The Food Section: Appetizers

Perfecting the Pudding

A UK scientist has come up with a formula for the most perfect Yorkshire pudding.

Wonder Drugs: Muskrat Dookie Kills Salmonella

A research team in South Korea claims that muskrat excrement contains a potent antibiotic that can kill Salmonella bacteria responsible for food poisoning as well as Vibrio bacteria (which can cause seafood-linked food poisoning).

Inbreeding Causes Chickens to Lose Half Their Genome (At Our Peril)

Birds of a Feather: Commercial Producers Play Chicken with Avian Flu [Scientific American]

New Study Suggests Metal Ions in Red Wine Pose Health Risk

Heavy metals in wine could pose health risk [decanter]

Eating One's Way Out of Addiction

New research suggests that a diet high in certain amino acids could play a role in the treatment of addiction.

According to the Economist, addicts tend to lose the body's natural ability to produce neurotransmiters that are critical to the way reward pathways work in the brain. Drugs or behaviors (such as gambling) mimic the actions of these neurotransmitters (such as serotonin, at right), causing the body to stop making the molecules in the first place, ultimately leading to addiction.

But, what if neurotransmitter levels could be restored through diet, reducing the craving for controlled substances?

Serotonin, for example, happens to be made from the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in foods such as meat, brown rice, nuts, fish, and milk. Researchers at Oxford University have found that a change in the amount of tryptophan in one's diet can affect mood. Similarly, another study showed that the consumption of an amino acid found in nuts and seeds reduce the desire of cocaine addicts to use cocaine.

Treatment on a plate [The Economist]

"French Paradox" Redux: White Wine Is Good, Too

New research suggests that white wine may have similar health benefits to those associated with red wine.

Dipak Das, a molecular biologist at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in Farmington, says that research into the so-called "French Paradox" has placed an undue emphasis on the role of resveratrol, which is only found in grape skin. Polyphenols found in the pulp of the grape are equally significant for health, Das argues: "The flesh of the grape can do the same job as the skin." He expects additional studies to soon confirm the health impact of white wine: "We can safely say that one to two glasses of white wine per day works exactly like red wine."

Break out the bubbly: White wine may be good for you [New Scientist]

Gut Check: Bitter Food and Your Body

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, have discovered a link between taste and how the digestive system processes food.

They found that digestion is slowed during the ingestion of foods that taste bitter: the body associates the bitter flavor with toxins and works longer and harder to expel the (perceived) bad food. Bitter taste receptors in the gut were found to have stimulated the production of cholecystokinin, a hormone that suppresses appetite and slows the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine.

This discovery may help scientists develop better medicines to treat many conditions: if a drug tastes less bitter (and more palatable), the body is likely to absorb it much faster and more efficiently.

The findings may also have ramifications for treating diabetes. Bitter-taste receptors in the small intestine stimulate the production of a protein that, in turn, stimulates the secretion of insulin. Many people with diabetes are presently prescribed medications to stabilize this protein, but future therapies might instead be directed at the receptors' natural reactions to bitter flavor.

Small Intestine Senses Bitter Toxins in Food [U.S.News & World Report]

Chicken Legs May Lower Blood Pressure

Scientists in Japan have identified proteins in chicken legs which appear to be effective in controlling high blood pressure.

In a paper published in the Journal of Agricultural Chemistry and Food, the researchers described that they extracted collagen from chicken legs and then fed it to hypertensive rats. Eight hours later, the rats had distinctly lower blood pressure levels eight compared with another group of rats which were fed a saline solution. Moreover, the group of rats fed collagen continued to show a significant reduction in blood pressure four weeks later.

Chicken legs may control high blood pressure -study [Reuters]

This Is Your Brain on Calories

Scientists at Duke University recently investigated how the human brain controls food intake and whether calories, rather than taste, might play a role in the desire to eat.

The researchers took normal mice and mice that had been genetically altered to eliminate their sense of sweetness and conducted a series of experiments to measure their preference for plain water versus water sweetened with sugar and water sweetened with sucralose (splenda).

They found that all of the mice preferred the (caloric) sugar water over plain water. However, as for splenda, the normal mice preferred the calorie-free sweetener, while the altered mice showed no particular preference. The results suggest that the altered mice found some pleasure in eating sugar not for its sweetness, but because of its calorie content.

