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Biology


These are blood and blonde varieties of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis).
The anthocyanin pigments that provide the "blood" color of blood oranges are not produced in significant amounts unless the fruit is exposed to cold conditions during its development or post-harvest. No cold exposure means poor anthocyanin production and the loss of the entire crop. This means that blood oranges can be grown in many areas of the world, but they are most likely to be exposed to the correct temperature conditions in only a few regions, including their major area of production in Sicily. Solving the mystery of why cold exposure causes anthocyanin production would benefit both agriculture and health; like many other anthocyanin-rich foods, blood oranges have notable human health benefits. Indeed, blood oranges have the healthful vitamin C, fiber, and carotenoids of regular "blonde" oranges, with the added antioxidant punch provided by anthocyanins. However, unreliable production limits the availability and consumption of these delicacies.

Environment

A study by the Wildlife Conservation Society, the ARC Centre for Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and other groups on more than 40 coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans indicates that "co-management"—a collaborative arrangement between local communities, conservation groups, and governments—provides one solution to a vexing global problem: overfishing.

Health & Medicine

The Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory (NIMML) research team at Virginia Tech has discovered important new information on the efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in treating Crohn's disease, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). CLA is a naturally occurring acid found in meat and dairy products known for its anti-cancer and immune modulatory properties.