Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Cleaning Products Europe 2013

Cleaning Products giants come together in March for the 5th annual Cleaning Products Industry conference in Prague.
www.cleaningproductseurope.com

Smithers Apex is pleased to announce that the 5th edition of their annual Cleaning Products Europe conference is coming to Prague, Czech Republic on 26-28 March 2013.

Organisations and associations across industry and government have all made commitments for 2020, revolving around social, economic and environmental issues, and, particularly in the cleaning products industry a number of barriers still exist to reaching these targets. With 7 years until 2020 commitments need to be met, Cleaning Products Europe will identify and assess all the current barriers, including prohibitive regulations and policies, difficulties in changing consumer behaviour and economic barriers, which need to be overcome in order to reach 2020 targets and will provide insight into solutions and opportunities within the industry and beyond.

The Cleaning Products Europe 2013 conference programme will be shaped and guided by an expert technical advisory board, consisting of representatives from leading companies P&G, Unilever, Ecover, Henkel, DuPont and Huntsman, to ensure that delegates will receive unrivalled insight into current megatrends, technical innovations and industry case studies.

Mark Stalmans, Manager of External Relations at P&G and member of the advisory board, comments that “changing habits via education is critical, but no one can do this on his own; there is a role for all; NGOs, policy makers, retailers, detergent producers, material and technology providers.” With this in mind, Cleaning Products Europe 2013 will bring together the highest calibre speakers from throughout the supply chain, to delve deeper into how the industry can work together to innovate and educate consumers, in order to create a sustainable future.

Smithers Apex are recruiting papers from companies in this sector, who would like to present a case study of a disruptive innovation, a successful collaborative partnership or a novel way in which to drive sustainable behaviour. If you would like more information, or would like to submit a paper, please contact Hayley Marsden, Conference Producer at Smithers Apex, at hmarsden@smithers.com.

More information about the history of the conference and the conference advisory board can found at www.cleaningproductseurope.com


Monday, October 29, 2012

World Conference on Fabric and Home Care: Singapore 2012

Singapore 2012 is off to a great start. Day 1 featured keynote speakers Paul Polman  (Chief Executive Officer, Unilever, United Kingdom) as well as Bob McDonald (Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer, The Procter & Gamble Company, USA).

The best way to follow the meeting is on twitter:
https://twitter.com/FabricHomeCare (@FabricHomeCare)
Hashtag #singapore2012

So far we have several people in attendance tweeting (thanks guys and gals!).


Find Out More
 

Friday, October 26, 2012

News and Notes for Friday October 26, 2012

Improving Lipid Analysis: With New Mass Spectrometer, Researchers Can Grow Knowledge of Plants and Environmental Stress
A Kansas State University professor's research analyzing lipids is helping scientists around the world understand plant responses and develop better crops that can withstand environmental stress. Read more from ScienceDaily.

Sliding price boosts palm oil's appeal to EU biodiesel sector
Last year, the European Union imported 5.46 million tonnes of palm oil of which 1.44 million tonnes, or 26 percent, was used for biodiesel production, while the rest was used for food or cosmetic products, statistics from analyst Oil World showed.  Read more.

U.S. Bioenergy Statistics 
USDA ERS has released its latest data set which provides "... a source of information on biofuels intended to present a picture of the renewable energy industry and its relationship to agriculture" Read U.S. Bioenergy data set.

"Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuels" report from the National Academies National Research Council 
The Academy found that even with current technologies, scaling up production of algal biofuels to meet even 5 percent of U.S. transportation fuel needs could create unsustainable demands for energy, water, and nutrient resources.

Emerging Middle Class and Increasing Purchasing Power Bolster Surfactants Market in Brazil
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.chemicals.frost.com), Analysis of the Brazilian Surfactants Market, finds that the market earned revenues of over $1.31 billion in 2011 and estimates this to reach $1.90 billion in 2018. Read the News Release from PR Newswire.

FDA Food Facility Registration Regulations - The FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) has released its guidance for industry entitled "Necessity of the Use of Food Product Categories in Food Facility Registrations and Updates to Food Product Categories. Read the October 2012 guidance document.

Economics & Sustainable Growth of Natural Food Additives
The Sustainable Business Forum provides a series of articles regarding natural flavors and ingredients as some of the fastest growing food and drink trends.
Part 1: Consumer Demand Versus Actual Purchase
Part 2: Purpose and trends

Acrylamide Levels in EU Food
EFSA has published its annual update report on acrylamide levels in food in 25 European countries. Read "Update on acrylamide levels in food from monitoring years 2007 to 2010" (.pdf)

Abstract Alerts

Hazard characterization of 3-MCPD using benchmark dose modeling: Factors influencing the outcome
Klaus Abraham,Hans Mielke,Alfonso Lampen. European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology. Special Issue: Euro Fed Lipid Highlights 2012. Volume 114, Issue 10, pages 1225–1226, October 2012. Article first published online: 17 OCT 2012. Read the paper.

Nutritive quality of romanian hemp varieties (Cannabis sativa L.) with special focus on oil and metal contents of seeds
Mihoc M, Pop G, Alexa E, Radulov I . Chemistry Central Journal. 2012, 6:122 (23 October 2012). Read the abstract.

Application of Rhamnolipid in the Formulation of a Detergent
Mansureh Khaje Bafghi and Mohammad Hassan Fazaelipoor. Journal of Surfactants and Detergents. Volume 15, Number 6 (2012), 679-684. Read the abstract.

