The Riddet Institute's Principal Investigator, Professor of Food Chemistry Laurie Melton, has been appointed as an editor of the prestigious Elsevier publication, Food Chemistry. Food Chemistry is the world's leading Food Science research journal and is owned by Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a provider of professional information solutions to the science, medical, legal, and risk and business sectors. Professor Melton's appointment confirms New Zealand's leading role in the Food Sciences internationally. He was recommended for the role and is one of nine editors and one of only two from outside North America and Europe. "I was delighted. I did not think I'd attain this level in my chosen field," says Professor Melton. " It is a prestigious appointment and one which has a lot of influence on the future of food science internationally." "As a member of the Riddet Institute I have worked with some of New Zealand's leading scientists. Together we have made some exciting discoveries in the fundamentals of food. This is only possible because the government funds the Riddet Institute as a Centre of Research Excellence." More than 6000 papers are submitted to Food Chemistry every year and Professor Melton assigns two days a week to assessing … Continue reading →

People who loathe Brussels sprouts may be especially sensitive to chemical compounds called glucosinolates Glucosinolates are turned into isothiocyanate compounds when sprouts are cooked Isothiocyanates have similarproperties to man-made compounds that taste bitter to almost three quarters of people The ability to taste this bitterness is thought to be genetic, explaining why some people like sproutsmore By Sarah Griffiths for MailOnline Published: 05:14 EST, 15 December 2014 | Updated: 05:23 EST, 15 December 2014 141 shares 24 View comments If you devour your Christmas dinner but can't bring yourself to sample the cook's Brussels's sprouts, you may now have an excuse: it's in your genes. A chemistry teacher has created an infographic explaining the chemistry and genetics behind why some people cant stand the taste of bitter vegetables. Those who loathe the seasonal greens, Andy Brunning explains, may be especially sensitive to naturally occurring chemical compounds called glucosinolates. Hate sprouts? You've got a new excuse: A chemistry teacher argues that there may be a chemical and genetic reason why some people cant stand the taste of Brussels sprouts. People who loathe the seasonal green vegetables may be especially sensitive to chemical compounds called glucosinolates, which occur naturally in sprouts Excerpt … Continue reading →

Canberras top students following the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies awards. Photo: Jeffrey Chan The ACT's joint top year 12 students share a love of maths, chemistry and physics, and their extraordinary abilities have resulted in an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank of 99.95 each - the highest possible score. But they have also made time during their final years of school for movies, cooking, swimming, canoeing, hiking and the odd game of Wii. Canberra College student Jiheng Xu (Sunny) arrived in Canberra on her own more than two years ago from China, to complete years 11 and 12 in a city her parents thought would offer her a complete education. Top year 12 students Jiheng Xu of Canberra College and Vanessa Ma of Canberra Girls Grammar School. Photo: Jeffrey Chan She lived in a homestay with a family before moving out on her own once she turned 18. Advertisement There are currently 220 overseas students in the ACT government's homestay program, paying up to $14,800 a year to complete years 11 and 12 in the ACT. The fact that Ms Xu had only basic English language skills when she arrived makes her success - her subjects include English, specialist … Continue reading →

Chemistry is one of the most essential but hard-to-describe parts of the filmmaking process. Actors need to get in tune with their costars, just as directors need to find the right way to communicate with their actors. You cant really force it. It just happens or it doesnt. Good chemistry broke out in a big way at this years Envelope Roundtable of supporting actresses. Participants Laura Dern (Wild) and Patricia Arquette (Boyhood) have moved in similar circles for years, while Tilda Swinton (Snowpiercer) and Emma Stone (Birdman) met and bonded for the first time. It all made for a conversation filled with genuine curiosity and discovery on such topics as impromptu costume design, adapting to unusual shooting methods, growing up in a household of actors and what the future holds for the next generation. Here are excerpts from that conversation. Olsen: Emma, with Birdman, the style of that movie is such a big kind of part of the movie itself, the way its shot so that it seems like its one long, continuous take. How aware were you going into the project that that was going to be so much a part of it? Stone: You're pretty aware. Alejandro [Inarritu], … Continue reading →