Determining the safety of microbial cultures for consumption by humans and animals.

Fermented foods and feeds have been consumed for millennia, and microorganisms isolated from traditional fermentations have been used as probiotics. There is interest in developing new microbial cultures for these uses, but to date safety evaluation procedures have only been discussed in general terms. We propose a comprehensive approach for determining the safety of microbial cultures that lack an established history of safe use for their intended new applications.

Total antioxidant capacity is significantly lower in cocaine-dependent and methamphetamine-dependent patients relative to normal controls: results from a preliminary study.

Background: Oxidative stress can result in damage to the brain and other organs. To protect from oxidative damage, the human body possesses molecular defense systems, based on the activity of antioxidants, and enzymatic defense systems, including the enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Although pre-clinical research has shown that stimulant use is associated with oxidative damage, oxidative stress and the antioxidant defense systems have not been evaluated in clinical samples of stimulant-dependent patients.

Grazing increases the concentration of CLA in dairy cow milka.

An experiment was conducted to examine whether increased CLA in milk of dairy cows fed fresh pasture compared with alfalfa and corn silages was because of ruminal or endogenous synthesis. Eight Holsteins were fed a total mixed ration using alfalfa and corn silages as the forage source in confinement or grazed in a replicated crossover design. The proportion of total fatty acids as CLA (primarily c9, t11-18:2) in g/100 g was 0.

Characteristics and safety assessment of intractable proteins in genetically modified crops.

Genetically modified (GM) crops may contain newly expressed proteins that are described as "intractable". Safety assessment of these proteins may require some adaptations to the current assessment procedures. Intractable proteins are defined here as those proteins with properties that make it extremely difficult or impossible with current methods to express in heterologous systems; isolate, purify, or concentrate; quantify (due to low levels); demonstrate biological activity; or prove equivalency with plant proteins.

Identification of coffee components that stimulate dopamine release from pheochromocytoma cells (PC-12).

Coffee and caffeine are known to affect the limbic system, but data on the influence of coffee and coffee constituents on neurotransmitter release is limited. We investigated dopamine release and Ca(2+)-mobilization in pheochromocytoma cells (PC-12 cells) after stimulation with two lyophilized coffee beverages prepared from either Coffea arabica (AR) or Coffea canephora var. robusta (RB) beans and constituents thereof.