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Where is your seafood really from?

<p>Fake foods are invading our supermarkets, as foods we love are substituted or adulterated with lower value or unethical <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JFC-09-2020-0179/full/html">goods</a>.</p> <p>Food fraud threatens human health but is also bad news for industry and sustainable food <a href="https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I8791EN/">production</a>. Seafood is one of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X14003246">most traded food products</a> in the world and reliant on convoluted supply chains that leave the the door wide open for seafood <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12571-018-0826-z">fraud</a>.</p> <p>Our new <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12703">study</a>, published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12703">Fish and Fisheries</a>, showcases a new approach for determining the provenance or “origin” of many seafood species.</p> <p>By identifying provenance, we can detect fraud and empower authorities and businesses to stop it. This makes it more likely that the food you buy is, in fact, the food you truly want to eat.</p> <h2>Illegal fishing and seafood fraud</h2> <p>Wild-caught seafood is vulnerable to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.</p> <p>Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing can have a devastating impact on the marine environment because:</p> <ul> <li> <p>it is a major cause of overfishing, constituting an estimated one-fifth of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12462">seafood</a></p> </li> <li> <p>it can destroy marine habitats, such coral reefs, through destructive fishing methods such as blast bombing and cyanide fishing</p> </li> <li> <p>it can significantly harm wildlife, such as albatross and turtles, which are caught as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320714003140">by-catch</a>.</p> </li> </ul> <p>So how is illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing connected to seafood fraud?</p> <p>Seafood fraud allows this kind of fishing to flourish as illegal products are laundered through legitimate supply <a href="https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I8791EN/">chains</a>.</p> <p>A recent <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2003741117">study</a> in the United States found when seafood is mislabelled, it is more likely to be substituted for a product from less healthy fisheries with management policies that are less likely to reduce the environmental impacts of fishing.</p> <p>One <a href="https://usa.oceana.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/fraud_gap_report_final_6_6_16.pdf">review</a> of mislabelled seafood in the US found that out of 180 substituted species, 25 were considered threatened, endangered, or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).</p> <p>Illegal fishing and seafood fraud also has a human cost. It can:</p> <ul> <li> <p>adversely affect the livelihoods of law-abiding fishers and seafood <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128015926000048">businesses</a></p> </li> <li> <p>threaten food security</p> </li> <li> <p>facilitate human rights abuses such as forced labour and <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-030-32811-5_127-1.pdf">piracy</a></p> </li> <li> <p>increase risk of exposure to pathogens, drugs, and other banned substances in <a href="https://usa.oceana.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/fraud_gap_report_final_6_6_16.pdf">seafood</a>.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>The chemical fingerprints in shells and bones</h2> <p>A vast range of marine animals are harvested for food every year, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans, and <a href="https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/ca9229en/">echinoderms</a>.</p> <p>However, traditional food provenance methods are typically designed to identify one species at a time.</p> <p>That might benefit the species and industry in question, but it is expensive and time consuming. As such, current methods are restricted to a relatively small number of species.</p> <p>In our study, we described a broader, universal method to identify provenance and detect fraud.</p> <p>How? We harnessed natural chemical markers imprinted in the shells and bones of marine animals. These markers reflect an animal’s environment and can identify where they are from.</p> <p>We focused on a chemical marker that is similar across many different marine animals. This specific chemical marker, known as “oxygen isotopes”, is determined by ocean composition and temperature rather than an animal’s biology.</p> <p>Exploiting this commonality and how it relates to the local environment, we constructed a global ocean map of oxygen isotopes that helps researchers understand where a marine animal may be from (by matching the oxygen isotope value in shells and bones to the oxygen isotope value in the map).</p> <p>After rigorous testing, we demonstrated this global map (or “isoscape”) can be used to correctly identify the origins of a wide range of marine animals living in different latitudes.</p> <p>For example, we saw up to 90% success in classifying fish, cephalopods, and shellfish between the tropical waters of Southeast Asia and the cooler waters of southern Australia.</p> <h2 class="align-center zoomable" style="text-align: left;">What next?</h2> <p>Oxygen isotopes, as a universal marker, worked well on a range of animals collected from different latitudes and across broad geographic areas.</p> <p>Our next step is to integrate oxygen isotopes with other universal chemical markers to gives clues on longitude and refine our approach.</p> <p>Working out the provenance of seafood is a large and complex challenge. No single approach is a silver bullet for all species, fisheries or industries.</p> <p>But our approach represents a step towards a more inclusive, global system for validating seafood provenance and fighting seafood fraud.</p> <p>Hopefully, this will mean ensure fewer marine species are left behind and more consumer confidence in the products we buy.</p> <p><em>Dr Jasmin Martino, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, contributed to this research and article.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189471/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/zoe-doubleday-393169">Zoe Doubleday</a>, Marine Ecologist and ARC Future Fellow, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/where-is-your-seafood-really-from-were-using-chemical-fingerprinting-to-fight-seafood-fraud-and-illegal-fishing-189471">original article.</a></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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From a series of recipes designed by Xali: Baked Barramundi with lemon and assorted greens