The scientists also found that dopamine levels (associated with pleasure and the desire to eat) only increased in the altered mice when they were given real sugar as opposed to splenda, adding further evidence to the theory that the brain derives pleasure from calories.

Why Calories Taste Delicious: Eating and the Brain [Scientific American]

The New Frankenfoods

Could this be the dawn of the "grape-flavored banana"? New research published in the scientific journal Nature suggests that genetic manipulation of enzymes responsible for aromas in fruits and vegetables may enable the fine tuning of flavors: "For example, the aroma of virgin olive oil stems from the volatiles synthesized by olives. By modifying the activity of enzymes that generate these substances, it may be possible to alter the flavour of the resulting oils."

Teenage Sushi Sleuths

Two teens took samples of sushi from New York restaurants and fish from grocery stores and shipped it off to Canada for DNA testing. They found that one-fourth of the fish samples were mislabeled. Sushi sold as white tuna was really tilapia, flying fish roe was actually from smelt, and seven of nine samples labeled red snapper were, in fact, other species.

"Subtracting Heat"

In the New York Times, Harold McGee explores the power of cold and its application to food and cooking. Along the way, he shares some neat tricks for quick cooling -- could five-minute ice cream be the new no-knead bread?

Nutrition Cognition

The Economist explores scientific research connecting food with cognitive abilities and dishes up a three-course menu for intelligence enhancement.

The Heart-Healthy Frankenburger

By removing fat and adding a sunflower oil, along with a pinch of phytosterols, scientists in Argentina have perfected a juicy, low-fat burger that contains no saturated fat.

Red Wine, Resveratrol, and Immortality

A new report offers further evidence that resveratrol, an ingredient in some red wines, may extend lifespan. The race is now on by pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs that will slow aging.

Stress, Simians, and Sweets

Like stressed-out humans, plebeian monkeys crave high-calorie foods as a coping mechanism. Unlike us, they feel no guilt about doing so.

Salty into Sweet

Researchers in Italy have discovered that growing cherry tomatoes in salty water can make them tastier and richer in antioxidants. Diluted seawater puts an environmental stress on tomato plants that causes them to produce higher levels of compounds that affect flavor. The researchers hope their findings will encourage the use of brackish water in tomato agriculture, extending scarce supplies of fresh water.

Feta Fights Listeria

Scientists have discovered that feta cheese made from raw sheep's milk has natural anti-food-poisoning properties that can kill dangerous bacteria like Listeria.

Real Men Really Don't Eat Quiche

A new study at Yale University's School of Medicine confirms age old stereotypes about male and female eating habits: men prefer meat and women prefer lean foods and vegetables.

Brave New World: The Tearless Onion

Agricultural scientists in New Zealand have developed an onion that contains up to 500 times less of the irritant that induces tears. Via coldmud.

Rise of the Supercarrot

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas have engineered a carrot that contains extra calcium to prevent brittle bone disease and osteoporosis.

The Price of Pleasure

Researchers at Stanford University have found that the more wine costs, the more people enjoy it (regardless of how it tastes). Because people expect wines that cost more to be of higher quality, they trick themselves into believing high-priced wines are more pleasurable than less expensive ones.

Is Organic Better?

The findings of several recent scientific studies suggest that the benefits of organic food are mixed.

Chefs Blamed for Oversized Portions

Researchers at Clemson University recently surveyed 300 chefs about about portion sizes, finding major differences between what chefs consider a regular portion compared to the standard serving sizes suggested by the United States Department of Agriculture.

The Biologist's Thanksgiving

Psychedelic microscopic images of Thanksgiving dishes, from turkey to cranberries to gravy. Via se.

Flexible Foie Gras

The New York Times explores the influence of chemistry on today's chefs.

Brave New World: Pre-Skimmed Milk

Researchers at a New Zealand-based biotechnology company have discovered that some cows have a gene providing the natural ability to produce skimmed milk. The finding could be used to develop a dairy herd that produces low-fat milk.

From Floor to Mouth

Harold McGee explores research into the "five second rule" and the safety of eating dropped food.

