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Feeding the growing world population is a primary concern faced by plant breeders and producers. The world population of 8 billion is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, which will demand a 60% increase in food production. These demands need to be met under changing climatic conditions and already stretched resources by extending the boundaries of agriculture to urban areas, deserts, and fresh and saltwater bodies. Additionally, crops are needed to support deep space explorations. Therefore, plants with desirable stature, organization, better resource use efficiency, and higher yield are required to meet these targets. The food security challenge is not new; from prehistoric times, humans shaped plant architecture to make plants fit their needs. For example, intentional/unintentional selection in different plants led to the development of un-branched maize from branched teosinte, spikes with more to fewer inflorescence branches in barley and wheat, tall vine-like plants into compact bushes in tomato and soybean, and from tall to semidwarf varieties in wheat, barley, rice, and sorghum. However, control of plant architecture is complex, as several phytohormone-signal transduction pathways, besides other genetic and epigenetic factors, determine it. Among the plant hormones, strigolactones are vital in shoot branching and root growth, influencing the plant's architecture. Given the importance of shoot architecture in determining yield, we reviewed different traits defining plant architecture and genetic and physiological factors contributing to these traits with attention to wheat, barley, rice, and Arabidopsis. We hope the information will help develop crops with desired architecture for terrestrial and extraterrestrial farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The production of alkaliphilic microalgae can contribute to address the challenging cost of using pure carbon dioxide in large reactors. At high pH values, carbon dioxide is rapidly scavenged and the supply rates of dissolved inorganic carbon from the atmosphere to alkaline media are high. The present study aimed to identify microalgal strains that can cope with high alkalinity and aeration rates. Eight strains were studied and the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus almeriensis and Nannochloropsis gaditana were the only ones that were able to grow under these conditions. Their biomass productivities using laboratory‐scale bubble columns with no pH control and high aeration flow were 0.20 ± 0.03, 0.24 ± 0.03 and 0.08 ± 0.01 g·L−1·day−1, respectively. The production of the two former was scaled up to pilot‐scale bubble columns. Overall, the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide that was transformed into biomass was in the range of 10%–30%, depending on the strain used and the photobioreactor setup. The biomass was rich in proteins and β‐carotene, both valuable products, highlighting the potential production of food ingredients while capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary reviews total aquatic food supply from aquaculture and capture fisheries from 2010 to 2020 at global, regional, and national levels within main producing countries; aquatic animal foods include fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and other invertebrate animals destined for direct human consumption or as fish and seafood by the FAO. Whilst total combined aquatic animal food supply from aquaculture and capture fisheries has increased on a global basis from 18.59 to 20.49 kg/capita over the past decade, the global supply has not kept up with population growth over the same period. Of particular concern was the decrease in fish and seafood food supply within the African region, decreasing from 10.40 to 9.58 kg/capita, whilst population growth increased by 3.12%/year over the same period. Moreover, the Asian region was the only region where per capita fish and seafood food supply exceeded population growth; the bulk of fish and seafood supply being sourced from increased aquaculture production of primarily freshwater fish species, compared with other regions where marine wild fisheries still dominated fish and seafood supply. Fish and seafood supply in leading aquaculture and capture fisheries producing countries between 2010 and 2020, including China, Indonesia, India, Viet Nam, Bangladesh, South Korea, Japan, and USA are presented and demonstrate growth in per capita fish and seafood supply being lower than human population growth in Ecuador, Philippines, Turkey, Chile, Norway, Brazil, Myanmar, the South Korea, and Japan. If aquatic food supplies from aquaculture and inland/marine capture fisheries are to make an increasing global contribution to healthy diets, then the increased production and market availability of these products needs to be promoted by governments and actively encouraged and stimulated, particularly within the African continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable farming on ever-shrinking agricultural land and declining water resources for the growing human population is one of the greatest environmental and food security challenges of the 21st century. Conventional, age-old organic farming practices alone, and foods based on costly cellular agriculture, do not have the potential to be upscaled to meet the food supply challenges for feeding large populations. Additionally, agricultural practices relying on chemical inputs have a well-documented detrimental impact on human health and the environment. As the available farming methods have reached their productivity limits, new approaches to agriculture, combining friendly, age-old farming practices with modern technologies that exclude chemical interventions, are necessary to address the food production challenges. Growing genetically modified (GM) crops without chemical inputs can allow agricultural intensification with reduced adverse health and environmental impacts. Additionally, integrating high-value pleiotropic genes in their genetic improvement coupled with the use of modern agricultural technologies, like robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), will further improve productivity. Such 'organic-GM' crops will offer consumers healthy, agrochemical-free GM produce. We believe these agricultural practices will lead to the beginning of a potentially new chemical-free GM agricultural revolution in the era of Agriculture 4.0 and help meet the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, given the advancement in the genome editing (GE) toolbox, we ought to develop a new category of 'trait-reversible GM crops' to avert the fears of those who believe in ecological damage by GM crops. Thus, in this article, we advocate farming with no or minimal chemical use by combining chemical-free organic farming with the existing biofortified and multiple stress tolerant GM crops, while focusing on the development of novel 'biofertilizer-responsive GE crops' and 'trait-reversible GE crops' for the future. • Current regulations do not permit GM food be labelled organic or GM content be used in certified organic products. • Despite the hype, organic products have remained a niche market which is artificially sustained by the willingness of the rich to pay more and the profit motive of the farmers. • Modernizing GM agriculture by AI-based environment-friendly robotics technologies and avoiding synthetic agrochemicals will ensure a 'greener' future. • Developing biofertilizer-responsive GM crops is imperative, and can be based on selective host-microbe interactions governed by chemotaxis signalling and quorum sensing • Novel GM/ GE varieties should be engineered for higher secondary metabolite biosynthesis , and enhanced secretion of useful root exudates (volatile organic compounds, organic enzymes, siderophores, small secreted proteins, and terpenes) for better microbial associations in the rhizosphere. • For those who fear ecological damage by GM crops, we should develop 'trait reversible GM crops', as it would help