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Daily Archives: September 7, 2022
Media Advisory: Chalk River Laboratories Officially Breaks Ground on One of the Largest Nuclear Research Facilities Ever Constructed in Canada -…
Posted: September 7, 2022 at 5:50 pm
News and research before you hear about it on CNBC and others. Claim your 1-week free trial to StreetInsider Premium here.
CHALK RIVER, Ontario, Sept. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre (ANMRC) is not only the cornerstone of the Government of Canadas $1.2 billion investment in the site revitalization of the Chalk River Laboratories, its the future facility for Canadas world-class research of next generation nuclear technologies. On September 9, Parliamentary Secretary Jenna Sudds, M.P., and the Chief Science Advisor of Canada, Dr. Mona Nemer will join both CNL and AECL leadership to celebrate the start of construction of the exciting new complex one of the largest nuclear research facilities ever constructed in Canada.
About the ANMRC
In addition to its role in advancing next generation nuclear technologies to support Canadas climate action plans, the 10,000 square metre ANMRC will be critical to the life extension and long-term reliability of existing reactors, including Canadas fleet of CANDU reactors and other designs deployed around the world. It will also support the national nuclear laboratorys other research priorities public health, environmental stewardship and global security.
For more information, please contact [emailprotected].
About CNL
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is a world leader in nuclear science and technology offering unique capabilities and solutions across a wide range of industries. Actively involved with industry-driven research and development in nuclear, transportation, clean technology, energy, defence, security and life sciences, we provide solutions to keep these sectors competitive internationally.
With ongoing investments in new facilities and a focused mandate, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is well positioned for the future. A new performance standard reinforced with a strong safety culture underscores every activity.
About AECLAECL is a federal Crown corporation with a mandate to drive nuclear opportunities for Canada. It owns the Chalk River Laboratories, Canadas largest science and technology complex, and other nuclear sites. AECL delivers its mandate through a long-term contract with CNL.
AECL supports industry and academia, as well as 14 federal government departments and agencies through the Federal Nuclear Science and Technology Work Plan, ensuring that nuclear science, research, and applications deliver value for Canadians in energy, health, environment, safety and security. It also manages the Government of Canadas responsibilities for legacy and historic radioactive waste.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/484cda6c-7cea-4e30-90d0-15d7075f7aee
CHIEF SCIENCE ADVISOR OF CANADA AND MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT JOIN CNL TO BREAK GROUND ON NEW NUCLEAR RESEARCH FACILITY
The Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre (ANMRC) is designed to support Canadas clean energy goals by providing services critical to the life extension and long-term reliability of existing reactors, including Canadas fleet of CANDU nuclear power reactors and other designs from around the world. In particular, as the largest single capital investment in the revitalization of the Chalk River campus, the ANMRC will feature 12 new shielded hot cells that will enable post-irradiation examination of small modular reactor (SMR) and next-generation nuclear fuels in addition to glovebox facilities to support the development of advanced fuel fabrication concepts.
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PFAS pilot study gets yet another extension, scope and cost of another project reduced – wausaupilotandreview.com
Posted: at 5:50 pm
Damakant Jayshi
The Wausau Water Works Commission on Tuesday approved yet another extension for a pilot study on PFAS removal but with a net cap of $15,000 for the citys utility.
This is the second extension for the continuation of the pilot study, approved despite the city acting on the studys report on installing a filtration system for the delayed new water treatment plant that, according to the City of Wausau officials, is likely to be operational next month.
In June, the commission approved adopting granular activated carbon, or GAC, technology in the citys filtration system in response to PFAS discovered in all six of the citys drinking water wells. Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, PFAS, are also known has forever chemicals that contaminate water.
The cap of $15,000 was proposed by Commissioner John Robinson, who has repeatedly questioned the rationale for the continuation of the pilot study. He said gathering more information was great, but the commission has to be mindful of how much it will cost the taxpayers.
Robinson later said the cap is for the Department of Public Works and Utilities only and if the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wants the study to continue, the state agency will have to fund it.
Both the consultants conducting the study and the Public Works Director, Eric Lindman, have said the extensions are necessary to collect data. In his Sept. 6 memo to the commission, Lindman said the study is the most accurate way to determine life cycle costs for PFAS treatment. He said the information would be provided to the DNR to determine the frequency of testing for PFAS.
However, Donohue & Associates, the consultants who are partnering with another consulting firm, Becher-Hoppe, on the PFAS removal design and bidding, and Lindman differed on how long the study was required. While Donohue representatives asked on Tuesday for the extension until the middle of this month, the DPW director again asked for the continuation as long as possible.
