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A common recipe is equal parts (typically 0.3 litres) of heavy cream (not whipped), sugar and golden syrup. It is also common to add a few tablespoons of butter. One may also add one or two teaspoons of vanilla sugar or about 0.1 kg of peeled and finely chopped almonds. Put all the ingredients except for the almonds in a heavy based saucepan and stir until the sugar has melted. Simmer until a few drops of the mix poured into cold water can be rolled into a chewy or hard ball. Then add the almonds and pour the mixture in waxed paper cups and leave to cool. Even though the recipe is easy, the process of simmering can take up to 1.5 hours.

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ALMOND MILK RECIPE: 1. Soak 1 cup of almonds for at least 6 hours or overnight. 2. Drain almonds and add to blender with 4 cups of water. 3. Blend almonds and water on high speed about 30 seconds, or until very well mixed. 4. Pour almond milk mixture into a very fine mesh strainer and allow to drain.

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All it takes is raw almonds, a food processor, or blender, and about 15 minutes of your time. Ingredients: 3 cups (1 pound) raw almonds 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (optional) Equipment: Food processor or powerful blender Directions: Place almonds in the bowl of the food processor or blender.Puree, scraping down the sides with a spatula as necessary, until almond butter forms. The almonds will first turn into a meal-like consistency, and then after about 10 minutes finally form a very thick almond butter.his will yield just about two cups of almond butter. Place the almonds in a food processor or good quality, high-powered blender. I use a Cuisinart 14-cup food processor. Hit the On button and start pulverizing those suckers.

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for the complete raw food nut cheese recipe scroll down. Measure 1 1/2 cup almonds* and soak overnight in water. * Can use other nuts such as raw cashews, brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts.Rinse and drain the almonds. Blend the almonds with 1 1/2 cups water, 2 tablespoons chickpea miso, 1 teaspoon coconut oil (optional), and the juice from 3 lemons.our contents of your blender into a bowl and season with a good quality pink or sea salt to taste. You can adjust for tanginess by adding more lemon juice. To make an herbed cheese fold in 3 tablespoons chopped dill (about 5 sprigs) and 2 tablespoons chopped green onion (about 3 green onions green part only).

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It, at least, should show almondine, which is really bastardization of the French word amandine, meaning garnished with almonds.. The garnish couldn't be simpler. Melt 1/4 cup of butter. Add 1/4 cup of blanched, slivered almonds and stir over low heat until lightly browned. Salt, as necessary.

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1 Almond flour is made from finely ground blanched almonds, while almond meal, from finely ground almonds including the skin. 2 Almond flour is best used for cakes, cookies and other pastries requiring finer, moister texture. 3 Almond meal best suits dryer and courser pastries such as cream puff and wafer bases.

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Almond flour is a term pertaining to ground blanched (without the skin) almonds. It is produced by discarding the thin layer of skin from the almonds and grinding them until the mass forms a consistency similar to regular flour.

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Almond Flour. Dehydrating or lightly baking almond pulp until dry produces a delicious almond flour that can be used in any recipe that calls for the store-version. Once dry, you may want to re-process the flour to remove any clumps, and produce a finer flour. Store in an airtight jar.

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Almond flour, also known as almond meal, is an alternative to wheat flour for baking and cooking. The only ingredients in blanched almond flour are ground, whole almonds with the skin removed. This flour is gluten-free, low in carbohydrates, high in fiber and a high source of protein.

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Almond flour or almond meal is simply almonds that a ground down to varying fineness. While frequently seen in cake recipes such as moist and chewy friands and financier, it is also used as a sauce thickener and can be used as a crumb coating, as in breadcrumbs.Blanched almond meal or flour has had the almond skins removed so is pale yellow-white in colour.oconut flour is also high in manganese, vitamin C and thiamine. Differing from almond meal, coconut flour can actually absorb moisture in baked goods, while almond flour introduces extra moisture. Many food writers recommend using double the amount of eggs a recipe requires while reducing the amount of flour.

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One of the key issues concerning regulators is whether GM products should be labeled. Labeling can be mandatory up to a threshold GM content level (which varies between countries) or voluntary. A study investigating voluntary labeling in South Africa found that 31% of products labeled as GMO-free had a GM content above 1.0%. In Canada and the United States labeling of GM food is voluntary, while in Europe all food (including processed food) or feed which contains greater than 0.9% of approved GMOs must be labelled. Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Australia require labeling so consumers can exercise choice between foods that have genetically modified, conventional or organic origins.

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One of the key issues concerning regulators is whether GM products should be labeled. Labeling of GMO products in the marketplace is required in 64 countries. Labeling can be mandatory up to a threshold GM content level (which varies between countries) or voluntary. A study investigating voluntary labeling in South Africa found that 31% of products labeled as GMO-free had a GM content above 1.0%. In Canada and the USA labeling of GM food is voluntary, while in Europe all food (including processed food) or feed which contains greater than 0.9% of approved GMOs must be labelled.

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Reply. Hi Jay, Here's a link to our Wegmans Organic Mayo page on our product catalog. Under the Details' tab, you'll find the full list of ingredients. This is also the page where you'll find nutrition facts and other label information.t does cost considerably more than our conventional Wegmans mayo, $3.49 for a pint jar. It is USDA certified organic, so all ingredients have to be certified organic. That means no synthetic pesticide, fertilizer, GMOs.

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has tested all the GMOs on the market to determine whether they are toxic or allergenic. They are not. (The GMO-fearing can seek out 100 Percent Organic products, indicating that a food contains no genetically modified ingredients, among other requirements.).Many people argue for GMO labels in the name of increased consumer choice. On the contrary, such labels have limited people's options.In 1997, a time of growing opposition to GMOs in Europe, the E.U. began to require them.The GMO-fearing can seek out 100 Percent Organic products, indicating that a food contains no genetically modified ingredients, among other requirements.). Many people argue for GMO labels in the name of increased consumer choice. On the contrary, such labels have limited people's options.