build confidence among those vacillating and overly cautious in applying the precautionary principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This 4‐year study (2018–2021) aimed at investigating the effects of flowering areas inserted at the margin of soft wheat fields (Triticum aestivum L.) in comparison with spontaneous field margins. The action formed part of a multidisciplinary initiative promoted by the Barilla food company, aimed at promoting the sustainable production of soft wheat. Specific aims were to study the effects of flowering areas on (i) the abundance and species richness of insect pollinators, including wild bees, syrphids and butterflies; (ii) the levels of wheat aphid and bug infestations and (iii) the assemblages of biological control agents of aphids (coccinellids and aphid mummies as a result of parasitization). Insect surveys were carried out on 61 wheat‐growing farms located in Northern Italy. Insect pollinators were sampled on all farms, whereas wheat aphids, wheat bugs and aphid biological control agents were investigated in a sub‐sample of 20 farms. Results generally indicated a positive impact of flowering areas on multiple taxa in comparison with spontaneous field margins. The abundance of pollinators and coccinellids was significantly enhanced by the flowering areas. Aphid mummies showed an interaction between strategies and distances with more mummies at 5 m in wheat plots close to flowering areas and at 50 m in the plots close to spontaneous field margin (control). Flowering areas were validated as an important tool for promoting beneficial taxa in agro‐ecosystems. However, the successful establishment of this ecological infrastructure was suggested to rely on several factors, which included both the selection of suitable flowering plant species and the implementation of appropriate management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fumonisins (FUMs) contamination occurs globally in food and causes significant economic losses. • Strategies from the points of pre- and post-harvest are developed to manage FUMs contamination. • Mechanisms of some major strategies based on prevention and decontamination are summarized. • Application of biotechnological approaches and emerging technologies is discussed. • Recommendation and prospects are provided for management of fumonisins contamination. Fumonisins (FUMs) are among the most common mycotoxins in plant-derived food products. FUMs contamination has considerably impacted human and animal health, while causing significant economic losses. Hence, management of FUMs contamination in food production and supply chains is needed. The toxicities of FUMs have been widely investigated. FUMs management has been reported and several available strategies have been developed successfully to mitigate FUMs contamination present in foods. However, currently available management of FUMs contamination from different phases of food chains and the mechanisms of some major strategies are not comprehensively summarized. This review comprehensively characterize the occurrence, impacts, and management of FUMs contamination across food production and supply chains. Pre- and post-harvest strategies to prevent FUMs contamination also are reviewed, with an emphasis on the potential applications and the mechanisms of major mitigation strategies. The presence of modified FUMs products and their potential toxic effects are also considered. Importantly, the potential application of biotechnological approaches and emerging technologies are enunciated. Currently available pre- and post-harvest management of FUMs contamination primarily involves prevention and decontamination. Prevention strategies are mainly based on limiting fungal growth and FUMs biosynthesis. Decontamination strategies are implemented through alkalization, hydrolysis, thermal or chemical transformation, and enzymatic or chemical degradation of FUMs. Concerns have been raised about toxicities of modified FUMs derivatives, which presents challenges for reducing FUMs contamination in foods with conventional methodologies. Integrated prevention and decontamination protocols are recommended to control FUMs contamination across entire value chains in developed countries. In developing countries, several other approaches, including cultivating, introducing Bt maize, simple sorting/cleaning, and dehulling, are suggested. Future studies should focus on biotechnological approaches, emerging technologies, and metagenomic/genomic identification of new degradation enzymes that could allow better opportunities to manage FUMs contamination in the entire food system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at the discourses of five selected Western food documentaries released in the last decade that deal with meat production and animal agriculture and their impact on the environment, animal welfare, and nature. The article finds that the documentaries employ discourses about nature that involve highly romanticized notions of nature, the environment, and animals that nostalgically harken back to the pre-modern, pastoral, artisanal, and peasant ethos. In the studied documentaries, nature is portrayed as a victim of modern technologies, but also as an avenging and self-restoring entity. Although the Romantic visions of pristine nature and natural meat and food production are grounded in the late eighteenth century, they remain an important source of skepticism and critique of capitalist, industrial, scientific, and technological forms of food- and meat production. By applying the method of multimodal critical discourse analysis, this study reflects on the nature of Romantic representations and the potential meanings of visual, auditory, and linguistic features in the selected documentaries, as well as the potential of Romantic thought to trigger paradigmatic shifts in the way nature is affected by the meat system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niche construction theory has played a prominent role in archaeology during the last decade. However, the potential of niche construction in relation to agricultural development has received less attention. To this end, we bring together literature on the forms and sources of agronomic variability and use a series of examples to highlight the importance of reciprocal causation and ecological inheritance in trajectories of agricultural change. We demonstrate how niche construction theory can inform on emergent mutualisms in both inceptive and established agronomic contexts, the recursive relationships between humans and their agronomic environments, and bridges between the past and present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of people on Earth and human activities are currently taking on frightening proportions with far-reaching consequences for our planet, its biodiversity and ultimately the human race itself. Ten thousand years ago, humans represented 1% of the total biomass of all land vertebrates. The rest was made up by wild animals. Currently, humans, livestock and pets make up 99% of terrestrial vertebrate biomass, while wild animals represent only 1%. It took millennia for the human population to reach the 1 billion mark and that only by 1890. By 1960, however, the world population had grown to 3 billion. Today there are 8 billion people living on our planet. According to Population Matters, the world population will be approximately 10,4 billion by the end of this century, despite the gradual decline in the growth rate in some countries. There is only a 23% chance that the total population growth rate will tail off before 2100. The population of the 47 least developed countries is likely to triple between 2017 and 2100 to around 3 billion. There are currently 62 million people in South Africa. About 67,9% of our population (in 2021) live in urban areas. The South African population grew by 0,87% in 2023. The fertility rate is 2,30 (2023). It is estimated that by 2050 75,5 million people will be living in South Africa, with 8 out of every 10 people living in urban areas, which