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A systematic review of micronutrient retention after processing of foods biofortified with provitamin A or minerals (iron and/or zinc) enabled the creation of an online, interactive dashboard that helps users to choose suitable food processing methods for maximal micronutrient retention.
Aluminium (Al) toxicity along with phosphorus (P) deficiency in acidic soils hampers crop growth; however, the role of soil microbiota in conferring Al resistance remains poorly understood. A synthetic community of Al-resistant bacteria was shown to increase rice yield by 26.36% in acidic fields, offering a promising solution for sustainable agriculture.
Genetic improvement of disease resistance in crops often incurs a yield penalty. We identified the ERAD-related ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme OsUBC45 as a positive regulator of rice resistance against multiple pathogens while also improving yield. The underlying mechanism involves OsUBC45 facilitating ubiquitination-mediated degradation of negative regulators of rice yield and immunity.
We used a data mining approach powered by machine learning to analyse microbiomes from chickens, carcasses and environments, collected from farms and abattoirs in three Chinese provinces. The resulting network of correlations between livestock, environments, microbial communities and antimicrobial resistance suggests multiple routes for improving antimicrobial resistance surveillance in livestock production.
Consumption of wild food from forests and common lands contributes to women’s dietary diversity in India, particularly during the lean season in June and July. Women who consume wild foods are more likely to consume dark green leafy vegetables during these months, adding a nutrient-rich food group to their diets.
The local loss of a crop can affect food availability in other countries, directly through trade but also indirectly if production inputs become unavailable. Quantifying the direct and often overlooked indirect effects of local shocks could inform the design of resilient food supply chains and effective crisis responses.
The condition of food is checked using standard laboratory tests — which are not regularly available to supply-chain personnel or end customers. A miniaturized sensor of spoilage in protein-rich foods, which leverages advances in polymer engineering and low-cost sensing, will enable more frequent and accessible testing, improving food safety and quality control.
Sustainable crop protection approaches are crucial to feeding an exponentially increasing global population. Seed wraps developed from banana harvest biomass and loaded with an ultra-low volume of a pesticide resulted in a substantial increase in the yield and quality of yam crops in field trials in Benin.
