oil

Is olive oil the healthiest of all?

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We tend to see olive oil, and especially the extra virgin or Aove, such as the cusp of the pyramid in terms of food fats. And not only in regard to his culinary excellence, but also in regard to his health impact. The big question is whether this pillar of the Mediterranean diet is up to this second aspect. Fats are not a necessary evil of our gastronomy, they are one more macronutrient for our body, which requires a source of lipids as required carbohydrates, proteins and micronutrients. Cholesterol and triglycerides Examples of these compounds are whose presence in our body is necessary. In addition to providing us with energy, lipids fulfill functions such as saving and transporting this or making messengers inside the cells, among others. On the other hand, problems can also cause us in some contexts, such as when cholesterol accumulates in our arteries. Nutrition is a complex area: different types of lipids can help us in different contexts and each food product can contain different proportions of each of the compounds that usually form them. Besides, Measure the impact on health of the consumption of some foods requires long follow -ups of the health status of the people who consume them. The notion that olive oil is superior to other sources of fat in regards to its impact on health is widespread. We owe this, at least in part, to the fact that this fat is one of the bases of the Mediterranean diet, considered one of the healthiest in the world. However, this does not necessarily imply that it is a healthy option. Fortunately, we have tools to evaluate this, as developed a few years ago by the Institute of Fat (IG), Research Center assigned to the CSIC (Higher Council for Scientific Research). After studying various culinary sources of fat, both animals and vegetables, the IG team developed an index (With values ​​between 0 and 100, being 100 the maximum score and with the 50 as a limit of the “approved”). To create the index, they explained at the time, those responsible for the study attended to the “dietary recommendations and health allegations of the main international organizations.” The result? Of the four best evaluated fats, three were derived from the olive. Virgin olive oil was The best valuedthus taking the maximum score, 100. As explained by the team responsible for creating the index In an article In the magazine Nutrients“One of the factors that contribute to the positive score for AOV (virgin olive oil) was its high oleic acid content.” The ranking of the fats The next three positions resulted from a tie with a index of 86. The fats that achieved this note were common olive oil, olive pomace oil, and linen oil. Sunflower oil, another usual in our kitchens received an index of 82, which placed it in the immediately following position, together with the sesame oil. In general, vegetable fats received evaluations superior to those of animal origin. Among them, the Fish fats They were better valued, and the beef tall and the lard (45), and the butter (32) the worst note received. Of course, these were not the worst valued: margarine received a worse index (14) and the list was closed by coconut butter, with a zero. Other experts seem to coincide with this evaluation. An example is those of the Harvard Medicine School, which They point that olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and that many of its benefits could come from there. These fats, they explain, have only one double bond between carbon atoms, which implies that they have less hydrogen atoms than saturated fats. This structure is responsible for these oils to remain liquid at room temperature. Howard E. Lewine, Chief Editor of Medicine of Harvard Health Publishing, pointed in a piece that “olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acidscontaining around 75% by volume. When we replace saturated fats, monounsaturated fats can reduce your ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol. The benefits of olive oil have been attributed to its antioxidant and anti -inflammatory properties. ” In Xataka | Image | Umbe Ber

The oil market is so broken that Spain already prepares its great weapon to fix it: remove oil via decree