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India and China are the two largest producers of genetically modified products in Asia. India currently only grows GM cotton, while China produces GM varieties of cotton, poplar, petunia, tomato, papaya and sweet pepper. study investigating voluntary labeling in South Africa found that 31% of products labeled as GMO-free had a GM content above 1.0%. In Canada and the USA labeling of GM food is voluntary, while in Europe all food (including processed food) or feed which contains greater than 0.9% of approved GMOs must be labelled.

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Currently, it is highly unlikely that the presence of unexpected or even unknown GMOs will be detected, since either the DNA sequence of the transgene or its product, the protein, must be known for detection. In addition, even testing for known GMOs is time-consuming and costly, as current reliable detection methods can test for only one GMO at a time. Therefore, research programmes such as Co-Extra are developing improved and alternative testing methods, for example DNA microarrays.

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Genetically modified plants must be safe for the environment and suitable for coexistence with conventional and organic crops. Towards such safety, a major hurdle is posed by the potential outcrossing of the transgene via pollen movement. Plastid transformation, which yields transplastomic plants in which the pollen does not contain the transgene, not only increases biosafety, but also facilitates the coexistence of genetically modified, conventional and organic agriculture. Therefore, developing such crops is a major goal of research projects such as Co-Extra and Transcontainer.

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The coexistence has raised significant concern in many European countries and so EU law also requires that all GM food be traceable to its origin, and that all food with GM content greater than 0.9% be labelled. Due to high demand from European consumers for freedom of choice between GM and non-GM foods. EU regulations require measures to avoid mixing of foods and feed produced from GM crops and conventional or organic crops, which can be done via isolation distances or biological containment strategies. (Unlike the US, European countries require labeling of GM food.) European research programs such as Co-Extra, Transcontainer, and SIGMEA are investigating appropriate tools and rules for traceability. The OECD has introduced a 'unique identifier' which is given to any GMO when it is approved, which must be forwarded at every stage of processing. Such measures are generally not used in North America because they are very costly and the industry admits of no safety-related reasons to employ them. The EC has issued guidelines to allow the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops through buffer zones (where no GM crops are grown). These are regulated by individual countries and vary from 15 meters in Sweden to 800 meters in Luxembourg. All food (including processed food) or feed which contains greater than 0.9% of approved GMOs must be labelled.

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Improving PCR based detection of GMOs is a further goal of the European research programme Co-Extra. Research is now underway to develop multiplex PCR methods that can simultaneously detect many different transgenic lines. Another major challenge is the increasing prevalence of transgenic crops with stacked traits. This refers to transgenic cultivars derived from crosses between transgenic parent lines, combining the transgenic traits of both parents. One GM maize variety now awaiting a decision by the European Commission, MON863 x MON810 x NK603, has three stacked traits. It is resistant to an herbicide and to two different kinds of insect pests. Some combined testing methods could give results that would triple the actual GM content of a sample containing this GMO.

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For genetically modified (GM) rapeseed, researchers hoping to minimise the admixture of GM and non-GM crops are attempting to use cleistogamy to prevent gene flow. However, preliminary results from Co-Extra, a current project within the EU research program, show that although cleistogamy reduces gene flow, it is not at the moment a consistently reliable tool for biocontainment; due to a certain instability of the cleistogamous trait, some flowers may open and release genetically modified pollen.

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The American Public Health Association, the British Medical Association and the Public Health Association of Australia support mandatory labeling. The European Commission argued that mandatory labeling and traceability are needed to allow for informed choice, avoid potential misleading of consumers and facilitate the withdrawal of products if adverse effects on health or the environment are discovered. A 2007 study on the effect of labeling laws found that once labeling went into effect, few products continued to contain GM ingredients. The study also found that costs were higher in food-exporting than in food-importing countries.

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Proponents argue that 'Proposition 37 gives us the right to know what is in the food we eat and feed to our families. It simply requires labeling of food produced using genetic engineering, so we can choose whether to buy those products or not. We have a right to know.'Opponents argued that 'Prop. 37 is a deceptive, deeply flawed food labeling scheme, full of special-interest exemptions and loopholes. Prop. 37 would: create new government bureaucracy costing taxpayers millions, authorize expensive shakedown lawsuits against farmers and small businesses, and increase family grocery bills by hundreds of dollars per year.'

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55:52. Later this year, Washington state voters may get the chance to weigh in on whether genetically modified foods should be labeled as such. Supporters of proposed Initiative 522 say consumers are owed the information about what's in their food.I-522's opponents say there are no known risks to GMOs, so why label them?ater this year, Washington state voters may get the chance to weigh in on whether genetically modified foods should be labeled as such.

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This past June, Connecticut and Maine became the first states to pass bills requiring labels on all foods made from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In November 2012 California voters rejected the similar Proposition 37 by a narrow majority of 51.4 percent.The GMO-fearing can seek out 100 Percent Organic products, indicating that a food contains no genetically modified ingredients, among other requirements.). Many people argue for GMO labels in the name of increased consumer choice. On the contrary, such labels have limited people's options.

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Proponents argue that approved GMO food has undergone extensive testing, is “safe” and that basically labeling is unnecessary. Labeling may discourage consumers to use GMO products when such a choice may be irrational. A lot of consumers express fears that have not been substantiated by science.

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The fight over labeling is not confined to those who are selling GMO or non-GMO products. Vermont passed a law last year requiring labeling of genetically modified food. Maine and Connecticut have label laws too.ompanies selling GMOs don't want their products labeled for fear of stigmatizing their products and losing customers. Organic food companies want labeling to provoke safety concerns that drive consumers toward their 'natural' products.

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Labeling the food as genetically modified would often be perceived as a warning. Food manufacturers have often avoided labeling GMOs in the past because they've been afraid of consumer rejection. Many consumers would see a GMO label as a warning to avoid that food product.abeling the food as genetically modified would often be perceived as a warning. Food manufacturers have often avoided labeling GMOs in the past because they've been afraid of consumer rejection. Many consumers would see a GMO label as a warning to avoid that food product.

