EFSA rejects extending expiration date of eggs to avoid salmonella poisoning

The European food safety authority (EFSA, the acronym in English) rejects increasing the shelf life of eggs, arguing that existing studies indicate that for every week that extends the time limit, the risk of salmonella poisoning will increase by 40%.

EFSA explained to El Pais that held a report at the request of the European Commission, which has requested a study to extend validity periods and avoid wasting food â€" an economic problem, but also social.

"Salmonella [bacteria that causes salmonellosis] was the main cause of food infections in the European Union by 2005, with 200,000 cases and an annual cost of € 3000 million", indicates the EFSA, CITES my well-being.

This impact has led European authorities to set in motion a series of steps that led to a reduction of infections resulting from this bacteria-contaminated eggs produced, but also for other foods, such as pork â€" in 50% since 2005. But these advances may collapse if the measure to extend the shelf life of eggs next.

"If the shelf life of eggs over the 21 days for 28 days, the risk of infections will increase by 40% in the case of foods that are not cooked and 50% in the case of those who are cooking", indicates the EFSA study, which was based "on current scientific knowledge".

"In the worst-case scenario, if the expiration date recommended for 42 days and pass for 70 days â€" another of the possibilities suggested by the Commission, the risk is three times greater than the present both in the case of eggs without being cooked as in eggs made.

In this category are the raw products (e.g., mayonnaise or some sauces or beverages), as well as eggs cooked or fried. "Keep eggs chilled is the only way to reduce the increased risk of infections due to prolonged storage," explained a spokeswoman for EFSA. "In any case, the deadlines that indicate draw up or consume preferably are extended over three weeks, the risk will increase, including with the cooling system of the shops. This may also jeopardize the gains achieved to date with "the reduction of Salmonella in laying hens, since eggs are the main cause of infections in the EU", said the spokesman of the EFSA.

Foto: pietroizzo  / Creative Commons

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Can the crumbs of a cigarette alternative energy source?

The cigarette butts from cigarettes are almost like a plague on the streets of cities. But a group of scientists developed a way to put a stop to this source urban pollution and protect the environment.

South Korean investigators believe they can convert the filters of cigarettes in a material that can be used by computers, electric vehicles and wind towers to store energy. According to scientists, the material of the cigarette filters can be used to coat the electrodes of the supercapacitadores, which are the components that can store large amounts of electricity.

Scientists argue that cigarette filter performance is even better than the commercially available carbon, the carbon nanotubes or Graphene used currently. Every year, about 5.6 trillion cigarettes used, which amounts to 766,571 tonnes, are thrown into the streets.

"Our study demonstrates that the cigarette filters used may be transformed into a high-performance material carbon-based, using a single process, which at the same time offers a green solution to satisfy the energy needs of society," said Yi Jongheop, co-author of the study and a professor at the National University of Seoul, cite the Daily Mail.

The supercapacitadores are composed primarily of carbon, due to their low cost, large surface area, good electrical conductivity and great stability. Around the world, scientists are studying ways to improve the characteristics of supercapacitadores, as the energy density, power density and stability of cycle, at the same time trying to reduce production costs.

In the study, researchers found that Koreans cellulose acetate fibers from cigarette filters are made can be transformed into carbon-based material through a technique called pyrolysis combustion. The resulting material contains a considerable number of small pores, which increases its performance as a supercapacitador material.

Foto:  Axolot / Creative Commons

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The 10 best photos from National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

The National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest of 2014 already have winner. Is Mark Korosec who photographed a supercell over the plains in the East of the State of Colorado, in the United States. A supercell is a type of storm that is characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone (an upward air current that spins inside a cloud).

Korosec called photo the "independence day" and took it during a hunting expedition the tornadoes at Alameda dos Tornadoes in Colorado. The photo was chosen from 18,000 submissions.

The ten winning photos were revealed last week. Underwater scenery, landscapes and a variety of animals photographed in spontaneous poses are some of the photos that were submitted to contest. This year's competition categories were travel Portraits, outdoor scenes, Sense of space and Spontaneous Moments, reports the Daily Mail.

The photo was ranked second of Agnieszka Traczewska, which depicts two newlyweds in Israel.

The big winner of the contest of National Geograaphic this year will be awarded an eight-day expedition to Alaska for two people aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion or the National Geographic Sea Bird.

You can see some of the photos submitted to this contest.

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Waste House: the first British House made of trash with negative CO2 emissions

Landfills are filling up faster than ever with millions of tons of garbage every year. But if it were possible to turn this waste into building material? Waste House, in the United Kingdom, is the living example of this manufacturing capacity. It is the first permanent home was constructed almost entirely from Trash.

The project was designed by atelier BBM, in Sussex, as part of a research project alive and a design workshop for sustainable development at the University of Brighton. The House Waste, which has a negative impact on the level of carbon dioxide emissions, was built to prove that "there is no garbage, just things in the wrong places," said the Inhabitat.

