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California's first human death from West Nile virus (WNV)

West Nile virus (WNV) has claimed the life of a 57-year old Orange County man, making him the first to die in California from the virus, Dr. Richard Joseph Jackson, state public health officer, announced today.

26 Jul 2004

Organic tomatoes have higher levels of vitamin C

In her study of organic and conventionally grown tomatoes, Alyson Mitchell, a food chemist at University of California at Davis, found organic tomatoes had higher levels of secondary plant metabolites and higher levels of vitamin C.

26 Jul 2004

Smart packaging that alerts consumers that a product is beginning to spoil

As food evolves to accommodate the demands of an increasingly on-the-go world, in many cases it's the packaging that drives the change according to experts gathered at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo. And those packages are getting smarter.

26 Jul 2004

Food safety experts cannot concede that organic is safer than conventional food, as their research shows it is not

For many shoppers the word “organic” is synonymous with “safe.” But food safety experts cannot concede that organic is safer than conventional food, as their research shows it is not. Dialogue on the confusion between fact and myth highlighted the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo.

26 Jul 2004

Overcoming the problems associated with adding omega-3s to food

As the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids reach the awareness of consumers eager to improve the functions of their body -- from the cardiovascular system to the brain -- food makers are scurrying to enrich and fortify products with omega-3s and get them to market. But one major obstacle tempers progress -- flavor.

26 Jul 2004

New survey shows three out of four diets fail

"All diets, in their essence, will fail,” says Anne Mixon of the marketing research group NPD, who points to a new survey showing three out of four diets fail.

26 Jul 2004

How would we feed astronauts on a mission to Mars?

The question of what scientists may ultimately discover on Mars is as nebulous as another that’s dogged space agencies for years: How to feed astronauts on a mission lasting several years.

26 Jul 2004

FDA approval for VYTORIN for the treatment of high LDL cholesterol (LDL-C)

Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved VYTORIN™ (ezetimibe/simvastatin) for the treatment of high LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia or mixed hyperlipidemia as adjunctive therapy to diet when diet alone is not enough.

26 Jul 2004

EFICOR intervenes in the Bihar floods

Bihar is one of the most disaster prone states in India . It is situated in the eastern part of India with the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal to its north and the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh flanking its sides.

26 Jul 2004

Study to investigate carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel is a painful progressive condition caused by compression of a key nerve in the wrist. Approximately two out of every 1,000 workers will experience carpal tunnel syndrome every year, leading to significant medical expenditures and lost time from work.

26 Jul 2004

Eating salad vegetables with some added fat promotes the absorption of lycopene, alpha- and beta-carotenes

A recent study conducted by Wendy White, associate professor of food science and nutrition at Iowa State University, shows that eating salad vegetables with some added fat promotes the absorption of lycopene, alpha- and beta-carotenes, all of which aid in the fight against cancer and heart disease.

26 Jul 2004

Drug used to treat schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders appears effective at treating Alzheimer’s disease

Doctors are reporting some success in treating one of the most troubling symptoms of dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease. A drug commonly used to treat schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders appears effective at reducing actions like screaming at or slapping caregivers – agitated behaviors that occur in as many as half of patients.

23 Jul 2004

$1.6 million to develop gene therapy strategies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal, childhood-onset disease

The Muscular Dystrophy Association has announced it has awarded $1.6 million to Asklepios, a biotechnology company closely allied with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to develop gene therapy strategies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a fatal, childhood-onset disease.

23 Jul 2004

European scientists expect to begin human trials using pharmaceuticals grown in GM plants

The European Union has awarded €12 million to a network of scientists in 11 European countries and South Africa and the aim is to use plants to produce vaccines and treatments against major diseases including AIDS, rabies, diabetes and TB.

23 Jul 2004

Surprising differences in the DNA of normal cells from different people

A new study by Michael Wigler’s group at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has, in collaboration with researchers from Karolinska Institutet, revealed surprising differences in the DNA of normal cells from different people.

23 Jul 2004

Computerised treatment for teaching obese teenagers how to eat healthily

Researchers from the University of Bristol have embarked upon a trial to test an innovative computerised treatment for teaching obese teenagers how to eat healthily.

23 Jul 2004

Largest diet and exercise trial in the world for people with type 2 diabetes

A massive grant of almost a million pounds has been awarded to the University of Bristol to carry out a major trial that will assess the effects of diet and exercise on people with type 2 diabetes. This trial will be the largest diet and exercise trial in the world for people with type 2 diabetes.

23 Jul 2004