would significantly increase the pressure on infrastructure. The Global Footprint Network states that humans currently use the resources of 1,75 Earths. If the situation does not improve, by 2050 we would need the equivalent of three Earths to survive. More than 4 billion people will have little or no water by 2050, and South Africa even now has been classified as a “water-stressed” country. Medical science is continually contributing to more babies surviving their entry into the world and to our living increasingly longer. Life expectancy has risen from 46 years in 1950 to 73,2 years in 2023. By 2050 it will be 77 years. What can be done? Empowerment of women is important. Population growth can be curbed to a reasonable extent by giving more girls access to education. This certainly does not mean that girls or women alone should be held responsible for the current population growth, but much more will have to be done about sex education, women’s rights will have to be actively promoted and there will have to be better provision and use of contraceptives. Obviously, these issues should be approached and handled with due caution. In this regard, countries such as Thailand and South Korea have, in the recent past, proved that good education may result in lower birth rates. In Africa, women with no education have an average of 5,4 children; women who completed high school an average of 2,7 children and women with tertiary education an average of 2.2. In Nigeria, every year of school attendance by girls cuts the birth rate by a tenth. In addition, intensified efforts to reform economies and societies should be considered. For the sake of the survival of the human species and the sustainability of the Earth, ecological and economic justice and the empowerment of women have to be encouraged. The Millennium Project – a global participatory think tank that was founded in 1996 under the auspices of the American Council for the United Nations University, but which became independent in 2009 and has since grown into a global network of institutions and individuals – aims to improve humankind’s prospects for a better future. It recommends, among other things, the following: • Support a policy aimed at improving the survival of children, responsible family planning and educational opportunities for (especially) girls. • Improve methods that will ensure skills and employment opportunities for young people, as well as care and services for the elderly. • Implement the UN’s urban agenda. • Create enough smart cities where citizens with urban intelligence can help in ecosmart ways with the necessary improvements in the city. • Increase training in resilience, and improve disaster prediction and management. • Provide guidance for people about urban ecology. • Intensify research and development in saltwater agriculture (halophytes or salt plants) on coastlines to produce food for humans and animals, biofuel and pulp for the paper industry, and to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2 ). This will ease the pressure on freshwater agriculture. • Improve agricultural and irrigation management. • Invest in precision agriculture and aquaculture. • Reduce food losses from the “farm to the mouth” (one third or 1,3 billion tons of agricultural production is wasted in this way every year). • Establish seaweed to restore wild fish populations along coastlines. The World Bank estimates that 90% of marine life is completely depleted. • Expand the production of insects for animal feed and human diets (insects have a low environmental impact, and 2 billion people already supplement their diet with insects today). • Encourage vegetarianism. Although there are more ways to address these important global challenges, responsible family planning remains one of the most important. This is an extremely sensitive issue for many people (especially in Africa), but if it is not promoted in a humane, informed and responsible way, the sustainability of life on our planet will increasingly come under tremendous pressure in various respects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroecological research has an important role in supporting evidence‐based land management to ensure food production is achieved whilst minimising the impacts on biodiversity and its associated ecosystem processes and services.This nexus between often competing priorities of optimal production and sustainability requires greater knowledge of management decisions to enact more sustainable and transformative practice change and to better conserve biodiversity.We highlight three key knowledge gaps in this area: (i) The use of appropriate indicators to measure dependencies and impacts on biodiversity; (ii) Methods to improve the management of resources to support the "health" of biodiversity within agroecosystems; (iii) Greater understanding of the ecosystem processes, and services generated and received across terrestrial and aquatic habitats.Synthesis and applications. Ecological research and robust science will play a vital role in supporting more sustainable food production. We see Journal of Applied Ecology playing a key role in promoting agricultural research that goes beyond a narrow focus on increasing output, and encourage more submissions at the interface of agriculture, ecology and biodiversity conservation, considering social and economic aspects for a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food waste has become a major problem in this era and is considered a waste of resources. While food waste is increasing, the energy demand is increasing as well. Producing energy from food waste can be a suitable solution for the two problems. Food waste is rich in nutrients and organic compounds. This composition makes food waste suitable to produce hydrogen. Hydrogen has attracted the attention of researchers these days because of its high ability to produce energy with no side products other than water. Food waste can be converted to hydrogen through a thermochemical process called gasification. Gasification converts biomass into a mixture of combustible gases via partial oxidation under high temperatures. In this review, different types of food waste gasification are explored. The results from recent studies are summarized in tables and compared based on the hydrogen yield and process variables. Incrementing temperature and residence time favored hydrogen production along with decrementing feed concentration. Moreover, the usage of a suitable catalyst has significantly enhanced the hydrogen production. The results have shown that food waste gasification has a promising ability to produce hydrogen, however more studies are required to investigate more on the economic feasibility of the process before commercializing it. • The potential of hydrogen production from Food Waste gasification is studied. • Studies of different food waste gasification types are investigated to demonstrate the influence of process variables. • Influence of temperature, residence time, feedstock concentration and catalyst type on hydrogen yield has been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reterritorialisation of agricultural activities (RAA) consists of reinforcing local food production and its diversification activities oriented toward local consumers. RAA helps shape the local food system, which is an increasingly studied topic in the planning field. However, institutional impacts on planning approaches for RAA remain unknown. This study examines this question by comparing land-use and food planning in Dutch and French cases, where France defines food planning via national law and the Netherlands does not. Through analysis of planning documents and semi-structured interviews, we identified planning goals and instruments, and analysed governance models. We then linked these three components to understand institutional impacts. Our empirical findings reveal that regarding planning policies on RAA, there are differences between the two countries in terms of focused action fields, planning instruments, and links between land-use and