Last month, while pushing for at least a month-long extension, Lindman justified the request by saying the extended time would allow the utility to look for alternate sources of funding.
The DPW director has opposed any attempts to discontinue the pilot study. In his memo to the commission last month, he wrote that discontinuing the pilot study to save a few thousand dollars is NOT a sound engineering decision. For Tuesdays meeting, he wrote in another memo that the discontinuing the pilot study now would be irresponsible and would throw away some very critical data for determining operational costs.
Meanwhile, the scope of work done by another consulting firm, Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc., was reduced. The firm has been providing consulting services related to PFAS. Under the revised scope of the work, the budget is $49,013. The original total budget was $83,343.
When Commissioner Jim Force asked Lindman how much the city has spent so far, the director couldnt give him the figures. Earlier, Force asked the staff to provide the commission with a snapshot of all the current projects and those likely to be considered and the estimated costs for them.
Lindman and other senior staff working on drinking water and wastewater management have also continued to express concern over the shortage of staff due to lack of pay raises and a pay disparity with other cities. Lindman said that the staff shortage has impacted the utilitys work.
In a separate memo, Lindman reminded the commission that over the past year, recruitment/retention and staffing issues have been on the agenda for 10 of those months for discussion by the commission.
Damakant Jayshi can be reached at damakant@wausaupilotandreview.com. Contact Wausau Pilot & Reviews editor and publisher, Shereen Siewert, at editor@wasuaupilotandreview.com. Follow Wausau Pilot on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/wausaupilot.
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Predators extend deal with Bally Sports South – Awful Announcing
Posted: at 5:50 pm
The Nashville Predators are sticking with the Sinclair-owned Bally Sports regional networks. Predators games have been carried on the Fox and now Bally Sports regional networks since the teams inaugural season in 1998-99. Those games were initially on Fox Sports South, then they were on the Fox Sports Tennessee part-time sub-network that was carved out in 2008, which was then was merged back into the South network around the renaming of those networks to the Bally Sports brand in early 2021. Theyll continue to be carried on Bally Sports South under a new extension. The team announced that deal Thursday:
Here are some key quotes from that release, which notes that the Predators games will also be available through upcoming standalone streaming service Bally Sports+ (in-market; theyre available out-of-market through ESPN+s NHL out-of-market package). That service is set to launch for Bally Sports South on Sept. 26.
By extending our media rights agreement, we are excited to continue one of the first relationships the Predators ever forged, because as long as we have played, our games have been brought to life through our incredible partnership, Predators President and CEO Sean Henry said. We are fortunate that Bally Sports South continually shows a desire to invest in and improve all features surrounding our broadcast throughout the year. As we enter the new season, Bally Sports Souths direct-to-consumer streaming product is the latest example of its commitment to our fan base in making our broadcast and Predators games even more readily available and accessible.
We have a longstanding relationship with the Nashville Predators and are excited to continue to collaborate on new, innovative ways to bring Predators games to fans, said Jeff Genthner, Senior Vice President, General Manager of Bally Sports South. Our new Bally Sports+ streaming product adds another viewing option to our linear distribution channels this season, giving fans an option to pay directly for Bally Sports South.
The Predators local territory is interesting, as its not as extensive as Bally Sports Souths overall territory thanks to the Carolina Hurricanes (who also have their games broadcast on Bally Sports South). The Predators territory is Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi, while the Hurricanes have North and South Carolina.
There wasnt necessarily a logical other existing RSN for the Predators to go to, as there isnt a current prominent alternative in the Tennessee market. There was Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast, but that network shut down in 2014 after losing Atlanta Braves (in 2011) and SEC (in 2014) programming. And sticking with a reasonably well-distributed RSN (the release mentions its on AT&T U-verse, DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM, Spectrum and Xfinity, amongst other providers) makes some sense for the team, and maybe even more so now that theres going to be an over-the-top offering (although, that may be a tougher sell for Bally Sports South than some other RSNs, as they dont yet have Braves streaming rights).
But some teams have launched RSNs as the main tenant of those networks. So its notable that that didnt happen here. Instead, Bally Sports South has retained another one of its seven teams.
[NHL.com/predators]
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Predators extend deal with Bally Sports South - Awful Announcing
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WWYDW: Reactions to the Canucks’ J.T. Miller extension – Canucks Army
Posted: at 5:49 pm
Welcome back to WWYDW, the only hockey column on the internet with a full no-movement clause until the year 2030.
