Antimicrobial preservation strategies to prevent food contamination

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

14-Feb-2014

Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 x2156 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, February 13, 2014Food spoiling and poisoning caused by microbial contamination can cause major health, social, and economic problems. The broad scope of antimicrobial approaches to kill or prevent the growth of microorganisms in foods and beverages, including a variety of natural and artificial preservative strategies, are described in a comprehensive Review article in Industrial Biotechnology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available on the Industrial Biotechnology website.

In the Review "Ingredient Technology for Food Preservation," Zuoxing Zheng, PhD, Principle Scientist at Kraft Foods Group (Glenview, IL) discusses new and emerging antimicrobials and how they are being used to improve the safety, quality, and shelf-life of food and beverage products. He describes antimicrobial mechanisms for preventing food spoilage and the criteria used to select particular antimicrobials for specific food or beverage applications.

"As we seek to expand global food production to meet the nutritional requirements of an increasing population, we also need to develop innovative solutions to prevent food spoilage and its impact on human health," says Co-Editor-in-Chief Larry Walker, PhD, Professor, Biological & Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. "Biotechnology solutions must be on the table as we seek to address these challenges."

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About the Journal

Industrial Biotechnology, led by Co-Editors-in-Chief Larry Walker, PhD, and Glenn Nedwin, PhD, MoT, CEO and President, Taxon Biosciences, Tiburon, CA, is an authoritative journal focused on biobased industrial and environmental products and processes, published bimonthly in print and online. The Journal reports on the science, business, and policy developments of the emerging global bioeconomy, including biobased production of energy and fuels, chemicals, materials, and consumer goods. The articles published include critically reviewed original research in all related sciences (biology, biochemistry, chemical and process engineering, agriculture), in addition to expert commentary on current policy, funding, markets, business, legal issues, and science trends. Industrial Biotechnology offers the premier forum bridging basic research and R&D with later-stage commercialization for sustainable biobased industrial and environmental applications.

About the Publisher

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Antimicrobial preservation strategies to prevent food contamination

Editors Picks: The 5 Best Looks From Thursday

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The last day of New York Fashion Week kicked off with strong-shouldered power-suits in white and cool gray at Ralph Lauren. Then cameJ. Mendel and Calvin Klein, with their breakdown of '90s minimalism, followed by threeASFOUR, which presented a futuristic collection heavy on crisp winter whites. But it was at Marc Jacobs where the trend of space-age futurism was sealed. Click on to see all of our favorites from the last day of NYFW.

It was unclear whether it was a utopia or dystopia that Marc Jacobsconveyed a creepy, spoken-word soundtrack by Jessica Lange signalled the latter but the clothes itself were a warm and inviting collection of modish, simplified separates in neutral tones that hinted to life on some distant space station.

Calvin Kleinpresented a collection that riffed on many themes of the '90s (other than the brand's traditional minimalism). Black combat boots with white contrast laces gave way to ladylike shapes, but the runway was dominated by grungy textures of matted mohair and raw-boucl tweed.

ThreeASFOUR did not disappoint with a spacey futuristic collection of all-white looks. Our favorites were the mille-feuille white organza dresses in stranges shapes that gave off an unusual cloud-like effect.

Gilles Mendel ofJ. Mendelisknown for his fur and evening gowns and on Thursday he presented a collection of maroons, deep greens, and grays. Our favorite was a dripping, hunter-green charmeuse dress draped in an unusual way around the bodice.

Ralph Laurenwas a wash of pale neutrals, offset with mauves and pinks. The first looks were reminiscent of early '80s power-dressing, and made all the more improbable and luxurious in winter white.

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Editors Picks: The 5 Best Looks From Thursday

Listen: Adam From James & Evander Launches Pale Blue Dot, a New Space Disco Project

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If you don't know, now you know: We are big fans of sublime East Bay electronic bummer pop outfit James & Evander. We also tend to like other musical projects that J&E's Glenn Jackson and Adam Myatt get involved in -- like the brand-new group Pale Blue Dot, a trio that specializes in what the members call "Carl Sagan disco." Think of space disco, but with a heavy dose of retro-futurism and a distinctly optimistic tint to the songs' slowly unfolding electronic layers. Pale Blue Dot's debut EP, available on Bandcamp (as well as limited edition cassette, natch), will appeal to fans of easygoing ambient electronic music in the vein of Tycho, as well as anyone coming down from a Todd Terje high:

Pale Blue Dot is pretty new, but the group has a show at Noise Pop opening for El Ten Eleven on Friday, Feb. 28, at the New Parish in Oakland. We expect good things from these three.

-- @iPORT

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Listen: Adam From James & Evander Launches Pale Blue Dot, a New Space Disco Project

Reporters Without Borders Spotlights Major Decline In Media Freedom In US

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The 2014 World Press Freedom Index spotlights major decline in media freedom in the United States. The US has been listed along with countries such as Central African Republic and Guatemala in the Index, which was published on Wednesday by Reporters Without Borders (RWB).