Attacking E. Coli

A number of scientists are focused on developing vaccines (some for use on humans, others for animals) to prevent people from being poisoned by E. coli.

Dark Chocolate: Good for Blood Pressure

The New York Times reports that dark chocolate may be almost as effective at lowering blood pressure as taking common antihypertensive drugs.

Got Nitrogen?

Researchers in the UK have developed a test to determine whether or not produce on store shelves really is organic.

The Perfect Bacon Sandwich

N = C + {f_b(c_m) · f_b(t_c)} + f_b(T_s) + f_c · t_a is the formula for the perfect bacon sandwich, according to a new study by researchers at Leeds University.

Odorless Durian

A Thai scientist has developed a hybrid durian that bears none of the fruit's uniquely stinky aroma.

Miracles of Meat

Harold McGee explores the myriad "creation stories" behind how meat gets red.

The Shark-Scallop Connection

A new study reports that overfishing of sharks has enabled their prey, which feed on mollusks, to thrive and deplete scallop populations.

Sugar Power

Researchers have created a sugar-powered fuel cell that runs on anything from soft drinks to tree sap and lasts up to four times as long on a single charge than conventional batteries.

Fish: Good or Bad for Pregnant Women

Science: A new study published in The Lancet links high seafood consumption by pregnant women with beneficial effects on child development. The findings contradict recommendations on limiting seafood to avoid potentially high levels of mercury (more).

Debunking Aphrodisiacs

Science: In the Washington Post, Robert L. Wolke debunks aphrodisiacs.

Medicinal Eggs

Science: Researchers in Scotland have produced a genetically modified rooster whose female descendants lay eggs that produce medicines in place of a protein in egg whites.

Sad Movies and Popcorn

Science: Researchers find that sad movies inspire an increased consumption of popcorn, M&Ms.

Balsamic in Your Beer?

Science: Balsamic in your beer? An experiment reveals that knowing about a secret ingredient can change the experience of taste.

Red Wine, Obesity, Endurance

Science: Researchers have found that an ingredient in red wine not only reverses the effects of obesity, but increases endurance as well. Earlier: French Paradox redux.

French Paradox redux

Science: Researchers have found that obese mice on a high-fat diet lived healthier, longer lives when they consumed large doses of red wine. Take that, calorie-deprived monkeys! Previously: French food bloggers on the French paradox.

Calorie Restriction Studies

Science: More and more studies of the "Calorie Restriction" diet (recently profiled in New York magazine) are demonstrating evidence of its positive effect on slowing aging.

Mice Don't Like Cheese

Science: Researchers in the UK have found that mice don't like cheese, but rather prefer sweets.

Understanding Alcoholism

Science: Theories abound about the relationship between drinking in childhood and adult alcoholism, but definitive answers are lacking. Writer Stephen Pincock ponders: How about a "clinical trial" to find the truth?

Twin Diet

Science: A new medical study has found that omnivores and vegetarians are five times more likely to have fraternal twins than vegans.

Why things end badly with asparagus

Science: Why asparagus makes your pee smell bad: "The asparagus phenomenon is unique within the world of veggies."

Building a More Yummy Pig

Science: A $10 million federal grant is supporting the mapping of pig genes in order to build "a more yummy pig."

Fart-free Beans

Science: Researchers in Venezuela have developed a method for making the world's first flatulence-free beans.

Why dogs can't eat chocolate

Science: Why dogs can't eat chocolate.

Fish History

Science: In an effort to rebuild depleted fisheries in Maine, researcher Ted Ames is tracing the historical migratory patterns and spawning grounds of the region's fish through interviews with local fishermen: "They can't remember their wives' names," Ames says, "but they can tell you where they got that big run years ago."

Building a Better Pig

Science: Researchers have cloned pigs that make their own omega-3 fatty acids, "potentially leading to bacon and pork chops that might help your heart."

The Science of Wasabi

Science: The sting of wasabi comes from isothyocyanates, chemicals that trigger changes in nerve cells leading to the sensation of pain: "In an evolutionary sense, the reason plants started making these compounds was to try to stop humans or other omnivores from eating them. It didn't work."

Expectations and Taste

Science: A study at the University of Wisconsin has shown that expectations play an important role in the sense of taste.

