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Prawn
Cultivation in Artificial Saline Water in Tripura AGARTALA: If necessity is the mother of invention, then unavailability is the mother of ingenuity. Fish farmers in Tripura, who don't have access to sea-water for prawn culture, are using artificial saline water in makeshift hatcheries to breed prawns. Despite the huge costs involved, they get their money's worth as the prawns sell like hot cakes among the State's migrant Bengalis who form nearly 60 per cent of the population. "I farm Rohu fish and other kinds of carps besides prawns. But the prawns are more profitable because we can sell them at Rs 300 per kg at the minimum. But the problem is we don't get enough seed for cultivation," said Mohammed Moti Mian, a fish farmer. Demand for prawns far surpasses supply as most fish farmers are not able to cultivate as much as they want to because of unavailabilty of larvae. Prawn breeding is currently limited to just two districts of Udaipur and Agartala as there are not enough hatcheries. The farmers need to source prawn larvae from the hatcheries and transfer them to fresh water tanks for cultivation. The hatcheries provide the crucial saline water where prawn larvae are bred. Prakriti Bhattacharya, a housewife, set up the first privately-owned hatchery in the State in 1997. She operates the hatchery in the backyard of her house, but wishes she had a bigger set-up to meet the tremendous demand for prawn larvae and exploit the full potential of the money-spinning business. "The
main problem is that of water, especially saline water, which is crucial
for prawn production. Since we don't get it naturally here, we have
to produce saline water artificially. Fish Can Reduce Risk of Dementia LONDON: A team of French researchers have found that eating fish or seafood at least once a week lowers the risk of developing dementia. The researchers asked elderly people about their eating habits and found a link between eating fish, which has high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a reduced risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. More than 1,670 people aged 68 or over living in south-west France took part in this long-term study of how age affects mental function and behaviour. They were classed as eating meat or fish every day, at least once a week, from time to time, or never. After questioning the participants, the researchers found that those who ate fish or seafood at least once a week had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia over the seven years of the study. Fatty acids in fish oils have a protective effect on the vascular system and the researchers say they could also reduce inflammation in the brain and have a specific role in brain development as well as regeneration of nerve cells. No significant link was seen between eating meat and risk of dementia.
Pascale Barberger-Gateau of the University Victor Segalen in Bordeaux
who led the study, was quoted by BBC as saying, "Elderly people who
eat fish or seafood at least once a week are at a lower risk of developing
dementia, including Alzheimer's disease". Fermented Cabbage a Better Cancer-fighter LONDON: Researchers have found that fermented cabbage could be healthier than raw or cooked cabbage, especially for fighting cancer. "Cabbage, the basis of sauerkraut, is part of a family of vegetables that includes broccoli and Brussels sprouts, which have long been heralded for their ability to prevent cancer. However, the fermentation process used to make sauerkraut appears to unlock even stronger anti-carcinogenic elements", said Eeva-Liisa Ryhanen, one of the researchers at MTT Agrifood Research Finland in Jokioinen.
"The family of vegetables that cabbage belongs to, helps prevent cancers
of the breast, lung and colon", Leonard Bjeldanes, a professor of food
toxicology with the University of California at Berkeley, was quoted
by Health Scout as saying. A 'Vision-impairing' Additive in Chinese Food TOKYO: Scientists at the Hirosaki University in Japan have cautioned that a food additive, called monosodium glutamate (MSG), commonly found in Chinese food, could be linked to sight problems, according to a report published in Experimental Eye Research. The researchers carried out tests in rats, which showed that high levels of monosodium glutamate could damage the retina. They found rats that fed on diets high in MSG suffered vision loss and had thinner retinas. The researchers' theory of how MSG affects sight is that it binds to receptors on retinal cells, destroying them. This then triggers secondary reactions that reduce the ability of the cells which are left to relay electrical signals.
Researchers also found high concentrations of MSG in the vitreous fluid
which bathes the retina. Lead researcher Hiroshi Ohguro said it was
the first study to show eating food containing MSG could cause damage
to the eyes.
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