Orangutans That Have Survived Extreme Food Scarcity May Provide Better Understand Of Obesity And Eating Disorders In Humans

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Eating Disorders;  Veterinary
Article Date: 15 Dec 2011 - 0:00 PST

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Rutgers Evolutionary Anthropologist Erin Vogel thinks new research published in Biology Letters, a Journal of the Royal Society, examining how endangered Indonesian orangutans - considered a close relative to humans - survive during times of extreme food scarcity might help scientists better understand eating disorders and obesity in humans.

"There is such a large obesity epidemic today and yet we don't really understand the basis of the obesity condition or how these high-protein or low-protein diets work," said Vogel, whose research, Bornean orangutans on the brink of protein bankruptcy, represents the first time scientists have looked at how these long-haired, orange-colored apes - that depend on low-protein fruit to survive - endure protein cycling, or period bouts of protein deprivation. "I think studying the diets of some of our closest living relatives, the great apes; may help us understand issues with our own modern day diets," she said.

According to Vogel, an assistant professor of anthropology in Department of Anthropology and Center for Human Evolutionary Studies, in the School of Arts and Sciences, the research shows that it is only during high periods of high caloric and protein intake that orangutans put on fat, a scientific fact that is sometimes ignored by those who believe that high protein, low carbohydrate diets are the best way to lose weight. She said it is only when caloric intake is restricted that orangutans use these fat reserves for energy and eventually dip into their protein (muscle) reserves - a condition that is seen with eating disorders like anorexia.

Orangutans in particular are interesting to study, Vogel said, because they are the only documented species of non-human ape to store fat when food is abundant in the wild and use these fat reserves when preferred fruits become scarce, presumably something done by our early hominin ancestors.

Vogel and her research team, analyzed samples collected over a five-year period to study the effects of protein recycling, which included examining urinary metabolites and nitrogen stable isotopes - compounds and byproducts in Orangutan urine. What they determined is that these primates are able to endure prolonged protein deficits without starving to death by consuming higher protein leaves and inner bark and obtaining energy from their stored body fat and even muscles for an extended period of time when low-protein fruit is unavailable.

"We discovered through this research that the daily amount of protein the orangutans take in when fruit is not available is inadequate for humans and one-tenth of the intake of mountain gorillas. But it is sufficient to avert a severe protein deficit," said Vogel. The Bornean orangutan population has fallen drastically in the last 50 years in Indonesia to less than 55,000 and on the island of Sumatra to less than 5,000 due to a massive amount of illegal logging and further clearing of the land to develop palm oil plantations in their now impoverished rainforest habitat. Vogel says that although some palm oil companies argue that clearing partially logged areas of the rainforest for palm oil plantations is not detrimental to the existence of the orangutan because their natural habitat has already been taken away, this research on protein cycling indicates that even areas that have been partially stripped of trees are better for orangutan survival than no forest area at all.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our obesity / weight loss / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Rutgers University. "Orangutans That Have Survived Extreme Food Scarcity May Provide Better Understand Of Obesity And Eating Disorders In Humans." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 15 Dec. 2011. Web.
15 Dec. 2011. APA
Rutgers University. (2011, December 15). "Orangutans That Have Survived Extreme Food Scarcity May Provide Better Understand Of Obesity And Eating Disorders In Humans." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/239169.php.

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E. Coli Infection - Cook Cookie Dough Before Eating

Editor's Choice
Academic Journal
Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 09 Dec 2011 - 8:00 PST

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Pre-packaged cookie dough might taste lovely, but you should resist the temptation until it has been properly baked if you want to avoid getting an E. coli infection, researchers from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reported in Clinical Infectious Diseases. The authors explain that the 2009 outbreak of STEC (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) which affected several US states was caused by commercial prepackaged cookie dough.

Eating uncooked cookie dough is popular, especially among teenage girls. In fact, the researchers learnt that many customers buy them with no intention of baking or cooking - they simply eat it as it is..

77 patients from 30 states became ill during the 2009 outbreak; 35 of them had to be admitted to hospital.

The authors wrote that in order to better prevent future outbreaks, the message on cookie dough packages should be more visible and simple - "Don't eat this dough before it is baked!".

