Corn reduces arsenic toxicity in soil

05-Apr-2024 - When crops grow in arsenic-contaminated soil, this toxic element accumulates in the food chain. A study involving the University of Basel has now discovered a mechanism used by corn plants to reduce arsenic uptake: the key factor is a special substance released into the soil by the roots. Arsenic ...

Adipose tissue as a culprit: How obesity leads to diabetes

Researchers surprised: a single enzyme upsets the entire sugar metabolism in a high-fat diet

11-Apr-2023 - A research team at the University of Basel has discovered that a high-fat diet alters the function of adipose tissue, thus impairing its ability to regulate blood sugar. This explains why a high-fat diet poses a significant health risk, particularly for diabetes. Diabetes is a medical condition ...

The mere sight of a meal triggers an inflammatory response in the brain

Meal stimulates immune defense

01-Jul-2022 - Even before carbohydrates reach the bloodstream, the very sight and smell of a meal trigger the release of insulin. For the first time, researchers from the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel have shown that this insulin release depends on a short-term inflammatory response that ...

From the packet into your food: what harmful substances are in food packaging?

Database of previously undocumented chemicals

01-Jun-2022 - Salad boxes to go, sealed-tray lasagna and apple juice in PET bottles: we encounter packaged food and drink everywhere. A new database shows which packaging contains harmful substances that can be transferred to its contents. It also includes findings from researchers at the University of Basel, ...

Solve food fraud efficiently and cost-effectively

12-Oct-2021 - Counterfeit food, in particular false information about geographical origin, causes billions of dollars in economic damage every year. Botanists at the University of Basel have now developed a model that can be used to determine the origin of food efficiently and cost-effectively. Strawberries ...

Regular caffeine consumption affects brain structure

16-Feb-2021 - Coffee, cola or an energy drink: caffeine is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive substance. Researchers from the University of Basel have now shown in a study that regular caffeine intake can change the gray matter of the brain. However, the effect appears to be temporary. No question – ...

Increased phosphate intake elevates blood pressure in healthy adults

27-Aug-2018 - If more phosphate is consumed with food, blood pressure and pulse rate increase in healthy young adults. These findings were shown by a study led by the University of Basel and published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. They make processed cheese spreadable, prevent coffee ...