Food too often contains unintended substances, including dangerous materials such as dioxins and polyfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS). While efforts to reduce dioxins over the last 30 years has been successful, more work needs to be done to minimize other contaminating substances. New research published by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in the special issue Food Contaminants surveys the risks of various substances, examines the ways they enter food, and the explores their prevalence in humans and the environment. This information will be critical in protecting people from food contamination. The food production process is far from perfect. Substances...

Eating foods high in salt is known to contribute to high blood pressure, but does that linear relationship extend to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death? While recent studies have contested that relationship, a new study confirms it. The study - published in theInternational Journal of Epidemiologyby investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital and their colleagues using multiple measurements - suggests that an inaccurate way of estimating sodium intake may help account for the paradoxical findings of others.  "Sodium is notoriously hard to measure," says Nancy Cook, ScD, a biostatistician in the Department of Medicine at BWH. "Sodium is...

Research has shown that the spice known as cinnamon is a great thing to add to the diets of those who are dealing with obesity, insulin sensitivity and diabetes. Additional research now shows that the spice works really well in accordance with fat cells. The essential oil cinnamaldehyde, which gives the cinnamon its flavor, actually helps to burn away fat. The reason why this happens was previously not understood or well documented. Researchers at the University of Michigan had some questions about how this occurs and wanted a more complete understanding of this function so they set out to test...

One of the most commonly talked about substances in holistic spaces comes from the brightly colored turmeric. Curcumin is a compound within the yellow root turmeric and it has amazing properties that can greatly improve your mood and your memory. UCLA researchers wanted to know if the hype about this special compound held up. Curcumin is absorbed very easily and has impressive interactions with the mind in a way that can potentially be beneficial to those with dementia and Alzheimer's. One of the most common effects is its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It has largely been thought that there is...

With the start of a new year, many Americans will resolve to cut back on fast food to avoid an overload of fat and calories. Yet, there is another reason to resist the temptation to indulge in fast food. The grease-proof packaging holding your burger and fries may contain potentially harmful fluorinated chemicals that can leach into food. In a comprehensiveanalysis on the prevalence of highly-fluorinated chemicals in fast food packaging in the United States, researchers tested more than 400 samples from 27 fast food chains throughout the country. The samples, consisting of paper wrappers, paperboard, and drink containers, were...