/oss/taxonomy/term/488/all en /oss/article/health-and-nutrition/pulp-isnt-fiction <p>I've often watched people do battle with the albedo, trying meticulously to remove every last vestige before popping a segment of "naked" orange into their mouth. Probably the same people who choose filtered orange juice over the pulpy variety. Too bad, because both the albedo and the pulp are good sources of pectin, a type of fiber that shows great nutritional promise.</p> Wed, 04 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9348 at /oss /oss/article/history-general-science/brown-isnt-always-dull <p>When an apple is cut in half, the exposed surface quickly turns brown. Do the same thing to an orange, and nothing happens. The noted Hungarian biochemist Albert Szent-Gyorgyi was intrigued by this observation because the brown colour seemed to him to be very similar to the skin pigmentation often noted in patients suffering from Addison's disease. He was studying the disease which had been described by Thomas Addison in 1855 and knew that it was characterized by an underactive adrenal gland.</p> Wed, 07 Jul 2021 18:50:43 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8779 at /oss /oss/article/nutrition/apples-getting-core <p>I’m fond of apples. Maybe it has to do with some youthful memories of an upset tummy being soothed with a grated apple sprinkled with lemon juice. Or perhaps biting into one rekindles thoughts of the great times we had with my kids going apple picking. Then there is the notion that apple a day is supposed to keep the doctor away. That is in spite of the toxins it contains! No, I’m not talking about traces of pesticide residues, I’m speaking of natural toxins. And the apple has plenty of those!</p> Wed, 16 Jun 2021 17:58:44 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8763 at /oss /oss/article/nutrition-you-asked/can-one-rotten-apple-really-spoil-whole-barrel <p>Is there any truth to the expression, "one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel"? You bet. Because once an apple is rotten or has physical damage, (ie a bruise), it produces ethylene, which in turn leads to a slightly increased internal temperature causing a breakdown of chlorophyll and the synthesis of other pigments. The starch in the fruit is converted to simple sugars and at the same time, pectin, a component of fiber that cements the cell walls together, begins to disintegrate thereby softening the tissue.</p> Tue, 03 Dec 2019 20:49:43 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8026 at /oss /oss/article/health-technology/apple-watch-isnt-great-medical-device <p> </p> <hr /> <p><em>​</em><em>This article was first published in</em><span> </span><a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-apple-watch-isnt-great-as-a-medical-device">The Montreal Gazette<span>.</span></a></p> Wed, 27 Nov 2019 18:11:48 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 8009 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/why-does-lettuce-turn-brown <p>That’s an interesting question. How lettuce turns brown is well known. But why this happens is a different story. Lets deal with the how first. The chemistry that takes place when lettuce leaves become brown is the same chemistry we see when an apple is cut and turns brown, when green guacamole turns brown or when a green olive ripens and turns black. All these reactions occur when chemicals in the fruit or vegetable called polyphenols react with enzymes called polyphenoloxidases. Enzymes are specialized protein molecules made within cells and serve as catalysts. In other words, they speed up chemical reactions. </p> <p>Normally within a cell the enzymes and the polyphenols are separated, but when cells are damaged as in cutting an apple or tearing lettuce, their contents leak out an the polyphenols and the polyphenoloxidase mix. The result is a reaction that oxidizes the polyphenols and allows them to link up with each other to produce a brown pigment. When lettuce leaves torn, some cells are damaged and the browning reaction begins. But even if there is no tearing, even if we have a whole head of lettuce, there will eventually be browning. That’s because aging of the cells also leads to damage and mixing of the polyphenols with the enzyme.</p> <p>The age old question about lettuce is what causes more damage, tearing or cutting?  Actually it seems not to make much difference. Some cooks argue that cutting is more destructive and leads to quicker browning but experiments do not bear this out. Some cooks say that they can taste metal in a salad if a knife has been used. I think this is culinary snobbery. In any case, if the lettuce is eaten soon after it is prepared, as far as potential browning goes, it doesn’t matter if it was cut or ripped. One more item about preparing lettuce. The dressing should always go on at the last moment because oil soaks into the leaves readily and makes them soggy. And noting that lettuce is soggy is not culinary snobbery.