Speaking of not-moving, it sounds as if thats the future for JT Miller of the Vancouver Canucks. After sitting through more than a calendar year of trade rumours, the 29-year-old forward signed a seven-year, $56 million extension, beginning with the 2023/24 season and carrying through all the way into the next decade.
Millers new contract comes with a cap hit of $8 million, a full NMC throughout, and a full no-trade clause for the first five years. Its also heavily laden with signing bonuses.
Its hefty, its considerable, and its signing has changed the very course of the future of the franchise.
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But right now, all of those concerns are secondary.
This week, what were really concerned about is knowing:
Let it be known in the comment section.
Last week, we asked:
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You answered below!
Hal:
Im going to go with Vegas, for the main reason that they could be the team that the Canucks will be in a battle with for 3rd in the Pacific.
LiborPolasek:
Seattle just to see how both Beniers and Wright are progressing, if Wright makes the team.
Jabs:
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I will keep it simple: Game One is game on for me. Bring on the Oilers in game one of the 2022-23 season, as that is what I am looking forward to. Let new rivalries commence, as this team improves this season. All I want is to see the puck drop in meaningful games with a team that hopefully can skate with the best of them.
I dont see the rivalries with this team being what they were in the previous decade. Matchups against Edmonton and Calgary are entertaining though, and I am glad to see the Oilers being the first to hear the Bruce, there it is! chant. Even though the game is in Edmontonthey will hear it.
Kanucked:
Colorado for me. How do they stack up against the champs?
Hockey Bunker:
(Sure, why not. Winner of the Eternal Optimist Award)
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Meeting Toronto in Stanley Cup Final (trying for the eternal optimist award).
Sandpaper:
I am looking forward to see how they match up against the Arizona Coyotes, especially when they play them in the Coyotes new 300-seat arena.
Rob:
(Winner of the authors weekly award for eloquence)
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I am looking forward to games against all of the Pacific teams. Games against Edmonton will show us how they can handle speed and superstar forwards. Games against Calgary will show us how they can handle an elite 5-on-5 team that is ridiculously deep down the middle. Games against LA will show us how they can handle a younger team on that rise that has something to prove. Games against Vegas will show us how they handle a one-time power-house with character issues that will likely turn the game dirty to try and win. Games against San Jose, Anaheim, and Seattle will show us how they handle games against teams they should be beating. I suspect that Vegas, Vancouver, and LA will be battling for the 3rd seed in the Pacific, and I am really looking forward to a meaningful rivalry forming somewhere in there.
But the matchup that I am looking forward to the most is the matchup against themselves. Does this team have the confidence and the swagger and the guts to step up and perform game after game after game? No thrown games against bottom-feeders. Handle adversity like they have been through it 100 times before. To put their foot on the neck of opponents when they have them on the ropes. To not mail in a game if they get off to a bad start (I swear to god, if Miller does this again Im going to pull out my hair). Those are the traits of a good team, I am excited to see if the Canucks fit the bill.
A River Named Curt:
Saturday, October 15 against the Canucks No. 1 playoff rival: the Bakersfield Condors.
HockeyFanMexico:
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Nothing really on the schedule that stands out that has not been mentioned. Arizona, we laugh but to get to see an NHL game live in a BCHL-sized arena will be pretty special, all jokes aside. Colorado, to see how we match up with our forward group. Mostly I am looking forward to BB pre- and post-game pressers. Always entertaining.
Kanuckhotep:
Life-long Canucks have always dreaded playing the also-ran clubs more than elite teams. Too many times, the ball has been dropped against lousier teams in clutch games, but they play the good teams actually far better. Still, the true test should be CGY, EDM, and the Cup-champ Avalanche if they plan on making noise this season. Bad clubs are the concern and always have been.
Defenceman Factory:
The match-up creating the most anxiety is the D-corps against father time. If we see no regression among any of the three top-four D-men over 30, the Canucks are a good team. The improvements at forward and a full year of Boudreau, and this is a playoff team. If even one of the top-four falters significantly or gets injured, the Canucks could really suffer. The drop-off to Rathbone and Dermott is a big one.
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WWYDW: Reactions to the Canucks' J.T. Miller extension - Canucks Army
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NASA’s Artemis rocket makers explain that it’s a marathon and a sprint – The Register
Posted: at 5:49 pm
NASA's Space Launch System might look like a mishmash of heritage Space Shuttle parts but it's all new hardware, and the team who built the twin boosters and engines have been talking about the challenges of bringing designs from the 1970s into a lunar future.
