Latest News
January 2009
Vinegar Helps Boost Nutrition
In a recent edition of The Chicago Tribune, dietitian Wendy Bazilian notes that a growing number of foods have been shown to have a "one-plus-one-equals-three" effect when eaten together. She notes that certain foods, when eaten together give a "stronger defense than if consumed separately." For example, she said that adding vinegar to sushi rice has been shown to decrease the glycemic index of the rice by as much as 35 percent. More information can be found in Dr. Bazilian's book, "The Superfoods Rx Diet." To read the entire Chicago Tribune article, click here.
Berry Ink
The blog, Jane Austen Today, suggests the gift of a quill pen and recommends using a berry ink, which includes vinegar. The recipe for the ink was attributed to The Vinegar Institute. To view the blog, click here.
Fire Extinguisher with Vinegar
According to The Japan Times Online, a company in Japan recently introduced a home-use fire extinguisher that uses an agent made from vinegar and other food materials. The fire extinguisher, developed by Miyata Industry Co., is designed to reach flames 4 to 6 meters away and is considered highly effective in "lowering the temperature of burning materials and smothering the blaze." According the article, the company decided to produce a liquid fire extinguisher using vinegar and other food materials after determining such a device would be lighter and easier to handle than existing equipment. The article also notes that agent "does not cause harm if it is touched or ingested" and requires less time to clean up when compared to the powder used in some fire extinguishers. To learn more, use this link.
Biofuels/Ethanol Update
USDA Approves Loan Guarantee to a Commercial-Scale Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development just approved the first ever loan guarantee to a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant. The $80 million loan was to Range Fuels, Inc., in Soperton, GA. The facility will make cellulosic ethanol from wood chips. According to the USDA release, the investment "has the potential to significantly advance the timetable for second generation ethanol production" in the U.S. and "helps the Bush administration fulfill its commitment to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil by developing alternative, renewable energy sources." To read the release, please use this link.
The Use of Bacteria to Produce Long-Chain Alcohols
Researchers at the UCLA Henry Sameuli School of Engineering and Applied Science have successfully genetically-modified Escherichia coli to produce unusually long-chain alcohols essential in the creation of biofuels, according to an article from Science Daily. James Liao, UCLA professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, noted the research is significant for two reasons: one from a scientific standpoint and one from an energy standpoint. With respect to the energy standpoint, he notes, "..we wanted to create larger, longer-chain molecules because they contain more energy," which is significant in the production of gasoline and even jet fuel.
The new protein and metabolic engineering method developed by professor Liao and his research team are detailed in the December 30 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. To read the Science Daily article, click here.
Biofuels Ranked Last in Impact Study
An online article on Science and Development Network reported on a study that claims to be "the first comparative evaluation of proposed large-scale energy solutions to global warming, air pollution and energy security." The study considered the implications of using each of 11 different energy sources to power three types of new-technology vehicles that run either on batteries, hydrogen fuel cells or ethanol fuel. The article notes that the report states that the use of ethanol "caused the most climate damage, air pollution damage to land and wildlife and chemical waste." Wind power, when used as a source of electricity for battery vehicles, performed the best. The study was published in the December 1 issue of Energy and Environmental Science by Mark Jacobson, director of the Atmosphere/Energy program at Stanford University.
Magdi Tawfik Abdelhamid, biotechnologist at Cairo's National Research Centre, said: "Including biofuel in the list of the worst energy options is not scientifically justified. Producing biofuel using seaweed in developing countries could be considered as a cheap, environmentally friendly source for energy that doesn't endanger food security."
To view the Science and Development Network article, click here.
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