A recent study finds 20 per cent of sausages in Canadian stores are mislabelled
Using cutting-edge DNA-based technology, University of Guelph researchers have found mislabelling and cross-species contamination of meat ingredients in 20 per cent of the sausage samples selected from grocery stores across the country. “This study now provides us with a baseline that we can use when working with meat processors to help ensure we have a […] Read more
Researchers say there are plenty of plant-based unhealthy dietary choices out there
Medical researchers have long said plant-based diets are healthier — but it turns out what type of plant-based foods matter a lot. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and other ‘basic’ plant foods can in fact lower the risk of heart disease, result in less obesity and other positive impacts. But a recent study published in […] Read more
Canadian researchers say children raised in the country have lower rates of inflammatory bowel disease
Living in rural households decreases a person’s risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly for young children and adolescents, according to a new study by researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), and the Canadian Gastro-Intestinal Epidemiology Consortium (CanGIEC). “Our findings show that children, […] Read more
Compound found in animals but not humans sparks immunity against asthma
It’s already known that farm kids are less prone to asthma, but a new study by immunologists from the University of Zurich has identified sialic acid found in farm animals as the reason. A university release said this substance is widespread in vertebrates and therefore in many farm animals, but missing in the human organism. […] Read more
The effects of climate change in the extreme north can be felt far away, researchers say
Warmer temperatures in the Arctic are having an unexpected effect elsewhere in North America climate, scientists say. Researchers from Korea’s Pohang University and the South University of Science and Technology of China say their analysis suggests the northernmost regions of the continent may be warming and becoming more productive. But that’s being offset by effects […] Read more
There’s good news and bad news for the world’s wheat crops. An international consortium of researchers have identified a gene in wheat that protects the plants from the deadly fungus which causes wheat blast infections. Unfortunately it would appear many strains of wheat lost this gene sometime in the 1980s, when it was inadvertently bred […] Read more
Exsilio says its turnkey solution will let commercial kitchens and restaurants produce peak ingredients on site
Call it a garden in a box. Exsilio, a Finnish company, has developed a high-tech solution for cultivating crops like salads and herbs in urban environments. Its EkoFARMER system is a modified shipping container, stuffed with growing equipment. “Our solution is ideal for restaurants and institutional kitchens wanting to produce their own fresh ingredients,” Thomas […] Read more
U.K. researchers say figuring this puzzle out could improve hunt for traits
We’ve gone a long way in recent years unlocking the genetic potential of plants — but mainly the focus has been on seeds and fruits. Now researchers from Britain’s University of York and Quadram Institute say they’re unlocking the genetic secrets of plant cell walls, which could help improve the quality of some plant-based foods. […] Read more
The ethanol industry byproduct can help cattle get more from late-season grasses
One of the challenges for cattle producers around the world is getting the most out of late-season forage. In many cases forages become harder to digest later in the growing season, making them less beneficial for animals. Now a group of Texas researchers say supplementing these forages with dried distillers grain from the ethanol industry […] Read more
Canada’s frigid winters have always limited using natural processes to convert waste
Researchers from Montreal’s Concordia University say they’ve found a way to process waste into resources in colder climes. They’re using cold-tolerant bacteria to fuel the process. In a study published in the journal Process Safety and Environmental Protection, authors Rajinikanth Rajagopal, David Bellavance and Mohammad Saifur Rahaman demonstrate the viability of using anaerobic digestion in […] Read more
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