Novel food regulations are a barrier for edible insects
Edible insects could be the key to a more sustainable food system, yet food regulations could be restricting alternative environmentally friendly sources of protein for consumers, a new report has found......»»
New findings in a decade-long study of enzyme catalysis
Synthetic chemistry provides an essential material basis for our clothing, food, housing, transportation, and medicine and is an important driving force for economic development. However, traditional chemical synthesis has bottleneck problems such as.....»»
Consumers are wary of pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables, five-country study finds
CABI scientists have conducted research which reveals that concerns over pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables is the most frequently cited source of food safety fears among consumers in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Pakistan and Uganda......»»
Report: Most consumers are unfamiliar or only slightly familiar with regenerative agriculture
Many members of the public lack familiarity with the farming methods known as regenerative agriculture, according to the August 2024 Consumer Food Insights Report (CFI)......»»
"Art for insects" could help save pollinators
Gardens can become "living artworks" to help prevent the disastrous decline of pollinating insects, according to researchers working on a new project......»»
DNA demethylation boosts tomato resistance to gray mold, study finds
Postharvest decay in fruits, primarily caused by pathogenic fungi, remains a major obstacle to agricultural sustainability and food security. Despite advances in fungicides and storage technologies, losses remain substantial, especially in developing.....»»
New book explores the limits of technology in addressing food system problems
Tech companies are increasingly expanding into food and agriculture, bringing with them a very specific brand of solutions culture. The Silicon Valley ethos is built upon the belief that one big idea can change the world. And the promise of technolog.....»»
Woman drips with sweat from a bite of food due to rare nerve-wiring mix-up
After just 75 seconds of chewing, large drops of sweat ran down the woman's face. Enlarge (credit: Getty | MICHAEL KAPPELER) The human body is full of marvels, some even bordering on miraculous. That includes the limited.....»»
Streamlining energy regulations on Native American reservations could help alleviate poverty
Land was once set aside as Native American reservations because it was undesirable and low in resources, but now interested Native Americans may have economic leverage in the growing industry of clean energy. A team of researchers led by UW–Madison.....»»
Whales are recovering from near extinction, but industrial fishing around Antarctica competes for their sole food source
The Southern Ocean encircling Antarctica is the world's largest feeding ground for baleen whales—species like humpbacks that filter tiny organisms from seawater for food. In the 20th century, whalers killed roughly 2 million large whales in the Sou.....»»
How viruses move through insects for transmission of diseases
Viruses are master parasites that have adapted to infect many host species. Some viruses even use multiple hosts to spread their infections—such as arboviruses that use insects to move their infections to mammalian hosts like humans. Understanding.....»»
Europe fails to harmonize sustainability reporting in the agri-food sector
A team from the University of Cordoba compared the sustainability reports put out by 100 agri-food companies in Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Germany. Their study is published in the Journal of Policy Modeling......»»
U.S. lakes in communities of color are monitored less for water quality
Lakes provide drinking water, food, recreation and mental health benefits to people who use them or live nearby. Regular monitoring of water quality is essential to collect information to track lake health. Without this information, people who use th.....»»
AI boosts indoor food production"s energy sustainability
Integrating artificial intelligence into today's environmental control systems could reduce energy consumption for indoor agriculture by 25%—potentially helping to feed the world as its population rises, Cornell engineers have found......»»
Silver nanoparticles and a new sensing method can fight back against antibiotic-resistant biofilms
From safeguarding our food supply to preventing hospital infections, the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a growing challenge. Some bacteria can form biofilms, thick aggregates of millions of individual cells surrounded by protective m.....»»
How much do vegan diets improve the health of dogs?
Pet food consumes at least 9% of all livestock globally, rising to 20% in nations such as the U.S. with high pet ownership. The environmental benefits of vegan pet diets were recently found to be game-changingly large. Most of these relate to dog foo.....»»
Could alternative meat meet a growing demand?
Inside a UC Davis engineering lab, tiny round pellets swirl in a brown liquid inside a 5-liter glass tank. The tank, a bioreactor, is brewing edible fungi high in protein and designed to look and taste like meat......»»
US food insecurity rate rose to 13.5% in 2023 as government benefits declined and food prices soared
The official U.S. food insecurity rate rose to 13.5% in 2023 from 12.8% in 2022, according to data the U.S. Department of Agriculture released on Sept. 4, 2024. That means more than one in eight Americans—about 47 million people—couldn't get enou.....»»
The Mosquito-Borne Disease ‘Triple E’ Is Spreading in the US as Temperatures Rise
Eastern equine encephalitis, which has a high mortality rate, is becoming more common in North America as climate changes expands the habitats of insects......»»
Plant thermogenesis has played key role in attracting pollinating insects for at least 200 million years, study suggests
Thermogenesis is a process by which organisms generate internal heat. Although it is usually associated with animals, some plants have also developed this ability. This metabolic process allows certain parts of the plant, such as flowers and inflores.....»»
A window into the body: New technique makes skin invisible
Researchers have developed a new way to see organs within a body by rendering overlying tissues transparent to visible light. The counterintuitive process—a topical application of food-safe dye—was reversible in tests with animal subjects, and ma.....»»