Eat, drink, and be scientific

The rapid pace of scientific advances is changing what we eat and drink, how we prepare it, and how we protect the integrity of it. The IDT blog has addressed that from all angles, including:

• DNA testing has revealed the surprising origins of many popular wines. Your favorite pinot noir may have been thousands of years in the making!
• Is beer more your speed? Are you into hoppy IPAs? CRISPR gene-editing technology is being used to standardize the consistency of hops while reducing the key brewing ingredient’s environmental impact. In the near future, you might even be able to enjoy hoppy beer made without hops! Seriously.
• On the subject of brewing, IDT traffic director Katie Meade utilizes her science background to come up with original home-brew recipes, including “High Tea Hibiscus” and “Vanilla Mint-er Warmer.”
• While Katie develops new, tasty brews, CRISPR is helping make food tastier and more nutritious. What will the future of food look like?
• CRISPR technology has also made its way into the livestock industry. As this intriguing blog outlines, however, selective breeding, does have its drawbacks. This has created an opening for the rapidly expanding “meatless meat” industry, complements of synthetic biology advancements.
• In the mood for a salad instead? Learn how PCR can be used as a method to combat food-borne pathogens.
• Learn about the history of PCR for genomics research.
• Finally, are you a fan of the durian? Do you have to hold your nose when you eat one? Here’s why some find the smell of the fruit so offensive.

Check our blog for the latest in news about synthetic biology, next generation sequencing, and CRISPR technology. We post new blogs every week!