Northrop Grumman is the company behind the boosters used by the SLS. The work is overseen by NASA but, as the agency's Bruce Tiller (the SLS Booster Manager) puts it, "it's all one team."
One team it might be, but, as Tiller also admitted, "I have a small team on the government side, and they have a big team on the contractor side." This is not surprising, because Northrop Grumman (like a number of other big aerospace businesses) is recipient of quite a bit of US taxpayer money and is key to numerous aspects of the US space program.
The Register spoke to the teams on both the NASA and NG sides, responsible for the twin solid rocket boosters which, coupled with four RS-25 engines, are still sitting on the Florida launchpad after two scrubbed launch attempts.
Last week's planned launch was scrubbed after problems during fueling, and a second attempt went south on Saturday after yet another fuel leak.
It is hard to avoid thinking of a Shuttle stack (just without the Shuttle) when looking at the SLS, although the orange tank sitting between the boosters is a very different beast to the previous generation. The twin solid rocket boosters are, however, very much heritage parts. That said, there are changes. "We did two big things," said NASA's Tiller, "and a lot of small things."
The most visible of the big things is the addition of an extra booster segment: "That gives us another 20 per cent more power on those boosters" explained Tiller. "I like to kid my engine buddies: 'You can light all four of your engines and you're not going anywhere. Once you light those boosters, you're gone!"
It isn't really a joke, although a manager responsible for the engines described the boosters as the "sprinters" while his power units were more a "mile runner".
The solid rocket boosters provide around three-quarters of the initial thrust of the SLS at launch. Each consists of five segments, the casing designs of which are derived from the Space Shuttle era. "Two were on STS-135 I flew with them 11 years ago," Northrop Grumman senior director and pilot of the final Space Shuttle mission, Doug Hurley, told us.
However, unlike on Hurley's final Shuttle mission, these casings will not be floating back to Earth via parachute, and those RS-25 engines won't be gliding back on a Shuttle either.
"It's mostly performance," Tiller explained regarding the fate of the boosters and the deletion of the parachutes one of the big changes. "We saved eight flight sets knowing we were going to develop a more powerful booster [Northrop Grumman's Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) boosters]" That, coupled with a low anticipated flight cadence compared to the Space Shuttle, means the spent casings will be left to fall into the ocean.
"The more you fly," explained Tiller, "the more recovery makes sense. And it really saves you a lot of money. I wish we were flying that frequently," he added ruefully, "but we're not so"
So the boosters become expendable. Or go out in a blaze of glory. "It's just great to see them used in this manner," said Hurley, "as we go back to the Moon."
The same applies to the engines, formerly Space Shuttle Main Engines and now set to be dropped into the ocean after a final hurrah. Douglas Bradley, RS-25 deputy program director at Aerojet Rocketdyne, who had a hand in designing the units back in the 1970s, said production would account for the loss. "We've got 16 total engines from the Shuttle program," he explained, "so we can get to Artemis IV."
The SLS uses up four engines per vehicle (up from the three for the Shuttle) and will be run at 109 percent of rated thrust for Artemis I. This is something that was possible in the Shuttle days but, as Hurley and Northrop Grumman's director of business development Rick Mastracchio also a former Shuttle 'naut noted, that would take place only in the event of an emergency.
There is scope to push things further with Artemis engine thrust, and Aerojet Rocketdyne's Bradley added: "We've run lots of times at 109, 111 and 113, so we knew they were capable"
Why so high? "We know that sooner or later we're going to run at 111, and so our process at Aerojet Rocketdyne has always been to go two percentage points above that you usually have to run a little bit higher to ensure that every part has seen that type of strength."
Those engines (of which 14 were used in Shuttle missions) have been paragons of reliability during the life of the Shuttle, he said, but confessed to some mixed emotions knowing that the end is rapidly approaching. "We used them for so long, we kind of get to know them. You know - this one runs a little warmer. This one runs a little more specific impulse (ISP) and so on the one hand it's sad, but it's the coolest thing ever to have some engines I worked on taking us back to the Moon."
While Northrop Grumman is working on the BOLE project to replace the heritage SRB booster parts, Bradley detailed the challenges of restarting the production of the former Space Shuttle engines. "Some of the things we made in-house but people have retired. Some of the suppliers that we got our hardware from they're out of business. So we've had to somewhat relearn how to make the parts."
And more cheaply too Bradley told us that since the engines were to be expendable, the expectation was that they would be less expensive, although without degrading either reliability or performance. "In some cases," he said, "we had changes we were going to make during the Shuttle program, but ran out of time. So we incorporated those."