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Baked Barramundi with lemon and assorted greens</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Xali is Australia’s first training, dietary and wellness program to cater to women going through biological changes with a focus on perimenopause and menopause. </p> <p dir="ltr">As women go through menopause they often experince tummy bloating from a change in hormones. Pickled foods are great to help reduce bloating, as fermented foods nourish the lining of your stomach. </p> <p dir="ltr">This recipe was designed by award-winning clinical nutritionist, Samantha Gowing to help woman reduce symptoms of tummy bloating as they are going through menopause.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Prep</strong>: 20 mins</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Cook:</strong> 15 mins</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Yields:</strong> 1 serve</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">2 tsp macadamia, olive or peanut oil</p> <p dir="ltr">½ bunch asparagus, trimmed
</p> <p dir="ltr">1 cup spinach</p> <p dir="ltr">½ cup silverbeet</p> <p dir="ltr">200 gram Barramundi, or other white fish</p> <p dir="ltr">Salt</p> <p dir="ltr">Cracked black pepper</p> <p dir="ltr">½ lemon, cut into wedges</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Method:</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">1. Preheat the oven to 170 C.</p> <p dir="ltr">2. Line a small baking dish with baking paper.</p> <p dir="ltr">3. Place asparagus, spinach and silverbeet on the baking dish, top with fish and drizzle with oil and season.</p> <p dir="ltr">4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, check fish is cooked through by flaking gently with a fork.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2cf9307c-7fff-c5e6-a472-5acce2b6bf11"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">5. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with wedges of fresh lemon.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Supplied</em></p>

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Enjoy a hearty salmon and redbelly in cartoccio with smashed potatoes