food planning. Our results show that the dominance of state-local relationships in France and civil society-government relationships in the Netherlands has a significant effect on planning approaches. This study supports the need for an emphasis on institutional design for effective planning for RAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent increase in chronic diseases worldwide is a major cause for concern, with processed foods containing synthetic additives being a leading contributor. These additives are commonly used in the food industry for processing, storage, and packaging, and prolonged exposure to them can pose serious health risks. To address this issue, there is a growing demand for bio-based food additives that are environmentally friendly, free of side effects and chronic diseases like cancer, and promote overall health. Nanoemulsion technology can be used to create these natural-based additives, effectively enhancing their solubility, stability, and bioavailability. As such, natural-based nanoemulsions have the potential to become the next generation of food additives and pave the way for healthier food products. This study provides an overview of the production of natural-based food additives using nanotechnology approaches, examining their effects on different food products and in vitro and exploring their mechanisms of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future colonists on Mars will need to produce fresh food locally to acquire key nutrients lost in food dehydration, the primary technique for sending food to space. In this study we aimed to test the viability and prospect of applying an intercropping system as a method for soil-based food production in Martian colonies. This novel approach to Martian agriculture adds valuable insight into how we can optimise resource use and enhance colony self-sustainability, since Martian colonies will operate under very limited space, energy, and Earth supplies. A likely early Martian agricultural setting was simulated using small pots, a controlled greenhouse environment, and species compliant with space mission requirements. Pea (Pisum sativum), carrot (Daucus carota) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) were grown in three soil types ("MMS-1" Mars regolith simulant, potting soil and sand), planted either mixed (intercropping) or separate (monocropping). Rhizobia bacteria (Rhizobium leguminosarum) were added as the pea symbiont for Nitrogen-fixing. Plant performance was measured as above-ground biomass (g), yield (g), harvest index (%), and Nitrogen/Phosphorus/Potassium content in yield (g/kg). The overall intercropping system performance was calculated as total relative yield (RYT). Intercropping had clear effects on plant performance in Mars regolith, being beneficial for tomato but mostly detrimental for pea and carrot, ultimately giving an overall yield disadvantage compared to monocropping (RYT = 0.93). This effect likely resulted from the observed absence of Rhizobia nodulation in Mars regolith, negating Nitrogen-fixation and preventing intercropped plants from leveraging their complementarity. Adverse regolith conditions—high pH, elevated compactness and nutrient deficiencies—presumably restricted Rhizobia survival/nodulation. In sand, where more favourable soil conditions promoted effective nodulation, intercropping significantly outperformed monocropping (RYT = 1.32). Given this, we suggest that with simple regolith improvements, enhancing conditions for nodulation, intercropping shows promise as a method for optimising food production in Martian colonies. Specific regolith ameliorations are proposed for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Ergothioneine (EGT) is a high‐value food functional factor that cannot be synthesized by humans and other vertebrates, and the low yield limits its application. RESULTS: In this study, the optimal fermentation temperature, fermentation time, initial pH, inoculum age, and inoculation ratio on EGT biosynthesis of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa DL‐X01 were optimized. In addition, the effects of three key precursor substances – histidine, methionine, and cysteine – on fungal EGT synthesis were verified. The optimal conditions were further obtained by response surface optimization. The EGT yield of R. mucilaginosa DL‐X01 under optimal fermentation conditions reached 64.48 ± 2.30 mg L−1 at shake flask fermentation level. Finally, the yield was increased to 339.08 ± 3.31 mg L−1 (intracellular) by fed‐batch fermentation in a 5 L bioreactor. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest EGT yield ever reported in non‐recombinant strains. The fermentation strategy described in this study will promote the efficient biosynthesis of EGT in red yeast and its sustainable production in the food industry. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of three distinct drying methods, namely hot air drying (HAD), microwave oven drying (MD), and vacuum freeze drying (VFD), applied to bee larvae. Through rigorous experimentation and analysis, we evaluated various parameters, including moisture content, color, fat, protein, fatty acid composition, aroma components, and protein secondary structure. Our findings reveal distinctive characteristics of bee larvae aroma, notably including E-2-curenal, palmitic acid and 10-undecenal, with palmitic, linolenic, and oleic acids being the dominant fatty acids. Among the drying methods, MD at 10 W/g demonstrated significantly higher levels of volatile components. Noteworthy, VFD-assisted drying closely resembled the composition of fresh bee larvae, with fat and protein contents of 26% and 57%, respectively. Analysis of protein secondary structure unveiled that MD at 10 W/g exhibited the highest β-folding content, 80%, followed closely by VFD at 45 °C, 73%. Remarkably, VFD at 45 °C exhibited as the superior method, yielding dried bee larvae of unparalleled quality among the three techniques investigated. This study provides valuable insights into the impact of different drying methods on the composition and quality of bee larvae, offering significant implications for the processing, preservation and utilization of this valuable resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-wildlife interactions can affect human wellbeing and wildlife population persistence. This paper addresses the perceived impacts of wildlife on agropastoral food production in the Tarangire ecosystem of northern Tanzania. It is based on sixteen months of collaborative ethnographic fieldwork with agropastoral Maasai communities (2019–2020; 2022; 2023), 240 semi-structured interviews, and a household survey (n = 1076). People felt that caterpillars, elephants, and zebras had the most significant effects on crop production, while hyenas were responsible for the bulk of livestock depredation by carnivores. These social costs of wildlife merit further attention from conservation policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Food security is one of the major concerns in the Philippines. Although livestock and poultry production accounts for a significant proportion of the country's agricultural output, smallholder households are still vulnerable to food insecurity. Aims: The current study aims to examine how livestock production and selling difficulties affect food-insecure conditions of smallholder households. Methods: The study employed the mindsponge theory as its theoretical foundation for constructing the models. Subsequently, it applied the Bayesian mindsponge framework (BMF) analytics to analyse a dataset sourced from the Data in Emergencies Monitoring (DIEM) system of the Food and Agriculture Organization. Key variables in the dataset were transformed into indicators, enabling a detailed examination of smallholder livestock farmers' difficulties in production or selling over the past 3 months. Production difficulties include hurdles in raising and producing livestock, covering aspects such as resource acquisition, animal health, and breeding. Selling difficulties involve obstacles