</p> <p>So that’s the how. What about the why? Actually we don’t know. The main theory that crops up is that the brown pigment has anti-fungal and insecticidal properties. In other words, the damaged fruit or vegetable is trying to protect itself.  he argument is that historically damage was caused by insects and fungi and that at the first sign of such damage the enzymes would swing into action to ward off further destruction. The fly in this ointment is that nobody has clearly demonstrated that the brown pigments really do have anti-fungal or insecticidal properties. But there certainly is some interesting chemistry there.</p> <p> Thu, 11 Oct 2018 17:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7388 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-environment-food-health-news/apple-day-dont-let-environmental-working-group-scare-you <p>There are many environmental groups that raise legitimate and thoughtful questions about chemical issue. The Environmental Working Group is not one of them. This organization is dedicated to raising money through fear-mongering. Every year they come out with their nonsensical Dirty Dozen, usually with apples somewhere near the top as a fruit that should only be consumed if it is organic. They actually scare people away from eating fruits and vegetables. They mindlessly over hype chemical risks.</p> Thu, 24 Apr 2014 12:55:46 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2134 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-environment-household-products-technology/electronic-waste <p>Some people are concerned about radiation from cell phones possibly causing brain tumours. Others worry about exposure to wi-fi causing cancer. And now I’m getting questions about whether cell phones are toxic because they contain benzene. No, cell phones do not contain benzene. Where does this notion come form? A misinterpretation of a quest by some environmental groups to have Apple in China stop using benzene along with another solvent, hexane, in the production of electronic equipment such as cell phones.</p> Fri, 16 May 2014 13:21:47 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2147 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-food-health-news/apples-and-sex <p>Did Eve eat an apple to have a better sex life with Adam? One might come to that conclusion after reading a paper published in the Archives of Gynaecology and Obstetrics with the alluring title “Apple consumption is related to better sexual quality of life in young women.” Indeed one might come to that conclusion if one ignores the poor quality of the paper as well as the fact that the Bible never mentions an apple as being the fruit of the tree of knowledge.</p> Tue, 29 Jul 2014 12:38:17 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2174 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/why-do-they-spray-wax-apples-0 <p>Pick an apple off a tree, buff it a little and it will shine! That’s because the fruit is coated with a layer of natural wax that protects it from drying out and helps to prevent fungi from getting a foothold. The wax is a mixture of up to fifty different compounds, most of which fall into the chemical category known as esters. There are also alcohols like heptacosanol and malol as well as hydrocarbons such as triacontane, C30H62. This compound can also be isolated from petroleum and is sometimes applied to fruit to supplement its natural wax.</p> Sat, 03 Dec 2016 07:35:14 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2358 at /oss /oss/article/food-health/apples-and-breast-cancer <p>There is widespread consensus that regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of developing cancer. Evidence comes both from cohort studies and case control studies. In a cohort study a population is followed and lifestyle factors are documented, generally relying on questionnaires. Subjects who eventually come down with a disease are then compared with those who have remained healthy. In a case- control study, patients who have been diagnosed with a disease are compared with a control group matched in terms of age and socioeconomic factors.</p> Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:22:31 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1666 at /oss /oss/article/food/twitching-worms-non-browning-apples <p>The tiny worm’s twitch was hardly noticeable, but with that slight shudder science took a giant leap!  A leap big enough to lead to a Nobel Prize that would pave the way to apples that will not brown, onions that will not make you cry, cotton seeds that you can eat and diseases that you can treat. The 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine was awarded to Professors Andrew Fire of Stanford University and Craig Mello of the University of Massachusetts for their discovery of “RNA interference” and its role in “gene silencing.” </p> Fri, 06 Jul 2012 19:14:10 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1714 at /oss