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Suntans are bad for bacteria too! Exposure to UV irradiation kills off harmful bacteria in food
December 15, 2003Research news from the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
15 December 2003: The presence of E.coli bacteria, found in foods such as egg white and apple juice, is a major public health concern. The bacteria have, in the past, been inactivated by heat pasteurisation -- which can affect flavour and consistency. New evidence published in the Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture, however, suggests that UV irradiation may prove to be a better and more cost effective method of eliminating the risks posed by E. coli bacteria.
Researchers working in Canada discovered that an optimal UV irradiation system can be developed for individual food products, taking into account the UV transmittance of each product. With the optimal fluid depth and UV dose, significant decrease in active E. coli bacteria was observed in both apple juice and liquid egg white.
The UV rays inactivate E. coli bacteria by degrading their cell walls and DNA. These rays can be produced by high intensity fluorescent lamps, which are both cheap and readily available, making this method extremely efficient. The researchers also found that, in direct contrast to pasteurisation, the sensory quality of the food products following irradiation was not compromised, and that inactivation of the bacteria lasted for the entire shelf life of the product.
"UV irradiation offers a relatively inexpensive and effective means of inactivating some of the serious bacteria in food products," says Dr Michael Ngadi, co-author of the study. "We are able to design and operate systems that can process liquid products to satisfy regulatory requirements. The wonderful thing is that products can be processed at lower temperatures and therefore the fresh-like quality of the product can be maintained."
John Wiley & Sons
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A Northwestern University study has found a surprising similarity among four quite different organisms. The simplest organism, a bacterium called H. pylori, uses the same number of biochemical reactions (around 300) as yeast, the largest, most complex organism of the group, when optimizing growth.
Novel bioreactor enhances interleukin-12 production in genetically-modified tobacco plants
Interleukin-12 is a naturally occurring protein essential for the proper functioning of the human immune system.
Researchers identify cell group key to Lyme disease arthritis
A research team led by the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology and Albany Medical College has illuminated the important role of natural killer (NK) T cells in Lyme disease, demonstrating that the once little understood white blood cells are central to clearing the bacterial infection and reducing the intensity and duration of arthritis associated with Lyme disease.
Blood tests can help detect presence of necrotizing soft tissue infections
With less than half of patients with necrotizing soft tissue infections displaying the physical signs of these very serious infections, researchers have found two simple blood tests can help physicians diagnose what is commonly known as "flesh-eating bacteria," according to a study in the December issue of The American Journal of Surgery.
Vaccine and drug research aimed at ticks and mosquitoes to prevent disease transmission
Most successful vaccines and drugs rely on protecting humans or animals by blocking certain bacteria from growing in their systems. But, a new theory actually hopes to take stopping infectious diseases such as West Nile virus and Malaria to the next level by disabling insects from transmitting these viruses.
Research in twins defines shared features of the human gut microbial communities: variations linked to obesity
Trillions of microbes make their home in the gut, where they help to break down and extract energy and nutrients from the food we eat. Yet, scientists have understood little about how this distinctive mix of microbes varies from one individual to the next.
Rivers are carbon processors, not inert pipelines
Microorganisms in rivers and streams play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle that has not previously been considered.
Vitamin D found to fight placental infection
In a paper available at the online site of the journal Biology of Reproduction, a team of UCLA researchers reports for the first time that vitamin D induces immune responses in placental tissues by stimulating production of the antimicrobial protein cathelicidin.
CSHL scientists discover a new way in which epigenetic information is inherited
Hereditary information flows from parents to offspring not just through DNA but also through the millions of proteins and other molecules that cling to it.
Researchers identify how binge drinking may drive heart disease
As the holidays arrive, a group of researchers has identified the precise mechanisms by which binge drinking contributes to clogs in arteries that lead to heart attack and stroke, according to a study published today in the journal Atherosclerosis.
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