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Canadian Scientists Develop "Antibody Spice"

Posted by timothy on from the will-wait-for-3rd-generation dept.

worst_name_ever writes "Scientists in Canada have developed a substance that can be added to foods to kill germs. Apparently, though, this longevity-producing spice is derived from freeze-dried egg yolks and not from giant sandworms as I would have guessed."

32 of 45 comments (clear)

  1. agave by Hubert_Shrump · · Score: 1

    And Mexican scientists discovered the secrets of the sand worm...

    --
    Keep your packets off my GNU/Girlfriend!
  2. From eggs? by stevew · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's just great! So I can kill off germs in my food, but my choresterol will go sky high!!?!

    --
    Have you compiled your kernel today??
    1. Re:From eggs? by dalek_killer · · Score: 1

      And I can have an allergic re-action everytime I eat.

    2. Re:From eggs? by UserGoogol · · Score: 1

      Forget it, stevew. While it has been established that eggs contain cholesterol, it has not yet been proven conclusively that they actually raise the level of serum cholesterol in the human blood stream.

      ~User "So one of those Egg Council creeps got to you too, huh?" Googol~

      --
      "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity." -- Hanlon's Razor
    3. Re:From eggs? by metlin · · Score: 1

      Adds a whole new meaning to the question, "How would you like your eggs?"

  3. Spice? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting
    the substance is nicknamed a spice because it can be sprinkled or sprayed onto meats, fruits and vegetables to complement existing sanitation protocols

    Bull. The substance is called spice because it sounds better than preservative. Many preservatives are natural just like this one. Many spices are preservatives. This chemical has not taste. It's not a spice.

  4. Girl Power! by Visigothe · · Score: 2, Funny

    Is anyone else scared that the Canadians will make a race of genetically superior "Super Girl Groups"

    "Antibody Spice" is just the beginning!

    Be afraid, be very afraid!

    --
    Blocklevel: Practical Information Architecture
    1. Re:Girl Power! by dr00g911 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Fear is the mind killer, eh?

    2. Re:Girl Power! by Ponta-kun · · Score: 1

      Close. Total oblivion.

      Whole thing as follows: "I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total oblivion."

      Try to figure out if I remember that from watching Dune, reading Dune, or watching the Earthworm Jim cartoon. =)

  5. 3 second rule by moc.tfosorcimgllib · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Isn't it healthy to eat a few "bad" germs so your body can build a healthy resistance to them?

    1. Re:3 second rule by brakk · · Score: 1

      Only when you're young, after age 13 or so, your thyroid(sp) shuts off and your stuck with the immune system you have.

    2. Re:3 second rule by OsoLoco · · Score: 1

      I think you mean thymus.

      Take a look at this URL:http://www.jdaross.mcmail.com/lymphatics6.htm

    3. Re:3 second rule by spotted_dolphin · · Score: 1

      Actually, your lymphocytes are always turning over. Any antigen you've been exposed to causes them to proliferate and also generate long lasting memory cells which help fight any secondary infection by an identical source. This is why we never get the same flu or cold twice. However, since the flu virus is always mutating, a slight change in form no longer allows your body to recognize it and you are susceptible again and need to go through the process repeatedly.

    4. Re:3 second rule by Maeryk · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually, your lymphocytes are always turning over. Any antigen you've been exposed to causes them to proliferate and also generate long lasting memory cells which help fight any secondary infection by an identical source. This is why we never get the same flu or cold twice. However, since the flu virus is always mutating, a slight change in form no longer allows your body to recognize it and you are susceptible again and need to go through the process repeatedly.

      This is why my wife, who was "deathly allergic" to cats now lives happily with one. It took a few months, and lots of vitamin C to get past the initial swollen-eyes, etc etc, but now (4 years and change) later, the only time she has a problem is if she buries her face in the cat for extended periods of time. (Which has happened when the two nap on the couch.. wish I could have found the camera).

      But yeah.. you can develop antibodies and immunity to things.. you can lose them too.. a lot of people who were "immune" to poison ivy find out later that that has changed.

      Maeryk

      --
      Feminine Protection? What is that? A chartreuse flame thrower?
    5. Re:3 second rule by spotted_dolphin · · Score: 1

      a lot of people who were "immune" to poison ivy find out later that that has changed.
      Poison ivy reactions belong to an interesting class of immunological responses. It usually takes at least one exposure (which is asymptomatic) before your immune system decides to collect up a lot of hypersensitive response cells and then the next exposure makes you a not so happy person.

    6. Re:3 second rule by Maeryk · · Score: 1

      Poison ivy reactions belong to an interesting class of immunological responses. It usually takes at least one exposure (which is asymptomatic) before your immune system decides to collect up a lot of hypersensitive response cells and then the next exposure makes you a not so happy person.