<p>This seafood dish with a citrus twist from Lyndey Milan is the perfect meal for a summer's day.</p> <p><strong>Time to prepare: </strong>10 minutes</p> <p><strong>Cooking time: </strong>12 minutes</p> <p><strong>Serves: 4</strong></p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <p><strong>Smash potatoes</strong></p> <div class="article-body"> <ul> <li>800g chat potatoes, boiled until very tender</li> <li>2 tablespoons (40ml) extra virgin olive oil</li> </ul> <p><strong>Salmon</strong></p> <ul> <li>6 redbelly citrus (also known as blood oranges)</li> <li>4 salmon fillets</li> <li>1 baby fennel, cored, thinly sliced, fronds reserved</li> <li>20 green Sicilian olives, stoned</li> <li>2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed</li> <li>Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper</li> <li>⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <ul> <li>1. Pre-heat oven to 200⁰C (180⁰C fan-forced).</li> </ul> <p><strong>Smashed potatoes</strong></p> <ol> <li>Place boiled potatoes on a paper-lined baking tray and use the back of a fork or a potato masher to lightly crush each potato. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.</li> <li>Bake for 30 minutes or until crisp and golden, turning once half way to encourage browning. Increase oven to 220’C (200’C fan-forced). Leave potatoes in the oven.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Salmon</strong></p> <ol> <li>Cut eight 34 x 30cm pieces of baking paper. Lay four pieces over the bench, top each with a second piece.</li> <li>Wash 2 redbelly citrus, leave skin on and slice into rounds. Juice 1 redbelly, cut 3 redbelly into segments and cut a small slice off the ends of each remaining redbelly. Stand up on one end, and carefully, following the contour of the redbelly, cut down to remove the peel and the pith. Holding the fruit in one hand, cut down one side of the membrane on one segment, almost to the core. Cut down along the inside of the opposite membrane, to cut out a wedge with no pith or membrane attached. Repeat until you have cut out all segments. Squeeze juice out of the remaining core into the juice then discard the core.</li> <li>Place a bed of redbelly slices in the centre of each layer of baking paper, and top evenly with salmon fillet, fennel, olives, capers, salt and pepper and drizzle with redbelly juice and olive oil.</li> <li>Bring the long sides of each piece up and fold and roll firmly down. Then fold in the 2 short sides and tuck them under tightly to create a pocket. Repeat to make five more parcels.</li> <li>Place parcels seam side on oven tray. Bake until just cooked through 10 minutes.</li> <li>Remove straight onto serving plates, carefully open the top of each parcel. Serve with smashed potatoes.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Tips:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Any fish can be used or try thinly sliced chicken breast or pork medallions.</li> <li>Vegetarian alternative: replace salmon with zucchini strips and mushrooms.</li> </ul> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/lyndey-milan-salmon-and-redbelly-in-cartoccio.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.</em></p> </div>

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A must try! Lemony seafood crêpes

<p>Serve these creamy crêpes with a green salad as a light meal, or one per person as an enticing entrée. They can be filled with whatever seafood or any vegetables you have on hand.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>50g butter</li> <li>1 small leek, washed well, white part only, chopped</li> <li>1 clove garlic, chopped</li> <li>400g green prawns, peeled, deveined, chopped</li> <li>200g piece salmon fillet, skin off, pin-boned, cut into bite-sized chunks</li> <li>1 lemon, juiced</li> <li>Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste</li> <li>1 bunch chives, chopped</li> <li>120g gruyère cheese, grated</li> <li>Béchamel Sauce</li> <li>25g butter</li> <li>2 tablespoons plain flour</li> <li>300ml milk</li> <li>Pinch salt</li> <li>Pinch freshly grated nutmeg</li> </ul> <p><strong>Crêpes</strong></p> <ul> <li>¾ cup plain flour</li> <li>Pinch salt</li> <li>1¼ cups milk</li> <li>3 eggs</li> <li>40g butter, melted</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p><strong>Make Crêpes </strong></p> <p>1. Sift flour into a bowl, add salt and make a well in the centre. Combine milk and eggs and slowly pour into the well, whisking to incorporate the flour; stop whisking as soon as all flour is incorporated and batter is smooth. </p> <p>2. Stir in butter and strain into a jug.</p> <p>3. Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and grease with very little butter. Pour in just enough batter to coat the pan, swirling quickly to cover the base evenly. Cook for about 30 seconds, until the edges begin to curl and the base is golden brown. Loosen the edges then turn the crêpe with fingers or an egg lift and cook for another 20 seconds or so until golden and dry. </p> <p>4. Slide out of the pan onto a clean cloth. Repeat with remaining batter, stacking cooked crêpes on top of one another.</p> <p><strong>Make Béchamel Sauce</strong></p> <p>1. Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and cook for about 4 minutes over a low heat until mixture crumbles and comes together. Gradually add milk, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Add salt and nutmeg and stir until sauce comes to the boil. Remove from heat.</p> <p>2. Pre-heat oven to 180°C.</p> <p>3. Melt butter, add leeks, garlic and salt and cook over a low heat, covered, for about 5 minutes, until soft. Increase heat to medium, push leek mixture to 1 side of the pan, add prawns and salmon, and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning to colour all sides. Remove from heat. Stir in Béchamel Sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper, chives and a third of the cheese.</p> <p>4. Place 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture in the centre of a crêpe, fold in sides to partially enclose then tuck other ends under to form a parcel. Place in a greased baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with remaining crêpes, forming a single layer. Sprinkle remaining gruyère over the top and bake for 15-20 minutes until filling is heated through and cheese is lightly browned.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong></p> <p>Alternative species: Blue-eye trevalla, bugs, crabmeat, ling, marron, redclaw, yabby. </p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/lemony-seafood-cr%C3%AApes.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

