Wine tainted with venom triggers allergic reactions

NewScientist (Aug. 15, drugs 2007) — Wasp venom in wine and grape juice appears to have caused several cases of severe allergic reactions in people, according to a group of Spanish doctors. They suspect that the venom came from wasps accidentally crushed along with the grapes at the first stage of winemaking.

Alicia Armentia of the Rio Hortega Hospital in Valladolid, Spain, and her colleagues treated five people who had developed severe allergic reactions after drinking either wine or grape juice. Three of the patients had facial flushing and swollen lips, while another experienced asthma-like symptoms. The fifth patient developed anaphylaxis, a whole-body allergic reaction that can cause death as a result of constricted airways.

Chemical In Red Wine, and Fruits And Vegetables
Counters Unhealthy Effects Of High-fat Foods

ScienceDaily (6 Jan 2008) — Just as additives help gasoline burn cleaner, viagra sale a new research report shows that the food industry could take a similar approach toward reducing health risks associated with fatty foods. These "meal additives" would be based on work of Israeli researchers who discovered that consuming polyphenols (natural compounds in red wine, fruits, and vegetables) simultaneously with high-fat foods may reduce health risks associated with these foods.