 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Omega-3s and Brain Injury -One Person's Story

AOCS Governing Board member Dr. Douglas Bibus sent us the following story of Virginia teenager Bobby Ghassemi, who, in 2010, suffered a very serious brain injury in a car crash. After receiving intravenous fish oil, Bobby enjoyed a remarkable recovery.

Dear Friends,

I got to meet the young man in this story at a recent conference.  He sat right next to me.  It was one of the more emotionally moving events in my work life and reaffirms what I have always held dear and what Dr Holman always taught...Nutrition Matters! 

Dr Lewis described the horrible injuries that Bobby had sustained in a car accident.  He then described Bobby's father's desperate attempts to save his young sons life.  What we all thought would be a tragic end for Bobby (in the span of the lecture) was met with Dr Lewis calling Bobby up on stage.  None of us realized Bobby was in attendence.  As Bobby walked ac cross the stage, smiled and introduced himself, no eye was dry in the entire conference room. 

Bobby's father pleaded with the neurosurgeon to give him fish oil, my colleague Dr Mike Lewis convinced the dismissive neurologist that omega 3s were only nutrition and at the course of this young mans care how could it hurt.  They had already been told that Bobby would not survive from his head injury.  The outcome was happily different.  Thanks Dr Lewis for your persistence and care and thank you Bobby for your will to heal, thrive and live.

Doug Bibus

-- 

You can read more about Bobby Ghassemi in the article by Craig Weatherby  "Teen’s Brain Saved by Omega-3s? Crash victim’s remarkable recovery echoes coal miner’s “miracle” story and fits with lab studies" as well as the CNN story "Fish oil helped save our son".

Thank you Dr. Bibus for writing. And thank you for reading. 

 
 

French Study (Séralini et al) on Genetically Modified Corn

Herbicide Resistant NK603 Corn - Rat Feeding Study

On October 22, 2012, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health (ANSES) issued a Press Release on the expert assessment it carried out which " ... concludes that the results of this research do not cast doubt on the previous assessments of genetically-modified NK603 maize and Roundup. In addition to the criticism already expressed by other bodies concerning the methodology, and based on the in-depth assessment that it has itself undertaken, ANSES considers that the study’s central weakness lies in the fact that the conclusions advanced by the authors are not sufficiently supported by the data published ... [However ANSES] recommends initiating studies and research on the long-term effects of GMOs in combination with plant protection products. Public funding should be made available for these studies ..."

Find Out More

Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize
Gilles-Eric Séralinia, Emilie Claira, Robin Mesnagea, Steeve Gressa, Nicolas Defargea, Manuela Malatestab, Didier Hennequinc, Joël Spiroux de Vendômoisa. Food and Chemical Toxicology. Volume 50, Issue 11, November 2012, Pages 4221–4231.



































Information about the Council for Biotechnology Information

Monday, October 22, 2012

News and Notes for Monday October 22, 2012

Clariant to meet home care sector experts in Singapore
Clariant, a world leader in Specialty Chemicals, joins high-level discussions shaping the future of the fabric and home care industry at the AOCS World Conference in Singapore, October 29-31, 2012. The inaugural event includes key note speakers by CEO’s from Unilever, P&G and Kao among its line-up of more than 20 fabric and home care experts. Read the News Release.

Health Hazards Associated with Laundry Detergent Pods
This week's morbidity and mortlity weekly report from CDC, reports on the health hazards associated with laundry detergent pods, based on poison control center reports in May and June 2012.The CDC simply concludes that exposure to laundry detergent from pods might be associated with adverse health effects more often than exposure to non-pod laundry detergents. Read more on the CDC website.

EU industrial policy points to bioplastics as the packaging material of the future
The European Commission has published a communication on industrial policy stressing the belief that biobased products will help to trigger sustainable growth and business opportunities. Read more from cosmeticsdesign-europe.com.

Global Omega-3 Market to Reach $34B by 2016
Fueled by consumer awareness of EPA/DHA omega-3 health benefits through media coverage of research findings, as well as developments in the regulatory environment, the global market for EPA/DHA omega-3 products is projected to jump from $25.4 billion in 2011 to $34.7 billion in 2016, for a compound annual growth rate of 6.4%, according to new market data. Read more from Food Product Design.

Twenty-twenty vision: Analyst finds 20 words for 20 years of future beverage trends
Speaking from the show floor of InterBev in Las Vegas, Richard Hall, founder and chair of Zenith International reveals 20 words to sum up themes and trends for the next 20 years, then sums up six decades in six words. Listen to the podcast from Food Navigator.
 
Mapping of the Barley Genome
USDA Scientists Collaborate with Global Researchers from the International Barley Sequencing Consortium (IBSC) to Advance the Mapping of the Barley Genome, according to the USDA, which notes that "... the advance will give researchers the tools to produce higher yields, improve pest and disease resistance, and enhance nutritional value of barley..."

Minimizing the Climate Impacts of Biofuel Production in Europe
The European Commission (EC) has proposed new legislation to "... limit global land conversion for biofuel production, and raise the climate benefits of biofuels used in the EU."

AOCS Member News

Omega-3 researcher setting up in Austin
Dr. Ralph Holman’s understudy is setting up shop in Austin. Dr. Doug Bibus — who worked under Holman, The Hormel Institute scientist known for naming Omega-3 fatty acids — will expand his St. Paul business Lipid Technologies into Austin.  Congratulation Dr. Bibus! Read more from the Austin Herald.