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Grilled salmon with blueberry balsamic sauce

<p>For a main course to impress, this recipe will just do the trick. The salmon fillet pairs well with the flavourful sauce, which features the cardiovascular-friendly blueberries.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 teaspoon olive oil</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 x 150g salmon fillet, skin on</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 tablespoon butter, melted</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 teaspoon brown sugar</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1/2 teaspoon paprika</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1/4 cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1/2 cup (80g) blueberries</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 tablespoon maple syrup</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 tablespoon butter</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">4 cups (500g) green beans</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Olive oil</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1/2 cup pomegranate seeds</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fresh dill, chopped</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Preheat oven to 180°C. Prepare a tray with baking paper.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil into a non-stick pan over a high heat. Place fish in, skin down. Cook for approx. 2-3 minutes until crisp.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Remove from pan and place skin side down onto prepared tray.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drizzle with 1 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and paprika.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Place the salmon in the oven for 15 minutes for medium.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the meantime bring a medium sized saucepan to the boil. Using a slotted spoon carefully lower in the beans and boil for 2 minutes before removing and immersing in a bowl of ice water.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drain then finely julienne the green beans. Place in a mixing bowl and season with salt, olive oil, pomegranate seeds and dill.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Remove fish from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, place a small saucepan over a medium heat.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for 5 minutes or until reduced by a third, then add the blueberries and maple syrup.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cook for another minute, stir in the tablespoon of butter and serve over salmon.</span></li> </ol>

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Shellfish allergies: Can they be treated?

