A new type of packaging that can detect ‘off’ food is being developed in Glasgow, Scotland. According to Bbc.co.uk, researchers at Strathclyde University are using special plastics to create indicators that change colour when goods lose their freshness due to broken or damaged packaging, poor refrigeration and other factors.
“We hope this will reduce the risk of people eating food which is no longer fit for consumption and help prevent unnecessary waste of food,” says the man in charge of the project, Professor Andrew Mills. Figures show that one million cases of food poisoning occur in Britain each year; while more than eight million tonnes of food (most of which can be eaten) is thrown away.
No cost spared on fast-food favourite
Wsj.com recently ran a story on what is believed to be the world’s most expensive burger. Available from Fleur restaurant in Las Vegas, USA, the US $5000 snack contains a patty made from Kobe beef (the crème de la crème of cow meat), foie gras and truffles. The ingredients aren’t the only thing responsible for the hefty price tag, however – the burger also comes with a bottle of Petrus wine, and two Ichendorf Brunello glasses imported from Italy (which are then shipped to the customer’s home, after the meal). There’s no word on how sales of this costly combo are going, though the team at Fleur say they expect to sell just six a year.
New vending machine gets personal
Vending machines continue to become more and more advanced. Springwise.com reports that at the National Retail Federation Convention in New York, USA, Kraft Foods and Intel unveiled an in-store model that plans meals based on customers’ facial features. Using technology called Anonymous Video Analytics, the ‘Next Generation Meal Planning Solution’ determines how many people are standing in front of it at any given time, their sex and age, and the time of day. Taking these factors into consideration, it then provides customised content including recipes, shopping lists, coupons and even free samples via its vending capabilities. The machine also allows customers with Kraft’s iFood assistant (an iPhone application) to scan some of this information onto their phones.
Let’s talk about – science?
Forget gossip – the latest thing to chat about over coffee is science. According to Tgdaily.com, university students in Michigan, USA, are using cafes and even bars as a place to learn more about chemistry, physics and other matters. Known as ‘science cafes’, these events are held three to four times a semester and involve small group discussions, as well as presentations by fellow students and guest speakers. They also give attendees the opportunity to mix and mingle, with science of course proving a popular topic. “The science cafe is a way to engage the general public in discussing science in a casual way,” explains Laura Thurlow, a biology professor from Jackson Community College, who looks after the events. She says students can even drink alcohol while listening to lectures, as they are “not in a classroom.”
Ancient beer to be re-brewed
Scientists in Finland are hoping to re-create a beer found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Divers discovered bottles of the drink during an operation to recover items from a 19th century shipwreck near the Aland Islands. The VTT Technical Research Centre is now working to determine its ingredients – and possibly the recipe – through chemical analysis. “It would be good to get the ingredients so that breweries could re-brew a new product from it,” explains Rainer Jusslin, a member of the Aland Government. Scientists are particularly keen to know what type of yeast was used, as the role of yeast in beer-brewing during the early 1800s is not yet fully understood. However, they are unsure whether the yeast has survived the two centuries it’s spent underwater, 50 metres below the surface. A select group of scientists have been lucky enough to taste the ancient ale, including Arvi Vilpola. “It was a little sour and you could taste the saltiness of it slightly,” he said.
Treats help solve health issues
Japan continues to impress the world with its novelty food creations. The latest, according to Datamonitor.com, is a sweet that expands to 200 times its size inside the stomach to prevent overeating. Other unusual confections that have recently been released include one that uses GABA to promote mental relaxation, and another that uses CPP-ACP to prevent teeth from loosing important minerals.