In other cases, modern manufacturing techniques can be used to cut costs - Bradley is quite the fan of 3D printing of rocket engine parts, something many other manufacturers are using to cut costs without sacrificing reliability.
As for other changes, the Aerojet engineer explained that an adaption program had been needed the Artemis stack is considerably taller than the Shuttle, for example, and the engines are clustered at the base. This means the operating pressures will be higher and so on.
While the RS-25s will come to life seconds before the SRBs, as in the Shuttle days, their position means that the familiar twang of the Shuttle stack, which would lean slightly upon ignition, will be gone.
"The twang," said Bradley, "was strange to see when I first saw it. It'll be weird to see it not [happen]."
Arguments over keeping the reusability of the heritage Shuttle parts have been rendered somewhat moot thanks to the lower flight cadence of the SLS and the need to wring every last bit of power from what is lurking in the storerooms.
While the engineers and ex-Shuttle astronauts all confessed to some mixed feelings over using and then dumping the equipment, all were also visibly delighted that rather than gathering dust in a museum, the hardware will be used one final time for a long-hoped for return to the Moon.
NASA said at the weekend that it has decided not to attempt another launch in early September, and will have to roll both the rocket and spacecraft back into the Vehicle Assembly Building after it decides on whether to perform work to replace a seal at the pad itself, where it can be tested under cryogenic conditions, or inside the Vehicle Assembly Building.
Because the launchpad is required for a flight to the International Space Station in early October, according to NASA director Bill Nelson, it is likely that Artemis-1's next launch attempt will not take place until the second launch window next month so any time from mid-October.
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NASA's Artemis rocket makers explain that it's a marathon and a sprint - The Register
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Food supply chains are susceptible to fraud and adulteration more than ever, warns Kerry – Food Ingredients First
Posted: at 5:49 pm
05 Sep 2022 --- Disruption in global supply chains, food shortages and the ongoing challenges of producing sustainable and nutritious food for the worlds ballooning population is observed by consumers and industry alike. With pressures continuing to mount, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, Kerry is spotlighting the importance of food safety and integrity, as well as its solutions to maintaining safe supply chains.
In an exclusive interview, Noeleen Donegan, global vice president of Food Safety at Kerry, tells FoodIngredientsFirsthow the company is tackling these issues head-on.
Instances of raw ingredient and food product shortages have been rife in recent months due to a variety of factors. This means that many consumers have to turn to alternatives in their daily lives.
With key ingredients less readily available and the industry under pressure to limit retail price increases, she states that the global supply chain is now more than ever susceptible to food fraud and adulteration.
Supply chain transparencyThe company is an active member of global non-profit SSAFE, which works to strengthen food safety and improve well-being, alongside the Food Industry Intelligence Network (FIN) established in 2015, to ensure the integrity of food supply chains and protect the interests of the consumers.
Kerry takes an integrated approach with meat processors to meet food safety and shelf life expectations.It has also invested in Quality, Safety, Health and Environment (QSHE) projects.
However, the globalization of ingredient sourcing continues to make assessing food integrity risk across the supply chain ever more challenging and growing consumer and regulatory demand for food transparency and sustainability is pushing the industry to find better ways of sharing supply chain information.
Donegan says that industry must continue to collaborate if we are to achieve a fully transparent supply chain and the ability to share food fraud information across its increasingly global operations.
Participating in collaborative efforts such as FIIN and SSAFE is an important step toward this goal, she asserts.
Additionally, Kerry continues to monitor trends and local regulatory requirements. Doing so allows the company to support brands seeking to update or modify their preservation and protection processes, notes Donegan.
While progress has been made, the globalization of ingredient sourcing continues to create challenges in assessing food integrity and waste risk across supply chains.
Fortunately, notes Donegan, a growing consumer and regulatory demand for food transparency and sustainability is pushing the industry to find better ways of sharing supply chain information.
Kerry has the flexibility to share its raw material supply across regions as required and appropriate.
Food fraud infringement on industryWhen food fraud and ingredient adulteration happens across industry, the actions are widely undertaken for economic gain with genuine products being swapped out for low-quality alternatives and negatively impact consumer confidence and the reputation of food manufacturers.
It is estimated that economically motivated food adulteration costs the industry around 8 billion (US$7.9 billion) to 12 billion (US$11.9 billion) per year, according to the European Commission, explains Donegan.