<p>Seafood platters? Bouillabaisse? Arroz de Marisco? Seafood paella? Oysters Rockefeller? Lobster Thermidor? Dining out with friends, a romantic meal, celebrating Christmas or a holiday on a wind-swept coast with these seafood dishes on your table are enjoyable moments.</p> <p>But have any of you, your friends or family experienced swelling of lips or eyelids, itchiness and rashes developed over your face or body, or even difficulty in breathing just a few minutes after eating shrimp, lobster, crab, clam, mussels, oysters or scallops? If yes, you could well have a shellfish allergy.</p> <p><strong>What is shellfish allergy?</strong></p> <p>Shellfish allergy is a type of hyper-immune response mediated by <a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunoglobuline_E">Immunoglobulin E</a> (IgE), an antibody produced by B cells.</p> <p>When someone who is allergic eats some shellfish, the allergens – primary <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropomyosin">tropomyosin</a>, a muscle protein – bind with IgE. This allergen-IgE complex then cross-links on mast cells. These cells play a key role in the inflammatory process, by which they contain many granules rich in inflammatory mediators like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histamine">histamine</a>. Histamine can increase the permeability of the blood capillaries, exert effects on mucous glands and bronchila tubes, and is a central mediator of allergic reactions like itching.</p> <p><strong>A lifelong condition</strong></p> <p>As designated by the United States <a href="https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/Allergens/ucm106890.htm">Food Allergen Labelling and Consumer Protection Act</a>, crustacean shellfish are one of the top eight allergens alongside with milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soybeans and fish accounting for 90 per cent of food-related allergic reactions.</p> <p>Unlike allergies to egg and cow’s milk for which children often gradually acquire <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11882-016-0627-4">natural tolerance</a>, shellfish allergies usually <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11882-016-0627-4">persist throughout life</a>.</p> <p>Shellfish is the leading offending food in the United States, Canada, Portugal, and in the Asia-Pacific regions, including <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18808390">Hong Kong and Taiwan</a>. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24372074">multi-centre survey</a> conducted in Europe, on the other hand, reported 4.8 per cent of adults with IgE sensitisation to shrimp and in some areas like Zurich, the sensitisation rate can be up to 7 per cent.</p> <p><strong>Poor diagnosis</strong></p> <p>Despite such a high impact, diagnosis and treatment of shellfish allergy remains suboptimal. The standard clinical diagnostic involves a thorough review of a patient’s clinical history followed by <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/allergy-tests/about/pac-20392895">skin prick test</a> (SPT) and measurement of shellfish-specific IgE level. A SPT reaction spot that is 3mm or more in diameter and an IgE level of greater than or equal to 0.35 kUA/L which stands for kilo unit of allergen-specific IgE per litre, are commonly defined as a positive diagnosis of a shellfish allergy.</p> <p>However, the rapidly growing number of diagnoses have highlighted concerning the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21651567">shortcomings of these conventional procedures</a>. SPT and IgE measurement with shellfish extract have low specificity of only 50 per cent, meaning that 50 per cent of people with a positive result in these tests may never experience clinical symptoms of shellfish allergy.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M_qeE5BsynY"></iframe></div> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><span class="caption">Skin prick tests are usually efficient to determine allergies but also present several shortcomings (Imperial College London).</span></div> <p>Although reactions to all sorts of shellfish is common, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18498545">reports</a> have suggested species-specific allergic reactions – for example, you may be able to eat one species of prawn even if you are allergic to another. However, because tests cannot identify cross-reactivity, patients are often suggested to avoid all types of shellfish if they have allergic reactions to one type of shellfish.</p> <p>The oral food challenge, a test that involve giving increasing amounts of a food to a patient to determine if he or she has a food allergy, remains the gold standard. But it is resource-intensive, time-consuming, costly and risky. Subjects’ reluctance due to a fear of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30298065">side effects</a> preclude the implementation of this procedure in clinical settings.</p> <p><strong>Treatment could be improved</strong></p> <p>“Active” treatment options that would desensitize shellfish-allergic patients are unfortunately not yet available. Patients are recommended to avoid shellfish that trigger symptoms, educated to read food labels to avoid accidental consumption, take antihistamines to alleviate mild symptoms, and use epinephrine auto-injector – a hand-held device that delivers epinephrine to relax the airways by intramuscular injection – in case of an anaphylactic reaction. However, none of these first-line measures cures the disease.</p> <p>Food desensitisation and tolerance induction could be achieved by “re-educating” the immune system through giving small doses of the offending food and increasing it over time. However, existing interventions have reservations and limitations: the efficacy in developing tolerance is debatable; the adherence of patients is poor as the treatment is lengthy (2 to 5 years to “complete”); there are risks such as developing allergic side effects; and they’re costly, running between US$800 and $1,000 per year.</p> <p>Our research team therefore focused our effort to address these shortcomings through investigating the value of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26610061">peptide-based oral immunotherapy</a>, by which these peptides are short fragments of tropomyosin with molecular nature of modifying the immune system, and also by constructing hypoallergens of shrimp <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25365343">tropomyosin</a> and hypoallergen-based vaccines. Hypoallergens are modified from tropomyosin to be less than normally allergenic.</p> <p><strong>Using a small DNA molecule to counter the allergy</strong></p> <p>With the lower IgE reactivity, hypoallergens are of lower risk in triggering allergic reactions. We also adopted the concept of <a href="https://www.livescience.com/37247-dna.html">DNA</a> vaccination – the injection the DNA sequence of the hypoallergen in a small circular piece of bacterial DNA.</p> <p>When taken up by body cells, this piece of circular DNA is used by the cells’ machinery to produce the hypoallergen protein. Because these proteins are regarded as foreign, the immune system is alerted to trigger immune response. The continual production of the hypoallergen protein by the vaccine and body cells therefore “educates” the immune system as in the conventional immunotherapy but achieved with fewer shots.</p> <p>This combinatorial approach offers the advantages of improved vaccine stability, relative ease of large-scale manufacture, reduced shots and treatment duration, and thus a lower cost of immunotherapy.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8h4FVAJ0Ifs"></iframe></div> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><span class="caption">Dr. Wai explaining her hypoallergene-DNA vaccine project.</span></div> <p>From our <a href="https://patents.google.com/patent/US20170107265A1/en">animal experiments</a> three shots of this hypoallergen-DNA vaccine resulted in the decrease of IgE level by 70 per cent, accompanied by the increase in the number and activity of immune cells with regulatory functions. This suggests that this vaccine may be a valuable treatment for inducing immune tolerance against shellfish allergy achievable with much fewer injections and within shorter time period.</p> <p>However, the only FDA-approved plasmid, pVAX1, has limited immunogenicity in human, meaning that DNA vaccines constructed using pVAX1 has limited capacity in provoking immune responses in the body of a human.</p> <p>Engineering next-generation vaccines with optimised plasmids and studying their effects and mechanism would be our next steps, and we hope to provide a promising option in the future. Until then, be cautious with that lobster.</p> <p><em>Written by <span>Christine Wai, Post-doctoral researcher, Axa research fund fellow, Chinese University of Hong Kong</span>. Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://theconversation.com/shellfish-allergies-can-they-be-treated-112143"><em>The Conversation</em></a><em>. </em></p>