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They do not run easy times for the olive oil market. Or rather, they run paradoxical times. In recent years, farmers had to deal with bad harvests that raised prices and They punished consumption. Now they enjoy a good campaign that will overcome the 1.4 million tonsbut things are not much better. The prices they charge They have fallen so much that they have left them in a committed situation, with a Great hole In your income. Given that scenario, the government has decided to move and endow A ‘Nuclear button’ That, if necessary, it will allow you to stabilize the market in the 2025-2026 campaign. As? Removing oil if the harvest is very abundant. What happened? That the Ministry of Agriculture wants to anticipate a possible imbalance in the extra virgin olive oil sector. In view of The good prospects Of the 2024-2025 campaign and the fear that this abundance of fruit ends up impacting the Spanish market, the government has launched its administrative machinery to have a tool that allows it to re-may be rebuilt. As? Basically removing oil from the oil mills. Remove olive oil? Exact. The community regulations allow states to activate a “marketing standard” for the olive oil sector that “improves and stabilizes” its market. That general framework moved to Spain with the Royal Decree 84/2021which in turn contemplates that “when the conditions justify it” it is withdrawn as a result of the markets, reserving it for the next campaign or even dedicating it to a different use to that of food. The process, yes, is somewhat more complex and requires that the autonomies and organizations representing the sector be consulted before. And that is precisely what the Ministry of Agriculture has just done: open A public consultation so that those who want to comment on their order for the 2025/2026 campaign can do so. The observations can be sent until next Wednesday. And why do you do it? For the data that arrive from the olive sector itself. Although the crops of 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 were rather Parcas (666,000 and 854,500 tons, respectively), which contributed to the price of olive oil to be triggered in the stores, the current panorama is quite different. It is estimated that the current campaign, which started in October and will end in September, will leave More than 1.4 million of tons. In March the Minister of the Branch, Luis Planas, even He spoke of 1.42 million. There are who is even More optimistic and talks about major figures for the next campaign. And how do prices respond? If in 2023 and 2024, coinciding with the bad harvests, the price of olive oil came to be around nine euros per kilo in the case of the Aove, now, with a generous campaign, that value has been reduced to 3.59 euros. And so It is a problem For farmers. Juan Luis Ávila, from COAG, warned In May that while the consumer pays about six euros for the liter of oil, the producers receive less than 3.5 euros for the AVE, which would be below the cost of production in the olive groves. What is that fall? The million dollar question. Especially since farmers ensure that market prices are not those that should in current circumstances. “The data is overwhelming and alarming, since there is an unjustified lag of more than two euros per kilo between the real price at the origin of olive oil and the value it should have,” He warned in May Miguel Padilla, of the Coordinator of Agriculture and Livestock Organizations, COAG. To reinforce its position, the collective even presented A report which estimated that the Aove should quote 5.55-6.14 euros per kilo in the current campaign, far from what the olivicultores perceive. “Speculation Campa at ease”, regrets UPA General Secretary, Cristóbal Cano, who believes that there should be “a different pricaries in the market, according to the law of supply and demand.” What will the new standard be for? With its new order for the 2025-2026 campaign, the government wants to be prepared to “stabilize” the market with a clear strategy: withdrawing product. From the Ministry they advance, yes, that will only happen “if high production estimates are found that can generate imbalances.” I would be The first time That the Planas department activates the mandatory oil withdrawal mechanism to rebalance the market. What does the sector think? The EFE agency has spoken with several organizations, such as ASAJA, COAG, UPA, UDU or agro-food cooperatives, which the initiative see with good entrance. “It is absolutely essential to have all the prepared machinery. Until now we had not needed, but before a predictable good harvest we have seen the convenience of activating it, as simple as possible, to avoid the sinking of prices,” comment In DCoop. Not everyone is equally optimistic. In Murcia there are producers who They are suspicious that the oil withdrawal from the market to control prices is the effective solution. Images | Government of Castilla-La Mancha (Flickr) and Deoleo In Xataka | More and more giants get into the Andalusian field and in the olive oil industry. The last: Pepsico

Whenever there has been war in the Middle East the price of oil has shot. Now something different is happening