      My dad is hypersensitive. (we are talkign hospital visits from contact). My mom is (well, was) immune. Used to rip it out by the roots, bare handed in a tank top and shorts, for days on end, nary a bump. I always just get one case that consists of three blisters, first time I get near it a year, then nothing after that. i can roll in it. (I have rolled in it) and no symptoms.

      Mom tried to go weed it last year.. ended up scratching and dousing herself in silver-leaf juice for two days to get rid of it.

      Immuno-toxins (specifically oils) are really interesting critters..

      maeryk

      --
      Feminine Protection? What is that? A chartreuse flame thrower?
  6. Formula for this miracle spice is.. by Kiaser+Zohsay · · Score: 1

    NaCl.

    You saw it here first.

    --
    I am not your blowing wind, I am the lightning.
    1. Re:Formula for this miracle spice is.. by quintessent · · Score: 1

      Shhhhh. It's supposed to be secret. Oh well, we just won't tell them how to transport the stuff.

      --
      Donate background CPU time to fight cancer.
  7. Egg allergies? by blmatthews · · Score: 1

    What about people allergic to eggs? Will there soon be no edible food for them? Evolution in action I guess...

  8. food processing can lower standards now by Parsec · · Score: 1

    The spice will be most useful when traditional sanitation safeguards (i.e. rinsing, refrigeration, and thorough cooking) are unavailable or unreliable, the researcher says.

    Does this mean more fecal matter in your food now that this will lower the incidence of foodborne illness?

  9. Eyes of Ibabcluck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Will this new spice give users that distinctive "yolk on yolk" color?

    And does this mean the Egg Council may become as powerful as the Spacing Guild?

  10. nice name by EasyRhino · · Score: 1

    Is it just me or were you guys reminded of a terrible, yet famous, girl band from a few years ago? Perhaps this new member was all they need to get back together.

  11. One step further ... by Mr.+Mai · · Score: 1

    As this kind of food techologies emerge the diet of human beings gets further from natural food. It is all the artificial content of our food (including the genetic one) that gives and will give Cancer and other actual and future diseases strength. Just plant some vegetables on your back yard and provide yourself some health.

  12. Eggs not Tabasco? by MousePotato · · Score: 1

    There was similar work done with Tobasco sauce as a way to kill off bacterium in raw oysters a few years back. Anyone have a recollection on how that came out?

    --
    Prospecting Stinks. Stop Wasting Time on Cold Calling.
  13. Antibody Spice by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 1

    She was Sporty Spice's sister - the short-lived replacement for Ginger Spice.

    --
    "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
    Never been known to fail..."
  14. Re:Antibody spice? by Guy+Harris · · Score: 1
    Sleep with skanky Posh Spice

    ...and you'll be what gets bent by Beckham.

  15. "Antibody Spice"? by HydeMan · · Score: 1

    And I thought that the Spice Girls were gone forever. When will the madness stop?!

  16. One more bad pun by raider_red · · Score: 1

    The new "spice" will be sold in high flow shakers, becasue (everybody now) "The spice must flow"

    --
    It's good to use your head, but not as a battering ram.
  17. Salmonella Spice by Muhammar · · Score: 1

    About 1 in 3 chicken is infected with salmonella. Eating undercooked chicken is the most common cause of food poisoning. Since eggs pass through the rear of the hen, a lot of eggs is infected with salmonella too. Thats why use of non-pasteurised egg products (i.e. mayonaise) is banned in US. Now, this antibody requires 1. hens to be given vaccination shots, alot of them 2. their eggs being freeze dried. 3. taking this wonderful non-sterile egg-powder and sprinkling it onto lousy food from wending machine or 7/24 truck food stop. They should at least include 100% alcohol or radiation treatment step during the manufacture of this stuff, to keep us from getting a food-borne sicknes from such "antibody"

    --
    I doubt that we will ever figure out - and I suspect that even if we did figure out we couldn't do much about it
  18. Whaddya know, tasteless spice by dpilot · · Score: 1

    What will they think of next, non-caloric, non-nutritive foods you eat to lose weight? Oops, Gaiman and Pratchett already did that one.

    --
    The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
  19. Where's the Mods???? by hplasm · · Score: 1
    +5 Funny at least.

    yuk yuk!

    --
    ...and he grinned, like a fox eating shit out of a wire brush.
  20. As someone with hyperimmune issues, i have to ask. by SolemnDragon · · Score: 1
    This raises some other safety concerns. For example,

    what happens to bacteria already in your system?

    what happens when the antibody now in your digestive tract gets noticed by your OWN immune system?

    What happens if you're allergic to eggs? Is it possible to develop this in a different medium?

    --
    "I'd say 'Have a good time,' but arson is still illegal.