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Mouth-watering kingfish & ocean trout ceviche

<p>If you're cooking for a fancier audience, try this delicious seafood combination.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients: </strong></p> <p>200g Hiramasa kingfish fillets</p> <p>200g Petuna ocean trout fillets</p> <p>50ml apple cider vinegar</p> <p>75ml fresh lime juice</p> <p>30g sea salt</p> <p>50g sugar</p> <p>10 cherry tomatoes, sliced</p> <p>3 pickled turmeric onions (pickled onions, fresh turmeric, turmeric powder and green chilli)</p> <p>Black sesame seeds and baby coriander for garnish</p> <p><strong>Directions:</strong></p> <p>1. Slice the fish fillets into your desired shape. Cubes or sashimi-style will work.</p> <p>2. Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt and lime juice (check the mixture for taste, as some apple cider vinegars can be sweeter than others) and spoon over cut fish. Leave for 10 minutes to quickly cure.</p> <p>3. For the onions (this is the cheat version): take a standard jar of pickled onions and add 1 knob of fresh grated turmeric, 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 2 sliced green chillies and add to the pickling liquor from inside the jar, then spoon over onions. Leave for 10-15 minutes and you're good to go.</p> <p>4. Combine the rest of the ingredients and season with the same juice that has been curing the fish.</p> <p>5. Place the fish on top of the salad/onions and garnish with sesame seeds and coriander.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/hiramasa-kingfish-petuna-ocean-trout-ceviche.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Kingfish and pineapple carpaccio

<p>There’s nothing better than a bit of seafood on a balmy spring night, and this flavoursome kingfish and pineapple carpaccio will certainly satisfy.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 2</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>½ pineapple</li> <li>150g piece sashimi-grade kingfish</li> <li>Small handful pea sprouts</li> <li>2 tablespoons ponzu</li> <li>2 teaspoons lime juice</li> <li>1 teaspoon light tasting oil such as light olive or almond</li> <li>Pinch chilli flakes</li> <li>Zest from ¼ lime</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Peel and core pineapple, cut into quarters and slice into very thin (paper-thin) slices. Finely slice the kingfish.</li> <li>Arrange slices of pineapple on a plate, sprinkle with pea sprouts and top with kingfish slices. In a small bowl or jar mix ponzu, lime juice, sesame oil and chilli flakes. Drizzle over the fish. Garnish with lime zest and serve immediately.</li> </ol> <p><em>Recipe courtesy of Australian Pineapples. For more delicious recipes, <a href="http://www.aussiepineapples.com.au/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">visit their website</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, </strong></em><strong>The Way Mum Made It</strong><em><strong>, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/06/bbq-pork-cutlet-with-sunshine-salsa/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>BBQ pork cutlet with sunshine salsa</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/02/meatball-salad-with-pineapple-salsa/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Meatball salad with pineapple salsa</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/01/tropicana-rocky-road/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Tropicana rocky road</strong></em></span></a></p>