New Silver Corporate Member
Welcome Catania-Spagna Corporation "Processors & Packers of Vegetable, Olive & Blended Oils" as the newest Silver Corporate Member of AOCS.


Upcoming Events October 2012
See the AOCS Events Calendar.

23-24 2012 Food Integrity Summit
Chicago, Illinois, USA

28-31 8th International Symposium on Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (ISBAB)
Sonoma, California, USA

29-30 Basic Polymers (October 29) and Advanced Polymers (October 30)
Newark, New Jersey, USA

29-31 Singapore 2012: World Conference on Fabric and Home Care
Where global leaders shape the future of the fabric and home care industry to enhance our quality of life.
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

29-31 Advanced Biofuels Markets
San Francisco, California, United States


Friday, October 19, 2012

News and Notes for Friday October 19, 2012

Food industry continues to make trans-fat reduction progress: Survey
Efforts to reduce the trans-fat content of processed food are working to reduce national consumption levels, but some sections are still consuming high levels of the fats, says new survey data. Read more from Food Navigator.

Food Marketing to Children - Workshop and Webcast
The Standing Committee on Childhood Obesity Prevention of the Institute of Medicine, a unit of the National Academies, has scheduled a public webcast workshop for November 5, 2012 in Washington, DC, titled "New Challenges and Opportunities in Food Marketing to Children and Youth" which is intended to "... explore new challenges and opportunities for action on food and beverage marketing that targets children and youth".  Information about the workshop

Choosing and Applying Lubricants in Food Processing Plants
New additives and base stocks improve their performance. Read more from foodprocessing.com.

Do regulations kill innovation?
Over the past decennia we have made things easy for our selves by time and time again creating new regulations about what’s not allowed to do in a feedmill (ie. European Feed and Food Hygienecode(2004), Trustfeed, GMP+, etc.) Read more from AllAboutFeed.

Evolving microbes help turn bio-oil into advanced biofuels 
Microbes are working away in an Iowa State University laboratory to ferment biofuels from the sugar and acetate produced by rapidly heating biomass such as corn stalks and sawdust. Read more from R & D.

European Union Seeks to Cap Food-Based Biofuel Production
The European Commission, the bloc's regulatory arm in Brussels, proposed today that first-generation biofuels made from crops such as sugar, starch or vegetable oils provide 5 percent of the EU target for transport fuel.  Read more from Businessweek.

Malvern Instruments uses Rheology to Investigate Polymer Biodegradability
New data from Malvern Instruments demonstrate how rheological methods can be used to investigate the speed at which biopolymers, such as polylactic acid (PLA), whose low environmental impact is a defining feature, will biodegrade and compost within landfill. The work is presented in a webinar entitled ‘Using rheology to assess the biodegradability and compostability of polylactic acid’ and is freely available for download from the Malvern website www.malvern.com/PLA-biodegradability

Jobs

The Clorox Company in California is looking for a Business Connection Leader. View the job posting.  

Grants

Projects Promoting Self-Sufficiency and Food Security in Low-Income Communities 
The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is accepting grant funding applications.  The USDA NIFA Grant Funding Announcement is posted here and the 2013 Request for Applications is available at http://nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/pdfs/13_comm_foods_14.pdf  

Agricultural Research Grant Funding Application are sought by USDA in the areas of plant health and production and plant products; animal health and production
The October 15, 2012 USDA NIFA Grant Funding Opportunity Announcement is posted here.
Request for Applications (RFA) is posted at  http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/pdfs/2013_afri_foundation.pdf . Additional AFRI program information is available on the NIFA Web site.

Abstract Alerts

Rothamsted's aphid-resistant wheat - a turning point for GMOs?
Mark Lynas. Agriculture & Food Security 2012, 1:17 doi:10.1186/2048-7010-1-17
Published: 9 October 2012. Read the abstract.

Lanolin-based organogels as a matrix for topical drug delivery

Sai Sateesh Sagiri1, Beauty Behera1, Kunal Pal1, Piyali Basak. Journal of Applied Polymer Science.. Article first published online: 12 OCT 2012. Read the abstract.

Boosting the free fatty acid synthesis of Escherichia coli by expression of a cytosolic Acinetobacter baylyi thioesterase
Yanning Zheng, Lingling Li, Qiang Liu, Jianming Yang, Yujin Cao, Xinglin Jiang, Guang Zhao and Mo Xian. Biotechnology for Biofuels 2012, 5:76 doi:10.1186/1754-6834-5-76
Published: 11 October 2012. Read the abstract.

 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

AOCS Newsletter Highlights - October 2012

AOCS Oils and Fats World Market Update and Industry Expo Announced for 2013

The AOCS Oils and Fats World Market Update 2013 and Oils and Fats Industry Expo will be held at the Ukrainian House, Kiev, Ukraine, April 3-4, 2013. This conference and expo is designed for senior executives, traders, suppliers, producers, processors, and staff of food and nonfood companies from around the world. It will showcase world-class speakers and promote interaction with leading CEOs and decision-makers as they examine the issues relevant to all aspects of the oils and fats trade. The expo will feature brands from companies worldwide, exposing you to a wide range of equipment and materials designed to maximize your company's production process.

AOCS will also offer two practical short courses on Solvent Extraction of Vegetable Oils and Edible Oils Refining and Processing on April 4-5.