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The EU implemented regulations specifically governing co-existence and traceability. Traceability has become commonplace in the food and feed supply chains of most countries, but GMO traceability is more challenging given strict legal thresholds for unwanted mixing. Since 2001, conventional and organic food and feedstuffs can contain up to 0.9% of authorised modified material without carrying a GMO label. (any trace of non-authorised modification is cause for a shipment to be rejected). Authorities require the ability to trace, detect and identify GMOs, and the several countries and interested parties created a non-governmental organization, Co-Extra, to develop such methods.

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The EC Directorate-general for agriculture and rural development states that the regulations concerning the import and sale of GMOs for human and animal consumption grown outside the EU provide freedom of choice to farmers and consumers. All food (including processed food) or feed which contains greater than 0.9% of approved GMOs must be labelled. As of 2010 GMOs unapproved by the EC had been found twice and returned to their port of origin: First in 2006 when a shipment of rice from the U.S. containing an experimental GMO variety (LLRice601) not meant for commercialisation arrived at Rotterdam, the second time in 2009, when trace amounts of a GMO maize approved in the US were found in a non-GM soy flour cargo. In 2012, the EU imported about 30 million tons of GM crops for animal consumption.

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The unique identifier has been integrated in the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and in the European Union legislation on the labelling and traceability of genetically modified organisms (Regulation (EC) No 1830/2003). Detailing the unique identifier, the regulation demands the forwarding of written documentation of the identity of a GMO at every stage of the production process. This allows a GMO to be traced even if, for example, due to intensive processing, it can no longer be detected. Using this unique identifier, information on all approved transgenic GMOs is accessible through the Biosafety Clearing-House, the information exchange platform of the Cartagena Protocol.

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In food processing (meat processing, fresh produce processing), the term traceability refers to the recording through means of barcodes or RFID tags & other tracking media, all movement of product and steps within the production process. One of the key reasons this is such a critical point is in instances where an issue of contamination arises, and a recall is required. Where traceability has been closely adhered to, it is possible to identify, by precise date/time & exact location which goods must be recalled, and which are safe, potentially saving millions of dollars in the recall process. Traceability within the food processing industry is also utilised to identify key high production & quality areas of a business, versus those of low return, and where points in the production process may be improved.

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CETA does not alter EU non-tariff barriers such as European regulations on beef, which include a ban on the use of growth hormones. Canadian stakeholders have criticized the EU's delays in the approval process for genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and GMO traceability and labelling requirements, none of which are addressed in CETA.

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India has started taking initiatives for setting up traceability systems at Government and Corporate levels. Grapenet, an initiative by Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce, Government of India is an example in this direction. GrapeNet is an internet based traceability software system, for monitoring fresh grapes exported from India to the European Union. GrapeNet is a first of its kind initiative in India that has put in place an end-to-end system for monitoring pesticide residue, achieve product standardization and facilitate tracing back from pallets to the farm of the Indian grower, through the various stages of sampling, testing, certification and packing. Grapenet won the National Award (Gold), in the winners announced for the best e-Governance initiatives undertaken in India in 2007. Grapenet was designed and developed by Logicsoft, award winning traceability solutions company, based in New Delhi, India.

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Co-Extra was an EU-funded research programme on co-existence and traceability of genetically modified crops and their edible derivatives that ran from 2005-2009. It was granted €13.5 million under the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Union, and is conducted by more than 200 scientists in 52 organisations in 18 countries.

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While SIGMEA was focused on co-existence at the farm level, Co-Extra studies co-existence along the whole production chain, and has a second focus on the traceability of GMOs, since co-existence cannot work without traceability. To be able to monitor and enforce compliance with co-existence regulations, authorities require the ability to trace, detect and identify GMOs.

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The research programme studied and validated biological containment methods, forged supply chain organisations, and provided practical tools and methods for implementing co-existence between GMO-based (i.e., based on the use of genetically modified organisms) and non-GMO-based supply chains.

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Testing on GMOs in food and feed is routinely done using molecular techniques such as PCR and bioinformatics.

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The method works by pairing the targeted genetic sequence with custom designed complementary bits of DNA called primers. In the presence of the target sequence, the primers match with it and trigger a chain reaction. DNA replication enzymes use the primers as docking points and start doubling the target sequences. The process is repeated over and over again by sequential heating and cooling until doubling and redoubling has multiplied the target sequence several million-fold. The millions of identical fragments are then purified in a slab of gel, dyed, and can be seen with UV light. It is not prone to contamination. Irrespective of the variety of methods used for DNA analysis, only PCR in its different formats has been widely applied in GMO detection/analysis and generally accepted for regulatory compliance purposes. Detection methods based on DNA rely on the complementarity of two strands of DNA double helix that hybridize in a sequence-specific manner. The DNA of GMO consists of several elements that govern its functioning. The elements are promoter sequence, structural gene and stop sequence for the gene.

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In the last laboratory, you extracted DNA from a certified non-GMO food sample and a test food sample that you are analyzing for the presence of GMO DNA sequences. In this lab you will prepare those two samples and a positive control (GMO-positive template DNA) for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).eigh out 0.5 2 g of the certified non-GMO food control and place in mortar. 2. Using the transfer pipet, add 5 ml of distilled water for every gram of food using the. graduations on the transfer pipet.

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This DNA could be amplified in your test food PCR reaction and give you a false result. By having a known non-GMO control that you know should not amplify the GMO target sequences; you can tell if your PCR reactions have been contaminated by GMO-positive DNA. Focus Questions.3.or this experiment you will set up two PCR reactions for each DNA sample, which makes 6 PCR reactions in total. One PCR reaction, using the plant master mix (PMM), is a control to determine whether or not you have successfully extracted plant DNA from your test food.

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The use of genetically modified seeds to grow commodity and other crops in the U.S. has drawn criticism from organizations such as Greenpeace, The Non-GMO Project, and the Organic Consumers Association among others. Concerns center on both food safety and the erosion of agricultural biodiversity. While the European Union regulates genetically engineered foods as they would any other new product requiring extensive testing to provide it is safe for human consumption, the U.S. does not. The Food and Drug Administration generally considers a food with origins from genetically modified organisms (GMO) to be as safe as its conventional counterpart. Numerous studies have backed industry claims that GMO foods appear to be safe for human consumption, including an examination of more than 130 research projects conducted in the European Union prior to 2010 and work published by the American Medical Association's Council on Science and Public Health.

