Off-field woes

By STUART CONDIE

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 11:02 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2011

LONDON (AP) -Football in 2011 was dominated by events off the field rather than on it.

Barcelona and Lionel Messi continued to provide some of the most sparkling performances in the sport's long history and Uruguay further overshadowed Brazil and Argentina at the top of the South American game, but headlines around the world were dominated by allegations of corruption and bribery at FIFA.

The sport's governing body was beset by allegations as behind-the-scenes politicking was thrust into the spotlight by the fallout from its 2010 decision to give future World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar.

Sepp Blatter was re-elected unopposed as FIFA president but the year was almost out before he announced details of long-promised reforms.

Blatter's position at the top of FIFA was secured after his only rival for the presidency, Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar, was forced to withdraw from the June election over bribery allegations that later led to a lifetime ban from the sport.

Blatter has hinted that his new Independent Governance Committee could examine cases including the decision to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 event to Qatar. Even the 10-year-old kickbacks case that led to former FIFA President Joao Havelange's resignation from the IOC is being picked over.

The 95-year-old Havelange, Blatter's mentor and predecessor, joined the IOC in 1963 and was its longest-standing member. He resigned in December, days before he faced possible suspension for allegedly taking a $1 million kickback from World Cup marketing deals while FIFA president.

The IOC closed its ethics investigation into Havelange after his resignation.

The appointment of a University of Basel professor - who formerly served on an independent inquiry team examining alleged corruption in the Iraqi oil-for-food program - to spearhead reforms lends credibility to Blatter's committee.

But whether a body widely criticized for a lack of transparency and accountability can be persuaded of the need for comprehensive change remains to be seen.

Blatter was forced to apologize in November for causing outrage among players, officials and even sponsors by suggesting that racial incidents between players on the field could be settled by a handshake at the end of a game.

The topic of racism surfaced several times through the year, with England captain John Terry and Uruguay forward Luis Suarez both accused of abusing opponents, while France coach Laurent Blanc came close to resigning following a row about quotas at training academies.

Blanc acknowledged that his crude language in a conversation with French Football Federation colleagues was wrong and offensive but said the debate over whether dual nationals of African descent should be in the French system remained valid.

Blanc was cleared of discrimination by the FFF.

Another immediate challenge facing Blatter and FIFA is the state of Brazil's preparations to host the 2014 World Cup, which are mired in infighting, corruption allegations and a simple lack of progress.

Organizing committee head Ricardo Teixeira - himself linked to the ISL kickback case that claimed Havelange - was embroiled in allegations of bribery and money laundering that saw Brazil sports minister Orlando Silva forced out in October.

The Brazilian government has yet to pass the necessary laws to allow the country to stage the tournament and stadium construction is behind schedule.

"The executive committee is worried about that," Blatter said. "I will myself take up the World Cup in a presidential level and in the first or second month of next year I will go and meet the head of state."

And in a sign of the tensions between various factions, Teixeira snubbed Pele from the 2014 qualifying draw in Rio in July only to see state president Dilma Rouseff appoint the former national team great as her government's World Cup ambassador.

Brazilian football was dealt a series of blows in 2011, with the death of former captain Socrates after a lifetime of heavy drinking, a quarterfinal exit at the Copa America and Santos' 4-0 drubbing by Barcelona in the final of the Club World Cup.

Brazil had already failed to impress at Copa America before it missed all four of its penalty kicks in a 2-0 shootout loss to Paraguay. If there was any consolation, it was that rival Argentina exited at the same stage and in the same manner against eventual champion Uruguay.

With Diego Forlan and Suarez up front, Uruguay built on its surprise run to the 2010 World Cup semifinals and routed Paraguay 3-0 in the final to win its first continental title since 1995.

There was no such shift in power in Europe, where world and European champion Spain remained the team to beat.

With Spain stars including Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, David Villa and Sergio Busquets in its squad, Barcelona dominated the club scene with a third straight domestic league title, a third Champions League title in six years and the 13th trophy of coach Pep Guardiola's 3 1/2-year tenure at the Club World Cup.

Predictably, though, Barcelona's star player wasn't Spanish.

Messi continued to draw comparisons with all-time great Diego Maradona with his seemingly unstoppable dribbling, rampant goal scoring and imaginative set-up play.