For more information about the conference or short courses, visit: worldmarket.aocs.org or contact: meetings@aocs.org.
For information about the Expo, contact APK-Inform Agency: global@apk-inform.com or marketing@apk-inform.com.


 inform Free Features

This month’s free articles from inform, the AOCS member magazine, cover mass spectrometric analysis of oils and fats in the field as well as recent activity by Europe’s food safety watchdog, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

In the first article, learn how ambient ionization in combination with portable mass spectroscopy can speed chemical analysis by streamlining sample preparation and throughput requirements.

The second article, from our Health & Nutrition News department, discusses EFSA’s establishment of an upper intake level for DHA and EPA and the agency’s work on health claims.

Call for Papers is Open—XV Latin American Congress and Exhibition on Fats and Oils

CORCHIGA and AOCS are proud to organize the XV Latin American Congress and Exhibition on Fats and Oils, August 20-23, 2013 in Santiago, Chile. The congress will cover important and timely topics in the fats and oils industries to enhance attendees’ business knowledge of today’s market. The congress will also feature an outstanding exhibition and networking events. Call for Papers is open – submit now.

Reminder: Award Nominations Due Soon

Do you know someone who should be recognized for their contributions to the fats, oils, and related materials industries? AOCS offers 20 awards for professionals and 15 awards exclusively for students.

Visit the Awards Program website for deadlines, nomination requirements, and applications. Don't delay — October 15 is the first nomination deadline.

Upcoming Award Deadlines:

October 15:
November 1:

AOCS has your topic covered!
Learn more about all of our upcoming meetings.


AOCS Meeting Updates 
AM13_137x147 2 104th AOCS Annual Meeting and Expo | April 28-May 1, 2013 | Montréal, Québec, Canada
Preliminary Abstract and Forum Proposal Deadline: October 15, 2012
Showcase your company! As an exhibitor and/or sponsor at the 104th AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo, you have the opportunity to introduce new products, generate sales leads, and strengthen your visibility within the oils, fats, lipids, proteins, cleaning agents and related materials global marketplace.


15LACbugXV Latin American Congress and Exhibition on Fats and Oils | August 20-23, 2013 | Santiago, Chile
Upcoming Industry Meetings


ISBAB 90x1108th International Symposium on Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (ISBAB) | October 28-31, 2012 | Sonoma, California, USA
This by-invitation-only event will bring together key researchers and professionals from academia, government, and industry to share research results, insights, and perspectives in various facets of biocatalysis and biotechnology.
 


DeepFrying2013 27th International Symposium on Deep Frying | February 20-22, 2013 | San Francisco, California, USA
Optimum frying for safe and improved quality fried foods. Practical information for the foodservice and industrial frying professionals.
 


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Monday, October 15, 2012

News and Notes for Monday October 15, 2012

Oil Crops Outlook
The USDA Economic Research Service has released its latest monthly report which "... examines supply, use, prices, and trade for oil crops (primarily soybeans and products), including supply and demand prospects in major importing and exporting countries. Includes information on cottonseed, peanuts, sunflowerseed, tropical oils, corn oil, and animal fats ..."  Read the October 12, 2012 USDA ERS Oil Crops Outlook report (.pdf).

Omega-3 Sustainability
From the Antarctic to the Pacific Ocean, suppliers of marine omega-3 oils implement best fishing practices to convince retailers and consumers that fishing the seas for oil-rich creatures can be done responsibly.  Read more from Nutritional Outlook.

The USITC Investigation of the Olive Oil Market: Thoughts from Legal Experts
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has launched an investigation into the global competitiveness of the U.S. commercial olive oil industry. The investigation, Olive Oil: Conditions of Competition between U.S. and Major Foreign Supplier Industries, was requested by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means and has the making to be quite interesting, as to issues raised and contested, and implications for future trade actions. Read more from the Olive Oil Times.

Natural Oils Show Promise Against Beetles in Avocados
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are coming up with new strategies to combat a beetle threatening the nation's avocado trees. Read more from ScienceDaily.

New Technology Shows Promise for Producing Biosynthetic Natural Gas
Technology developed at EPFL and the Paul Scherrer Institute to transform microorganisms into methane gas will be presented at the Swiss Energy and Climate Summit taking place this week in Bern. The technology could play a role in the future sustainable production of biosynthetic natural gas.  Read more at Azom.com.

Biochemistry: Signs of the times
Doris de Guzman provides a great blog post regarding  2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry going to two American scientists Dr. Robert J. Lefkowitz and Dr. Brian K. Kobilka who are credited with discovering the inner workings of G-protein-coupled- receptors. Read more at the Green Chemicals Blog.

For The Scientific Spirit: 7 Websites For Science Questions & Answers

MakeUseOf  reviews and lists the top 7 websites to post and answer scientific questions. Hve you used any of these sites to anser your scientific queries? See the sites.

Upcoming Events October 2012
See the AOCS Events Calendar.

16-19 2012 Annual Conference of the Association of Laboratory Managers
San Antonio, Texas, USA

17-19 9th Lipidomics Meeting
Paris Jussieu, France

17-19 Algae Europe 2012
Milan, Italy

21-25 American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of American 2012 International Annual Meetings
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

23-24 2012 Food Integrity Summit
Chicago, Illinois, USA

28-31 8th International Symposium on Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (ISBAB)
Sonoma, California, USA

29-30 Basic Polymers (October 29) and Advanced Polymers (October 30)
Newark, New Jersey, USA

29-31 Singapore 2012: World Conference on Fabric and Home Care
Where global leaders shape the future of the fabric and home care industry to enhance our quality of life.
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

29-31 Advanced Biofuels Markets
San Francisco, California, United States


 

Friday, October 12, 2012

AOCS congratulates JOCS on 60th anniversary

AOCS recently attended the 2012 World Congress on Oleo Science (WCOS) in Japan.  This event allowed the perfect opportunity for AOCS representatives to commemorate the Japan Oil Chemists' Society (JOCS) on its 60th anniversary.