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A truce between Iran and Israel announced by President Donald Trump had an immediate impact on energy markets. According to Financial TimesBrent’s crude oil fell up to 5.6 % on the morning of Tuesday, June 24 – having $ 67.50 per barrel – after the news of the high to fire. However, market volatility has not ceased during the day. Prices have partially rebound after Israel accused Iran of raping the truce and threatened with a “blunt response.” At the end of the day, According to Oilprice dataBrent’s price remains around 67 dollars. This sway reflects how the oil market is still extremely sensitive to geopolitical holders. Hadn’t they shot each other? Less than two months ago, A perfect sinking storm The price of oil below $ 60, for tariffs, refinery closure and overproduction. With the outbreak of the conflict between Iran and Israel, oil prices They had shot. As He explained Bloomberg, the military offensive revived one of the greatest fears of the oil market: an interruption of the supply from Iran, the third largest producer in the region. However, that climb lasted little, exceeding the breeze price of $ 80 per barrel only for a few hours. Operators did not detect concrete damage to critical infrastructures or interruptions in crude oil flow, which quickly cooled expectations. A persistent threat. Despite the initial containment, the Ormuz Strait remains the great friction point. For this narrow one – just 9 kilometers at its closest point – circulates around 20 % of the world crude. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close it if the scale scale, which would activate one of the worst scenarios for global markets. The tension has generated concrete reactions. Several Chinese oil ships They have received instructions to avoid the area. This gesture suggests that, although there is still no open conflict, navigation risks are real and affect logistic decisions of key actors such as China. There is a superlative difference. Despite tensions, prices have not climbed as in past crises. This is due to several structural factors such as high production and sufficient reserves. Thanks to the rise of Shale Oil in the US and the increase in production in Canada, Guyana and Brazil, the global market has a wide mattress. Even if Iranian exports were stopped – about 2 million barrels per day – OPEC+ could supply the void without great shocks, According to Bloomberg. On the other hand, in the same medium, they have stressed that even China, the largest oil consumer in the last decades, shows signs of having reached a roof in its demand, added to its own national production. A fragile balance. The immediate future of the oil market will depend on three major factors. The first, and more critical, is the Ormuz Strait: if Iran decides to close – or threats credible with doing it – this strategic route, prices could be shot. Second, there is the response from the United States and Israel. If the truce is officially broken or military reprisals intensify, a new cycle of uncertainty and volatility in markets would open. Finally, China’s position, the main Iranian crude buyer. Any decision of Beijing – is a tactical withdrawal, greater caution in transport or diplomatic pressure – could alter the current balance. For now, operators seem to assume that the situation will remain contained, without a real interruption of the supply. But with the atmosphere so loaded, a single spark could return to oil to the center of the hurricane. Image | Pexels Xataka | Geography has given Iran its best weapon against the US: a red button to shoot the world oil price

The oil ships are changing route to avoid the Ormuz Strait. Who will pay the detour: We

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Hostilities between Israel and Iran have reached a new peak of tension. The impact has not been expected: The price of oil rises and all looks point to the Ormuz Strait. Through that narrow step it circulates almost a fifth of the world crude, and although it has not been blocked, the tension is already altering routes, more than transportation and raising the pressure on the global energy market. A global bottleneck. The Ormuz Strait connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabic Sea, and is under the control of Iran. Only in 2024, more than 1.4 million barrels daily on ships were transported. According to Bloombergalso manages about 27% of the global oil liquefied gas flow (LPG). A partial or total obstruction It would directly affect energy powers such as China and India, as well as Iran, which has the third largest oil reserve on the planet. An unprecedented climb. Amid the registration of the conflict, many shipowners have begun to avoid the area or demand much higher risk premiums to cross it. According to Financial Timesthe result has been a vertiginous rise in charter prices. According to Clarksons Research figures cited by the British media, the daily rate to rent a VLCC (Vary Large Crude Carrier) that transports 2 million barrels of crude oil from the Gulf to China jumped from $ 19,998 to $ 47,609 in just a week. And not only oil transport has been increased: tank ships that transfer refined products, such as gasoline and diesel, have also doubled their rates, reaching more than $ 51,000 daily on that same route. The gas feels the impact. The tension has caused a slight fall in maritime traffic in the area, and some countries have begun to take precautions. Catar, through his state company Qatarenergy – the world’s largest exporter in the world – officially recommended to its vessels, care to cross the Strait, being the first measure known by an energy producer of the Gulf, According to Bloomberg. The tension is intensified. Iran, under international sanctionsuse a “ghost fleet”: ships that operate outside the international regulatory system, without valid insurance or security certifications. This not only represents a legal risk, but also operational. On June 17, Petrolero Front Eagle, of the Norwegian Frontline company, collided with one of these ships just after leaving the Gulf, According to Reuters. That same day, two other oil tankers collided and even caught fire, while two others were approached by Iranian vessels, which led to a “maximum alert” in the area. According to Richard Fulford-Smith, director of the firm Eden Ocean, cited by the Financial Timessome oil buyers are opting for suppliers other than Iran who use regulated vessels. This is pushing the demand towards the legitimate fleet and further increases the global rates. And now what? Uncertainty has already pushed some companies to redirect their routes outside the Persian Gulf, despite the additional cost. China and India could increase their purchases to suppliers such as Saudi Arabia or Russia, which do not depend on the Strait. So, some vessels are demanding higher risk premiums to cross the area, while others prefer to avoid it completely. For its part, United States has begun to reinforce its military presence. Can there be a real closure? Although there has been no official closure of the Strait, the tension has raised the fears that it may occur. Oxford Economics has recently warned In Bloomberg that the price of the Brent barrel could reach $ 130 if a total blockade occurs. And the most worrying: an eventual risk premium could be maintained even after a reopening. For now, the flows continue, but with greater caution and an increasingly dense naval presence. Energy risk. The Ormuz Strait is still open, but fear of a block is more present than ever. For now, the flow of crude and gas continues, although conditioned by a conflict that threatens to spread. The tension has not paralyzed trade, but has more expensive. And that, in the energy market, is enough to light alarms. Image | Pexels Xataka | A fear has taken over the world oil industry: the closure of the Ormuz Strait by Iran