in selling livestock products, including issues related to market access, pricing, and transportation. Key results: Production and selling difficulties significantly adversely affect food security in the Philippines, with varying impacts according to the severity of food insecurity. In particular, production and selling difficulties equally affect the households' likelihood of eating less healthy and nutritious food. However, the production difficulties have more negligible impacts on the possibility of skipping meals than do selling difficulties, and even ambiguous impacts on the likelihood of not eating for a whole day compared with the effects of selling difficulties. Moreover, we also found that the market plays a crucial role in facilitating not only livestock trading but also livestock production (e.g. purchase of feed and medicines). Conclusions: Our research has highlighted the complex connection among livestock, markets, and food security within the Philippine setting. It emphasised the significant impact of selling difficulties, particularly the heavy reliance on nearby local and regional markets, in exacerbating the severity of food insecurity. Implications: On the basis of these findings, we suggest that the livestock market needs to be expanded and regulated to balance livestock products and services used for livestock production and facilitate the product-exchanging mechanism. We found that the challenges faced in production and selling processes substantially positively affect the likelihood of food insecurity likelihood among livestock smallholders in the Philippines. Nevertheless, the impact of these challenges depends on the degree of food insecurity. The market plays a crucial role in facilitating not only livestock trading but also livestock production (e.g. purchase of feed and medicines). Market mechanisms can be used to alleviate food insecurity among livestock smallholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural landscapes have been reshaped globally to drive unsustainable increases in profit and production. This is contributing significantly to the degradation of planetary systems and the vulnerability of food systems. The discourse coalition that has formed around the storyline of regenerative agriculture (RA) promises to address these issues by transforming food production and repairing ecosystems. The coalition has diverse contributors that interpret RA differently. This diversity will be difficult to retain as RA moves toward discursive structuration and institutionalization. There is a risk that discursive institutionalization might be achieved by shedding the more transformative RA discourses. This paper examines a volunteer-led co-operative, the Institute of Ecological Agriculture (IEA), as a case study on how accreditation systems might be designed to expand RA's discourse coalition and increase the capacity of those discourses advocating transformation to institutionalize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food systems are responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn are changing the climate and disrupting the food supply. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization recently unveiled a "food systems roadmap" to align food production with global climate goals. The delay in recognizing the connection between food and climate change may be due to a lack of imagery. Solutions to creating more sustainable food systems include using genetic editing tools to develop crops with increased yields and resilience, as well as reviving traditional indigenous food sources. Another approach is regenerative agriculture, which focuses on enriching the soil and environment through practices like cover cropping and integrated pest management. Despite the challenges, there are various approaches available to transform the food system in the face of climate change. [Extracted from the article]

Sustainability challenges related to food production arise from multiple nature- society interactions occurring over long time periods. Traditional methods of quantitative analysis do not represent long- term changes in the networks of system components, including institutions and knowledge that affect system behavior. Here, we develop an approach to study system structure and evolution by combining a qualitative framework that represents sustainability- relevant human, technological, and environmental components, and their interactions, mediated by knowledge and institutions, with network modeling that enables quantitative metrics. We use this approach to examine the water and food system in the Punjab province of the Indus River Basin in Pakistan, exploring how food production has been sustained, despite high population growth, periodic floods, and frequent political and economic disruptions. Using network models of five periods spanning 75 y (1947 to 2022), we examine how quantitative metrics of network structure relate to observed sustainability- relevant outcomes and how potential interventions in the system affect these quantitative metrics. We find that the persistent centrality of some and evolving centrality of other key nodes, coupled with the increasing number and length of pathways connecting them, are associated with sustaining food production in the system over time. Our assessment of potential interventions shows that regulating groundwater pumping and phasing out fossil fuels alters network pathways, and helps identify potential vulnerabilities for future food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilization of agricultural and food wastes for biohydrogen generation is a hot research topic. In this paper, biohydrogen generation potentials from wheat, maize, barley, rice and potato production, consumption, associated losses, and household food waste generation in Turkey is estimated till 2030 using novel semi-empirical holistic models based on different scenarios. It was estimated that up to 90 thousand tonnes of biohydrogen could be produced from household food wastes in Turkey in 2030. This amount of biohydrogen would be worth 1.5 billon US$ and generate nearly 0.8 billion US$ of net return. In addition, this study clearly shows that there is a great potential for economic gain from agricultural and food waste based biohydrogen generation in Turkey. In conclusion, the methodology developed in this study could be used by researchers around the world to estimate local and national level biohydrogen generation potentials from agricultural and food wastes. [Display omitted] • This paper examines biohydrogen potentials from agricultural and food wastes. • Holistic per capita models for estimating annual biohydrogen production potentials. • Annual production and sale costs are estimated. • Annual net returns from biohydrogen generation are calculated. • The results highlight recommendations for future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish processing is an indispensable part of fish food production. It mainly involves de-heading, gutting, filleting, skinning, trimming, and slicing, with the cutting operations holding a critical role. Unfortunately, inefficiency, low quality, and poor safety are the primary problems facing the fish processing industry today, dramatically hindering the automation and intelligence of fish processing. Consequently, it is vital to develop intelligent cutting in current fish processing in an efficient, high-quality, and safe manner. This review summarizes the main cutting techniques for fish processing. The critical techniques to achieve intelligent cutting in fish processing from imaging, image processing, and modeling dimensions are outlined, with their applications in practical fish processing. Fish characteristics, cutting mechanisms, and cutting process control are emphasized. In addition, Industry 4.0 technologies, especially the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, and digital twins (DT), are emphasized. Finally, challenges and future work are highlighted, which will serve as references for subsequent researchers and enterprises