Located on the campus of the University of Brighton, the House was even built with the help of students of the educational institution. The building was built with 85% of garbage, collected from construction sites in the region. The materials include plastic razors, jeans used, videotapes and 20,000 toothbrushes. Most of the garbage was inserted into the walls to isolate and various kinds of garbage will be monitored with sensors to study its insulating efficiency.

About 2,000 carpets recycled water proof lining the exterior facade, while old vinyl banners are used as internal control layers to steam. In addition, waste organic material was also used in the House. To improve energy efficiency and thermal conductivity, rammed earth walls were built of clay and lime residues.

Currently, the House Waste â€" whose construction took about a year and was inaugurated in April this year â€" serves as a research facility for students of the master of sustainable Design at the University of Brighton.

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China: exploring the capabilities of helium from the moon can help solve the energy crisis on Earth

The dust from the lunar soil brought by the first humans on the Moon contained an abundance of titanium, Platinum and other valuable minerals. But our satellite also contains a substance that can be quite useful to the human civilization and could revolutionize energy production.

This substance, the helium-3 (He-3) is deposited on the Moon in vast quantities by solar winds. Helium 3 is a non-radioactive isotope of helium. Has two protons and one neutron. His presence on Earth is rare, but is a very popular substance for use in nuclear fusion research. It is also used in MRI machines and sensors that detect smuggled plutonium.

Now, China is considering the possibility of exploiting this resource from lunar soil, bringing it back to Earth. According to some scientists, this rare isotope could have the ability to meet the future energy needs of the planet, writes the Times.

Ouyang Resources, Chief Scientist of the Chinese Lunar Exploration program, said recently that the Moon is "so rich in He-3 that this substance can solve the problem of energy demand over the next 10,000 years at least," quotes the Daily Mail.

Scientists argue that the He-3 can power nuclear plants, but cleanly, since it is a non-radioactive substance.

For example, two spaceships loaded with the substance â€" about 40 tons â€" could be sufficient to meet the energy needs of the United States for a year. This would require the exploration of areas the size of Washington, D.C.

The Ho-3 is rare on Earth due to the atmosphere and magnetic field protect us, but also prevent the He-3 from the solar wind reaches the Earth's surface. The moon doesn't have this problem because it has no atmosphere and the He-3 is absorbed by the lunar soil.

Fabrizio Bozzato, doctoral candidate at the University of Tamkan in Taiwan, recently wrote a scientific article argues that the He-3 can be extracted from lunar soil at temperatures of around 600 degrees Celsius, before being brought back to Earth. The student estimates that the gas has an economic potential of €2,24 billion per tonne, which makes it economically viable to consider exploring the moon.

According to us experts, the total required for the development of nuclear power stations and spacecraft, and to the start of the operations on the Moon is €14,9 billion over the next two decades.

Although China has already expressed interest to explore this resource is required before any concrete plans to explore the He-3 on the moon.

However, the exploration of the Moon raises controversial questions about who holds our satellite. The UN Treaty for outer space, of which China is a signatory, indicates that the Lunar features are for all humanity. But legal experts contend that the language of the Treaty is ambiguous enough to allow commercial exploitation of the moon.

Foto:  NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center / Creative Commons

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16 of the most magnificent trees on the planet

Trees are the most essential goods on the planet. Have the ability to transform carbon dioxide into oxygen, produce food, serve as shelter to many animals and beautify the landscape.

There are many species of trees, in all shapes and forms, sizes and colors. Some more majestic than others, but all equally important to the global ecosystem. We show you here some of the most beautiful specimens on the planet. Some are not true trees, as Wisteria or rhododendrons, but once they reach considerable proportions have included them in this category.

Since Wisteria and rhododendrons centenarians the great redwoods, see some of the examples here.

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What do the old pay phones?

All major cities have a network of public telephones in most streets â€" absolutely crucial to the functioning of cities a few years ago, but completely obsolete in the age of smartphones.

The United Kingdom, known for its red telephone booths has converted the spaces obsolete. Since 2009 that more than 1,500 cabins were transformed into florists, information points, small art galleries and even small libraries. British Telecom lets even the public to adopt one of these cabins for just one pound.

It seems that every major city are considering the problem of obsolete telephone booths. The South Africa will transform all of its 79,000 telegónicas cabins in wi-fi points. China is doing the same from 2011, referred to the City Lab.

In New York, there are still 9,000 payphones functional, but the contract of these paid phones ends in 2015 and the city still doesn't know what to do or cabins that new generation of payphones will come. The city is waiting to receive proposals on the new generation of payphones.

Rumor has it that Google is among the companies interested in installing the new generation of payphones in New York, but he has no intention of turning into something more cabins to distribution points of wi-fi. Also IBM, Samsung and Cisco were present at sessions of clarification on the future of payphones in New York and it may be here that come to birth a new generation of global public phones.

Foto: bubuninha / Creative Commons

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