Jaén conquered Spain for its olive oil. Now he has conquered Europe with his drones

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Jaén has achieved a New milestone related to drone flight at European level. For the first time in Europe, a control transfer operation (Handover) has been carried out in full flight without interruptions in the link. The importance of the operation lies not only in crucial applications that have this type of flights for the transport of medical supplies in remote areas, but in how they have achieved it. What happened. In the Jiennense olive grove, between Beas de Segura and Villacarrillo, its Atlas Alpha and Atlas Bravo centers have carried out successfully The first European drone control transfer operation. Those responsible for the project describe a flight in which a protagonist has participated a UAS Tarsis (non -manned fixed -wing system) of 75 kilos, accompanied by two multi -pile drones and three Spanish flight teams, in collaboration with the University of Seville. The goal? Show the viability of unmanned air systems in transport of health material in remote or difficult access areas. But the key is not in the objective of use, it is on the flight itself. Why is it important. It is the first time in Europe that an operation of this draft is performed. Until now, it had never been possible to transfer the full flight control of a fixed wing drone with these dimensions between two stations separated by 23km. This flight represents an important advance in the future of drug transport in remote areas and a break between the barriers of distance: the limitations cease to be a problem if the transfer of the drone is successful. Why is it so difficult. Dron’s operations are limited by their radius of scope: If the aircraft moves away from its control stationGoodbye flight. Hence the importance of achieving a real -time control transfer and without interruptions. But this goes beyond the technical side. The milestone here is not the distance, it is the relay. The “Handover” is not just a transfer of flight mechanics, it is a transfer of legal and operational responsibility. This project shows that, in the future, a drone managed by a company A can go through space and transfer flight responsibility to a company B. The U-Space. To make this transfer possible, the European Union has a set of services and procedures framed within what it calls U-spaceits traffic management system for drones. When operating under this framework, each operator must register their drone, present their flight plan and obtain real-time digital authorization through the U-Space system, under the supervision of the common information provider (CISP), in this case the Spanish ENAIRE. This flight was not a simulation, but a real test with multiple actors of how it is possible to coordinate a control transfer operation under an U-SPAC infrastructure. It shows that it is viable to climb this model to other missions with low altitude drones, from health logistics to surveillance, agriculture or emergencies. Europe had not achieved it. Jaén has been the first to achieve it, although in Europe efforts are being focused to minimize reach losses on long distance flights. Galicia has designed U-Space cells in the ports of A Coruña and Malpica To connect two points in the same management and Valencia space too Drones for logistics operations in its ports. The Jiennense project will not be the only one. This is a project at European level, and it is planned to develop throughout eight Spanish autonomous communities: Andalusia, Aragon, Canary Islands, Catalonia, Valencian Community, Galicia, Madrid and Navarra. Image | ENAIRE In Xataka | China conquered us with its cheap drones. Now the price of its pieces is shooting for a reason that is not accidental

We have discovered a relationship between olive oil and risk of death by dementia, a point in favor of the Mediterranean diet