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The European Union has heavily contrasted its regulations and restrictions regarding genetic engineering compared to those of the United States. The European Parliament's Committee on the Environmental, Public Health, and Consumer Protection pushed forward and adopted a 'safety first' principle regarding the case of GMOs, calling for any negative health consequences from GMOs to be held liable. On the other hand, the United States still takes on a less hands-on approach to the regulation of GMOs, with the FDA and USDA only looking over pesticide and plant health facets of GMOs. Despite the overall global increase in the production in GMOs, the European Union has still stalled GMOs fully integrating into its food supply. This has definitely affected various countries, including the United States, when trading with the EU.

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The legal and regulatory status of GM foods varies by country, with some nations banning or restricting them, and others permitting them with widely differing degrees of regulation. Countries such as the United States, Canada, Lebanon and Egypt use substantial equivalence to determine if further testing is required, while many countries such as those in the European Union, Brazil and China only authorize GMO cultivation on a case-by-case basis. In the U.S. the FDA determined that GMO's are 'Generally Recognized as Safe' (GRAS) and therefore do not require additional testing if the GMO product is substantially equivalent to the non-modified product. If new substances are found, further testing may be required to satisfy concerns over potential toxicity, allergenicity, possible gene transfer to humans or genetic outcrossing to other organisms.

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One key area where the US and EU differ is genetically modified foods. The EU has some of the strictest GM regulations in the world and has authorised just 52 GM foods to date. The US, on the other hand, is the largest commercial grower of GM crops in the world. There is also concern that US producers will be able to sell their meat in European markets, even though it is produced to different standards.

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The regulatory approach used in Europe requires new and separate laws that are specific to genetically engineered ( GMO') foods and crops. By contrast, the United States regulates GMOs for food safety and for environmental safety using the laws that were already in place to govern non-GMO foods and crops. ¢

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Quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) is used to measure the quantity of a PCR product (preferably real-time, QRT-PCR). It is the method of choice to quantitatively measure amounts of transgene DNA in a food or feed sample. Q-PCR is commonly used to determine whether a DNA sequence is present in a sample and the number of its copies in the sample. The method with currently the highest level of accuracy is quantitative real-time PCR. QRT-PCR methods use fluorescent dyes, such as Sybr Green, or fluorophore-containing DNA probes, such as TaqMan, to measure the amount of amplified product in real time. If the targeted genetic sequence is unique to a certain GMO, a positive PCR test proves that the GMO is present in the sample.

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Whether or not a GMO is present in a sample can be tested by Q-PCR, but also by multiplex PCR. Multiplex PCR uses multiple, unique primer sets within a single PCR reaction to produce amplicons of varying sizes specific to different DNA sequences, i.e. different transgenes. By targeting multiple genes at once, additional information may be gained from a single test run that otherwise would require several times the reagents and more time to perform. Annealing temperatures for each of the primer sets must be optimized to work correctly within a single reaction, and amplicon sizes, i.e., their base pair length, should be different enough to form distinct bands when visualized by gel electrophoresis.

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Almost all transgenic plants contain a few common building blocks that make unknown GMOs easier to find. Even though detecting a novel gene in a GMO can be like finding a needle in a haystack, the fact that the needles are usually similar makes it much easier. To trigger gene expression, scientists couple the gene they want to add with what is known as a transcription promoter. The high-performing 35S promoter is a common feature to many GMOs. In addition, the stop signal for gene transcription in most GMOs is often the same: the NOS terminator. Researchers now compile a set of genetic sequences characteristic of GMOs. After genetic elements characteristic of GMOs are selected, methods and tools are developed for detecting them in test samples. Approaches being considered include microarrays and anchor PCR profiling.

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Bumble bees are generally host to a diversity of parasitoids in which the larvae grows inside the living host. The majority of parasitoids for bumble bees are flies and about 30 percent or more bees within the area can be infected. The process of parasitism consists of the fly attaching to the bee in flight and inserting her oviposits between the terga of the bee. The larval fly hatches within the bee host and develops by feeding on the host’s tissues. The bee lives for about two weeks before dying. The fly then pupates and spends the winter inside the bee, fully developed, before it emerges the following year. North American bumblebees are also hosted by one parasitoid wasp and the moth, B. variabilis. Hibernating queen bumble bees are parasitized by a nematode worm, Sphaerularia bombi. This parasite does not reduce life span, but instead causes the sterilization of the queen. It has been observed that affected queens forage two to three weeks later than those that are unaffected. Parasitic microorganisms also use bees as their host. Parasitic microorganisms’ effects may be lethal or sublethal. Pathogens may be transmitted within a colony or the bee may be infected at flowers. Tracheal mites (Locustacarus buchneri) leads to reduced foraging efficiency by living in the bee’s alveoli. Certain protozoans and fungi consume the host tissue or gut substances of the bumble bee’s digestive tract, decreasing foraging efficiency, life span, and thus the colony fitness. Bees may contain symbiotic bacteria that offer some immunity to pathogens. Further exposure to habitat loss as well as pesticide exposure may lead to bee predisposition, thus promoting the species’ decay.

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Or that a single worker bee produces 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime? Fascinating creatures, these winged stingers. But it's what they do for our foodstuffs that make them particularly interesting: Bees are critical pollinators directly or indirectly responsible for a third of the food we eat, including such goodies as blueberries, apples, and avocados.

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Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their role in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the European honey bee, for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea and are presently considered a clade, called Anthophila. There are nearly 20,000 known species of bees in seven recognized biological families. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, in every habitat on the planet that cont

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The bumble bee is the most common type of bee with around 250 different species of the bumble bee found around the world. Despite the fact that the bumble bee can be found in many countries, it is indigenous to the Northern Hemisphere, breeding more successfully in the more temperate climates.he bumble bee is the most common type of bee with around 250 different species of the bumble bee found around the world. Despite the fact that the bumble bee can be found in many countries, it is indigenous to the Northern Hemisphere, breeding more successfully in the more temperate climates.