The Argentine finished the 2010-11 season with 53 goals in all competitions - including one in the 3-1 Champions League final win over Manchester United - and is almost certain to win FIFA's world player of the year award for a third straight year.

"We have good players in the team, but he makes the difference," Guardiola said. "We can compete, but without him we would not have that qualitative leap that we do have with him."

Elsewhere, American Samoa won its first ever match, North Korea was kicked out of the next Women's World Cup after five players tested positive for steroids at this year's tournament, more than 100 players at the Under-17 World Cup in Mexico tested positive for clenbuterol after eating local meat, and Wales manager Gary Speed was founded hanged at home.

But if there was a feel-good story, it was Japan's success at the Women's World Cup in Germany.

Their country devastated by a tsunami and earthquake that left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing, the Japanese players vowed they would inspire their homeland. The did it with an improbable victory in the final, equalizing against the favored United States in the 81st minute and again with three minutes of extra time remaining before winning a shootout 3-1.

? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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KG to get limited stake in Roma

Boston Celtics All-Star forward Kevin Garnett is about to become a small shareholder in the American-owned Roma football club.

Off-field woes

Football in 2011 was dominated by events off the field rather than on it.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45749800/ns/sports-soccer/

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Top 10 GOP Moments of the Year (Taegan Goddard's Political Wire)

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Utah Utes football: Kyle Whittingham relishes opportunity to coach his son

Published: Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011 9:31 p.m. MST

EL PASO, Texas ?

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham recalls, with great fondness, the last time he played football for his father. Fred Whittingham was BYU's defensive coordinator when Kyle capped off his collegiate career with MVP honors in the 1981 Holiday Bowl.

"It was very emotional in a lot of ways," Kyle acknowledged.

Now, 30 years later, roles have been reversed.

Saturday's Sun Bowl against Georgia Tech marks the final game that Kyle will get to coach his son, Tyler. The younger Whittingham is a special teams contributor for the Utes.

"First of all, I'm proud of him for what his contribution has been to our team. He's an extremely hard worker, does whatever is asked of him," Kyle said. "It's been a great experience for me. I know what he's going through because I did the same thing. It's not easy. It's not the easiest thing in the world to be the coach's son."

There's some extra responsibilities that come with it, explained the coach, because his expectations of him are very high ? just like they are for all of the players.

"But you don't want to be the coach's son that screws up," Kyle said. "You don't want to be that guy."

Tyler has never been that guy.

The former starter at Brighton High and state power-lifting champion joined the team as a walk-on in 2009 after serving an LDS Church mission in Brazil. Folllowing a redshirt year, Whittingham has appeared in 20 games over the past two seasons ? making seven tackles (five solo).

"It's been a good ride the whole time ? even though I knew coming into it that I wasn't going to play much," Tyler said. "My goal was to make the kickoff team and I'm grateful for every chance that I got."

The mass communication major considers it all a bonus, of sorts.

"Actually everything after high school for me has just been a nice little bonus," Tyler said. "I've been able to spend some time with my dad, with the family, with my team and it's been a really good learning experience."

Part of the educational process has been getting to know how his father operates at work.

"I never knew 'Coach Whit' until I played," Tyler said. "But I'm just proud of him and he's proved to me that hard work pays off."

Tyler used to be his dad's "cord guy," back when coaching headsets weren't wireless. He also visited practice regularly and went to the games while growing up, giving him an idea of what it might be like to play for his father.

"He's got a tough job but I think he handles it well," Tyler said while praising his father's hard work and dedication.

Football, though, isn't something Kyle brings home. Tyler insists his dad is just a "regular guy" away from work.

Source: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700210784/Utah-Utes-football-Kyle-Whittingham-relishes-opportunity-to-coach-his-son.html?s_cid=rss-38

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Israeli girl's plight highlights Jewish extremism

BEIT SHEMESH, Israel?? A shy eight-year-old schoolgirl has unwittingly found herself on the front line of Israel's latest religious war.

Naama Margolese is a pale, blue-eyed, ponytailed, bespectacled second-grader who is afraid of walking to her religious Jewish girls school for fear of ultra-Orthodox extremists who have spat on her and called her a whore for dressing "immodestly."

Her plight has drawn new attention to the simmering issue of religious coercion in Israel, and the increasing brazenness of extremists in the insular ultra-Orthodox Jewish community.