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Someone could think that everything is already said, all investigated, on one of the fundamental axes of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil. Nothing is further from reality: research on this food continues and continues to reveal striking aspects of the liquid. And as regards striking relationships, perhaps the palm is taken by the fact that they keep the consumption of this derivative of the olive and dementia. 28%. A study published a few months ago established existence of this relationship. Specifically, the analysis responsible for the analysis observed a 28% reduction in the risk of death associated with dementia between people who consumed at least Seven grams of olive oil per day, compared to those who did not consume this liquid or did it rarely. Until now, some studies They had indicated us an inverse relationship between the Mediterranean diet and the cognitive deterioration associated with age. From there, establishing relationships between different aspects of these variables can help us better understand the link between Mediterranean diet and healthier aging. Changing ingredients. In its analysis, the team also studied the effects of replacing different sources of fat. Through a substitution modeling, they estimated that replacing five grams of margarine or mayonnaise daily with an equivalent amount of olive oil could be related to a decrease in the risk of mortality associated with the dementia of between 8% and 14%. A similar analysis did not detect similar effects when these fats were replaced by other vegetable oils or butter. 92,383 participants. The study was conducted from the macro -conformation Nurses’ Health Study II and Health Professionals Follow-Upwhich allowed to obtain Information about 92,383 participants. These filled surveys on eating habits every four years over a 28 -year period. The team divided these participants depending on their olive oil consumption: those who never consumed olive oil or did it less than once a month; who consumed up to 1.5 grams per day, who consumed between 4.6 and 7 grams per day; and a group for those who consumed more. The team extended its analysis over 18 years of the study and controlled aspects such as the general quality of the diet or the genetic predisposition to suffer from the disease. The details of the study were published In an article In the magazine Jama Network Open. What is happening? When establishing a causal relationship, it is always convenient to understand what mechanisms are operating behind this relationship between olive oil consumption and death risk associated with dementia. “Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and contains components with antioxidant activity that can play a protective role for the brain,” He explained to the environment UPI Anne-Julie Tessier, co-author of the study. In Xataka | Extra virgin olive oil is one of the purest products in the world. And it is also full of microplastics Image | Pixabay

Coconut oil and the Philippines diesel

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With a spring that is has resisted arrivingit seems that temperatures are going to start taking the aftertaste of an incipient summer and, with it, the time of cooling comes. That is where the ice cream enters, that this year will be doubly protagonist, but not only because its price is going to be more expensive, but also because it will affect the Filipino drivers, but what will have to see the eggs to eat wheat? A simple ingredient: coconut oil. Short. The price of coconut oil has shot in wholesale markets, reaching $ 2,700 by metric ton. As He explained Energy expert Javier Blas, this rise is not an isolated phenomenon and reflects a global tension market where coconut, a product traditionally associated with the tropics, has become the epicenter of a battle between food, cosmetic and energy industries. He started with the boy. Yes, the meteorological phenomenon that He shook the world Between 2023 and 2024, where specifically in Southeast Asia they experienced an unusually warm and dry climate, seriously affecting coconut crops. Philippines, Indonesia and India, 75% responsible Of the world coconut oil production, they registered significant falls in their crops. In addition, the child not only swept coconut crops, but also exacerbated drought conditions in areas where water is vital for palms growth. A coconut tree It takes between 12 and 18 months In producing a new harvest, which means that the effects of meteorological phenomenon will continue to feel until 2025 and possibly until 2026. This delay has created a perfect storm for the markets, where the supply continues to decrease while the demand continues to increase. However, this has only been the first blow. A second blow. To this were added additional sources of demand: the rise of biodiesel and the tendency to position coconut oil as A slimming product and Other uses in beautydriven by social networks. This trend has diverted millions of coconuts from the food market towards the cosmetic market, further increasing the pressure on prices. The coup of grace. At the same time, biodiesel has emerged as a new competitor for coconuts. In the energy sector promises “green” fuel in a hungry world of Sustainable alternatives. But this apparent sustainability has a hidden cost: less coconuts available for food means higher prices for consumers and lower margins for ice cream brands. Biofuel? Almost two decades ago, the Philippines began to mix diesel With coconut methyl ester, a derivative of coconut oil. At that time, the mixture was 1%. However, in October 2024, the government increased the mixture to 3% and announced plans to reach 5% in 2026, as He has collected The energy analyst for Bloomberg. Each additional percentage point means diverting around 900 million coconuts to the biofuel market. If the Philippines reaches its 5%objective, 4,500 million coconuts will be used for biodiesel, which represents almost a third of the country’s annual harvest. The relationship of both. The connection between vegan ice cream and biofuel is direct. Each coconut for biodiesel is a less available coconut for the food industry, but the relationship goes beyond simple coconut deviation. In a globalized market, price increases in a sector quickly have in others. For example, while ice cream brands look for alternatives to coconut oil, biofuel manufacturers can absorb additional costs with government subsidies, which puts food marks in a disadvantageous position, According to energy expert Javier Blas. A coconut ball. A simple dessert that brings us a little freshness in a summer that will be hot, It becomes a mirror of the complexities of the global market. And this is how a simple coconut can be both an essential ingredient in the food industry and a key input for biofuel, competing for its place in an increasingly tense market. While Filipino drivers look for more affordable fuels and ice cream brands fight to maintain their margins, the final consumer feels the impact on each tablespoon. Image | Pexels and Pxhere Xataka | Something weird happens with the price of olive oil and farmers have just reported it: there are up to 2.8 billion at stake