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1 Bees carry pollen on their hind legs called a pollen basket. 2 Pollen is a source of protein for the hive and is needed to feed to the baby bees to help them grow. 3 A beehive in summer can have as many as 50,000 to 80,000 bees.4 A bee must collect nectar from about 2 million flowers to make 1 pound of honey. The bees use their honeycomb cells to raise their babies in, and to store nectar, honey, pollen and water. 2 Nectar is a sweet watery substance that the bees gather. 3 After they process the nectar in their stomach they regurgitate it into the honeycomb cells. 4 Then they fan with their wings to remove excess moisture.

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Honey is the complex substance made from nectar and sweet deposits from plants and trees which are gathered, modified and stored in the comb by honey bees. Honey is a biological mixture of inverted sugars, primarily glucose and fructose. It has antibacterial and anti fungal properties. Honey from the Western honey bee, along with the bee Tetragonisca angustula, has specific antibacterial activity towards an infection causing bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus. Honey will not rot or ferment when stored under normal conditions, however it will crystallize over time. Although crystallized honey is acceptable for human use, bees can only use liquid honey and will remove and discard crystallized honey from the hive.

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The nectar collected is what the worker bee uses to make honey. So the bee arrives at a flower, and proceeds to drink as much nectar as she can hold. She then passes the nectar to another worker bee (the nectar is held on her tongue) so the water in it can evaporate. This way it is highly concentrated, and never spoils. Seriously, the honey bee is brilliant!

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Most microorganisms do not grow in honey, so sealed honey does not spoil, even after thousands of years. However, honey sometimes contains dormant endospores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which can be dangerous to babies, as it may result in botulism.

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Very few bacteria or microorganisms can survive in an environment like that, they just die. They're smothered by it, essentially. What Harris points out represents an important feature of honey's longevity: for honey to spoil, there needs to be something inside of it that can spoil. With such an inhospitable environment, organisms can't survive long enough within the jar of honey to have the chance to spoil. Honey is also naturally extremely acidic. It has a pH that falls between 3 and 4.5, approximately, and that acid will kill off almost anything that wants to grow there, Harris explains.

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The water content of honey is a key factor in why it doesn't spoil. At 17%, its water content is much lower than that of bacteria or fungi. Honey also has a low water activity; this is a measure of the amount of water in a substance that is available to support microbial growth.

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In February 2010, the documentary film Nicotine Bees was released. This film analyzes the possible factors contributing to the large bee die-offs worldwide and concludes that the large use of neonicotinoids is the most probable cause of the recent bee die-offs.

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One possible cause is the infestation of parasites, namely Varroa mites (Varroa destructor). These mites attach to the bee and drain the bee of its lymph-like body fluid, dehydrating the bee which results in a suppressed immune system and an increased risk to disease. In addition, the mites leave an open wound on the bee, allowing viruses such as deformed wing virus, acute bee paralysis virus, and many other potentially lethal diseases to easy infect and dominate the bee due to its already weak immune system.

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In the 1990s, beekeepers started recording major losses of worker honeybees during the winter months. Since then, there have been mass die offs in many of the other 4,000 species of bees. In 2006, the phenomenon was bestowed with the name colony collapse disorder. No one is exactly sure why the bees are dying off in unprecedented numbers, but some theories include the loss of flower meadows, varroa mites that eat the bees' blood, climate change, and the use of pesticides. Thankfully, bees are a long way from becoming extinct.

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Bees are going extinct because of excessive use of pesticides in crops and certain blood-sucking parasites that only reproduce in bee colonies. It's true that the extinction of bees would mean the end of humanity.

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Biological threats like the Varroa mite are killing off colonies directly and spreading deadly diseases. As our farms become monocultures of commodity crops like wheat and corn plants that provide little pollen for foraging bees honeybees are literally starving to death.

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Any honey that can't be harvested, which includes crystallized honey left on the frames after extraction, or honey that is not capped over, and therefore unripened, is usually placed back into the colonies for the bees to clean up. Some beekeepers place wet frames outside so that it will be reclaimed by the bees. This must be done early in the morning or late in the evening as the bees will aggressively harvest such a rich source. Care must be taken so that this is done at a time when food is not scarce, or else bees from differing colonies will fight over the honey. In addition, this can spread disease from contaminated frames and can be a potential problem; this technique is not advised.

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The organization’s Bee Action campaign looks to address the causes of the dwindling honey bee population. As bees pollinate one third of our food supply, Friends of the Earth and many others view their decrease in number as a serious threat. The organization claims that the major is the widespread use of neonicotinoid pesticides in commercial agriculture. These pesticides became very popular in the past decade, but studies have shown that they can lead to Colony Collapse Disorder in bee hives. Major chemical manufacturers such as Bayer, Syngenta and Monsanto have disputed these claims, asserting that other factors such as mite infestation are to blame. Recently, retailers such as Home Depot and BJ’s Wholesale Club have pledged to stop selling plants treated with these pesticides, and neonicotinoids have been banned by the European Union.

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In the colder climates, storing the beeswax combs in freezing winter temperatures will stop there from being any chance of a moth infestation. Lesser wax moths need warm climates to thrive. There is also a fumigant known as paradichlorobenzene (PDB) that is used to destroy these moths. This can only be used on combs that are in storage. They are not successful on combs that currently are filled with honey. Carbon dioxide can be used to fumigate combs that are filled with honey. It ensures that the honey is still acceptable to be sold.

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As a concerned consumer, there's lots more you can do to help the bees, Deb. 1 I hope you'll consider trying one or more of these bee-friendly steps, in order from least to most commitment: 2 Leave weeds like dandelions and clover in your yard as a tasty snack for local bees.