"When I walk to school in the morning I used to get a tummy ache because I was so scared ... that they were going to stand and start yelling and spitting," she said softly in an interview with The Associated Press Monday. "They were scary. They don't want us to go to the school."

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Video: In Israel, a woman takes a front seat ? and a stand (on this page)

The new girls school that Naama attends in the city of Beit Shemesh, to the west of Jerusalem, is on the border between an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood and a community of modern Orthodox Jewish residents, many of them American immigrants.

The ultra-Orthodox consider the school an encroachment on their territory. Dozens of black-hatted men jeer and physically accost the girls almost daily, the students say.

Televised images of Naama sobbing en route to school have shocked many Israelis, elicited statements of outrage from the country's leadership, sparked a Facebook page with nearly 10,000 followers dedicated to "protecting little Naama" and plans for a demonstration this week in her honor.

"Who's afraid of an 8-year-old student?" blared Sunday's main headline in the leading Yediot Ahronot daily.

'Modesty patrols'
Beit Shemesh's growing ultra-Orthodox population has erected street signs calling for the separation of sexes on the sidewalks, dispatched "modesty patrols" to enforce a chaste female appearance and hurled stones at offenders and outsiders. Walls of the neighborhood are plastered with signs exhorting women to dress modestly in closed-necked, long-sleeved blouses and long skirts.

Naama's case has been especially shocking because of her young age and because she attends a religious school and dresses with long sleeves and a skirt. Extremists, however, consider even that outfit, standard in mainstream Jewish religious schools, to be immodest.

This week Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke out against the violence.

Story: Religious Jews still try to segregate Israel buses

"The Israel police are taking, and will take, action to arrest and stop those who spit, harass or raise a hand. This has no place in a free and democratic state," he told his Cabinet.

The abuse and segregation of women in Israel in ultra-Orthodox areas is nothing new, and critics accuse the government of turning a blind eye.

The ultra-Orthodox are perennial king-makers in Israeli coalition politics ? two such parties serve as key members of Netanyahu's coalition. They receive generous government subsidies, and police have traditionally been reluctant to enter their communities.

The ultra-Orthodox Jews make up 10 percent of Israel's population and are its fastest growing sector because of a high birth rate. In the past, they have generally confined their strict lifestyle to their own neighborhoods. But they have become increasingly aggressive in trying to impose their ways on others, as their population has grown and spread to new areas.

"It is clear that Israeli society is faced with a challenge that I am not sure it can handle," said Menachem Friedman, a professor emeritus of Bar Ilan University and expert on the ultra-Orthodox, "a challenge that is no less and no more than an existential challenge."

Most of Israel's secular majority, in cities like Tel Aviv and Haifa, is not directly affected, but in a few places like Beit Shemesh ? a city of 100,000 people that include ultra-Orthodox, modern Orthodox and secular Jews ? tensions have erupted into the open.

Abuse of girls
The abuse of the girls is an example. The girls' parents take turns escorting their daughters into school property to protect them. The parents, too, have been cursed and spat upon.

Hadassa Margolese, Naama's 30-year-old Chicago-born mother, an Orthodox Jew who covers her hair and wears long sleeves and a long skirt, says, "It shouldn't matter what I look like. Someone should be allowed to walk around in sleeveless shirts and pants and not be harassed."

On Monday, dozens of ultra-Orthodox men heckled AP journalists who were filming a sign calling for segregation of sidewalks outside their synagogue, chanting "shame on you," "get out of here" and "anti-Semites."

Story: Israel suspends ad campaign that upset US Jews

Also Monday, several dozen ultra-Orthodox men threw rocks at a Channel 10 TV crew and at police and set a trash can on fire, police said. One man was arrested.

City spokesman Matityahu Rosenzweig condemned the violence but said it is the work of a small minority and has been taken out of proportion.

"Every society has its fringes, and the police should take action on this," he said.

For Margolese, the recent clashes ? and the price of exposing her young daughter ? boil down to a fight over her very home.

"They want to push us out of Beit Shemesh. They want to take over the city," said Margolese.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45794260/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

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Pitino: Plans to quit when contract ends in 2017

	Essential News from The Associated Press

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Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-27-BKC-Louisville-Pitino/id-d255cdefa2ac4f4eaf08f2386970cf0f

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Opting to track, not treat, early prostate cancer (AP)

WASHINGTON ? John Shoemaker visited six doctors in his quest to find the best treatment for his early stage prostate cancer ? and only the last one offered what made the most sense to the California man: Keep a close watch on the tumor and treat only if it starts to grow.

