Food Industry

In potato tubers, 30-80% of the solanine develops in and close to the skin. Greening of potatoes  suggests solanine build-up, although each process can occur without the other. A bitter taste in a potato is another, potentially more reliable indicator of toxicity.  The symptoms of solanine poisoning are mainly vomiting and diarrhea, and the condition may be misdiagnosed as gastroenteritis. [1]

SOCFIN, a corporation with seat in Luxenburg, will plant oil palms for biodiesel in Sierra Leone. Politicians and functionaries sell off the lands of local farmers and suppress the protests. Small farmers are fighting to keep their land. [1]

Biofuel politics of Germany and the EU is based on massive import of “green energies”. The population of the affected regions loose their livelihood and biodiversity is menaced by the monoculture of oil palms.

The Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a draft guidance on scientific requirements for health claims related to antioxidants, oxidative damage and cardiovascular health. The guidance cites the type of evidence for a health claim. The panel takes position to several claims such as: [1]

The group “As You Sow” published a framework document for the food industry focusing on the use of nanoparticles in food. This framework is based on EFSA, DEFRA, PIRA and USFDA. The group argues that definition of nanomaterials should include particles up to 300 nm. This is based on some calls which say that particles up to 300 nm can be incorporated by cells. [1]

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assessed the risk of  pathogenic bacteria that may contaminate seeds intended for sprouting and sprouted seeds (sprouts, shoots and cress) which are  generally consumed raw or minimally processed. [1]

Pathogenic bacteria can contaminate seeds and grow during sprouting. Furthermore, preventing initial contamination during production, storage and distribution of seeds is of the foremost importance.

Twenty two common pest species called by the FDA the "Dirty 22"  are the spreaders of foodborne diseases. The presence of filth and extraneous materials and any one of these species in food  indicates unsanitary conditions in food processing and storage facilities, says the FDA. [1]

Sulaiman et al 2011 classified the 22 species in four groups: Group I including four cockroach species, the group II has  two ant species, the  group III has 12 fly species, and IV includes four rodent species.

To produce biofuel cellulose must be pretreated and then hydrolyzed with cellulases. Available pretreatment techniques include acid hydrolysis, steam explosion, ammonia fiber expansion, organosolve, sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulose, alkaline wet oxidation and ozone pretreatment. [1]

Tin can leach from tin can into food in a concentration between 100-500 ppm whereas tin content in normal food is about 1 ppm, varying according to the levels of the element in soil. Metal ions were drastically reduced by internal coating the cans with layers of varnish.

Choosing between different sources of gelatine may have an impact on price, quality and Halal criterion. Avena-Bustillos et al.2011 compared gel formation and film production using gelatine of mammalian  origin with gelatine of warm-water and cold-water fish. [1]

Zheng et al. 2011 report that dipping mango fruits in potassium  oxalate solution for 10 minutes, followed by storage at25°C  suppress postharvest deterioration and extend the useful shelf-life of mangoes. [1]