab Immune cells (magenta) and cells expressing a reporter of ...
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FeaturesMicrobiological concerns faced in cheese-making environments
Delve into the multi-facteted world of cheese production, discovering some of the major microbes, risks, and strategies for mitigation.
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NewsWater fern offers safe potential global food insecurity solution - with no cyanotoxins
An international effort to test Azolla found that it does not contain cyanotoxins, potent toxins produced by a type of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, associated with the plant.
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FeaturesFlour power: why it’s not a great idea to eat it raw
The UKHSA Food, Water and Environmental (FW&E) microbiology team has published a study on the safety and quality of flour sold in the UK and discovered that eating it raw is not a great idea!
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NewsCould manure and compost act like probiotics, reducing antibiotic resistance in urban soils?
Urban soils often contain chemical contaminants or trace amounts of antibiotics, along with higher levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. New research suggests that boosting urban soil health with compost and treated manure may reduce the amount of ’bad’ bacteria.
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News3D-printed chip sensor detects foodborne pathogens for safer products
Researchers have developed a new method for detecting foodborne pathogens that is faster, cheaper, and more effective than existing methods.
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FeaturesGlobal food safety: prepare for the unexpected
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that unsafe food causes 600 million cases of foodborne diseases and 420,000 deaths a year, worldwide. World Food Safety Day is just around the corner, the theme of which for this year, is “Food safety: prepare for the unexpected”.
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NewsHigh H5N1 influenza levels found in mice given raw milk from infected dairy cows
Mice administered raw milk samples from dairy cows infected with H5N1 influenza experienced high virus levels in their respiratory organs and lower virus levels in other vital organs, according to new research.
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NewsThe consumption of certain food additive emulsifiers could be associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
Researchers studied the relationships between the dietary intakes of emulsifiers, assessed over a follow-up period of maximum 14 years, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in a large study in the general population.
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FeaturesThe threat of porcine circovirus in Nigerian pig farms
AMI New Lecturer Research Grant recipient explores the need for surveillance and mitigation of PCV2 in agricultural settings.
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NewsHigher bacterial counts detected in single-serving milks
Scientists have detected higher bacterial counts in commercial, paperboard single-serving containers two weeks after processing than milk packaged in larger containers from the same facilities.
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NewsSingle dose typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) provides lasting efficacy in children
A single dose of the typhoid conjugate vaccine, Typbar TCV®, provides lasting efficacy in preventing typhoid fever in children ages 9 months to 12 years old, according to a new study.
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NewsSpace-grown salad more susceptible to foodborne infections than on earth
A research team finds lettuce and other plants are more susceptible to bacterial infections in space than on Earth.