While this kind of deception infringes the intellectual property rights of the impacted company, it also poses a direct threat from an allergen and safety point of view.
Notably, food integrity has long been recognized as an industry imperative, partly to reduce economic damage but most importantly to protect customers.
The World Health Organization has called for industry collaboration for decades and established an annual World Food Safety Day in 2018 to highlight the need for continued action, she underscores.
Which ingredients are consumers most concerned about?According to proprietary research which Kerry conducted last year, the company found that meat is the number one category of consumer concern when it comes to food safety.
Fresh meat topped the list, explains Donegan, with processed meat following close behind. Interestingly, meat alternatives also ranked high on the list.
This research also showed that 60% of consumers are more concerned about food safety since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of course, having the proper food protection and preservation solutions in place is critical to ensuring a product is and stays safe for consumption.
Solutions for meat safetyAccording to Donegan, Kerry takes an integrated approach with meat processors to meet food safety and shelf life expectations.
Formulating meat food safety solutions requires trained microbiologists, in-application challenges, and shelf life studies. She elaborates that challenge studies mimic potentiaThe globalization of ingredient sourcing continues to make assessing food integrity risk across the supply chain challenging.l contamination to demonstrate that a preservative can keep food safe during a worst-case scenario.
One of our newest solutions in this space is an acetate-based preservation solution for meat.
This innovation is a unique blend of acetate and diacetate to provide exceptional efficacy and food safety. This is a dry product that can be used up to five times less than a traditional liquid lactate/diacetate blend to achieve the same level of food safety.
Because this solution is used at such a low dosage, it often has no negative impact on taste, she notes. The efficacy at low doses is due to higher undissociated acid content. This means less preservation product is needed while still meeting vital food safety standards. In more technical terms, the positive effects of acetates are higher in the neutral-pH zone a key reason lactates can be replaced by applying acetates at a much lower dose.
With many of the food safety preservative solutions currently on the market both conventional and those offering a clean label having a sodium base that contributes more to the final product, the need for solutions has led to a slow but steady shift in preservation protocols, Donegan details.
Meat applications are notoriously challenging in terms of meeting sodium targets, so she says sodium-based preservatives are ground zero for reformulators.
Our solution is sodium free to help meet processors sodium reduction goals while maintaining superior food safety in their meat products.
Uncertainties for plant-based alternativesMeanwhile, just as industry is exploring new realms of plant-based alternatives, so are consumers, and in getting to know the storage and cooking process of these new products, they remain wary, warns Donegan.
Almost half of the consumers voiced concerns over the food safety of plant-based meat alternatives, according to a survey carried out by Kerry last year, second only to the real deal. How do you know when a plant-based burger is cooked properly or past its use-by date? Can plant-based meat pass or fail a gone-off sniff test?
According to Donegan, these uncertainties pose an issue for increased food waste as customers err on caution. Research shows that only half of food waste can be reduced by shelf life extension or preservation innovation, while the remaining 50% is down to changing consumer behavior.
She presents the opportunity for businesses to clarify their food safety credentials in meat alternatives and innovate new ways of satisfying customers concerns.
Another challenge facing the sector in meat-free innovation is that statistically, a consumer of plant-based alternatives has more significant health-conscious needs and is highly mindful of a products ingredients label. Traditionally effective preservatives such as salt and sugar are less desirable and may even dissuade some consumers from purchasing a product.
Yet, without sufficient preservation, a products shelf life is shortened; its safety can be called into question, and the risk for food waste increases again.
Kerry is working to solve these issues in effective ways. One approach is to investigate the spoilage organisms in plant-based meat alternatives, which tend to be higher than other food products. By minimizing these through clean label preservation solutions, a products shelf life can be increased, resulting in a reduction of waste, Donegan concludes.
By Elizabeth Green
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Reprieve for The White Lady as iconic food truck gets 12-month licence extension – Stuff
Posted: at 5:49 pm
Iconic Auckland food truck The White Lady has received a 12-month extension to its operating licence from Auckland Council.
Auckland Councillor Richard Hills confirmed the news on Thursday morning.
When I heard their extension was at risk I requested staff work with the White Lady to address issues to get a good outcome for such an iconic business in out city, he said.
I also asked that they not be blamed for things outside their control such as intoxicated people. Complaints from residents and businesses need to be followed up, theres also a need to take into consideration that the city centre is a different beast to most local neighbourhoods.
READ MORE:* The White Lady's fate hangs in balance as food truck licence set to run out
Operations Manager Max Washer said he was ecstatic about the news.
