Clostridium perfringens, the second most common bacterial pathogen responsible for food poisoning in the United States, has been using a “secret weapon” to survive and sicken as many as 250,000 people every year at a cost of several hundred million dollars in medical care and lost productivity.
Now, however, scientists have uncovered the secret behind the C. perfringens’ success.
Posted in Food, Genetics, Nutrition and Health | Tagged C. perfringens, enterotoxin, food sickness |
Nothing says summer like a ripe, juicy slice of watermelon on a hot day. However, this important summertime fare is under assault and may not even make it to the table; a tiny pathogen is ravaging crops, causing the rind to weaken and allowing the fruit to ooze out into the field.
The disease, called watermelon fruit blotch, accounts for losses of up to 90 percent of marketable yield in some watermelon fields. Fruit blotch was first detected in Florida in 1989. Since that time, it has migrated along the eastern seaboard and into Indiana, affecting 11 states. The rapid migration and expansion of this disease may lie in its seeds.
Posted in Food, Genetics, Nutrition and Health | Tagged pathogen, watermelon fruit blotch |
Lots of folks fancy a cup of tea when they need a pick-me-up – orange pekoe, Darjeeling, etc. Not surprisingly, a spot of tea can help plants feel better, too. But not just any tea; if you want to share a pot with your plants, you’ll need to brew up some earthworm tea.
This beverage, which has become all the rage in organic agriculture, is not made from earthworms. No, this tea is made from earthworm excrement steeped in liquid. Earthworm tea is easier to transport and apply to crops than other types of fertilizers, and plants love it.
Posted in Plants | Tagged earthworm, organic agriculture, vermicompost |
Recent studies show that the cost of high-calorie foods are less likely to be affected by inflation and, on average, cost less than low-calorie foods. With obesity plaguing the United States, this trend may hinder low-income families from adopting a low-calorie diet. Funding from USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) enabled researchers at the University of Washington to examine the price trends of different food choices.
Posted in Food, Nutrition and Health | Tagged calorie, nutrition, obesity |
EarthSpin 