Sam Altman has shown how to offend a Jaén oil producer

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The Economic newspaper Financial Times interviewed to the founder and CEO of OpenAi while preparing the food that they later were going to “enjoy” while still talking with the newspaper of the newspaper. Two details in the preparation of the dish caught the attention: the huge amount of garlic that I was going to use to season the pasta dish that was cooking and, worse, the type of olive oil he used and how he used it. The Jienean producers soon put the cry in the sky in the face of such an offense: the millionaire was using a Best quality olive oil To fry the garlic. A simple consultation to Chatgpt would have avoided it. Best CEO than a cook. Sam Altman has become a millionaire thanks to his role in the development of Chatgpt, but he has definitely not asked his chatbot how to cook a paste with garlic and, above all, with what type of oil cook it. The amount of garlic used caught the attention of the reporter who, fearing the indigestible disaster that was coming, said: “It seems that there is a terrible amount of garlic here. I think I have never seen so much chopped garlic.” All this while Altman cheerfully poured a good stream of premium olive oil on a pan. The company that bottles the oil that Altman used in his recipe He has reproached To the Millionaire the use of a top quality product that requires a great production effort for something that could do with another cheaper oil that also had right next to it. “Imagine being the CEO of the world’s largest company … and cooking pasta with Drizzle,” the oil manufacturer published. Touch the image to access the original message The best oil in the world is not for frying. The oil that Altman used in his recipe is the graza Drizzle, an oil considered by The New York Times as one of The best in the US market and that, for more signs, it is produced based on the picual variety that is cultivated In the olive grove of Jaén. The price of a 500 ml bottle of this liquid gold is $ 21, according to Your website. The curious thing is that, right next to Graz 16 dollars the bottle. According to brand information and product label, Sizzle is especially indicated to saute vegetables and pasta. A risky decision. Beyond the affront to liquid gold Jienense, only comparable to Add chorizo ​​to the paella either MANCILLAR THE PATHROOMA TOrtillathe use of drizzle oil to fry can be harmful to health. As the brand indicates, Drizzle, unlike Sizzle, has a very low smoke point. That is, “it burns” and smokes at a lower temperature than that of your counterpart for friedness. That makes the oil begin to oxidize already generate acroleínafree hydroperoxides and radicals in greater amount than an oil with greater heat resistance, as well as the appearance of trans fatty acids (AGT), which increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, as noted A study of the University of Australia. Luckily for Altman, extra virgin olive oil It is considered One of the least harmful when that smoke point is reached. An OpenAI metaphor. There are few who see Altman’s “kitchen” like A metaphor of his management at the head of OpenAI. Techcrunch establishedA parallelism of the carefree He recently raisedwhile Keep burning money (and oil) to sport. On the other hand, and as They pointed out from The confidentialthe carefree use of a very expensive oil First quality in an inadequate task it can also be interpreted as a metaphor for the use of resources for the development of its AI by Sam Altman, something that he put in question with Deepseek’s appearance. Cooking your own food is a superpower. Beyond any metaphor between Altman’s culinary skills and his management in Openai, which really reveals The interview analysis The Financial Times is that Sam Altman does not usually cook. The journalist Cas Piancey stressed on social networks “There is absolutely no possibility that Altman, Zuck or any of these billionaires will ever cook their own food.” Piancey assured that cook your own food It is so empowering that it is impossible to contextualize it properly. The fact that millionaires such as Altman want to give that appearance of competition in the stove and normality in the preparation of simple dishes, only demonstrates that, in reality, they seek to generate an image of closeness with their audience. Something that We have already seen In other millionaires. In Xataka | Spain faces the problem contrary to a year ago: an olive oil so cheap that it is no longer profitable for farmers Image | Flikr (Techcrunch), Graza

