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Articles on Food contamination

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One symptom of arsenic poisoning is the growth of plaques on the skin called arsenical keratosis. Anita Ghosh/REACH via Flickr

Arsenic contamination of food and water is a global public health concern – researchers are studying how it causes cancer

Millions of people worldwide are exposed via soil and water to arsenic, whether naturally occurring or related to pollution. Chronic exposure is linked to the formation of cancer stem cells.
The amount of cadmium content in cocoa beans depends on the location and soil conditions where the chocolate plant is grown and type of chocolate plant itself. iravgustin/Shutterstock

Chocolate contains cadmium that can increase cancer risk

Chocolate plants can absorb cadmium through their roots and store it in chocolate leaves and seeds. Cadmium levels in processed chocolate depending on the production process and the producers.
Ten cases have been reported so far, including two deaths. Shutterstock/Doug J Moore

What is listeria and how does it spread in rockmelons?

Two people have died after eating rockmelon contaminated with listeria. A total of ten cases have been confirmed in NSW, Queensland and Victoria between Jan 17 and Feb 9, and more are expected.
A baby plays with blocks spelling out one of the most famous formulas in history. vchal/From www.shutterstock.com

Is lead in the US food supply decreasing our IQ?

A new report from the Environmental Defense Fund raises concerns about lead in our food supply. Here are some things you should consider.
They land on dead animals and poop, and then on our food. If we see a fly on our Christmas lunch, should we throw it away? Author Provided

Should I throw away food once a fly has landed on it?

It only takes a single fly to alight on your picnic lunch to make you uneasy about what germs may have landed with it. But what harm can come from a fly landing on your food? Should you throw it away?
Hey! You got a friend in Taenia solium. Roberto J. Galindo

The top ten parasites that could be lurking in your food

Most people are fascinated, and probably equally repulsed, by parasites. And it may be something you think you only need to worry about if you go on holiday somewhere exotic. However, increasing globalisation…
In 2008, Chinese baby formula and milk products were tainted with melamine, killing six babies and hospitalising many more. EPA/Wu Hong

SPC Ardmona’s bailout is crucial given China’s food safety record

SPC Ardmona’s $22 million lifeline from the Victorian government seems to have saved Australia’s largest food packaging company. Yet the firm’s recent tribulations are a reminder of why I regularly choose…

Test rapidly detects if food is contaminated

A new technique could make food contamination testing more rapid and accurate. Using nanoparticles to make detection one…
Soft, surface-ripened cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert, are most likely to transmit listeriosis. Shutterstock/Jiri Hera

Understanding the recent listeria-linked cheese recall

Soft cheeses made by Jindi were recently recalled in Victoria, after they were linked to the deaths of three adults, a miscarriage, and a score of other cases of “listeriosis”. The case is a reminder of…
The plot thickened when some Findus and Aldi products were found to contain 100% horse meat. Ian Langsdon/AAP

Horse-meat scandal is about breach of consumer trust

Woolworths has announced it will conduct DNA tests on its home-brand meals in response to horse meat contamination in Europe. The uproar follows revelations by Irish food inspectors in mid-January that…

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