Food & Wine

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Prawn cocktail recipe

<p>If there's one thing we look forward to during summer it is gorgeous seafood. There's nothing quite better than an ice-cold wine and summer delish prawns on a hot day. Whether it's for a family lunch or an entrée for Christmas, this is a go-to summer recipe.</p> <p><strong>Makes:</strong> Four</p> <p><strong>Preparation time:</strong> 20 minutes</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>1 iceberg lettuce, washed, shredded</li> <li>600g cooked prawns, peeled</li> </ul> <p><em>Cocktail sauce</em></p> <ul> <li>60ml (1/4 cup) tomato sauce</li> <li>60ml (1/4 cup) thin cream</li> <li>1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice</li> <li>1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce</li> <li>Dash of red Tabasco pepper sauce</li> <li>Salt &amp; freshly ground black pepper</li> <li>Sweet paprika to garnish </li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <p>1. To make the cocktail sauce, combine the tomato sauce, cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper as desired.</p> <p>2. Place the lettuce in four cocktail glasses. Top with the prawns, drizzle with the cocktail sauce and garnish with paprika. Serve immediately.</p>

Food & Wine

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Winter warmer seafood stew

<p>Rustic, rich and very tasty, this winter warmer fish stew will warm your bones and make the cold seem like a distant memory. Serve hot with crusty bread.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li> <li>1 red onion, chopped</li> <li>2 stalks celery, sliced</li> <li>3 cloves garlic, crushed</li> <li>800g diced tomatoes</li> <li>1 cup of vegetable stock</li> <li>½ cup dry white wine</li> <li>1 dried bay leaf</li> <li>Pinch of sugar</li> <li>1kg firm white fish fillets</li> <li>12 medium green prawns</li> <li>12 mussels</li> <li>½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley</li> <li>Zest or grated rind of 1 lemon</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>To begin, heat olive oil in a large saucepan over a low to medium heat.</li> <li>Add onion, celery and garlic and cook for around about five minutes.</li> <li>Add tomatoes, stock, wine and bay leaf and bring the stew to the boil.</li> <li>Reduce heat to medium and let simmer, partially covered, for about 20 minutes.</li> <li>Add a pinch of sugar for flavour.</li> <li>Prepare the seafood ingredients. Cut fish into small chunks, peel and devein prawns leaving the tails on and make sure you scrub the mussels, removing the beards.</li> <li>Add fish to the saucepan and let simmer for five minutes before adding the other seafood.</li> <li>Cover and cook for a few minutes. Make sure you discard any unopened mussels. </li> <li>Serve, topped with parsley and lemon rind.</li> </ol> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/03/gluten-free-beef-stew/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Gluten-free beef stew</em></span></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/04/mediterranean-fish-stew/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mediterranean fish stew</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/11/chicken-sausage-jambalaya/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chicken and sausage jambalaya</span></em></strong></a></p>

Food & Wine

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Seal crosses road to visit favourite restaurant