Very few men choose this active surveillance option. Yet Shoemaker is one of more than 100,000 men a year deemed candidates for it by a government panel. That's because their prostate cancer carries such a low risk of morphing into the kind that could kill.

The risk for them is so low, in fact, that specialists convened recently by the National Institutes of Health say it's time to strip the name "cancer" off these small, lazy tumors.

In the meantime, the panel wants more of those men offered the option of delaying treatment until regular check-ups show it's really needed. That endorsement promises to fuel efforts by the Prostate Cancer Foundation and a few other groups to spread the word to the newly diagnosed.

Shoemaker's journey shows how difficult that may be, from doctors who don't even bring it up to the fear factor.

"With prostate cancer, you hear the "C" word, so to speak, and people freak out," says Shoemaker, 69, a businessman from Los Altos, Calif., who was intent on examining all his options.

Five years after his diagnosis ? and five biopsies plus numerous blood tests and ultrasound scans later ? Shoemaker's happy he found a surgeon who argued against immediate treatment. He's confident his prostate tumor hasn't grown, and avoided the pain and side effects of surgery or radiation.

Some 240,000 men a year in the U.S. are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Earlier this month, the NIH-appointed panel found that most have the low-risk kind, a legacy of using problematic PSA blood tests to screen healthy men for possible signs of this slow-growing cancer that will affect most men's prostates if they live long enough.

Yet 90 percent of such men choose immediate treatment such as surgery or radiation, risking serious and long-lasting side effects, such as impotence or incontinence, without good evidence about who will live longer as a result. One recent study tracked 731 men diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer for 10 years and found no difference in survival between those who had surgery and those who weren't treated unless they went on to develop cancer symptoms, an older option known as watchful waiting.

Active surveillance is much more aggressive than watchful waiting ? men get regular scans, blood tests and biopsies to check the tumor, although the NIH panel found the degree of monitoring can vary by medical center. Active surveillance is designed to monitor men closely enough that they can get curative treatment quickly if it looks like they'll need it, well before any symptoms would begin.

"It's not treatment versus no treatment; it's about timing of treatment," Shoemaker's physician, Dr. Peter Carroll of the University of California, San Francisco, told the NIH. He's a well-known prostate cancer surgeon who also leads one of the country's few large active-surveillance programs, tracking more than 900 men for over five years. Most are treatment-free so far, and none has gone on to die of prostate cancer.

What's the advice for men? The NIH panel said men with a PSA level less than 10 and a Gleason score that's 6 or less are candidates for this type of active surveillance. The Gleason score measures how aggressive prostate cancer cells look under the microscope. Urologists can provide those numbers.

Then what? Today, what men decide to do next largely depends on the advice of the specialist they wind up seeing, and many either don't offer active surveillance or present it in a negative way, as doing nothing, the NIH panel learned. There's also the patient's instinctive "get it out" reaction.

Enter the National Proactive Surveillance Network ? at http://www.npsn.net_ a collaboration of two large active-surveillance programs, at Johns Hopkins University and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, with the Prostate Cancer Foundation. First, it aims to educate men about active surveillance.

Within a few months, an interactive section of the site will be added to link men with doctors who offer active surveillance and track how they fare with input straight from the patients themselves, said Hopkins' Dr. H. Ballentine Carter.

"To me, it's an individualized approach rather than the one-size-fits-all approach of treating everyone," Carter says.

Beyond whether and how men choose surveillance, behavioral scientist Kathryn Taylor of Georgetown University wants to know how they decide to stick with it. About a quarter of men abandon the observation approach within two or three years, and as many as half by five years, the NIH panel learned. It's not clear how much of that was because they needed treatment, and how much was just the anxiety or getting tired of repeat biopsies.

Taylor is beginning a study of 1,500 newly diagnosed, low-risk prostate cancer patients at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California to see how many are told about active surveillance and what helped or hindered their decision.

"Living with untreated cancer is very difficult," she says, "and not everybody can do it, not surprisingly."