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Plant a Bee Garden Create an oasis for bees and other pollinators. More and more gardeners are anxious to do their part to help the bees by adding to the shrinking inventory of flower-rich habitat in their area. You can create a bee garden'. In return, the bees will pollinate your flowers, providing a bountiful harvest of fruits, seeds and vegetables as well as the joy of watching them up close. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind as you grow your bee garden: Rethink your lawn. Replace part or all of your front lawn grass with flowering plants, which provides food and habitat for honey bees, bumble bees, solitary bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

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The largest threat facing B. frigidus is climate change, as these bees inhabit a specialized climate. As temperature rises, the bees may be driven either farther north or to extinction. With increasing temperatures, snow does not pack as tightly. This leads to earlier melting, and during the summer, water isn’t as readily available. This causes the habitat to dry out and fewer plants bloom, thus reducing nectar supply for the bees.

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The brown-banded carder bee is threatened by habitat loss due to intensive farming. As Goulson, Hanley, Darvill, Ellis, and Knight have pointed out, a contributing factor in the northern part of its distribution (including Britain) is that B. humilis, being near the edge of its latitudinal range, is not well adapted to local conditions, so is sensitive to habitat changes, especially loss of unimproved grassland meadows.

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The main threat to the species is habitat loss. Damage to the habitat has occurred via development, the introduction of nonnative plants and animals, agriculture, recreational activity, and fire. Natural disasters such as hurricanes are also a threat to the habitat. This and other rare Hylaeus bee species were once 'widespread' in Hawaii.

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As a general pollinator, X. micans is key to the reproduction of many plants within its habitat. In the nesting sites of many Xylocopa bee populations, destruction and removal of woody plants has caused the loss and extinction of those populations. Land clearing can lead to the loss of natural nesting sites, which can cause either the loss or the migration of certain species. X. micans may face a similar loss of location if land management practices reducing available dead wood removes potential nesting sites for the bee. The effect of dead wood management could be exacerbated if X. micans has a level of host specificity when determining a nesting site.

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Bees and other pollinators face a higher risk of extinction due to loss of habitat and access to natural food sources. The global dependency on livestock and agriculture has rendered no less than 50% of the earths landmass uninhabitable for bees. The agricultural practice of planting one crop (monoculture) in a given area year after year leads to extreme malnourishment. Regardless if the planted crop does flower and provide food for the bee, the bee will still be malnourished because a single plant cannot meet the nutrient requirements. Furthermore, the crops needed to support livestock (primarily cattle) tend to be grains which do not provide nectar.

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Some have found that 'city bees' are actually healthier than 'rural bees' because there are fewer pesticides and greater biodiversity. Urban bees may fail to find forage, however, and homeowners can use their landscapes to help feed local bee populations by planting flowers that provide nectar and pollen. An environment of year-round, uninterrupted bloom creates an ideal environment for colony reproduction.

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1 You can do your community and your local wildlife a favor by growing plants/flowers which are native to your area and which attract bees and butterflies.2 It is very easy to find lists of these plants for your zone. 3 Check out The Wildlife Gardener's Guide, which is published by Brooklyn Botanic Garden. You can do your community and your local wildlife a favor by growing plants/flowers which are native to your area and which attract bees and butterflies.

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Pooh's guide to saving the bees. 1 Plant your own window box. 2 Create your own vegetable patch or tub together. 3 Plant a flowering tree in your garden. Make some seed balls' and throw them into the 1 wild. Use arts and crafts to educate the younger generation on the importance of bees.

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Attract Honey Bees to Your Garden. The flowers and the arrangement of flowers in your garden are what attract honey bees and native bees. Bees like a diversity of bee-friendly flowers, with large patches of each kind of flower. They prefer a less manicured, more random garden with weeds. Here's what you can do to make your garden more bee-friendly: 1 Plant 10 or more types of plants that attract bees. 2 Plant several of each type of plant close together, rather than planting them singly or spread out in the garden.

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A 2012 in situ study provided strong evidence that exposure to sublethal levels of imidacloprid in high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) used to feed honey bees when forage is not available causes bees to exhibit symptoms consistent to CCD 23 weeks after imidacloprid dosing. The researchers suggested, 'the observed delayed mortality in honey bees caused by imidacloprid in HFCS is a novel and plausible mechanism for CCD, and should be validated in future studies.'

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Several possible causes for CCD have been proposed, but no single proposal has gained widespread acceptance among the scientific community. Suggested causes include: infections with Varroa and Acarapis mites; malnutrition; various pathogens; genetic factors; immunodeficiencies; loss of habitat; changing beekeeping practices; or a combination of factors. A large amount of speculation has surrounded a family of pesticides called neonicotinoids as having caused CCD.

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In 2007, one of the patterns reported by the CCD Study Group at Pennsylvania State was that all producers in a preliminary survey noted a period of 'extraordinary stress' affecting the colonies in question prior to their die-off, most commonly involving poor nutrition and/or drought. This was the only factor that all of the cases of CCD had in common in the report; accordingly, there appeared to be at least some significant possibility that the phenomenon was correlated to nutritional stress that may not manifest in healthy, well-nourished colonies. This was similar to the findings of another independent survey done in 2007 in which small-scale beekeeping operations (up to 500 colonies) in several states reported their belief that malnutrition and/or weak colonies was the factor responsible for their bees dying in over 50% of the cases, whether the losses were believed to be due to CCD or not.

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The mechanisms of CCD are still unknown, but many causes are currently being considered, such as pesticides, mites, fungi, beekeeping practices (such as the use of antibiotics or long-distance transportation of beehives), malnutrition, poor quality queens, starvation, other pathogens, and immunodeficiencies. The current scientific consensus is that no single factor is causing CCD, but that some of these factors in combination may lead to CCD either additively or synergistically.

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Jeffery Stuart Pettis is an American born biologist and entomologist known for his extensive research on honeybee behavior. He is currently the research leader at the United States Department of Agriculture's Beltsville Bee Laboratory (BBL). His research has led to significant breakthroughs in understanding and managing CCD, a primary cause of North American bee population decline. He is also known for discovering with Dennis vanEngelsdorp of Pennsylvania State University the ability of bees to detect pesticides and harmful fungi in collected pollen and subsequently quarantine the harmful substances from the rest of the hive. His research has also studied the synergistic effects of Imidacloprid on bees, an insecticide derived from nicotine which has been shown to cause CCD.