engaged in this field to promote the automation and intelligence of fish processing production, ultimately realizing the high-efficiency, high-quality, and safe production of fish food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are the processes and consequences of markets reaching deeper into social reproduction? How do these developments, in the context of Europeanisation underpinned by neoliberalisation and transnationalisation, compel labour mobility? To consider these questions we apply social reproduction theory and the framework of uneven and combined accumulation of capital in Europe to the analysis of the UK, Poland and Ukraine and their food production, housing construction and care provision sectors. We explore how transformations, in these three countries interconnected by labour mobilities and in these three domains key to social reproduction, not only affect the industries that supply food, housing and care, but, crucially, redraw the contours of social reproduction. Theorising social reproduction as a continuum of market, state and household provisioning, we outline its transformation within the specific constellation of Europeanisation and delineate how mobility is both propelled by and advances market-reach into food, housing and care. We argue that market-driven transnational social reproduction is constituted by contradictions stemming from the deepening subordination of reproductive labour to the law of value, progressively depriving households of the promise of prosperity - a complex process that is made visible by our feminist critique of political economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The objective of this study was to obtain protein hydrolysates from buffalo cheese whey proteins and characterise them. Degrees of hydrolysis ranged between 10% and 16% depending on processing time. The hydrolysate obtained after 12 h showed a low water activity value (<0.4), and the lowest moisture content (4.88% w/w), besides demonstrating better solubility, and enhanced emulsion stability. The hydrolysate obtained after an 18‐h process exhibited higher foam production capacity. In vitro, protein digestibility values of the hydrolysates ranged from 25% to 27% (w/w). Prolonging the hydrolysis (18 h) of the buffalo whey proteins with Flavourzyme resulted in a greater release of amino acids. The hydrolysate obtained after a 12‐h process exhibited the best techno‐functional characteristics (moisture, oil holding capacity, and emulsion stability), while the 18‐h showed the highest levels of branched‐chain amino acids. The characteristics of these hydrolysates enable their use in the production of supplements, providing another strategy for bubaline whey utilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caulerpa lentillifera, known as 'sea grapes´ or 'green caviar´, is increasingly in demand as a sea vegetable for human consumption. The seaweed is cultivated in ponds in the Khánh Hòa province in Van Phong Bay, Viet Nam, during the dry season (March-October). The harvested sea grape fronds are graded into different qualities based on their physical characteristics for retail on the local market or for export. Based on systematic observations of sea grape fronds of two different qualities, the frond weight, frond length and rachis coloration were identified as physical characteristics important for grading. Fronds of the best quality had significantly longer (12.59 ± 2.89 vs 10.01 ± 2.51 cm) and heavier (2.37 ± 0.59 vs 1.60 ± 0.5 g) fronds with darker rachis than the other quality group. However, a logistic regression model revealed that frond weight was the best predictor of frond quality. The physiological parameter of Fv/Fm was slightly different between the qualities, but always with means > 0.7, whereas the antioxidant activity and the total phenolic content were similar (98.34 ± 19.22 vs 95.96 ± 24.98 mmol TE (100 g)−1 DW and 163.8 ± 20.14 vs 149.85 ± 15.44 mg GAE (100 g)−1 DW). To the best of our knowledge, this study took a first approach to identify quality characteristics of sea grape fronds from Van Phong Bay, Viet Nam, which can serve as a basis for adjusting cultivation parameters to improve the harvest quality by developing cultivation and post-harvest protocols. However, further research is needed to investigate the effect of certain cultivation parameters on the specific frond characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The island ecosystem is influenced by the maritime climate and endemic flora and fauna that predominate the food production system. The observed variations and projected changes in rainfall and temperature severely affect the small islands and island states (SIS) more than large countries. In this study, we analyse the long-term changes in total rainfall, its seasonal variations, the number of rainy days and extreme events based on standardized global datasets and ground observations for SIS, including island regions of India, to identify suitable adaptation options in order to ensure sustainable food production. We link these climatic parameters with the observed waterlogging, moisture stress and salinity, compounded by the sea-water intrusion, which severely affects agricultural diversification and food production. In these areas, climate-smart alternative land management (ALM) methods, viz. raised beds, paddy–fish, farm ponds with broader dykes, etc. have been demonstrated and evaluated against these climate change-linked challenges at smallholder farms in the Andaman Islands and Sundarbans region of India. The results showed that the ALM methods created favourable conditions for crop growth and agricultural diversification by excluding sea-water intrusion, harvesting rainwater, reducing salinity and facilitating drainage amidst extreme events experienced during the observation period (2010–2020). ALM enhanced on-farm food production (2.7–34.6 tonne ha–1 rice equivalent yield), sustainability (0.23–0.79, measured as sustainable yield index) and net mitigation benefit (2.2–5.7 Mg CO2 eq. year–1), providing greater scope for its upscaling in the island and coastal regions as adaptation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to analyse, whether malting technique (consisting of seed hydration, germination and drying) can be used to modify concentration of various isoflavonoids in soybean seeds. Seeds of three soybean varieties were germinated by different lengths of time (from 24 to 120 h) and dried by two different methods, typically used to produce so-called 'light' and 'caramel' malts. It was determined, that malting decreases concentration of 7-O-β-D-glucosides such as daidzin, genisitin and glycitin, while at the same time increasing concentration of aglycones (daidzein, genistein and glycitein). Increasing time of the germination period increased concentration of aglycones. 'Caramel' type malts were characterised with higher concentration of most of the isoflavonoids (daidzin, daidzein, genistin, genistein and glycitein) than 'light' type malts. Results of this study suggest that soybean malts can be an interesting substrate in the production of various food products with increased aglycone content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diminishing natural resources and increasing climatic volatility are impacting agri-food systems, prompting the need for sustainable and resilient alternatives. Python farming is well established in Asia but has received little attention from mainstream agricultural scientists. We measured growth rates in two species of large pythons (Malayopython reticulatus and Python bivittatus) in farms in Thailand and Vietnam and conducted feeding experiments to examine production efficiencies. Pythons grew rapidly over a 12-month period, and females grew faster than males. Food intake and growth rates early in life were strong predictors of total lifetime growth, with daily mass increments ranging from 0.24 to 19.7 g/day for M. reticulatus and 0.24 to 42.6 g/day for P. bivittatus, depending on food intake. Pythons that fasted for up to 4.2 months lost