Chris McKeen/Stuff
This comes as the future of the truck was in doubt as its current mobile trading licence was set to expire on September 30.
On behalf of my family, our staff, and all our customers past, present and future we want to thank Auckland Council for believing that our little business has a place in this great city.
We know about the escalating violence in the city however I can tell you that the area around the White Lady is probably the safest in the city at night.
Whether theyre businesses on wheels, or brick and mortar, people want to be part of a positive vibrant night-life and thats what were here for, to feed hungry people living their lives.
This comes as the future of the truck was in doubt as its current mobile trading licence was set to expire on September 30.
The much-loved food truck, which is Auckland's longest-running food truck and has been going for more than 70 years, came under scrutiny in April when Auckland Council reduced its annual licence to six weeks.
Chris McKeen/Stuff
Operations Manager Max Washer said he was ecstatic about the news.
It came after a nearby business complained that smoke and odour was entering its store.
There were also complaints of litter and drunk customers blocking the stores entrance.
Operations manager Max Washer said theyd tried their best to rectify concerns raised by council inspectors who visited their site.
Signs were put up to discourage littering and loitering, more bins were set up, and staff conducted regular checks around the site to monitor rubbish.
Auckland Council licensing and regulatory compliance general manager Mervyn Chetty said on Wednesday they were heartened by the progress made by The White Lady team.
Auckland Council has been approached for comment.
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Psychedelics and Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy
Posted: at 5:48 pm
Objective: The authors provide an evidenced-based summary of the literature on the clinical application of psychedelic drugs in psychiatric disorders.
Methods: Searches of PubMed and PsycINFO via Ovid were conducted for articles in English, in peer-reviewed journals, reporting on "psilocybin," "lysergic acid diethylamide," "LSD," "ayahuasca," "3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine," and "MDMA," in human subjects, published between 2007 and July 1, 2019. A total of 1,603 articles were identified and screened. Articles that did not contain the terms "clinical trial," "therapy," or "imaging" in the title or abstract were filtered out. The 161 remaining articles were reviewed by two or more authors. The authors identified 14 articles reporting on well-designed clinical trials investigating the efficacy of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), psilocybin, and ayahuasca for the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, trauma and stress-related disorders, and substance-related and addictive disorders as well as in end-of-life care.
Results: The most significant database exists for MDMA and psilocybin, which have been designated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as "breakthrough therapies" for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and treatment-resistant depression, respectively. The research on LSD and ayahuasca is observational, but available evidence suggests that these agents may have therapeutic effects in specific psychiatric disorders.
Conclusions: Randomized clinical trials support the efficacy of MDMA in the treatment of PTSD and psilocybin in the treatment of depression and cancer-related anxiety. The research to support the use of LSD and ayahuasca in the treatment of psychiatric disorders is preliminary, although promising. Overall, the database is insufficient for FDA approval of any psychedelic compound for routine clinical use in psychiatric disorders at this time, but continued research on the efficacy of psychedelics for the treatment of psychiatric disorders is warranted.
Keywords: Ayahuasca; Drug-Psychotherapy Combination; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; MDMA; Psilocybin; Psychedelics.
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Preparing for a new era of psychedelic treatment – The Hub at Johns Hopkins
Posted: at 5:48 pm
ByJulie Scharper
Psilocybinthe substance that puts the magic in magic mushroomscan help people emerge from depression, spur others to quit smoking, and even allow those facing terminal cancer to make peace with death.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration classified psilocybin as a "breakthrough therapy" for depression in 2018, a move many see as paving the way for the eventual approval of the drug as a treatment for mental health conditions. Patients are already clamoring for the treatment, which for many brings dramatic results in just a few sessions. The impending challenge? Training psychiatrists and other clinicians to administer psychedelics, which are significantly different from other classes of drugs prescribed for mental health.
A new $900,000 grant from the psychedelics-focused Heffter Research Institute will allow researchers from Johns Hopkins, Yale University, and New York University to build out a postdoctoral fellowship and gold-standard training program in psychedelic therapy. While some organizations have certification programs in psychedelics, they are often based on anecdotal observations, not hard data. "What is missing is an evidence-based approach," says Natalie Gukasyan, a Johns Hopkins assistant professor of psychiatry. Gukasyan, who is also medical director for the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research, is leading Hopkins' efforts on the project.
