Jitterbugs
Peas, beans and some other plant seeds contain proteins, called globulins, which have been shown to act as a defence against insects and other herbivores. Coffee beans contain large amounts of globulins, so scientists in Brazil studied the beans to assess their potential for warding off insects.
Peas, beans and some other plant seeds contain proteins, called globulins, which have been shown to act as a defence against insects and other herbivores. Coffee beans contain large amounts of globulins, so scientists in Brazil studied the beans to assess their potential for warding off insects.
Their study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,1 tested the proteins against cowpea weevil larva. Proteins from the seeds of two coffee species were characterized and isolated by gel filtration and reversed-phase chromatography, before being fed to the weevil larva. The coffee proteins killed up to half of the insects and significantly reduced the larval weight relative to the control group confirming the insecticidal effect.
Next, the researchers hope to isolate the genes responsible for producing these proteins and insert them into tobacco for further insect tests. It is suggested that in the future similar gene insertions could be used in other food crops, such as grains, to allow those plants to produce their own insecticide.
M.B. Coelho et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 58(5), 3050–3055 (2010).
This story originally appeared in The Column. Click here to view that issue.
Analytical Challenges in Measuring Migration from Food Contact Materials
November 2nd 2015Food contact materials contain low molecular weight additives and processing aids which can migrate into foods leading to trace levels of contamination. Food safety is ensured through regulations, comprising compositional controls and migration limits, which present a significant analytical challenge to the food industry to ensure compliance and demonstrate due diligence. Of the various analytical approaches, LC-MS/MS has proved to be an essential tool in monitoring migration of target compounds into foods, and more sophisticated approaches such as LC-high resolution MS (Orbitrap) are being increasingly used for untargeted analysis to monitor non-intentionally added substances. This podcast will provide an overview to this area, illustrated with various applications showing current approaches being employed.
RAFA 2024: Michel Suman Discusses Food Safety And Authenticity Research
November 28th 2024During RAFA 2024, Michel Suman of Barilla Spa and Catholic University Sacred Heart talked with us about his food safety and authenticity research, focusing on contaminants, adulterants, and authenticity markers in food processing.
RAFA 2024: Giorgia Purcaro on Multidimensional GC for Mineral Oil Hydrocarbon Analysis
November 27th 2024Giorgia Purcaro from the University of Liège was interviewed at RAFA 2024 by LCGC International on the benefits of modern multidimensional GC methods to analyze mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) and mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH).
