Freshen up on food safety
Late last night, I woke up feeling hungry. I walked over to the fridge remembering I had purchased some ground beef the previous week. As I removed it from the Ziploc, I noticed it was particularly gray. What to do in a time of need?
Many of us have been here before. Some of us role the dice and are lucky. For others, the consequences can make that late-night bite not worth it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that annually some 48 millon people acquire foodborne illnesses, with more than 100,000 needing to be hospitalized and 3,000 dying.
There are many different pathogens that can cause food poisoning, including bacteria, parasites and even viruses. Common ones include , , and . Others, including and , can cause severe illness and lead to hospitalization.
Not everyone who comes into contact with these pathogens will get sick: Good news for most healthy adults. However, for individuals who are young, elderly or have compromised immune systems, there is a greater chance for symptoms to arise and for serious illness.
Common symptoms of food poisoning include a stomach ache, nausea, fever, gastrointestinal discomfort and vomiting; however, other symptoms also occur and may take hours or days to develop after contact with a contaminated food or surface. The CDC has on the most likely symptoms and sources of common pathogens, as well as signs to go see a doctor.
Although many of us do not see foodborne illness as something likely to happen to us, good habits can protect us and others. The recent Salmonella outbreak and subsequent peanut butter recall has me scanning the numbers on every tub of Jif (there were )! The CDC recommends following four simple steps: .
Research highlights
Inflammatory signaling in bacterial sepsis: Researchers across the United States collaborated in an effort to better understand the effects of the enzyme mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1 (called Mkp-1 for short) on immune function and defense of mice infected with E. coli. When this enzyme is knocked down, there is an enhanced mortality in animals and heightened bacterial burden. The researchers screened RNA sequences from large datasets to identify proteins that may affect this phenotype. They found that infection with E. coli dramatically enhanced the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 and that deficiency of Mkp-1 enhanced the expression of this protein, influencing the adaptive immune response of compromised mice and contributing to mortality.
Oxidative stress activates Salmonella genes: Scientists in Colorado explored a particular gene cluster in Salmonella to better understand the expression of genes that regulate the type III secretion system that allows for the bacteria to become pathogenic. They found that oxidative stress from reactive oxygen species stimulates the transcription of genes related to this secretion system and may even allow the pathogen to fight antimicrobial activity.
Food science careers
Colorful research in the food industry: Careers columnist Courtney Chandler careers columnist interviews a scientist who works for a company that develops natural colorings for the food and beverage industry.
Job variety and stability in the food and beverage industry: Careers columnist Courtney Chandler talked to Jody Renner–Nantz of DDW, The Color House, a global manufacturer of natural colors.
Tales from the 'Food Science Snob': Ever wondered how astronaut food is made? How to brew kombucha? Are you a foodie? Careers columnist Martina G. Efeyini talked to Ariel Carter to learn about her experience as an early career food scientist.
Enjoy reading 91亚色传媒 Today?
Become a member to receive the print edition four times a year and the digital edition monthly.
Learn moreGet the latest from 91亚色传媒 Today
Enter your email address, and we鈥檒l send you a weekly email with recent articles, interviews and more.
Latest in Science
Science highlights or most popular articles
Exploring lipid metabolism: A journey through time and innovation
Recent lipid metabolism research has unveiled critical insights into lipid鈥損rotein interactions, offering potential therapeutic targets for metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. Check out the latest in lipid science at the 91亚色传媒 annual meeting.
Melissa Moore to speak at 91亚色传媒 2025
Richard Silverman and Melissa Moore are the featured speakers at the 91亚色传媒 annual meeting to be held April 12-15 in Chicago.
A new kind of stem cell is revolutionizing regenerative medicine
Induced pluripotent stem cells are paving the way for personalized treatments to diabetes, vision loss and more. However, scientists still face hurdles such as strict regulations, scalability, cell longevity and immune rejection.
Engineering the future with synthetic biology
Learn about the 91亚色传媒 2025 symposium on synthetic biology, featuring applications to better human and environmental health.
Scientists find bacterial 鈥楢chilles鈥� heel鈥� to combat antibiotic resistance
Alejandro Vila, an 91亚色传媒 Breakthroughs speaker, discussed his work on metallo-尾-lactamase enzymes and their dependence on zinc.
Host vs. pathogen and the molecular arms race
Learn about the 91亚色传媒 2025 symposium on host鈥損athogen interactions, to be held Sunday, April 13 at 1:50 p.m.