Browse Articles

The effect of common food preservatives on the growth of bacteria

Yulin et al. | Jul 06, 2025

The effect of common food preservatives on the growth of bacteria
Image credit: Michael Schiffer

Here the authors aimed to find the best preservative combinations to stop bacterial growth in food, using data modeling and biochemical experiments. They discovered that single preservatives are often not enough, with varying effectiveness against different bacteria, and suggest future research into combining preservatives for better results.

Read More...

Paralyzing effects of CO2 and hypothermia on Madagascar hissing and dubia cockroaches

Gapon et al. | Dec 08, 2024

Paralyzing effects of CO<sub>2</sub> and hypothermia on Madagascar hissing and dubia cockroaches
Image credit: Jesper Aggergaard

Here the authors sought to find a more ethical and efficient way to temporary paralyze a cockroach by comparing the results of two methods. By comparing immobilization through immersion in cold water and exposure to a 100 % CO2 environment, they found that cockroaches could be immobilized and recovered significantly faster when exposed to CO2.

Read More...

Antibacterial activity of homemade Indian tomato tamarind soup (rasam) against common pathogens

Eswaran et al. | Oct 04, 2024

Antibacterial activity of homemade Indian tomato tamarind soup (rasam) against common pathogens

Systematic consumption of traditional foods is a popular way of treating diseases in India. Rasam, a soup of spices and tomato with a tamarind base, is a home remedy for viral infections such as the common cold. Here, we investigate if rasam, prepared under household conditions, exhibits antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, two common pathogenic bacteria. Our results show rasam prepared under household conditions lacks antibacterial activity despite its ingredients possessing such properties.

Read More...