We’re not quite Iron Man, but metals are intricately entwined with our bodies. They make vital functions like respiration, circulation and reproduction possible.
Cobalt, for instance, found at the core of vitamin B12, is key to making red blood cells, while iron allows those cells to ferry oxygen and other important chemicals to the body’s […]
Although dietary fibre is not a ‘nutrient’, it is nevertheless an important component of our diets. The fact that it passes through the body without being absorbed is the main reason why fibre is so important.
What is dietary fibre?
Dietary fibre or ‘roughage’ comprises the edible parts of plant that cannot be digested or absorbed […]
Zearalenone (ZEN), also known as RAL and F-2 mycotoxin, is a potent estrogenic metabolite produced by someFusarium and Gibberella species.Particularly is produced by Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium culmorum,Fusarium cerealis, Fusarium equiseti, Fusarium verticillioides, and Fusarium incarnatum
Zearalenone is heat-stable and is found worldwide in a number of cereal crops, such as maize, barley, oats,wheat, rice, and […]
It is a sterol (or modified steroid), a lipid molecule and is biosynthesized by all animal cells because it is an essential structural component of all animal (not plant or bacterial) cell membranes that is required to maintain both membrane structural integrity and fluidity. Cholesterol enables animal cells to dispense with a cell wall to […]
What is an ELISA test?
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) are the most widely used type of assay. They have evolved from viral lysate tests to tests containing recombinant protein and synthetic peptide antigens:
They have high sensitivity and specificity.
ELISAs are designed specifically for screening large numbers of specimens at a time, making them suitable for use […]
Prerequisite programmes (PRPs) are all the processes and hardware that work alongside the HACCP system. They provide the basic environmental and operating conditions essential for the safe production of food. Unlike HACCP which is product and process specific, prerequisite programmes are more general and apply to all areas in a food production facility. Examples […]
Zinc is an essential nutrient present naturally in some foods and sometimes also consumed as a dietary supplement. It plays a role in cellular metabolism, immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis and cell division. As a nutrient, it is required all through pregnancy to adolescence. A daily intake of zinc is required […]
CASIA is one of the Regional Coordinating Committees established by Codex Alimentarius Commission, which has 23 Asian Member countries as of 2014. The main objective of CCASIA is to promote mutual communication among the Asian members as well as to develop regional standards for certain food products. Since its beginnings in 1978, CCASIA has […]
The European Union’s Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (“REACH Regulationâ€) requires the European Chemicals Agency (“ECHAâ€) to identify so-called Substances of Very High Concern (“SVHCsâ€) and to list them in the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (“Candidate Listâ€).1 ï‚· SVHCs listed in the […]
What is Pasteurization?
Pasteurization is a heat treatment food preservation method that kills a part of the microorganisms present in the food. Therefore, this technique is used for foods that can be stored and further handled under suppressed microbial growth conditions. Owing to the low heat treatment process, the nature of the food would not […]