Adding a sprinkling of antibodies to food could help protect against food poisoning bacteria such as salmonella, according to new research.
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Scientists at the University of Alberta in Canada have developed a food additive, derived from freeze-dried egg yolk, which contains antibodies that could help ward off harmful bacteria, reported BBC News Online.
Antibodies that specifically target harmful food poisoning bacteria such as E.coli, salmonella and listeria, can be mass-produced by injecting the bugs into hens. The antibodies then often accumulate in the yolk of the hens’ eggs.
The researchers say animal tests using the freeze-dried antibodies have been encouraging and they hope to start human testing soon.
“This ‘spice’ represents a safe, easy and inexpensive way to enhance your protection against germs that attack humans via food,” Dr Hoon Sunwoo, the lead researcher, was quoted by BBC News Online as saying.
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By GlobalData“It does not kill the germs, but prevents them from infecting your body.
“The antibody can remain active one to two hours after being ingested – that buys precious time that can help keep you alive.”
