Monday, May 14, 2007
Asphalt-munching bacteria discovered
Trapped in the Rancho La Brea tar pits 28,000 years ago, the bacteria are equipped with special enzymes that can break down petroleum, environmental scientists at the University of California, Riverside report in a recent issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
“Asphalt is an extreme and hostile environment for life to survive,” said Jong-Shik Kim, who initiated the study. But “these living organisms can survive in heavy oil mixtures containing many highly toxic chemicals” with no water and little oxygen, he said.
Bacteria that survive on petroleum produce methane gas as waste, so when Kim and his colleague Dave Crowley noticed the gas bubbling out of the oily soil, they knew they had found something unique.
The two eventually sequenced groups of the tar pit bacteria’s DNA to be certain. “Previously, some bacteria had been cultured from the asphalt,” Kim said, “but no one had been able to extract DNA from the asphalt to study the entire microbial community.”
To identify the bacteria and their unique enzymes, Kim and Crowley froze the tar with liquid nitrogen and then pulverized it into a powder. With the tar-hungry bacteria exposed, the scientists extracted the DNA.
“Asphalt is an extreme and hostile environment for life to survive,” said Jong-Shik Kim, who initiated the study. But “these living organisms can survive in heavy oil mixtures containing many highly toxic chemicals” with no water and little oxygen, he said.
Bacteria that survive on petroleum produce methane gas as waste, so when Kim and his colleague Dave Crowley noticed the gas bubbling out of the oily soil, they knew they had found something unique.
The two eventually sequenced groups of the tar pit bacteria’s DNA to be certain. “Previously, some bacteria had been cultured from the asphalt,” Kim said, “but no one had been able to extract DNA from the asphalt to study the entire microbial community.”
To identify the bacteria and their unique enzymes, Kim and Crowley froze the tar with liquid nitrogen and then pulverized it into a powder. With the tar-hungry bacteria exposed, the scientists extracted the DNA.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Mexico finds world's oldest fossil lobster
Mexican scientists said they have identified the world’s oldest lobster fossil, a creature that was alive when Africa was only just breaking apart from the Americas some 120 million years ago.
The fossil is 4.7 inches (12 cm) long and its shell and legs are immaculately preserved by the mud in the southern state of Chiapas where it was found. It is dated as 120 million years old, some 20 million years older than existing lobster fossils.
“This lobster that we found in Chiapas belongs to the genus that is in Africa today,” said geologist Francisco Javier Vega of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM.
“This isn’t a surprise because at that time, 120 million years ago, Africa and America were relatively close,” he told Reuters. “It’s very likely that this genus of lobster originated here.”
South America and Africa are believed to have split into two continents around 120 million years ago.
Species sometimes evolved differently on the two continents, explaining why American lobsters today are different from their African cousins.
The juvenile “Palinurus Palaceosi” fossil, dug up in 1995 along with petrified remains of fish, crustaceans and insects, is one of the best preserved lobster fossils in the world and the first found in the Americas, Vega said.
“Practically 90 percent of this specimen’s body has been preserved. It was buried in this microscopic mud (and) has very fine morphological details,” he said.
After a decade of work, Vega and his team established the fossil’s age in 2005 but only published their findings in November 2006 and began publicizing them in the last few weeks.
The fossil is 4.7 inches (12 cm) long and its shell and legs are immaculately preserved by the mud in the southern state of Chiapas where it was found. It is dated as 120 million years old, some 20 million years older than existing lobster fossils.
“This lobster that we found in Chiapas belongs to the genus that is in Africa today,” said geologist Francisco Javier Vega of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM.
“This isn’t a surprise because at that time, 120 million years ago, Africa and America were relatively close,” he told Reuters. “It’s very likely that this genus of lobster originated here.”
South America and Africa are believed to have split into two continents around 120 million years ago.
Species sometimes evolved differently on the two continents, explaining why American lobsters today are different from their African cousins.
The juvenile “Palinurus Palaceosi” fossil, dug up in 1995 along with petrified remains of fish, crustaceans and insects, is one of the best preserved lobster fossils in the world and the first found in the Americas, Vega said.