The United States has gone 13 positions down to 46th in this year's index, which covers 180 countries.

RWB head of research Lucie Morillon said: "This year, the ranking of some countries, including democracies, has been impacted by an overly broad and abusive interpretation of the concept of national security protection."

Several factors, including armed conflicts, political instability and national security, restrict media freedom in many countries, according to the Index.

In countries where the rule of law prevails, security arguments are misused as grounds for restricting freedom of information. "Invoked too readily, the protection of national security is encroaching on hard-won democratic rights," the France-based non-profit organization noted, referring to the recent developments in the U.S.

"The trial and conviction of Private [Chelsea] Manning and the pursuit of the National Security Agency analyst Edward Snowden were warnings to all those thinking of assisting in the disclosure of sensitive information that would clearly be in the public interest," RWB says.

Both American and British authorities "seem obsessed with hunting down whistleblowers instead of adopting legislation to rein in abusive surveillance practices that negate privacy, a democratic value cherished in both countries."

The United Kingdom is ranked 33rd, three places down, distinguishing itself by its harassment of The Guardian.

In August last year, US Army Private Manning was sentenced to 35 years in jail for handing classified US government documents to the Wikileaks website.

American authorities charged US whistle-blower Edward Snowden with espionage and theft of government property after he stunned the world last year by leaking details of several secret mass electronic surveillance programs run by the United States.

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Reporters Without Borders Spotlights Major Decline In Media Freedom In US

Netizens abusing press freedom

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There is too much press freedom and freedom of expression in Malaysia that many have failed to appreciate and are abusing it.

GEORGE TOWN: If there is no press freedom in Malaysia then how is it that netizens keep slamming the Barisan Nasional federal government for anything and everything, asked Centre for Political Awareness (CPA) president Huan Cheng Guan.

Huan was commenting on the Malaysias press freedom hitting a historic low in the 2014 World Press Freedom Index of 147 out of 180 countries.

He said even an innocent reference to kangkung by the Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had been distorted to make international headlines.

If this is not a clear evidence of free press and freedom of expression, what else can it be? asked Huan said his statement to FMT here today.

Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire had said the World Press Freedom Index was a reference tool based on seven criteria: the level of abuses, the extent of pluralism, media independence, the environment and self-censorship, the legislative framework, transparency and infrastructure.

I would ask Reporters Without Borders to relook the situation in Malaysia. The truth is there is too much press freedom and freedom of expression.

Many failed to appreciate it, indeed have been abusing it, said Huan.

He criticised DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang for practising double standard and being absent-minded in his habitual haste to blast Malaysias press freedom index.

He said Kit Siang had forgotten that it was his son, Guan Eng, and other DAP members, including Teresa Kok, who have been fervently suing the media and activists for reporting issues.

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Netizens abusing press freedom

European Parliamentarian Vows to "Fight to the End" Child Euthanasia Law

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Luca Volonte Says Measure is a Step Backwards For Society Rome, February 14, 2014 (Zenit.org) | 102 hits

A prominent member of the Council of Europe criticized yesterdays decision in Belgium that extended the countrys euthanasia law to children under the age of 18.

In an interview with Avvenire, Luca Volonte, Italian member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, has been one of many opponents of the new law, calling it a step in the wrong direction.

We are at a point of no return, the law in favor of euthanasia for children is a step backwards to the beginning of the 20th century, when the culture of statewide eugenics provoked the appalling tragedies that we all know, Volonte said.

The Italian politician, who participated in prayer vigils against the law, has now thrown his support behind a petition carried out by CitizenGo that will be presented to King Philippe of Belgium, urging him to not sign the controversial measure.

Volonte said the law invents an alleged consensus by children from 4-5 years old, while suggesting that such a consensus was only made by pressure from a commission of experts examining the request for euthanasia.

Everyone knows that before 10 years old, children havent even grasped the concept of death, many pediatricians and child psychologists have said so; many of whom, and not by chance, have opposed the law, he said.

Despite the overwhelming support for the law in Parliament, Volonte expressed his hope that the voice of the Belgian people will overcome. The Italian politician said that recent polls indicated that 55% of the Belgian population is against the law. In short, Belgian society has reawakened, he said.

Regarding the petition campaign that will be sent to the king, Volonte said that King Philippe can send the measure back to parliament. This shameful law, he said, was imposed by a majority that, above all, in a few months, will not be there any more. If the measure is sent back, the Belgian Parliament will most likely be unable to pass a new measure prior to elections.

Volonte, who is also chairman of the Dignitatis Humanae Institute, also raised the possibility of international pressure against the law, which he said, goes against the eugenics practices that have been banned by the United Nations.

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European Parliamentarian Vows to "Fight to the End" Child Euthanasia Law