Karen Neil, MD, MSPH, and team, which also included experts from state health departments, came to two conclusions: Cookie dough makers should reformulate their produce so that the risk of infection is minimized, even in its raw stateConsumer education regarding the health hazards of eating unbaked cooking dough should be more effectiveFood-borne illnesses caused by E. coli in the USA have been linked to leafy green vegetables, melons, salami, unpasteurized apple cider, sprouts, and ground beef.

3.6 million cookie dough packages were recalled in 2009. After an investigation was ordered and carried out, no production process, vehicle or single source linked to the dough could be identified as a definite contributor to the contamination.

The team believes that one of the dough's ingredients was tainted. Their investigation implicated four ingredients, but not conclusively. The authors explained that just one purchase of tainted flour might have been used in the making of several different lots and types of dough. By examining the contamination status of the products' use-by dates, they were able to make an approximate estimate of when, during that production period, contaminated doughs were being manufactured.

Most cookie dough ingredients undergo a "kill step", such as margarine, baking soda, sugar, molasses, and pasteurized eggs - flour ordinarily does not. Chocolate was ruled out as a possible contributor to the outbreak, because eating chocolate chip cookie dough is much less linked to illnesses of this kind, compared to other cookie dough flavors.

The authors wrote:

"Foods containing raw flour should be considered as possible vehicles of infection of future outbreaks of STEC."

Dr. Neil and team say that makers of baking products should perhaps use pasteurized or heat-treated flour in ready-to-cook foods - especially those that can easily be consumed before they are baked.

They add that manufacturers should strive to make their pre-baked products as safe to eat as they are after baking.

The authors concluded in an Abstract in the journal:

"Manufacturers should consider formulating ready-to-bake commercial prepackaged cookie dough to be as safe as a ready-to-eat product. More effective consumer education about the risks of eating unbaked cookie dough is needed."

They stressed that even educating consumers about the health risks may not be enough.

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our nutrition / diet section for the latest news on this subject. "A Novel Vehicle for Transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to Humans: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Associated With Consumption of Ready-to-Bake Commercial Prepackaged Cookie Dough - United States, 2009"
Karen P. Neil, Gwen Biggerstaff, J. Kathryn MacDonald, Eija Trees, Carlota Medus, Kimberlee A. Musser, Steven G. Stroika, Don Zink6, and Mark J. Sotir
Clin Infect Dis. (2011) doi: 10.1093/cid/cir831 First published online: December 8, 2011 Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Christian Nordqvist. "E. Coli Infection - Cook Cookie Dough Before Eating." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 9 Dec. 2011. Web.
9 Dec. 2011. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

posted by avlisk on 9 Dec 2011 at 8:43 am

I've always thought of the packaged cookie dough as 3 foods in one: there's the cooked and cooled cookie; the half-baked, still hot and runny dough-smush-cookie; and of course, the dough straight out of the package. A little of this, a little of that, and you have 3 food groups covered in one product. A perfect food. Never had a problem eating raw dough, though.

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posted by tom bodett on 9 Dec 2011 at 9:09 am

Anyone have ideas why chocolate chip cookie dough might be less prone to causing e. coli infection?

| post followup | alert a moderator |

posted by Bala Ramsu on 9 Dec 2011 at 9:12 am

Many articles on this subject, no mention of popular ice cream flavors that include raw cookie dough.

| post followup | alert a moderator |

posted by PCL on 9 Dec 2011 at 9:14 am

If eggnog can be made to standards for food that is edible without cooking, so can cookie dough. There is no reason have to cook it when its ingredients are mostly grains, sugars and oils.

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posted by Jon on 9 Dec 2011 at 9:44 am

77 people throughout 30 states?? My God, that's a little more than two people per state. To the bunkers!

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posted by meghan on 9 Dec 2011 at 10:32 am

I think the cookie dough in ice creams are egg-less. There's those chocolate covered cookie dough bites you can get at movie theaters and such, and they're egg-less.

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For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

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View the original article here

E. Coli Infection - Cook Cookie Dough Before Eating

Editor's Choice
Academic Journal
Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 09 Dec 2011 - 8:00 PST

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Pre-packaged cookie dough might taste lovely, but you should resist the temptation until it has been properly baked if you want to avoid getting an E. coli infection, researchers from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) reported in Clinical Infectious Diseases. The authors explain that the 2009 outbreak of STEC (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) which affected several US states was caused by commercial prepackaged cookie dough.

