New vaccine represents a step forward in development of next-generation coronavirus vaccines  read on >

A new study has found a super-sweet chemical in illegal flavored e-cigarettes that may make them more appealing to kids and teens. The sweetener, called neotame, is up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar and is usually used in products like ice cream or lip gloss, STAT News reported.  But now, researchers say it’s showing up in popular disposable vapes. The study, published June 2 in JAMA, tested 11 brands of flavored vapes sold in the U.S. — including Elf Bar, Breeze and Mr. Fog — and found neotame in all of them, even in products labeled as “zero nicotine.” These products are illegal, but they’re still sold in gas stations, stores and online. Researchers did not find neotame in the four e-cigarettes authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nor in Juul, which awaits FDA approval, STAT News said in a report. Experts say neotame could be a big reason why teens are drawn to these flavored vapes. “We think that the presence of neotame is really a determining factor in the attractiveness and preference for these products,” said study author Sven Jordt, a professor at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C. That’s especially true for children and teens, who crave sweet tastes much more than adults, Jordt added. The Truth Initiative, an anti-tobacco nonprofit, says flavored vapes now make up…  read on >  read on >

A new study has found a super-sweet chemical in illegal flavored e-cigarettes that may make them more appealing to kids and teens. The sweetener, called neotame, is up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar and is usually used in products like ice cream or lip gloss, STAT News reported.  But now, researchers say it’s showing up in popular disposable vapes. The study, published June 2 in JAMA, tested 11 brands of flavored vapes sold in the U.S. — including Elf Bar, Breeze and Mr. Fog — and found neotame in all of them, even in products labeled as “zero nicotine.” These products are illegal, but they’re still sold in gas stations, stores and online. Researchers did not find neotame in the four e-cigarettes authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nor in Juul, which awaits FDA approval, STAT News said in a report. Experts say neotame could be a big reason why teens are drawn to these flavored vapes. “We think that the presence of neotame is really a determining factor in the attractiveness and preference for these products,” said study author Sven Jordt, a professor at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C. That’s especially true for children and teens, who crave sweet tastes much more than adults, Jordt added. The Truth Initiative, an anti-tobacco nonprofit, says flavored vapes now make up…  read on >  read on >

Salmonella-tainted tomatoes in three southern states could cause severe illness or even death, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns. The FDA has updated an ongoing recall of tomatoes distributed in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina to Class I — its highest warning level, The New York Times reported. A Class I recall means there is a reasonable chance that using the product could lead to “serious adverse health consequences or death.” The tomatoes were distributed under the H&C Farms label between April 23 and 28 and were sold in packages ranging from a small three-pack to 25-pound boxes. The tomatoes were first recalled voluntarily in early May, The Times reported, with no reported illnesses at the time. But the FDA says the risk is now considered more severe. It’s not likely that shoppers will come across any fresh tomatoes from the recalled batch, according to the FDA. However, the salmonella bacteria can survive for weeks in dry places and for months in wet or frozen environments, meaning the tomatoes could still pose a danger if stored, The Times said. The exact source of the contamination is still unknown. Williams Farms Repack, the South Carolina company that distributed the tomatoes, has not commented. H&C Farms has also declined to comment. Each year, Salmonella sickens more than 1 million people in the U.S. and…  read on >  read on >

It’s never too late to start eating right as a means of protecting your brain health, a new study says. People who improved their healthy eating in middle-age had a 25% lower risk of lower risk of dementia, compared to those whose diets got worse, according to findings reported today at a meeting of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). “Our study findings confirm that healthy dietary patterns in mid to late life and their improvement over time may prevent Alzheimer’s and related dementias,” researcher Song-Yi Park, an associate professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said in a news release. “This suggests that it is never too late to adopt a healthy diet to prevent dementia,” she added. For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 93,000 adults taking part in a long-term health study. Participants were between 45 and 75 when the study started in the 1990s, and more than 21,000 developed Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in the years that followed. Study participants filled out diet questionnaires, and researchers assessed their responses to gauge their adherence to the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet. The MIND diet combines the Mediterranean diet with the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, two eating patterns that have been shown to improve people’s health. It emphasizes whole grains, vegetables, nuts, beans, berries, poultry and…  read on >  read on >

It’s never too late to start eating right as a means of protecting your brain health, a new study says. People who improved their healthy eating in middle-age had a 25% lower risk of dementia, compared to those whose diets got worse, according to findings reported today at a meeting of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). “Our study findings confirm that healthy dietary patterns in mid to late life and their improvement over time may prevent Alzheimer’s and related dementias,” researcher Song-Yi Park, an associate professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said in a news release. “This suggests that it is never too late to adopt a healthy diet to prevent dementia,” she added. For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 93,000 adults taking part in a long-term health study. Participants were between 45 and 75 when the study started in the 1990s, and more than 21,000 developed Alzheimer’s disease or dementia in the years that followed. Study participants filled out diet questionnaires, and researchers assessed their responses to gauge their adherence to the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet. The MIND diet combines the Mediterranean diet with the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, two eating patterns that have been shown to improve people’s health. It emphasizes whole grains, vegetables, nuts, beans, berries, poultry and fish, while recommending…  read on >  read on >