“Practically 90 percent of this specimen’s body has been preserved. It was buried in this microscopic mud (and) has very fine morphological details,” he said.
After a decade of work, Vega and his team established the fossil’s age in 2005 but only published their findings in November 2006 and began publicizing them in the last few weeks.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Human Brain Parasite Precisely Alters Fear
Rats usually have an innate fear of cat urine. The fear extends to rodents that have never seen a feline and those generations removed from ever meeting a cat. After they get infected with the brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii, however, rats become attracted to cat pee, increasing the chance they’ll become cat food.
This much researchers knew. But a new study shows the parasite, which also infects more half the world’s human population, seems to target a rat’s fear of cat urine with almost surgical precision, leaving other kinds of fear alone.
This discovery could shed light “on how fear is generated in the first place” and how people can potentially better manage phobias, researcher Ajai Vyas, a Stanford University neuroscientist, told LiveScience.
T. gondii is a parasitic germ whose primary hosts are cats. However, it can be found in most warm-blooded animals, including an estimated 50 million people in the United States. One study suggests the parasite has altered human behavior enough to shape entire cultures.
In cats, the protozoan reproduces sexually, while it reproduces asexually in other animals.
The germ seems to especially like infesting the brain — “parasites hijacking the mind,” Vyas said. Although the disease it causes in humans is rarely dangerous, it is the reason that pregnant women are sometimes told to avoid cat litter boxes (toxoplasmosis is risky for infants and others with compromised immune systems). Some scientists have suspected it might be linked to mental disorders such as schizophrenia and even neuroticism.
In 2000, scientists revealed T. gondii could modify the brains of rats to make them attracted to cat urine instead of afraid of it. Researchers suspect the germ does so to make it easier for it to jump into cats to begin the sexual part of its life cycle.
Vyas and his colleagues now show how specific this brain reprogramming is when it comes to rats, findings detailed online April 2 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Just cat peeRats infected with the parasite became mildly attracted to bobcat pee. However, they remained as fearful of open spaces as normal rats. They reacted normally to sound cues that suggested mild electrical shocks were coming. Normally rats are somewhat reticent when it comes to eating food that smells unfamiliar. And the infected rats were, just like the normal rats, reticent when it came to food scented with the unfamiliar odor of coriander. “One would thus assume that if something messes up with fear to cat pee, it will also mess up a variety of related behaviors,” Vyas said. “We do not see that. Toxoplasma affects fear to cat odors with almost surgical precision.”
In addition, “we show that parasites are a little more likely to be found in amygdala [a region of the brain] than in other brain areas,” Vyas said. “This is important because the amygdala is involved in a variety of fear-related behaviors.”
Future investigations can explore how exactly the parasite modifies the brain in such a precise manner. Potential targets in the brain for research include the stress hormone corticosterone and the brain chemical dopamine. Scientists might also want to see whether infected rats become less afraid of pictures of cats or scents of different predators of rats.
This much researchers knew. But a new study shows the parasite, which also infects more half the world’s human population, seems to target a rat’s fear of cat urine with almost surgical precision, leaving other kinds of fear alone.
This discovery could shed light “on how fear is generated in the first place” and how people can potentially better manage phobias, researcher Ajai Vyas, a Stanford University neuroscientist, told LiveScience.
T. gondii is a parasitic germ whose primary hosts are cats. However, it can be found in most warm-blooded animals, including an estimated 50 million people in the United States. One study suggests the parasite has altered human behavior enough to shape entire cultures.
In cats, the protozoan reproduces sexually, while it reproduces asexually in other animals.
The germ seems to especially like infesting the brain — “parasites hijacking the mind,” Vyas said. Although the disease it causes in humans is rarely dangerous, it is the reason that pregnant women are sometimes told to avoid cat litter boxes (toxoplasmosis is risky for infants and others with compromised immune systems). Some scientists have suspected it might be linked to mental disorders such as schizophrenia and even neuroticism.
In 2000, scientists revealed T. gondii could modify the brains of rats to make them attracted to cat urine instead of afraid of it. Researchers suspect the germ does so to make it easier for it to jump into cats to begin the sexual part of its life cycle.