 
 Deland Myers, AOCS President, and Patrick Donnelly, AOCS CEO, present symbolic vase to Prof. Masahiko Abe, JOCS President.

The vase was selected for its beautiful design and symbols of strength and warmth, it signifies the relationship between JOCS and AOCS. It is also significant that this style of vase was historically used to store grain, seed, and water. The traditional feather design bordering the top of the vase symbolizes trust, honor, strength, wisdom, power, and freedom. The original sunburst design, symbolizing warmth, light, and happiness, has won awards for the artist, Corrine Chino. Chino is a full blooded Native American Indian from the pueblo of Acoma in New Mexico, USA.



Congratulations JOCS!

Management of Conflict of Interest Situations by the European Chemicals Agency, European Food Safety Agency and the European Medicines Agency

In recent years a number of alleged cases pertaining to conflict of interest involving certain EU Agencies have been reported in the press and have raised concerns within the European Parliament. In 2011 the European Parliament requested the Court to “undertake a comprehensive analysis of the agencies’ approach to the management of situations where there are potential conflicts of interest”.

The audit evaluated policies and procedures for the management of conflict of interest situations for four selected Agencies making vital decisions affecting the safety and health of consumers, namely the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

The European Court of Auditors concluded that none of the audited Agencies adequately managed the conflict of interest situations. A number of shortcomings of varying degrees have been identified in Agency-specific policies and procedures as well as their implementation.

“After examining the situation at these agencies, we have drawn up a list of general and specific recommendations which, if properly implemented, might bring significant improvements in the management of conflict of interest situations not only in the selected Agencies but in all EU Institutions and decentralised bodies,” said Igors Ludboržs, the ECA Member responsible for the report.

Find Out More



News and Notes for Friday October 12, 20012

FDA on registration for food facilities
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has missed another deadline in implementing the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act: Biennial registration renewal for food facilities was to begin on October 1, 2012. Per the agency, “please check FDA’s website at a later date or sign up for FSMA updates to be informed when [registration] becomes available.” An FDA spokesperson told inform that the agency is considering extending the December 31, 2012, deadline so firms have the same amount of time they were originally allotted

EFSA finds GM-study of insufficient quality
The European Food Safety Authority has concluded that a recent paper raising concerns about the potential toxicity of genetically modified (GM) maize NK603 and of a herbicide containing glyphosate is of insufficient scientific quality to be considered valid for risk assessment. Read more from Process Management.

New Link Between High-Fat Diet and Atherosclerosis Identified
Diets high in saturated fat increase levels of endothelial lipase (EL), an enzyme linked to atherosclerosis, while diets rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fats reduce levels of the same enzyme, according to a recent study conducted on mice which was published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. Read more from Medical News Daily. 

Food Allergen Environmental Monitoring Guide
Eurofins has published a comprehensive guide to understanding and implementing a successful Food Allergen Environmental Monitoring Plan.  Download the white paper.

The Greening of BASF
The world’s largest chemical company is announcing biobased initiatives left and right. Where’s the heat coming from – and who is securing a seat in BASF’s kitchen? Read more from Biobased Digest.

BASF and CSM JV to produce bio-based succinic acid for packaging
BASF and Purac, a subsidiary of CSM, have created a joint venture (JV) to produce succinic acid for packaging that will be operational next year. Read more from Food Production Daily.

RFP Request- Breeding or Genetic Modification Techniques for Microalgae
NineSigma, representing a global manufacturer, seeks research and development partners who have breeding methods or genetic modification techniques for microalgae, in order to improve the oil productivity of the microalgae strains owned by the client. Find out more.

Definition of Heating Oil in the EPA Renewable Fuel Standard Program
EPA has issued a Direct Final Rule to "... expand the scope of renewable fuels that can generate Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) as heating oil to include fuel oil produced from qualifying renewable biomass that will be used to generate heat to warm buildings or other facilities where people live, work, recreate, or conduct other activities. Fuel oils used to generate process heat, power, or other functions will not be included in the amended definition ... This amendment will not modify or limit fuel included in the current definition of heating oil. EPA is also amending the requirements under EPA's diesel sulfur program related to the sulfur content of locomotive and marine diesel fuel produced by transmix processors ..."  The October 9, 2012 EPA Federal Register Direct Final Rule is posted at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-10-09/html/2012-23713.htm. Information about the EPA Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program is posted at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/index.htm


Call for Papers

XV Latin American Congress and Exhibition on Fats and Oils
Themed Chile and a World of Oils, this congress will cover important and timely topics in the fats and oils industries especially chosen to enhance attendees' business knowledge of today's market. Submission deadline: 4 January 2013. Full submission guidelines available at: LACongress.aocs.org 

AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo
The AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo is the premier global science and business forum on fats, oils, surfactants, lipids, and related materials. Submission deadline October 15, 2012. Full submission guidelines.
 
