The Science of Food

July 28, 2025

Quick Bite: How to avoid death by Listeria

An outbreak of Listeria in Ireland is a good reminder of how dangerous this particularly nasty bacteria is to our food supply. The species that infects humans, Listeria monocytogenes, is abundant in soil, stream water, sewage and on plants which means it can easily contaminate our food and become a real danger in items that Continue reading

bacteria, food safety, Listeria

#cooking, Food, food poisoning, food safety, food science, health, Listeria, nutrition
July 14, 2025

Bacterial growth or how not to kill your dinner guests

There is an old Indian parable of a king who wanted to reward a wise man who had invented chess. The wise old man asked for rice but had an unusual stipulation when was asked how much rice he wanted. He requested a single grain of rice to be put on the first square of Continue reading

bacteria, food safety, meat

bacteria, bacterial growth, death phase, diet, Food, food poisoning, food safety, food science, health, lag phase, log phase, meat temperatures, nutrition, stationary phase, wellness