Vyas and his colleagues now show how specific this brain reprogramming is when it comes to rats, findings detailed online April 2 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Just cat peeRats infected with the parasite became mildly attracted to bobcat pee. However, they remained as fearful of open spaces as normal rats. They reacted normally to sound cues that suggested mild electrical shocks were coming. Normally rats are somewhat reticent when it comes to eating food that smells unfamiliar. And the infected rats were, just like the normal rats, reticent when it came to food scented with the unfamiliar odor of coriander. “One would thus assume that if something messes up with fear to cat pee, it will also mess up a variety of related behaviors,” Vyas said. “We do not see that. Toxoplasma affects fear to cat odors with almost surgical precision.”
In addition, “we show that parasites are a little more likely to be found in amygdala [a region of the brain] than in other brain areas,” Vyas said. “This is important because the amygdala is involved in a variety of fear-related behaviors.”
Future investigations can explore how exactly the parasite modifies the brain in such a precise manner. Potential targets in the brain for research include the stress hormone corticosterone and the brain chemical dopamine. Scientists might also want to see whether infected rats become less afraid of pictures of cats or scents of different predators of rats.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Chicken Breast Recall for Listeria
Here we go again folks!
South Carolina Firm Recalls Chicken Breast Strips For Possible Listeria Contamination
Recall Release
CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-012-2007
HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs(202) 720-9113Steven Cohen
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2007 - Carolina Culinary Foods, a West Columbia, S.C., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 52,650 pounds of fully cooked chicken breast strips that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The following product was manufactured for Oscar Mayer and is subject to recall:
6-ounce packages of "OSCAR MAYER/LOUIS RICH CHICKEN BREAST STRIPS WITH RIB MEAT, GRILLED, FULLY COOKED - READY TO EAT."
The front of each package bears the establishment number "P-19676" inside the USDA mark of inspection. On the back of each package appears a "Use by" date of "19 Apr 2007." The code "19 APR 2007" appears on each case. The chicken breast strips were produced on Jan. 9, 2007 and distributed to retail establishments nationwide.
The problem was discovered through microbiological testing completed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product. Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy.
Media with questions about the recall should call Oscar Mayer Representative Elisabeth Wenner at (847) 646-4271. Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Kraft Consumer Response at 800-871-7117.
South Carolina Firm Recalls Chicken Breast Strips For Possible Listeria Contamination
Recall Release
CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-012-2007
HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs(202) 720-9113Steven Cohen
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2007 - Carolina Culinary Foods, a West Columbia, S.C., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 52,650 pounds of fully cooked chicken breast strips that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The following product was manufactured for Oscar Mayer and is subject to recall:
6-ounce packages of "OSCAR MAYER/LOUIS RICH CHICKEN BREAST STRIPS WITH RIB MEAT, GRILLED, FULLY COOKED - READY TO EAT."
The front of each package bears the establishment number "P-19676" inside the USDA mark of inspection. On the back of each package appears a "Use by" date of "19 Apr 2007." The code "19 APR 2007" appears on each case. The chicken breast strips were produced on Jan. 9, 2007 and distributed to retail establishments nationwide.
The problem was discovered through microbiological testing completed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of this product. Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Healthy people rarely contract listeriosis. However, listeriosis can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. Listeriosis can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as serious and sometimes fatal infections in those with weakened immune systems, such as infants, the elderly and persons with HIV infection or undergoing chemotherapy.
Media with questions about the recall should call Oscar Mayer Representative Elisabeth Wenner at (847) 646-4271. Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Kraft Consumer Response at 800-871-7117.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Kroger Chicken Soup Recall
Another recall due to failure to properly monitor the manufacturing process. Obviously HACCP procedures were not properly followed. I worked for several years as a QA Supervisor in the food industry and we never had a problem because we were diligent. Anyway, in case you have not heard...
Recall Release
CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-009-2007
HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs(202) 720-9113 Amanda Eamich
Feb 3, 2007 - - Morgan Foods, an Austin, Ind., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 6,317 pounds of chicken noodle soup due to the presence of undeclared allergens (milk, soy), the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The product label indicates that the can contains chicken noodle soup; however, the can contains chicken, potato and broccoli soup with cheese. The soup contains milk and soy, known allergens, which are not declared on the label.