Humans have been experimenting with psychedelics for millennia, but the substances first caught the attention of scientists in the 1950s when American banker R. Gordon Wasson wrote in Life magazine about his experiences taking hallucinogenic mushrooms with an Indigenous Mexican healer named Mara Sabina. More than 1,000 studies on psychedelics were launched between the mid-1950s and the early 1970s, but the drugs' association with hippies and Harvard-psychologist-turned-counter-culture-icon Timothy Leary led to fear and condemnation. In 1970, President Richard Nixon signed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act, which outlawed psilocybin, LSD, and other psychedelics and effectively ended research on the drugs for more than two decades.
In 1993, David Nichols, at the time a psychopharmacology professor at Purdue University, formed the Heffter Research Institute to support plans to reinitiate studies of psychedelics. And in 2000, Roland Griffiths, a Hopkins psychiatry and neuroscience professor received FDA approval to begin studying psilocybin at Hopkins. Over the decades that followed, Griffiths has created protocols for using the hallucinogenic drug in clinical settings and led dozens of studies showing the safety and efficacy of psilocybin. The Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research opened at Hopkins in 2019 with Griffiths at the helm. More than 40 researchers now work at the center on studies looking at the effects of psilocybin on anorexia, smoking, major depressive disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other conditions.
The Heffter grant will enable psychedelics experts to put together a one-to-two-year postdoctoral fellowship program for psychiatrists interested in using psilocybin and other psychedelics in their practice. Fellows will learn about screening and preparing patients for psychedelic therapy, dosing, creating the right setting and mindset for the treatment, and providing psychotherapy to those undergoing treatment with psychedelics. Additionally, researchers will put together an evidence-based curriculum that will encompass the latest research on psychedelic therapies, Gukasyan says. Each university will receive $300,000 over the next two years to fund the creation of the program.
Gukasyan is "cautiously optimistic" that the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration will approve psilocybin for clinical use in the next five years or so, but there is no guarantee. The program will also train psychiatrists in other clinical interventions involving unusual states of consciousness, including Holotropic Breathwork, a breathing technique that puts participants in an altered state of mind.
Assuming the federal government clears the way for psilocybin to be used by clinicians, the materials crafted by the teams from three universities will provide a guidepost for creating other fellowships and training programs, Gukasyan says. "There is a lot of interest in psychedelic therapy because not only is it effective quickly, but it is highly effective," she says. "People are excited about these early results. The best we can hope for is that [clinicians] will be able to have this tool in their toolbox."
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Toronto is getting a trippy psychedelics immersive exhibition this month – Curiocity
Posted: at 5:48 pm
You wont need any mind-altering substances for this psychedelic trip. A 12,000-square-foot experience called Psychedelics: The Experiential Exhibition is coming to Toronto at the end of this month and tickets are now on sale.
The event is described as Canadas first immersive art show exploring the past, present and future of psychedelics.
The exhibition dives into societys complex and often controversial relationship with psychedelics. It will provide a unique edutainment experience, combining audio and visual elements into an informative and fascinating display.
Visitors can roam three floors featuring spectacular original works from a diverse lineup of more than 22 internationally-acclaimed artists, says the description.
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Every space will be dedicated to a different psychedelic substance and its historical and traditional uses.
Some of the highlights include an immersive peyote installation, a recreation of a 1960s Bay Area Acid Test, original images, and a fantastical video projection that explores the history and renewed popularity of psilocybin.
The grand finale is a 9-minute ayahuasca ceremony channelled via a shamanic totem in the second-floor ballroom, which is an audiovisual installation featuring lighting, sound, lasers, and projection mapping of a fully activated light sculpture.
My goal with the show is to, firstand foremost, provide guests with an entertaining and eye-opening experience, says the exhibitions producer James Drayton.
The testimonials are undeniable: patients with serious mental health conditions like PTSD, depression, anxiety or addiction are trying psychedelic therapies when nothing else has worked and reporting life-altering benefits,
My hope is that it also encourages learning, dialogue, and ultimately, destigmatization.
Sadly, it doesnt seem like there will be any magic mushrooms for sale on your way out, but the experience alone will definitely expand your mind.
Where: Lithuanian House, 1573 Bloor Street WestWhen: Wednesday to Sunday starting on September 30, 2022Cost: $30 per adult
Regional Editor, East Coast Lilly is a born and bred Toronto girl with a deep love for uplifting local stories. She has over 4 years of experience as an editor and has done some wildly unusual things to chase down a good story, like stake out Kyle Lowrys house and interview a professional candy taster. She also has a Husky named Freddy and an obsession with true crime.
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Toronto is getting a trippy psychedelics immersive exhibition this month - Curiocity
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