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U.S. growing dependence on corn increasingly worries economists
The U.S. economy’s dependence on corn — to feed dairy cows and egg-laying hens; fatten cattle, hogs, and chicken; make sweet soda; and meet ethanol mandates — leads economist to warn of a “corn shock” in case of a drought across the Midwest
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USDA sued over relaxation of downer cow rules
One symptom of mad cow disease, and other serious illnesses, is the cow’s lack of balance and inability to walk (hence the name “downer”); after slaughterhouses were found to be forcing downers to walk so as to appear healthy, USDA banned downers from the food chain; under pressure from the meat industry, it has relaxed that rule, and is now being sued
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RFID technology to help track donated blood
Donated blood passes through many hands between donation and patient; to date, there is no good way to track donated blood “vein-to-vein,” with the result being many blood transfusion-related problems; RFID technology will help
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CBP Creates New Position to Protect U.S. Agriculture
In the face of an avalanche of unsafe food stuffs being imported from China, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) creates a new position — Deputy Executive Director for Agriculture Operational Oversight — and appoints Kevin Harriger to the post
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China worries about outbreaks of bird flu over winter and spring
Two members of the same family are infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu in the first case in China since June; China has the world’s biggest poultry population and millions of backyard birds, and the authorities are worried
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Growing concerns about Chinese apple juice imports
In 1996, the United States imported 4.5 million gallons of apple juice concentrate from China; in 2005, 249.54 million gallons were imported; there is growing concern about what goes into these concentrates
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New U.S.-China trade agreement calls for tighter product safety measures
In 2007, $2 trillion worth of goods will be delivered into the U.S. by more than 825,000 importers; experts say the amount of imported goods will triple by 2015; next week the U.S. and China will sign trade agreements aiming to ensure enhanced safety of imported food, drugs, and devices; critics say these agreements do not go far enough
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Foot-and-mouth disease could cost Kansas nearly a billion dollars
Researchers say that the losses for the Kansas economy from a large-scale foot-and-mouth outbreak could reach a billion dollars
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U.K. researchers detail genome of C. botulinum
Effort helps explains the genetic differences between the various types of clostridia
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Rope offers low-tech solution to E. coli testing problems
Alberta scientists allow cattle a good chew the night before slaughter; on-site lab then tests the saliva for signs of infection
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Canadians form research consortium for bioactive paper
Initiative leverages advances in biochemistry with current paper-production processes; researchers aim for food packaging capable of indicating contamination
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Greater role for private industry in foreign food safety
Worries about terrorism notwithstanding, the number of imported food inspectors at U.S. seaports continues to decline; private industry may have to pick up the slack
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Color-changing material indicates chemical weapons exposure
Tiny polymer spheres are melted into a shimmery sheet; technology could have appplications in food safety and anti-counterfeiting efforts
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NASA tests space-bound rapid bacteria assay
Trips to Mars may expose astronauts and their equipment to dangerous bacteria and fungi
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FDA considers testing regime for E. coli vaccines
Canada’s Bioniche Life Sciences has a running start in Canada, but questions remain about who will pay the bill
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