The following product is subject to recall: 18.6-ounce cans of "Kroger, ready to serve SOUP, CHUNKY Classic Chicken Noodle." Each label bears the establishment number "P-1469" inside the USDA seal of inspection. The bottom of each can also bears the "Best by" date and package code "BB 10/26/08, CCBRP J2606."
The soup was produced on October 26, 2006 and was distributed to retail stores nationwide. The problem was discovered following consumer complaints to retail establishments. FSIS has received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products.
Anyone concerned about an allergic reaction should contact a physician. Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact company Human Resources Manager Bob Wormley at (812) 794-1269.
Recall Release
CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-009-2007
HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs(202) 720-9113 Amanda Eamich
Feb 3, 2007 - - Morgan Foods, an Austin, Ind., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 6,317 pounds of chicken noodle soup due to the presence of undeclared allergens (milk, soy), the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The product label indicates that the can contains chicken noodle soup; however, the can contains chicken, potato and broccoli soup with cheese. The soup contains milk and soy, known allergens, which are not declared on the label.
The following product is subject to recall: 18.6-ounce cans of "Kroger, ready to serve SOUP, CHUNKY Classic Chicken Noodle." Each label bears the establishment number "P-1469" inside the USDA seal of inspection. The bottom of each can also bears the "Best by" date and package code "BB 10/26/08, CCBRP J2606."
The soup was produced on October 26, 2006 and was distributed to retail stores nationwide. The problem was discovered following consumer complaints to retail establishments. FSIS has received no reports of illness due to consumption of these products.
Anyone concerned about an allergic reaction should contact a physician. Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact company Human Resources Manager Bob Wormley at (812) 794-1269.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Sara Lee will fire 1700 workers
Sara Lee Corp. announced Monday it will lay off almost 1,700 workers and close a pork plant as a part of its restructuring plan. The Downers Grove, Ill.-based company will release 1,200 workers from its pork processing and spice production facilities in West Point, Miss., when they close on March 30.
This will be quite a blow to the West Point area of Mississippi. Where will these people go?
This will be quite a blow to the West Point area of Mississippi. Where will these people go?
Arkansas Firm Recalls Ground Meat due to E.Coli
Recall Release
CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-008-2007
HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs (202) 720-9113Amanda Eamich
WASHINGTON, January 29, 2007- The Natural State Meat Co., a Batesville, Ark., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 4,240 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.
The products subject to recall include: Various sized bags (between one- and 25- pounds) of "Meacham Packing Company, HAMBURGER."
Various sized bags (between one- and 10-pounds) of "Meacham Packing Company, Beef Ground Chuck."
Each package bears the establishment number “Est. 10692” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The problem was discovered through routine FSIS microbiological testing. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products.
The ground beef products were produced on various dates between January 19 and 26, 2007 and were distributed to retail establishments and institutions in Independence County, Arkansas.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, seniors and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.
Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact company Co-owner Eric Mohlke at (870) 793-7541.
CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-008-2007
HEALTH RISK: HIGH
Congressional and Public Affairs (202) 720-9113Amanda Eamich
WASHINGTON, January 29, 2007- The Natural State Meat Co., a Batesville, Ark., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 4,240 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.
The products subject to recall include: Various sized bags (between one- and 25- pounds) of "Meacham Packing Company, HAMBURGER."
Various sized bags (between one- and 10-pounds) of "Meacham Packing Company, Beef Ground Chuck."
Each package bears the establishment number “Est. 10692” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The problem was discovered through routine FSIS microbiological testing. FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products.
The ground beef products were produced on various dates between January 19 and 26, 2007 and were distributed to retail establishments and institutions in Independence County, Arkansas.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, seniors and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.
Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact company Co-owner Eric Mohlke at (870) 793-7541.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Turtle Thought Extinct Found in Thailand
Thai villagers have caught a river terrapin turtle that was thought to be extinct in the country, a leading conservation group said Wednesday.