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What would happen if you were hit by a penny falling from a skyscraper? What happens if you don't sleep for 24 hours? You're basically drunk. So could all bees go extinct? It's unlikely, Bolt noted, as there are 4,000 known species of bees in North America alone and about 20,000 species worldwide. But if all bees did disappear, we'd all be in a world of trouble, he said. The variety of foods would be incredibly reduced and who could even predict how their loss would ripple throughout the world's many ecosystems.

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But because many trees and flowering plants depend on bees for their reproductive cycle, they would be highly stressed, and either would have to adapt to life without bees or become extinct. Plants have been pollinated by a wide variety of animals in North America way before the honey bee became established. An increase of flies, beetles, thrips, butterflies, and moths would fill the void as pollinators in a world where bees were either extinct or never existed at all....

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Honeybees as a species are not in danger of extinction, but their ability to support the industry of commercial pollination, and by extension, a large portion of our food supply, is in serious danger. Whole Foods recently imagined what our grocery store would like in a world without bees by removing more than half of the market's produce. Here, we also take a purely hypothetical look at how the human diet and lifestyle would change if honeybees and other bee pollinators disappeared from our planet one day.

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Where would we be without bees? As far as important species go, they are top of the list. They are critical pollinators: they pollinate 70 of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. Honey bees are responsible for $30 billion a year in crops. That's only the start. We may lose all the plants that bees pollinate, all of the animals that eat those plants and so on up the food chain. Which means a world without bees could struggle to sustain the global human population of 7 billion. Our supermarkets would have half the amount of fruit and vegetables. It gets worse. We are losing bees at an alarming rate.

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Without bees and their ilk, the group says, almonds simply wouldn't exist. We'd still have coffee without bees, but it would become expensive and rare. The coffee flower is only open for pollination for three or four days. If no insect happens by in that short window, the plant won't be pollinated. There are plenty of other examples: apples, avocados, onions, and several types of berries rely heavily on bees for pollination. The disappearance of honeybees, or even a substantial drop in their population, would make those foods scarce.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have three primary rivals, all within their division: (Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and Cincinnati Bengals). They also have rivalries with other teams that arose from post-season battles in the past, most notably the New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys. They also have an intrastate rivalry with the Philadelphia Eagles, but under the current scheduling the teams play each other only once every four years.

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Following their season-sweep over the Browns, the Steelers flew to Bank of America Stadium for a Week 15 interconference fight with the Carolina Panthers. After a scoreless first quarter, Pittsburgh began their dominance in the second quarter. It started with QB Ben Roethlisberger's 1-yard TD run. Afterwards, kicker Jeff Reed nailed a 19-yard field goal, while Roethlisberger completed a 13-yard TD pass to RB Najeh Davenport. The Panthers would get their only score of the game with kicker John Kasay's 37-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Reed improved the Steelers' lead with a 45-yard field goal, while RB Willie Parker got a 41-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, rookie WR Santonio Holmes (who was plagued all year with fumbles on special teams) returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown. Afterwards, Reed helped Pittsburgh wrap the game up with a 26-yard field goal. With the win, the Steelers improved to 7–7. Stats

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The rivalry carried over to the newly formed American Football Conference in 1970 as the two teams and then-Baltimore Colts joined the former American Football League teams in the conference as part of the AFL–NFL merger. The newly merged league needed to move three teams from the 'old' NFL to the AFC so that the two conferences had 13 teams. (The rest of the 'old' NFL teams joined the newly formed National Football Conference.) The NFL tried to get the Steelers to the new conference, but then-Steelers owner Art Rooney initially refused. However, Rooney reconsidered after then-Browns owner Art Modell volunteered the Browns to shift to the AFC, partly because the NFL had offered $3 million as an incentive to move but also on account of the potential for an intrastate rivalry with the AFL's newest team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Not only were the Bengals in the same state as the Browns, but they had been established by Browns founder Paul Brown, whom Modell had a lingering feud with. The financial boost combined with the prospect of losing his most lucrative division rival quickly persuaded Rooney to join Modell in the AFC in order to continue their own rivalry, although the team did lose its rivalry with the cross-state Philadelphia Eagles as a result. Somewhat ironically, although they play in the same state as the Browns, like the Browns, the Bengals currently view the Steelers as their biggest rival.

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Pittsburgh's division rivals are the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Cincinnati Bengals. At current, Pittsburgh has a winning record against all three. Many Pittsburgh natives and fans also consider the New England Patriots, the Dallas Cowboys, the Oakland Raiders, and the Denver Broncos to be the team's primary rivals.

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In 2005, the Steelers hoped to make another post-season run. Injuries to Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley caused Willie Parker to become the Steelers' starter at running back, and he acquitted himself very well in two convincing wins against the Tennessee Titans (34–7) and Houston Texans (27–7) to open the season. In the next game, however, the visiting New England Patriots handed Ben Roethlisberger his first regular-season loss as the Steelers lost the much-hyped rematch of the 2004 AFC Championship Game 23–20. Two weeks later, Pittsburgh came back to defeat the throwback-clad San Diego Chargers 24–22 on a 40-yard field goal by Jeff Reed. The victory proved costly as Roethlisberger suffered an injury when he was hit on his left knee by the helmet of Chargers rookie lineman Luis Castillo. So Tommy Maddox was named starter for their home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Steelers struggled throughout the game, as Maddox threw two interceptions through regulation, but they managed to tie at 17 going into OT. Maddox threw an interception to Jags DB Rashean Mathis, who returned it 41 yards for a touchdown, as the Steelers fell, 23–17. Maddox's off-field arguments with head coach Bill Cowher cost him his No. 1 back-up spot. Roethlisberger was able to play in their next road game against their division rival, the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite winning 27–13, his left knee needed surgery. Roethlisberger fought through a lot of pain in the Steelers' 20–19 Monday Night victory over the Baltimore Ravens but reaggravated his knee injuries. Charlie Batch was named the starter, and he provided victories over the struggling Green Bay Packers (20–10 on the road), and against their rust belt rival, the Cleveland Browns (34–21 at home), where during the game, wide receiver Hines Ward set the Steelers record for most career receptions (543), breaking John Stallworth's mark of 537. Batch broke his hand, which sent him to the sidelines. Tommy Maddox was given the start for their road game against the Ravens, but again, he showed his inefficiency, as the Steelers fell in overtime 16–13. After Roethlisberger's return, the Steelers lost their first two games against the then-undefeated Indianapolis Colts (26–7 on the road) and at home against the resurgent Bengals (38–31), but recovered to win the last four regular-season games (21–9 vs. Bears, 18–3 @ Vikings, 41–0 @ Browns, and 35–21 vs. Lions) to clinch the sixth and last seed in the AFC playoffs.