On Competitive Eating

Science: Understanding the psychological appeal of competitive eating and the mechanisms behind how the body can ingest such massive quantities of food (see illustration). Via tmn.

Enter the Vortex

Science: Milk stirred into coffee doesn't merely dissolve. It sinks into a swirling vortex. Via bccy.

Cheerio Effect

Science: Researchers explain the Cheerio Effect, or "why your breakfast cereal tends to clump together or cling to the sides of a bowl of milk." Via kottke.

"Sweet Dreams Are Made of Cheese"

Science: A study by the British Cheese Board has found that there is no link between eating cheese and having nightmares, though cheddar noshers tended to dream about celebrities. The nightmare myth is associated with Dickens’ Scrooge, "who blamed 'a crumb of cheese' on his night-time visitations."

Salt Remnants

Science: Researchers have recently discovered archeological evidence of salt making in ancient China.

Science of Smell and Taste

Science: Researchers seek a biological answer to the puzzling relationship between smell and taste.

Growing Meat

Science: An international team of researchers has proposed that cells taken from animals could be grown directly into meat in a laboratory: "Scientists believe the technology already exists to directly grow processed meat like a chicken nugget."

Garlic Bites

Science: What happens when you bite into raw garlic, explained: "Just think of it as the activation of nociceptors, accompanied by vasodilation, vascular leakage and inflammation."

Lobster Life Cycle

Science: Exploring the rise and fall of lobster populations on the Eastern seaboard. Plus: Tracing the lobster life cycle, from development through courtship and, finally, death (with butter and shallots).

Why Cats Don't Like Sweets

Science: Researchers find an explanation for why cats don't like sweets.

Martian Menu

Science: Two teams of French chefs have created menus for astronauts based on ingredients that could be grown on Mars: "In addition to being healthy and sufficiently nutritious for survival, good food could potentially provide psychological support for the crew, away from Earth for years."

Secret Powers of Horseradish

Science: Researchers at Penn State have discovered that horseradish may hold promise as a cheap and effective way to suppress the stench of pig manure on commercial hog farms.

The Taste of Words

Science: Researchers have confirmed that words can enhance the flavor of food by tricking "the brain into a different kind of perception": "It helps to say on the label that the chardonnay smells of melon, honey and pear blossom."

Vegetarian Dinosaur

Science: Researchers have discovered evidence of a new species of dinosaur that appears to have embraced vegetarianism: "I doubt that this animal could have cut a steak" (more).

Dinner Table Benefits

Science: In a series of recent studies, researchers have identified health and other benefits from the family dinner ritual.

Is Vinegar Alcoholic

Science: Is vinegar alcoholic?

Blue Lobsters

Science: How one in a million lobsters gets blue. Plus: Your lobster questions answered.

Lobsters Feel No Pain

Science: Guilt-free lobster rolls for everyone! A Norwegian study has found that lobsters feel no pain (take that, David Foster Wallace). Via mf.

Nutcracking

Science: Understanding how nuts are cracked commercially.

Space Diet

Space: Faced with a food shortage aboard the International Space Station, astronauts must curb their calorie intake.

Neuromarketing Soda Pop

Science: In a neurological taste test of Coke and Pepsi, scientists find that brain activity is linked to brand loyalty: "When subjects used their sense of taste alone to choose a preferred drink, an area of the brain called the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex lit up. When told they were drinking "the real thing," as Coke is widely known, a memory region call the hippocampus and another part of the prefrontal cortex lit up."

Healthy Chocolate?

Science: Developing a healthier chocolate.

Cooking with Wine

Science: Robert L. Wolke explores what happens when we cook with wine.

Artificial Sweeteners

Science: A Purdue University study suggests that artificial sweeteners may disrupt the body's ability to "count" calories based on foods' sweetness.

Ice Cream Headaches

Children know all about ice cream headache, although I have found that they know it best by the descriptive term "brain freeze." A scientific inquiry into ice cream headaches.

Fighting Kitchen Bacteria

Fighting kitchen bacteria.

Pregnancy, Chocolate, and Babies

Study finds that eating chocolate during pregnancy leads to positive mood in babies. [via bccy]