Eating uncooked cookie dough is popular, especially among teenage girls. In fact, the researchers learnt that many customers buy them with no intention of baking or cooking - they simply eat it as it is..

77 patients from 30 states became ill during the 2009 outbreak; 35 of them had to be admitted to hospital.

The authors wrote that in order to better prevent future outbreaks, the message on cookie dough packages should be more visible and simple - "Don't eat this dough before it is baked!".

Karen Neil, MD, MSPH, and team, which also included experts from state health departments, came to two conclusions: Cookie dough makers should reformulate their produce so that the risk of infection is minimized, even in its raw stateConsumer education regarding the health hazards of eating unbaked cooking dough should be more effectiveFood-borne illnesses caused by E. coli in the USA have been linked to leafy green vegetables, melons, salami, unpasteurized apple cider, sprouts, and ground beef.

3.6 million cookie dough packages were recalled in 2009. After an investigation was ordered and carried out, no production process, vehicle or single source linked to the dough could be identified as a definite contributor to the contamination.

The team believes that one of the dough's ingredients was tainted. Their investigation implicated four ingredients, but not conclusively. The authors explained that just one purchase of tainted flour might have been used in the making of several different lots and types of dough. By examining the contamination status of the products' use-by dates, they were able to make an approximate estimate of when, during that production period, contaminated doughs were being manufactured.

Most cookie dough ingredients undergo a "kill step", such as margarine, baking soda, sugar, molasses, and pasteurized eggs - flour ordinarily does not. Chocolate was ruled out as a possible contributor to the outbreak, because eating chocolate chip cookie dough is much less linked to illnesses of this kind, compared to other cookie dough flavors.

The authors wrote:

"Foods containing raw flour should be considered as possible vehicles of infection of future outbreaks of STEC."

Dr. Neil and team say that makers of baking products should perhaps use pasteurized or heat-treated flour in ready-to-cook foods - especially those that can easily be consumed before they are baked.

They add that manufacturers should strive to make their pre-baked products as safe to eat as they are after baking.

The authors concluded in an Abstract in the journal:

"Manufacturers should consider formulating ready-to-bake commercial prepackaged cookie dough to be as safe as a ready-to-eat product. More effective consumer education about the risks of eating unbaked cookie dough is needed."

They stressed that even educating consumers about the health risks may not be enough.

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our nutrition / diet section for the latest news on this subject. "A Novel Vehicle for Transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to Humans: Multistate Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 Infections Associated With Consumption of Ready-to-Bake Commercial Prepackaged Cookie Dough - United States, 2009"
Karen P. Neil, Gwen Biggerstaff, J. Kathryn MacDonald, Eija Trees, Carlota Medus, Kimberlee A. Musser, Steven G. Stroika, Don Zink6, and Mark J. Sotir
Clin Infect Dis. (2011) doi: 10.1093/cid/cir831 First published online: December 8, 2011 Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Christian Nordqvist. "E. Coli Infection - Cook Cookie Dough Before Eating." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 9 Dec. 2011. Web.
9 Dec. 2011. APA

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.

posted by avlisk on 9 Dec 2011 at 8:43 am

I've always thought of the packaged cookie dough as 3 foods in one: there's the cooked and cooled cookie; the half-baked, still hot and runny dough-smush-cookie; and of course, the dough straight out of the package. A little of this, a little of that, and you have 3 food groups covered in one product. A perfect food. Never had a problem eating raw dough, though.

| post followup | alert a moderator |

posted by tom bodett on 9 Dec 2011 at 9:09 am

Anyone have ideas why chocolate chip cookie dough might be less prone to causing e. coli infection?

| post followup | alert a moderator |

posted by Bala Ramsu on 9 Dec 2011 at 9:12 am

Many articles on this subject, no mention of popular ice cream flavors that include raw cookie dough.

| post followup | alert a moderator |

posted by PCL on 9 Dec 2011 at 9:14 am

If eggnog can be made to standards for food that is edible without cooking, so can cookie dough. There is no reason have to cook it when its ingredients are mostly grains, sugars and oils.

| post followup | alert a moderator |

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

View the original article here