The female turtle - known for its egg-shaped shell and upturned snout - was found Jan. 3 in a mangrove canal in Phang Nga province on the country's Andaman coast, said the World Wide Fund for Nature-Thailand. It was the first time the species was found in Thailand in two decades, the WWF said.
"The discovery of a species that was believed to be extinct in Thailand is considered to be a very important event and it shows that the natural habitat, in which it was found is still rich and should be conserved," said WWF official Songpol Tippayawong.
Villagers from Klong Tum were out fishing when they spotted the turtle - about 20 inches long and weighing 62 pounds - as it was on its way to nest, the WWF said. They sold it to another villager who then alerted local conservation authorities.
The turtle, which is designated as critically endangered by the World Conservation Union, has been turned over to a district fisheries office and it will raised in captivity, the WWF said. It will eventually be released back into the wild.
"Normally, turtles caught like this would have been eaten by the local people," Songpol said. "The turtle was initially sold but the villager who bought it had a conservation mind-set. This turtle was pretty lucky."
The turtles - which can be found in other parts of Asia along the Andaman Coast and the South China Sea - have seen their numbers reduced drastically in recent years, mostly due to poaching of their eggs, pollution and habitat loss.
The female turtle - known for its egg-shaped shell and upturned snout - was found Jan. 3 in a mangrove canal in Phang Nga province on the country's Andaman coast, said the World Wide Fund for Nature-Thailand. It was the first time the species was found in Thailand in two decades, the WWF said.
"The discovery of a species that was believed to be extinct in Thailand is considered to be a very important event and it shows that the natural habitat, in which it was found is still rich and should be conserved," said WWF official Songpol Tippayawong.
Villagers from Klong Tum were out fishing when they spotted the turtle - about 20 inches long and weighing 62 pounds - as it was on its way to nest, the WWF said. They sold it to another villager who then alerted local conservation authorities.
The turtle, which is designated as critically endangered by the World Conservation Union, has been turned over to a district fisheries office and it will raised in captivity, the WWF said. It will eventually be released back into the wild.
"Normally, turtles caught like this would have been eaten by the local people," Songpol said. "The turtle was initially sold but the villager who bought it had a conservation mind-set. This turtle was pretty lucky."
The turtles - which can be found in other parts of Asia along the Andaman Coast and the South China Sea - have seen their numbers reduced drastically in recent years, mostly due to poaching of their eggs, pollution and habitat loss.
Class I Recall for Sausages
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5, 2007 - Gold Star Sausage Co., Inc, a Denver, Colo., firm, is voluntarily recalling approximately 15,514 pounds of sausage products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.
The following products are subject to recall:
One-pound packages of "MAVERICK RANCH BEEF FRANKS, 6 SKINLESS FRANKS." Each package bears a "sell by" date of "2/14/07," "2/21/07" or "2/28/07."
One-pound packages of "MAVERICK RANCH BUFFALO FRANKS, 6 SKINLESS FRANKS." Each package bears a "sell by" date of "12/27/06," "1/3/07," "1/10/07," "2/14/07," "2/21/07" or "2/28/07."
Five-pound packages of "BEEF FRANKS, PRODUCT CODE MF55-0606-15." These products were packaged on "12/09/06."
Each package bears the establishment number "EST. 1106" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The sausage products were distributed to retail and institutional establishments in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.
For the full story: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_002_2007_Release/index.asp
The following products are subject to recall:
One-pound packages of "MAVERICK RANCH BEEF FRANKS, 6 SKINLESS FRANKS." Each package bears a "sell by" date of "2/14/07," "2/21/07" or "2/28/07."
One-pound packages of "MAVERICK RANCH BUFFALO FRANKS, 6 SKINLESS FRANKS." Each package bears a "sell by" date of "12/27/06," "1/3/07," "1/10/07," "2/14/07," "2/21/07" or "2/28/07."
Five-pound packages of "BEEF FRANKS, PRODUCT CODE MF55-0606-15." These products were packaged on "12/09/06."
Each package bears the establishment number "EST. 1106" inside the USDA mark of inspection. The sausage products were distributed to retail and institutional establishments in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.
For the full story: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_002_2007_Release/index.asp
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