We thought we had found a safe and sustainable alternative to oil derived. We have to keep looking

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Many years ago, long before “Do you want a bag?” and The new European plugsI got a small summer job distributing potato starch bags by Media Granada. The world had begun to account for the huge problem of plastic bags and prepared to The day later. In that sense, the potato starch was an extraordinary thing. First, because it was ridiculous, extravagant and left everyone out of play (a bag of what?); But above all because starch -based bioplastic seemed like a much more sustainable and renewable material. The issue is that we begin to discover that they have problems. What is a starch -based bioplastic …? Because, although potato bags will always be in our hearts, the true revolution of this family of products occurred when They reached the world of the container for food, disposable utensils, films to cover or even single -use medical products. … And why are they a problem? A newly published study in it Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry He has just shown how “animals that consume particles of this alternative material develop health problems such as liver damage and imbalances in intestinal microbioma.” That is, by Use the exact words of the authors of this study“Biodegradable plastics based on starch may not be as safe or beneficial for health as originally supposed.” Eat plastic. The researchers They compared three groups of five mice: a group (control) consumed normal feed; The other two groups that consumed foods with particles derived from the ‘biodegradation’ of starch -based microplastics. There are two because each one had a dose (low and high) calculated and climbing from the planned daily consumption for a normal human being. They monitored them, studied them and there the problems began. What did they find? In the mice that consumed high doses of bioplastics They presented Damaged organs (including liver and ovaries), problems when handling glucose and even deregulated genetic pathways. “Prolonged exposure to low dose of starch -based microplastics can cause a broad spectrum of health impacts, in particular the alteration of circadian rhythms and the alteration of glucose metabolism and lipids,” explained in the American Society of Chemistry Yongfeng Dengmain author of the study. Should we worry? Well yes and no. Obviously, the results of the investigation are peliagudos, but not alarming in excess. Actually, if confirmed, the results are very similar to those of conventional plastics. In addition, the study is small and the investigation is in a very initial phase. To put it in a summary way: we still do not know how much there are in these results. There is much to work, investigate and regulate. And, deep down, the most interesting thing about this work is not its provisional results. It is the need not to give anything for granted and take care of the movements that we are doing in the development of new materials. It is, in short, a reminder that everything remains to be done. Image | Raymond Petrik In Xataka | We have a new type of plastic, with the durability of traditional plastics and what is more important: recyclable

Extra virgin olive oil is one of the purest products in the world. And it is also full of microplastics

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As if it were the fashion concertFrance’s olive oil consumers have been waiting for their time for too long: that exact point in which the Bodegas Galas are left without the accumulated reserves of 2024 and prices begin to go down driven by the arrival of the Spanish product. The good news is that this moment has arrived. The bad is that oil bottles come with surprises. Surprises? These days, preparing the “great moment”, the great French magazine of consumption ’60 million of consommateurs’, decided to analyze the main brands They were in the French market. They selected 22 bottles of extra virgin olive oil (that is, extracted only with mechanical pressure or centrifugation). Despite the numerous frauds that have been found, the results of the analyzes seem to square with the requirements of composition of this type of products (99% of lipids of a certain profile, predominance of monoinsaturated oleic acids, etc …). The surprise has been the fact of finding high levels of microplastics. Also in oil? Indeed: “Bios or conventional all (…) contain some type of phthalates”, chemical substances that make the most flexible and lasting plastic. Although they are allowed products, there are an increasing body of evidence which suggests that they have an important role as endocrine disruptors. A few days ago We commented on his role in the regulation of blood pressure. And what do we do? The problem of microplastics is huge, really. Only now we begin to be aware of its dimension and depth. However, cases such as this show that we are not being diligent in the control of these: the presence of phthalates is directly due to the containers we use. A global problem. Because yes, these are French data, but it would be naive not to assume that in Spain (where these oil are consumed up to six times more and the presentations are very far from being ‘premium’) the situation is better. It is not, it cannot be. And it is precisely what should lead us to a reflection: we talk about one of the most important products in the country, the axis of a strategic industry that articulates the entire country. It is time to assume that conserving that heritage requires a much deeper look, a plan that goes beyond day to day. And that, I’m afraid, is a pending task. Image | Fulvio Ciccolo | Oregon State University In Xataka | Olive oil sales have fired 50%. The market is so broken that it threatens to be bad news

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