Jobs
  • Endowed Chair in Agricultural Systems is Sought by the University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS). View the job posting. 
  • Chair for the Department of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina. View the job posting (Type "Dept Chair/Head" into Keywords search box under "Basic Job Search" and look up Job ID 11889)


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

US Supreme Court Case on Patent Infringement by Farmers Planting the Progeny of Genetically Altered Seeds Covered by U.S. Patents

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of a September 21, 2011 decision by the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals which found that an Indiana farmer had infringed Monsanto Company patents over genetically altered Roundup Ready® soybean seeds - Monsanto's Standard Form Technology Agreements "... restricts the grower’s use of the licensed Roundup Ready® seed to a single commercial crop season because the patented Roundup Ready® genetic trait carries forward into each successive seed generation ..." - However, Bowman argues that "... Monsanto's patent rights are exhausted with respect to all Roundup Ready® soybean seeds that are present in grain elevators as undifferentiated commodity ..."

Find Out More

  • The title of the U.S. Supreme Court case granted on October 5, 2012 is "Vernon Hugh Bowman, Petitioner v. Monsanto Company, et al." 

  • The title of the September 21, 2011 decision by the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals Case Number 2010-1068 is "MONSANTO COMPANY AND MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. VERNON HUGH BOWMAN, Defendant-Appellant". 

 
Contact: Donald B. Verrilli Jr. is the Solicitor General at the United States Department of Justice and may be reached at 202 514 2217; e-mail: SupremeCtBriefs@USDOJ.gov




Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Deadlines! Deadlines approaching.

Why is October 15th an important date?

October 15th: Student awards applications and supporting documents
October 15th: Annual Meeting & Expo call for papers
October 15th: Forum on Emerging Technologies call for session topics

October 15th is an important date for the AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo technical program and the awards that are presented at that meeting.  October 15th is only a week from now!

Professor Nurhan Dunford, Oklahoma State University, USA was the General Chairperson for this year’s AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo. You never know what will be asked of you when you’re General Chairperson. I asked Nurhan to spare a few minutes during that busy, busy meeting and tell me her AOCS experience. Her story begins with being a student who attended the Annual Meeting because of the student discount. How does it end? Well, you’ll have to watch the short video.

Student awards permit, promote and expedite the education of students with a high potential to enter and make significant contributions to the community AOCS serves.  That is what is written in the awards manual as to why AOCS offers student awards. Student awards provide graduate students the opportunity to attend the AOCS Annual Meeting and gain valuable experience presenting their research.  I encourage all students who wish to attend the meeting to try for an AOCS student award.

Are you at a University, research institute, or perhaps at a company who offers student internships or co-ops? Then encourage those students to join AOCS – to start their professional development with a professional organization. AOCS student membership is FREE. Oh and make sure they mention that you referred them to AOCS, you’ll then be part of the AOCS President’s Club. We need more members like Prof. Dunford and you.

Monday, October 8, 2012

News and Notes for Monday October 8, 2012

The 10 Professions That Drink The Most Coffee
A new survey shows coffee seems to be a necessity on the job in a wide variety of careers...with 'scientist' ranking second. Read more from CareerBuilder.

Gevo Issued New Patent on Method to Improve Production of Fuels, Chemicals, and Amino Acids
Gevo, Inc, a leading renewable chemicals and next-generation biofuels company, said today that it has been issued a new patent, US Patent No. 8,273,565, entitled "Methods of Increasing Dihydroxy Acid Dehydratase Activity to Improve Production of Fuels, Chemicals, and Amino Acids."  The new patent covers suppression of a glutaredoxin protein called GRX3. In combination with other Gevo patented technologies, deletion of GRX3 significantly increases the production of isobutanol by yeast cellsRead the news release at Reuters.

Trans fat linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus
A new study in the journal of Obesity suggests that eating trans fat or trans fatty acids may increase risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus even if the calorie intake is not excessive.  Read more from Food Consumer. 

What Your Food Labeling Really Means
A study says that those who are watching their weight are more likely to be deceived by food labeling. Read more at Medical Daily.
 

Could fish waste generate high-value products?
The commercial viability of the use of marine-derived peptones to produce high-value products via fermentation will be examined through a project led by the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and Norway-based Marine Bioproducts AS (MB).  Read more at FiS.

Seeking Experts in Hair or Skin Science
NineSigma is seeking experts in the areas of hair, facial hair or skin to participate in a range of compensated activities, including consulting, testing and research opportunities.Ideal candidates will have specific knowledge, demonstrated expertise, and/or ongoing research regarding the physiology, biology, chemistry and physical properties of skin or facial hair.
To apply for this Expert Request, please register with NineSigma (www.NineSights.com/login.jspa) AND submit a CV or resume to community@ninesigma.com. Following registration, visit the Request page (http://www.ninesights.com/groups/expert-derm) and click "Ask To Join This Group" for the Expert Group referenced in the title above to finalize your application.
Please note that this is a rapid identification project. All responses must be received no later than 12:00AM EST on Monday, October 15th, 2012.

Upcoming Events October 2012
See the AOCS Events Calendar.