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On October 20, 2013, at Heinz Field, the Steelers won 19–16 on a Shaun Suisham field goal as time expired after Ben Roethlisberger drove the Steelers into field goal range. With the win, Roethlisberger continued his dominance against the Ravens by extending his record to 10–4 against them, and 7–2 since Flacco became the Ravens quarterback, including 2–0 in the playoffs. Later that year, the two teams met at M&T Bank Stadium for a prime-time match-up on Thanksgiving Day, giving the Ravens their second Thanksgiving game in three years and the Steelers their first Thanksgiving game since the infamous Jerome Bettis coin-toss fiasco in . It was also the first time the two teams played each other on Thanksgiving. The Ravens won the game 22–20 in a nail biter, preventing a last-minute 2-point conversion, and forcing a split between the rivals in the 2013 NFL season. The game also included an infamous moment when Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin interfered on the sidelines with what would have possibly been a return touchdown by Jacoby Jones, eventually resulting in a $100,000 fine.

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The rivalry became more competitive and fierce and reached a new height of intensity during the 2008 NFL season, when the Steelers and Ravens played three times, the final match being the AFC Championship. The Steelers won all three games, by close margins. In Week 15, the Steelers won with a controversial score late in the game. In the playoff game, a personal foul by special teams player Daren Stone cost the Ravens 25 yards. The game's last score was an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Troy Polamalu, sealing a 23–14 victory for Pittsburgh. In that same game the Steelers' Ryan Clark delivered a concussion-inducing, but legal hit on the Ravens' Willis McGahee that left Clark briefly out cold and forced McGahee to spend the night in a Pittsburgh hospital. The Steelers went on to win Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals.

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The Ravens collected their second shutout of the season against the Steelers. The defense set a new team record by collecting 9 sacks against the strong Pittsburgh Steelers offense. Todd Heap and Steve McNair hooked up to score the first touchdown of the game in the 1st quarter. Jamal Lewis rushed for the second touchdown in the second quarter. Adalius Thomas returned a fumble by Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter. This game was the second largest margin of victory the Ravens have had over the SteelersSteelers(largest September 11, 2011 Ravens 35-7), and the second shutout recorded against the Steelers this season (you are wrong do more research) (Jacksonville did it in Week 2). After being sidelined for 2 games, Ray Lewis returned to the lineup and recorded one of the 9 sacks. With the win, the Ravens improved to 9–2.

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The 2–1 Steelers hosted the 0–3 Ravens at Heinz Field for a prime-time game in Week 4 of the 2015 NFL season. With Roethlisberger injured, the Steelers started Michael Vick in the contest. The Steelers built a 20–7 lead by the third quarter, but the Ravens were able to rally and bring the game into overtime 20–20, with 13 unanswered points by the offense and two missed field goals by Steelers' kicker Josh Scobee. Ravens' kicker Justin Tucker won the game on a 52-yard field goal to give the Ravens their first win of the year, also improving the Ravens' record to 4–1 against the Steelers in overtime games. The two teams met again at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 16 for their second meeting of the season. The Ravens started Ryan Mallett in the game since Joe Flacco had suffered a season-ending injury several weeks before. Despite being big underdogs due to injuries and a subpar record, the Ravens were able to complete a sweep of the Steelers with a 20–17 victory.

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In the 2009 AFC Championship Game versus the Steelers, the Ravens lost 23-14, with Flacco throwing for 141 yards, being sacked a trio of times and throwing three picks, one being the game clincher to Troy Polamalu, who returned the pass for a touchdown.

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In the divisional round, Flacco and the Ravens would once again head to Pittsburgh to play their arch-rival Steelers. The difference this time would be the season was on the line. The Ravens got out to an early 21-7 lead after a 12-yard rush by running back Ray Rice, a fumble recovery run back for a touchdown by defensive end Cory Redding, and a four-yard touchdown pass from Flacco to tight end Todd Heap. But in the third quarter, which the Ravens had been dominant in all of the regular season, Baltimore fell apart. The Ravens turned the ball over three times in their own territory with an uncharacteristic fumble by Rice, an interception by Flacco, and a fumbled snap by Center Matt Birk (Flacco was credited with the lost fumble), and with those the Steelers took a 31–24 lead. But even after all of the Ravens miscues and errors, the Ravens still had a shot to win it at the end when Flacco threw a dart to Houshmandzadeh, but it was dropped. Flacco finished the game 16 of 30 for 125-yards, one touchdown and one interception.

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In the Steelers' Week 4 game against the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers led 20–17 late in the fourth quarter. Scobee missed two field goals—a 49-yarder and later a 41-yarder—in the closing minutes. The Ravens then kicked a field goal to tie the game at 20, sending the game to overtime. In overtime, the Steelers declined an opportunity to let Scobee attempt a 50-yard kick to win the game on fourth-and-2 from the Ravens' 32. Instead they elected to try to convert the fourth down, and failed. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker made a 52-yard field goal on the Ravens' next drive to hand the Steelers a 23–20 overtime loss. Two days later, the Steelers released Scobee, signing Chris Boswell as his replacement.

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One of the rivalry's most memorable moments was Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs being quoted as saying that a 'bounty' was put out on the head of Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward. The bounty controversy was cleared up when Suggs insisted his words were just meant as a joke. The NFL investigated, and Suggs was cleared of any wrongdoing.