Taurine Found To Hinder Production Of Carcinogen Acrylamide In Baked, Fried Foods

Chinese researchers have found that the energy drink ingredient taurine inhibits the production of  the carcinogen acrylamide during the baking and frying process. Acrylamide is produced when sugar and the amino acid asparagines react during the baking, frying or toasting process. That reaction causes the brown color and flavor of baked or fried foods. Taurine, derived from the amino acid cysteine, is found naturally in seafood and meat and is believed to boost energy. When taurine is introduced in what is called the Maillard reaction, it reacts with the glucose and with any acrylamide, inhibiting its production by as much as 72 percent.

"Acrylamide–taurine adducts formation as a key mechanism for taurine’s inhibitory effect on acrylamide formation", International Journal of Food Science & Technology, March 28, 2011

Delaying Introduction Of Allergenic Foods To Young Children Has No Significant Benefit

Children from infancy through age four who were fed typical allergenic foods such as cow’s milk and peanuts were no more likely to show symptoms of allergies than children who were denied such foods, new Dutch research has found. The study tracked eczema and asthma symptoms of 7,000 children who were introduced to cow’s milk, hen’s egg, peanuts, soy and gluten before they were six months old. “This study does not support the recommendation for delayed introduction of allergenic foods after age six months for the prevention of eczema and wheezing,” the researchers concluded.

"The Introduction of Allergenic Foods and the Development of Reported Wheezing and Eczema in Childhood", Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, June 06, 2011

Absorption Of BPA Increases With Continuous Exposure – Study

A U.S. study that tested long term dietary exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic containers, including baby bottles and water bottles, found that BPA accumulates in the body faster than scientists previously thought. BPA has been found to be a disruptor of the endocrine system, but animal studies tested large single doses of BPA, finding them tolerable and relatively safe. This study in mice, however, found that the absorption and accumulation of BPA in the blood increased when the mice were given repeated doses as a dietary supplement, instead of one large dose. Researchers concluded that continuous exposure to BPA in the diet is “a better predictor of BPA concentrations in chronically exposed animals and humans.”

"Comparison of Serum Bisphenol A Concentrations in Mice Exposed to Bisphenol A through the Diet versus Oral Bolus Exposure", Environmental Health Perspectives, June 06, 2011

Drinking Sweet Beverages Desensitizes People To Sweetness, Causing Overconsumption

Frequent consumption of sugary drinks dulls the sensitivity to sweetness, leading people to seek more sweet foods and drinks and a “vicious cycle” of consumption, according to a British study. For one part of the study, researchers assessed 22 lean and 11 overweight participants on the intensity of sweet taste, finding that overweight and obese people tended to rate identical drinks as being less sweet than lean people. The authors concluded that sweet “treats” become less rewarding over time, pushing people to look for even sweeter foods and drinks. In the second study, 12 lean people who rarely drank sugary beverages consumed soft drinks for four weeks along with their regular diet. The sugary drinks altered sweet intensity/pleasantness ratings and increased the preference for sweetness in these “sucrose dislikers.”

"Taste perception and implicit attitude toward sweet related to body mass index and soft drink supplementation", Appetite, May 12, 2011