08-12 American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) 31st Annual Conference
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

11-12 Process Safety Training
Burr Ridge, Illinois, USA

15-16 Snackfoods Technology Platform America
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

15-17 International Conference on Biothreats and Biodefense
Chicago, Illinois, USA

16-19 2012 Annual Conference of the Association of Laboratory Managers
San Antonio, Texas, USA

17-19 9th Lipidomics Meeting
Paris Jussieu, France

17-19 Algae Europe 2012
Milan, Italy

21-25 American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of American 2012 International Annual Meetings
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

23-24 2012 Food Integrity Summit
Chicago, Illinois, USA

28-31 8th International Symposium on Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (ISBAB)
Sonoma, California, USA

29-30 Basic Polymers (October 29) and Advanced Polymers (October 30)
Newark, New Jersey, USA

29-31 Singapore 2012: World Conference on Fabric and Home Care
Where global leaders shape the future of the fabric and home care industry to enhance our quality of life.
Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

29-31 Advanced Biofuels Markets
San Francisco, California, United States

Friday, October 5, 2012

News and Notes for Friday October 5, 2012

It’s easy cleaning green
Based on a study conducted by the World Bank, detergents and cleaning agents are among the biggest water pollutants in the Philippines. AOCS member Dr. Phil Sliva, senior research scientist and chemist for Home Care Product Development for Amway is interviewed for this Business World Online Edition article. Read more.

Green Seal Awards First Specialty Cleaner Certification to PortionPac Chemical Corporation
Green Seal(TM) announced today that PortionPac Chemical Corporation's Pot & Pan Detergent and NeutraPac® Floor Neutralizer have achieved certification as the first Green Seal-certified specialty cleaning products on the market. Meeting the GS-53 standard (Specialty Cleaning Products for Industrial and Institutional Use). Read the news release at MarketWatch.

UK researchers challenge efficacy of nanoparticles in cosmetics
Scientists at the University of Bath have challenged whether nanoparticles used in sunscreens or cosmetics to carry an active ingredient deep into the skin, penetrate the skin's surface. Read more from cosmeticsdesign-europe.com.

NYC biodiesel-blended heating oil requirement starts Oct. 1
As New York City residents prepare for another winter, they can take comfort in knowing their oilheat is among the cleanest in the nation. Starting Oct. 1, every gallon of oilheat in the city will contain at least 2 percent biodiesel. Read more from Biodiesel Magazine.

FKuR expands in green polyethylene
Plastics producer and supplier FKuR has launched polyethylene (PE) biopolymers for manufacturers seeking a green alternative to traditional materials. Read more from Food Production Daily.

Enhancing Openness and Transparency at European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Scientific Meetings
ESFA is "... increasing the number of opportunities for Observers to attend meetings of its Scientific Committee and Scientific Panels ..." - EFSA had earlier this year launched a "... pilot project to promote better understanding of how scientific risk assessment works at EFSA and to provide a new opportunity for interaction with EFSA’s scientific experts ..."  Read the news release.

Jobs

Experienced Program Coordinator or Manager is Sought by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) in Washington, DC
Key requirements include "... strong communications and issues management background preferably with a food safety focus and at least 3-5 years program management experience. Must possess ability to implement and manage programs, excellent interpersonal skills and a positive, can-do attitude. Some travel required. College degree in food safety, toxicology, food science, communications, journalism or related field necessary ..."  View the job posting.

Abstract Alerts

Method for simultaneous analysis of eight analogues of vitamin D using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
Shah I, Petroczi A, Naughton DP . Chemistry Central Journal 2012, 6:112 (1 October 2012). Read the abstract.

Trans Fatty Acid Intakes and Food Sources in the U.S. Population: NHANES 1999–2002
Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Michael Lefevre, Ronald P. Mensink, Barbara Petersen, Jennifer Fleming and Brent D. Flickinger.  Lipids. Volume 47, Number 10 (2012), 931-940. Read the abstract.

Fatty acids in berry lipids of six sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L., subspecies carpatica) cultivars grown in Romania
Francisc Vasile Dulf. Chemistry Central Journal 2012, 6:106 doi:10.1186/1752-153X-6-106
Published: 20 September 2012. Read the abstract.

Determining Frying Oil Degradation by Near Infrared Spectroscopy Using Chemometric Techniques
Mustafa Öğütcü, Buket Aydeniz, Mehmet Burak Büyükcan and Emin Yılmaz.  Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. Volume 89, Number 10 (2012), 1823-1830. Read the abstract.


Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Learning about palm oil

Marguerite Torrey, AOCS Technical Projects Editor, was invited to attend the 32nd Palm Oil Familiarization Programme in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) extended the invitation to her and sponsored her trip as part of their educational outreach program on palm oil.

This year’s meeting was held on September 1–9, 2012. Thirty-five of us, from 17 countries, arrived September 1 in Kuala Lumpur. MPOB presented an introductory program on September 2, followed by five days of presentations on just about every aspect of palm oil one could imagine. Lecture days alternated with field-trip days. In the lectures, we learned about such things as how oil palms are grown, how fresh fruit bunches are processed to produce palm oil (PO) and palm kernel oil (PKO), nutritional properties and uses of PO, and pricing aspects of PO and PKO.

Collecting oil palm bunches
The field trips were like icing on the cake—very special. One day we were bused to the Sime Darby Oil Palm Plantation at Carey Island. After seeing only photographs all these years, I found it very satisfying to see real oil palms bearing their bunches of fruits, to see how the bunches are harvested by hand and collected in trucks, and to see the efforts being made to protect the plantations against pests by using barn owls to catch rats and by planting beneficial companion plants that are part of the integrated pest management plan to control damaging insects. I saw individual oil palm fruits and finally have a real sense of their size. In another part of the Carey Island site, we toured the facility where fresh fruit bunches are processed to isolate the crude PO, and then we moved to the Sime Darby Jomalina plant to see the refining process. On another day, the attendees toured the headquarters of MPOB and viewed many of their pilot plant projects on such things as margarine manufacturing, frying, and biodiesel production.