<p>Not every seal is lucky enough to live near a seafood restaurant. But this seal in Howth Harbour in Dublin, Ireland has a pretty good situation going.</p> <p>Nicknamed Sammy, this seal pops his head out and crosses a two-lane street with the hopes of getting free fish from The Lighthouse Seafood Restaurant and most of the time he’s successful.</p> <p>Our favourite moment is when he looks both ways before crossing the road.</p> <p>Locals are aware of Sammy, and always slow down when they’re driving down that section of road.</p> <p>We’re sure Sammy gives this restaurant his seal of approval. </p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / Charlie G Vinall</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/03/last-official-interview-with-jon-english/">Watch the last interview Jon English gave</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/03/penguin-5000-miles-reunite-71-year-old-man/">Penguin swims 5,000 miles every year to reunite with 71-year-old man</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/03/85-year-old-man-finds-lost-wallet-71-years-later/"><strong>85-year-old man finds lost wallet, 71 years later</strong></a></em></span></p>

News

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The perfect herb-baked salmon

<p>For those who have issues with cooking salmon to perfection, this herb-baked salmon recipe is delightful.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil</li> <li>500g skin-on salmon fillet, preferably centre-cut</li> <li>Flaked sea salt</li> <li>Freshly ground black pepper</li> <li>1 large shallot</li> <li>¼ cup loosely packed dill fronds</li> <li>Leaves from 4 to 6 stems flat-leaf parsley or leaves from 3 stems tarragon</li> <li>1 lemon</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <p>1. Preheat the oven to 120 degrees. Pour 1/4 cup of the oil into a baking dish just large enough to hold the salmon. Lay the salmon in the dish, skin side down. Season it liberally with salt and pepper.</p> <p>2. Coarsely chop the shallot and dill (together is okay) and place them in a mini food processor, along with the parsley or tarragon leaves. Use a For those who have issues with cooking salmon to perfection, this herb-baked salmon recipe is delightful.to grate the zest of the lemon directly over the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Pulse just long enough to create a coarse paste. Spread the paste over the top of the salmon in the baking dish.</p> <p>3. Bake for about 25 minutes. To check for doneness, insert the tines of fork into the thickest part of the fish; the flesh should flake easily. If it doesn't, bake for 2 or 3 minutes.</p> <p>4. Slide a wide, thin spatula under the salmon to transfer it to a cutting board. Cut crosswise to create 4 equal portions; transfer to plates and serve warm.</p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website</strong></em>, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now.</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><em><strong>First appeared on </strong></em><a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><em>Stuff</em>.co.nz.</strong> </em></span></a><em><strong>Adapted from The Kitchen Cookbook: Recipes, Kitchens &amp; Tips to Inspire Your Cooking, by Sara Kate Gillingham and Faith Durand.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/01/salmon-cream-cheese-roll-ups/">Salmon and cream cheese roll-ups</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/02/wild-rice-lemon-dill-salmon/">Wild rice, lemon and dill with pulled salmon</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/salmon-quiche/">Salmon quiche</a></strong></em></span></p>

Food & Wine

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Fish tacos

<p>Summer is just around the corner, and we’ve got a recipe for some crowd-pleasing fish tacos so appetising they’ll send your taste buds south of the border.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves</span>:</strong> 4</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>1 tbs extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>1 tbs lemon or lime juice</li> <li>60ml (¼ cup) olive oil or rice bran oil</li> <li>1 sliced mango</li> <li>¼ red onion, chopped</li> <li>1 tbs fresh coriander leaves, chopped</li> <li>2 tbs plain flour</li> <li>1 tsp ground coriander</li> <li>½ tsp cayenne pepper</li> <li>400g white fish fillets, cut into strips</li> <li>4 flour tortillas, warmed through</li> <li>1 tbs light sour cream</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Mix your olive oil and the lemon or lime juice.</li> <li>Combine your mango, shallots, coriander with lemon or lime juice mix.</li> <li>Combine flour, coriander and cayenne pepper in bowl then use to coat fish.</li> <li>Heat (oil coated) hot plate then cook fish for about two minutes on each side.</li> <li>Drain with a paper towel, then divide between tortillas and toppings.</li> <li>Divide the tortillas among plates. Top with the cabbage mixture, corn, fish, onion, mango, sour cream, and coriander. Serve with the lime wedges and chilli sauce.</li> </ol>

Food & Wine

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