Campden BRI tackles COVID-19 with air cleaning systems test Campden BRI has developed a test to gauge the effectiveness of air cleaning systems in protecting against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Some air cleaning systems are marketed as being effective against the virus, meaning food businesses have employed them to increase protection for workers against COVID-19.
However, the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group recently stressed that such systems need to be independently validated. It identified a lack of robust scientific data supporting the efficacy of such systems against relevant test organisms under realistic in-use conditions.
The test developed by Campden BRI uses a surrogate organism, which is structurally similar to SARS-CoV-2, in a specialist aerobiology laboratory. The method is the latest edition to Campden BRI’s suite of COVID-19 services that includes the PCR-based nose and throat swab test designed specifically fo
Israeli firm Aleph Farms says it has successfully cultivated the world’s first slaughter-free ribeye steak.
The company announced it achieved the feat in conjunction with its research partner, the Technion Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the Israel Institute of Technology, using 3D bioprinting and cow cells.
Aleph Farms says it is now able to produce any type of steak in this way and therefore plans to expand its portfolio of meat products.
“This breakthrough reflects an artistic expression of the scientific expertise of our team,” said Didier Toubia, co-founder and CEO of Aleph Farms.
The 3D bioprinting technology involves the printing of living cells, which are then incubated to grow, differentiate and interact to acquire the texture and qualities of a real steak.
Recently there has been considerable interest in peas (Pisum sativum) as a plant source of protein. But new research indicates resistant starch – found in some peas – may help control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, the incidence of which has more than doubled in the past 20 years.
Plans for a Novel Food, Feed and Nutraceuticals Innovation Centre of Excellence have been ignited by a £4m investment from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority Cabinet.
Unilever trials portable ‘travel factories’ Unilever has unveiled a portable ‘travel factory’ that operates inside a 40ft (12 meter) sea container, able to be moved all over the world.
Currently being trialed in Wageningen, The Netherlands, the digital factory produces liquid bouillon for Unilever’s Food Solutions business, with the possibility to expand production to ketchup, mayonnaise and ice cream in the future.
The travel factory can be shipped worldwide, allowing producers to localise production and respond quicker to changing demand in local markets. Producers can also use the factory to produce small volumes for product trials, freeing up mass production lines.