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? Lauran Neergaard covers health and medical issues for The Associated Press.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/cancer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111219/ap_on_he_me/us_med_healthbeat_prostate_cancer

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Motorola Xoom tablet gets an Ice Cream Sandwich makeover with 4.0.3

Only a day after Google released Android version 4.0.3, one XDA developer has already installed it on his Motorola Xoom WiFi tablet -- making it the first slate to run the frosty Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade. Of course, trendsetting is nothing new for the Xoom, which was also the first to ship with Honeycomb's sweetness back in February. Being first does have its disadvantages, though, as some of the features like the camera don't work, and there seems to be a green overlay on the screen from time to time. If you're willing to overlook these early adopter flaws, head on over to the source to satisfy your ICS-inspired sweet tooth and try it for yourself.

Motorola Xoom tablet gets an Ice Cream Sandwich makeover with 4.0.3 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Dec 2011 14:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The deal averting a government shutdown: Who achieved what? (The Week)

New York ? Congress reached an 11th-hour deal to keep federal agencies running. But the horse-trading isn't over

Just 27 hours before a deadline that could have shut down the federal government at midnight Friday, Democrats and Republicans reached an agreement on a $1 trillion spending bill that will keep the lights on through the end of the fiscal year in September, 2012. They still have to work out the particulars of another sticking point ? a separate measure extending a temporary payroll tax cut and jobless benefits. So what did both parties gain, and give up, to break the impasse? Here, a brief guide:

So, the parties settled their differences?
Not exactly. They still have to work out how to pay for the $120 billion payroll tax cut extension for 160 million workers, to keep it from expiring on Dec. 31. But they got close enough that the White House and Senate Democrats figured it was safe to detach the payroll-tax issue from the spending bill, which they were delaying in an attempt to force the GOP to negotiate. Now Congress can approve the spending bill, and focus on settling lingering differences over the payroll tax.

SEE MORE: Why the GOP caved in the payroll tax fight: 4 theories

?

Who caved?
Both sides gave up a little on the spending measure. "The final bill strips out a Republican amendment to the Treasury budget to reinstate Bush-era restrictions on travel to Cuba" ? something President Obama opposed, says David Rogers at Politico. But it also includes some GOP provisions that are hard for Democrats to swallow, such as one blocking new, greener standards for light bulbs.

Will extending the payroll tax be easy now?
Both sides say a deal is near, although anything can happen. Democrats have reportedly dropped their insistence on offsetting the cost with a surtax on people making more than $1 million a year, which was a dealbreaker for the GOP. But Republicans haven't budged on one provision Democrats have described as a poison pill ? a controversial proposal to expedite the review of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

SEE MORE: The super committee's inevitable failure: Why it's a good thing

?

What happens if they can't agree?
Both sides want to extend the payroll tax holiday. If they let it expire, the portion of Americans' paychecks withheld for Social Security and Medicare will rise 2 percent ? from 4.2 percent to 6.2 percent. In such a scenario, someone making $50,000 would have to pay $1,000 more in payroll taxes. To avoid that, Congress is likely to pass a two-month extension if no long-term agreement is in sight. That way members will be able to head home for the holidays, and put off a final showdown until February.

Sources: CNN, NY Times, Politico, Washington Post

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politicsopinion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/theweek/20111216/cm_theweek/222616

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Microbial contamination found in orange juice squeezed in bars and restaurants

Public release date: 14-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: SINC
info@agenciasinc.es
34-914-251-820
FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology

Scientists from the University of Valencia in Spain have analysed fresh orange juice squeezed by machines in catering establishments. They have confirmed that 43% of samples exceeded the acceptable enterobacteriaceae levels laid down by legislation. The researchers recommend that oranges are handled correctly, that juicers are washed properly and that the orange juice is served immediately rather than being stored in metal jugs.

Around 40% of the fresh orange juice consumed in Spain is squeezed in bars and restaurants. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Valencia (UV) though, poor handling of the oranges and insufficient cleaning of the juicer equipment stimulates bacterial contamination.

The team collected 190 batches of squeezed orange juice from different catering locations and analysed their microbiological content on the same day. The results reveal that 43% of the samples exceeded the enterobacteriaceae levels deemed acceptable by food regulations in Spain and Europe. Furthermore, 12% of samples exceeded mesophilic aerobic microorganism levels.

According to the data published in the Food Control Journal, the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and the Salmonella species was found in 1% and 0.5% of samples respectively.

Isabel Sospedra, one of the authors of the study warns that "generally a percentage of oranges juice is consumed immediately after squeezing but, as in many cases, it is kept unprotected in stainless steel jugs."