Barn owl at oil palm plantation
On our final official day, MPOB took us on a bus tour of Kuala Lumpur so we could see some of the landmarks such as the National Monument, the President’s Palace, and the Petronas Twin Towers. What gracious hosts MPOB were to all of us!

After the program was officially over, I had some time to enjoy other aspects of KL, as the city is called. As a life-long bird watcher, I wanted to visit the KL Bird Park, a large walk-in aviary housing over 3000 birds representing 200 local and foreign species. My favorite birds there were the Asian fairy bluebird, whose brilliant blue feathers were unbelievable, and the cattle egrets, which have expanded their range in the last 70 years from their native southern Europe and northern Africa into North America as far north as Canada. Up the hill from the Bird Park are the Orchid and Hibiscus Gardens. Coming from the middle of the United States, I had never before seen such beautiful horticultural orchids simply growing outdoors.

KL Orchid Garden

What did I learn from the trip? An appreciation of all the ways palm oil can be used and how important it is as a food source for Africa and Asia--how very diverse the Malaysian people are and how friendly they are--what wonderful food there is in Malaysia. Would I go back? You bet!

Call for Participants-method comparison study for MCPD-ester (MCPD-E) and glycidyl-ester (GE) analysis

AOCS, in conjunction with ADM Research, is seeking collaborators that are interested in comparing MCPD-ester (MCPD-E) and glycidyl-ester (GE) methods of analysis.  Interested parties should respond by 10 October 2012.

AOCS method comparison study of direct and indirect methods for MCPD-ester (MCPD-E) and glycidyl-ester (GE) analysis
 
Purpose:  To compare results from the direct and indirect determination of MCPD-E and GE using reference samples of known composition.

Participation:  To confirm your participation in the study, you must choose to perform one of the three indirect methods and/or provide details of the direct method you will employ. Further, please supply the organizers with a signed declaration form that you have the appropriate equipment available and that you will return all results from the analysis of the test materials to the coordinators by the end of the test period. The indirect analysis of the test materials must conform to one of the supplied methods and the protocol for the direct method should be provided. If any modifications to the direct procedure are made, they must be noted on the reporting sheet; the result of any other analysis using a different method must also be supplied to the coordinators, together with a copy of the method.

Protocol:

Method comparison study
  • Participants returning a signed declaration form before the closing date will be assigned a unique (confidential) identifier by the coordinators. 
  • Participants providing the required information will be authorized to analyze 5 test materials in duplicate. 
  • The results of these analyses will be sent to the coordinators within the time limit specified using the provided reporting sheet.
  • Each participant will receive a report of laboratory results, together with statistical analysis and outlier identification.
Timeline: 
  • Invitation to participate in the study will be sent from AOCS by 2nd October, 2012.
  • Declarations of participation to be returned by 10th October, 2012.
  • Five test materials will be sent by 20th October, 2012.
  • Participants to return uncorrected results of analysis of all test materials by 30th November, 2012.
  • Results compiled and analyzed by 20th January, 2013.
           
Reporting:  The participants are required to report the presence or absence of individual and total long chain MCPD-Es and GEs in mg/kg (do not correct for recovery) according to the reporting sheet for each of the test materials. Materials should be reported as duplicate analyses.

Outcome:  Data from each lab will be statistically analyzed and a report will be generated.  All information will remain confidential throughout the study. Results will be presented to the AOCS Expert Panel on Process Contaminants at a future meeting.

Organizers:  

Dr. Richard Cantrill, AOCS, Richard.Cantrill@aocs.org and
Dr. Mark Collison, ADM Research, Mark.Collison@ADM.com

If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact Kimmy Farris, AOCS by email (kimmy.farris@aocs.org) or fax (+1 217-693-4870) such that she can send you the above mentioned declaration form, methods, and reporting sheet directly so you can return the declaration form on or before 10 October 2012.

Monday, October 1, 2012

AOCS News

AOCS awards are now open.

AOCS awards recognize achievements and contributions to the profession, industry, Society and encourage future progress. The program has a rich history of recognizing some of the world leaders in fats and oils community.

The first award AOCS (then known as the Society of Cotton Products Analysts – SCPA) presented was the Smalley award in 1919 to G.C. Hulbert. Over the next 50 years, awards came and went. Awards during those years were mainly to recognize talks at the Society’s annual meeting and laboratory proficiency sampling. 

The current program can be traced back to 1964 when the Honored Student and Supelco/Nicholas Pelick-AOCS Research (formerly known as the Lipid Chemistry Award) awards were first presented. The current program recognizes accomplishments by individuals and teams– ranging from long-time AOCS members who have spent years in their specialties to graduate students who are just beginning their careers.

Do you know someone who should be recognized for their research contributions, authored an excellent journal article, taken the industry to the next level, or have leveraged their knowledge for the benefit of the society? Consider nominating them for an AOCS award. Self-nominations are accepted too.

Visit the Awards program website for deadlines, nomination requirements, and applications. Don't delay — October 15 is the first nomination deadline.

Some Upcoming Award Deadlines:

October 15:
Stephen S. Chang Award
Student Awards

November 1:
AOCS Young Scientist Research Award
Supelco/Nicholas Pelick–AOCS Research Award
AOCS Corporate Achievement Award