PICTURE this: it’s 10 years from now and you are deciding what to get for lunch. You’re stuck between a raptor meatball sub or a dodo chorizo burrito. It is a delicious problem to have – or maybe a creepy one. Or both. It can be stunning to take a step back sometimes and realise … Read more
Artist’s illustration of bacteriophage viruses infecting a bacterium Alexey Kotelnikov/Alamy Gene-edited bacteriophages, or viruses that attack bacteria, can make potentially dangerous microbes in food and water glow so they are easier to detect. In the United States and the United Kingdom, drinking water must contain no Escherichia coli bacteria, which can cause food-poisoning. But methods … Read more
An illustration of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), which can be genetically modified to transform foods Shutterstock/ART-ur By editing the genomes of yeast, we can make bread with a stronger rise, potato chips that contain fewer potential carcinogens and rice wine that tastes like bananas. Yeasts have been used in food production for millennia. The microorganisms direct … Read more
Beer fermentation vats Shutterstock/Digieva Tiny robots packed with yeast speed up the fermentation of beer and eliminate the need to filter it before bottling. Using living yeast to convert sugar to alcohol is a key part of making beer, but it can be time consuming, and the yeast can spoil and ruin a whole batch of … Read more
Scientists have found a way to use leaked electromagnetic radiation to measure nutrients in microwaved meals Technology 5 October 2022 By Jeremy Hsu A device that gleans nutrient information from leaked electromagnetic radiation could lead to smart microwaves that can count calories Shutterstock/Africa Studio Electromagnetic radiation leaking from a microwave oven can provide information for … Read more