In fact, the scientists have found that some juices that were kept in metal jugs presented "unacceptable" levels of enterobacteriaceae in 81% of cases and in 13% of cases with regards to mesophilic aerobic bacteria. However, when the freshly squeezed juice is served in a glass, these percentages fall to 22% and 2% respectively.

As the researcher adds, "it must also be borne in mind that juicers and juicing machines have a large surface area and lots of holes and cavities. This promotes microbial contamination, which is picked up by the juice as it is being prepared."

The conclusion is clear. To ensure consumer health, the experts recommend that juicers are cleaned and disinfected properly. The same goes for the jugs in which the juice is stored although its consumption is better as and when it is squeezed.

Orange juice consumption is common in the catering industry due to its taste and nutritional value. This drink is known for its high content of vitamin C, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and other antioxidant substances.

In 2009, Spaniards drank 138 million litres of orange juice (according to data provided by the Spanish Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs), 40% of which was freshly squeezed and consumed in catering establishments.

###

References:
I. Sospedra, J. Rubert, J.M. Soriano, J. Maes. "Incidence of microorganisms from fresh orange juice processed by squeezing machines". Food Control 23 (1): 282-285, 2012 (ya disponible on line).

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 14-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: SINC
info@agenciasinc.es
34-914-251-820
FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology

Scientists from the University of Valencia in Spain have analysed fresh orange juice squeezed by machines in catering establishments. They have confirmed that 43% of samples exceeded the acceptable enterobacteriaceae levels laid down by legislation. The researchers recommend that oranges are handled correctly, that juicers are washed properly and that the orange juice is served immediately rather than being stored in metal jugs.

Around 40% of the fresh orange juice consumed in Spain is squeezed in bars and restaurants. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Valencia (UV) though, poor handling of the oranges and insufficient cleaning of the juicer equipment stimulates bacterial contamination.

The team collected 190 batches of squeezed orange juice from different catering locations and analysed their microbiological content on the same day. The results reveal that 43% of the samples exceeded the enterobacteriaceae levels deemed acceptable by food regulations in Spain and Europe. Furthermore, 12% of samples exceeded mesophilic aerobic microorganism levels.

According to the data published in the Food Control Journal, the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and the Salmonella species was found in 1% and 0.5% of samples respectively.

Isabel Sospedra, one of the authors of the study warns that "generally a percentage of oranges juice is consumed immediately after squeezing but, as in many cases, it is kept unprotected in stainless steel jugs."

In fact, the scientists have found that some juices that were kept in metal jugs presented "unacceptable" levels of enterobacteriaceae in 81% of cases and in 13% of cases with regards to mesophilic aerobic bacteria. However, when the freshly squeezed juice is served in a glass, these percentages fall to 22% and 2% respectively.

As the researcher adds, "it must also be borne in mind that juicers and juicing machines have a large surface area and lots of holes and cavities. This promotes microbial contamination, which is picked up by the juice as it is being prepared."

The conclusion is clear. To ensure consumer health, the experts recommend that juicers are cleaned and disinfected properly. The same goes for the jugs in which the juice is stored although its consumption is better as and when it is squeezed.

Orange juice consumption is common in the catering industry due to its taste and nutritional value. This drink is known for its high content of vitamin C, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and other antioxidant substances.

In 2009, Spaniards drank 138 million litres of orange juice (according to data provided by the Spanish Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs), 40% of which was freshly squeezed and consumed in catering establishments.

###

References:
I. Sospedra, J. Rubert, J.M. Soriano, J. Maes. "Incidence of microorganisms from fresh orange juice processed by squeezing machines". Food Control 23 (1): 282-285, 2012 (ya disponible on line).

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/f-sf-mcf121411.php

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Summary Box: Stocks drop as Fed warns of strains (AP)

THE DOW: The Dow Jones industrial average fell for a second day in a row. Successful European debt auctions helped push it higher in the morning. The gains faded after the Federal Reserve warned that global markets still posed a danger, a nod to the European debt crisis.

EUROPE: The Spanish government sold short-term debt at lower interest rates than a month ago, a signal that buyers are more confident in the government's ability to repay its debt.

FED SPEAKS: The Fed portrayed the U.S. economy as slightly healthier and held off on any new steps to boost the economy.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111213/ap_on_bi_ge/us_wall_street_summary_box

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