an average of 0.004% of their body mass per day, and resumed rapid growth as soon as feeding recommenced. Mean food conversion rate for dressed carcasses was 4.1%, with useable products (dressed carcass, skin, fat, gall bladder) comprising 82% of the mass of live animals. In terms of food and protein conversion ratios, pythons outperform all mainstream agricultural species studied to date. The ability of fasting pythons to regulate metabolic processes and maintain body condition enhances food security in volatile environments, suggesting that python farming may offer a flexible and efficient response to global food insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) analysis indicated a significant regression in the global SDG goal scores, particularly in SDG 2--Zero Hunger. The emissions of environmental pollution caused by meeting food demands have prompted some countries to intensify their climate change mitigation efforts. These circumstances have introduced significant uncertainty to the future global sustainable food development. Additionally, a notable global challenge is the persistence of hidden hunger, primarily characterized by the insufficient consumption of high-quality animal protein. Addressing this issue would necessitate increased environmental costs to attain high-quality food security. The future food system presents a significant challenge in coordinating food security, food quality and environmental quality. This article presents a comprehensive review and proposes a three-step strategy for future agricultural development based on food security, quality, and environmental aspects. This is a novel food system transfer strategy, as it concurrently addresses both global food security and environmental thresholds. It involves the construction of an efficient food system that operates within the constraints of environmental limits. The objective is to align with global SDG indicators and to maintain natural resource consumption and pollutant emissions within planetary boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of green and sustainable development of agriculture is the common pursuit all over the world. Agriculture green development (AGD) program has been proposed as a sustainable development strategy in China, but insufficient is known about the quantitative evaluation of spatiotemporal variation in AGD at the regional scale. This study aimed to assess spatiotemporal patterns in AGD at the county/city-based regional level. For this purpose, a systematic index evaluation system was developed to assess the performance of socioeconomic, food production and environmental components in a key economic region (Hainan Province) of China. Hainan improved its AGD index (representing the overall performance toward achieving AGD) from 38.8 in 1988 to 40.9 in 2019. The socioeconomic development and agricultural productivity have improved with time; environmental quality declined due to overuse of chemicals from 1988 to 2013, but steadily improved after 2013, indicating positive effects of reducing chemical input. There was a higher AGD index in the coastal vs. central regions and the southern vs. northern regions. Scenarios featuring improved nutrient management or optimized diet structure and reduced waste improved economic benefits and social productivity while concurrently reducing environmental degradation. These results provide new insights for the future development of green and sustainable agriculture and formulation of agricultural policies in Hainan Province of China and even other developing countries that are facing or will soon face similar challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic pollution is global concern, affecting most aspects of global food production systems. Plasticulture, a practice used in agriculture to improve crop quality and quantity, among other factors, is a significant source of plastic pollution. This review examines the extent of plasticulture in China, the implications of the practice across decades of use and the legislative instruments used to resolve those issues. It briefly assesses the effectiveness of these policies and proposes possible future innovations to promote increases in long-term food and eco-security, where sustainable plasticulture is a key agent for change. While plasticulture has increased agricultural productivity in growth-limiting conditions, plastic pollution in agricultural soils has become acute in China. Consequently, plastic pollution is having deleterious effects on soil health and in turn, crop productivity in China. Plastic pollution in agriculture is a multifaceted issue and so proposed solutions should be informed by this complexity. Current measures do not reflect a holistic approach to solving this socioecological challenge and adopt a top-down approach, with little or no supportive mechanisms. Future recommendations need to consider the particular set of conditions that influence the production, use and end-of-life management of agriplastics, specific to the environmental, economic and social conditions in each location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow River Basin is an important food production area and an ecological challenge for China, where environmental protection and water scarcity are the major constraints. For the upper reaches of the Yellow River Basin, optimizing the adoption of chemicals in agricultural production and integrating crops with livestock are the key strategies for protecting the eco-environment. For dryland agriculture in the middle and upper reaches, this study summarizes four aspects of efficient precipitation techniques in terms of collection, storage, conservation, and use, which have greatly improved crop yields and supported dryland crop production. Irrigated agriculture in the middle and lower reaches is the core area of China's grain production, where the area under water-saving irrigation reached 13.0 Mha in 2018, greatly improving water use. Compared with 1998, cereal production in 2018 increased by 62.2 Mt under similar total water withdrawals (49.7 billion to 51.6 billion m³), and the annual soil erosion at the Tongguan Hydrological Observatory reduced by 584 million m³ in 2018, achieving great success in environmental protection and efficient water use. The Chinese government has set a goal for the Yellow River Basin to become the national leader in environmental protection and efficient water use by 2035. Such a high demand requires the combined efforts of the whole community, as well as the adoption of new technologies, coordinated basin-wide development, and adequate policy support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has initiated a green transformation plan in 2015, which was soon applied to agriculture, known as the agriculture green development (AGD) initiative, with the goals of achieving food security, high resource use efficiency, and an ecofriendly environment. To assess the agricultural transformation from 1997 to 2020, this paper proposes a national-scale indicator system consisting three dimensions (socioeconomic, food production and eco-environmental) and ten sub-dimensions to quantify the AGD score. This study showed that AGD score in China was at a moderate level during 1997-2010, scoring 40 out of 100. During this stage, decreased scores in the sub-dimensions of resource consumption, environmental quality, and environmental cost have offset the improvement in the socioeconomic dimension, resulting in fluctuated scores around 40. In the second stage (2011-2020), China's AGD score improved but still at moderate level, scoring an average of 46.3, with each dimension increasing by 5.3%-25.0%. These results indicate that China has made progress in the agricultural transformation, transitioning from conceptualization to actions through the implementation of various policies and projects. However, the study emphasizes the need for more effort to address the insufficient and unbalanced development, along with the growing eco-environmental challenges, especially the trade-offs among dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture green development (AGD) has become an unavoidable choice to address the unique national circumstances of China. This study established a county-level AGD evaluation index system, comprised three dimensions, food production, ecological environment and socioeconomic development, using 20 indicators. The assessment delved into historical trend and current situation, utilizing Spearman rank correlation analysis to analyze trade-off and synergy relationships, using Quzhou County, Hebei Province as a case study. The main findings were in four areas. Firstly, the index for AGD in Quzhou County increased by 58.9% from 1978 to 2019. The major contribution were the social economy (65.8%) and food production (53.5%), whereas the ecological environment was found to have had a negative impact. Secondly, in 2019, the AGD index was only 56.4, indicating substantial potential for improvement relative to the target value. A notable difference in scores existed between the three dimensions, with the order being ecological environment (66.3) > food production (61.7) > socioeconomic (41.3). Also, 90% of the indicators did not reach the target value. Thirdly, relationship analysis of the indicators revealed that the synergistic effect exceeded the trade-off effect. Specifically, 46.3% of the indicators had no significant relationship, 35.3% had a synergistic relationship, and 18.4% had a trade-off relationship. Finally, interdimensional indicator relationships exhibited a trade-off effect between the ecological environment and both food production and socioeconomic dimensions. However, a positive trend of synergy between production and ecology has emerged since 2015. In conclusion, the quantitative evaluation index system exposed the unbalanced development and significant potential relative to the target value of AGD in Quzhou County, despite notable progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fast-growing field of research focuses on microbial biocontrol within the phyllosphere. Phyllosphere microorganisms possess biocontrol capacity with good range of adaptation to the phyllosphere environment and inhibit the expansion of microbial pathogens, thus sustaining plant health. These biocontrol factors are often categorized in direct, microbe-microbe, and indirect, host-microbe, interactions. This review gives an summary of the modes of action of microbial adaptation and biocontrol within the phyllosphere, the genetic basis of the mechanisms and samples of experiments which will detect these mechanisms in laboratory and field experiments. Detailed insights in such mechanisms are key for the rational design of novel microbial biocontrol strategies and increase crop protection and production. Such novel biocontrol strategies are much needed in today's world to ensure sufficient food production to feed the growing world population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the effectiveness of agricultural extension models in food crop production in Cross River State. Specifically, the study described the socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents, identified the level of extension model activities in crop production and analyzed the effectiveness of agricultural extension models in the study area. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used in selecting respondents for the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, mean scores, percentages and standard deviation were used for the study. The result showed that the respondents had a mean age of x" = 5. Majority (77.00%) of the respondents were married. Furthermore, the result of the socio economic characteristics of the respondents also showed that a negligible proportion (17.20%) of the respondents had no formal education. About 16.10% had primary level of education. A fair proportion (45.00%) had secondary level of education. Also, about 21.70% of the respondents had tertiary level of education. These implied that the respondents were educated. Educational attainment would make the farmers more responsible and responsive to agricultural extension models, programs and policies. The result also indicated that 79.50% of the respondents were farmers. These implied that farming was the major means of livelihood in the area. The result of distribution of respondents based on extension models available in the area showed that "training and visit" extension model was ranked first with standard deviation of 1.65; this means that the "training and visit" model of extension had a high level of acceptability in ensuring food crop production. Contact farmer model was ranked 2nd, with standard deviation of 1.28. This means that farmers had contact with fellow farmers faster than extension officers. In the same vein, video-based extension model was ranked 8th with standard deviation of 0.64. The result of the effectiveness of extension model revealed that mean (x") of 3.58, 3.35, 3.49, 3.20 affirmed that agricultural extension models populated by extension officers are effective in food crop production in the study area. Similarly, individual persons oriented model such as mass media model with mean of x" = 3.21 was very effective in food crop production. These results implied that agricultural extension models were effective in food crop production. The study concluded that the agricultural extension models are very effective and positively related to food crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable food systems are an important aspect of curbing the impacts of climate change and meeting targets of global food security. It is increasingly recognised that a wider suite of indicators is required to assess sustainability beyond the traditional environmental factors. This study focuses on Aberdeenshire, an atypical area of the UK where soils, climate and topography are not conducive to diverse or large-scale fruit and vegetable production, which in other areas, are a dominant feature of farmers' markets. Nevertheless, Aberdeenshire needs economic diversification to offset some of the impacts of the decline in the oil and gas industry. Face-to-face questionnaires were conducted across Aberdeenshire farmers' markets in summer 2022 to assess buyer and seller perceptions of the environmental, social and economic benefits of local food products. There was a positive attitude to local products with the majority of buyers perceiving the quality, nutrition, organic status and use of sustainable farming practices to be high. Conversely, the main products bought, baked goods and meat, are associated with negative impacts on the environment and/or human health. We discuss why, despite these shortfalls, farmers' markets provide a valuable opportunity to distribute and promote high quality wares to support the local economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raw ingredients directly affect the quality of processed foods. Along with improvements in processing technology, processed food production has grown significantly. The percentage of bakery products in total food consumption is very high, and soft bakery foods despite having a short shelf life, are well-liked because of their deliciousness. Special attention is paid to muffins with various combinations of nutritive ingredients and organoleptic qualities. Recent research studies have extensively covered the use of various fruits, vegetables, and grain and their by products as raw materials and value-added incorporation in the muffin to produce a nutrient-rich and highly valuable muffin. The present study provides a detailed observation of three major categories of incorporated ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, and their processing by products, as well as some other grainbased ingredients used as raw materials that add value. The study compiles a brief for their use in baked goods while reviewing the literature on ingredients. The findings of the literature analysis show an increase in the nutritional content of bioactive substances like antioxidants in the muffins. It has been revealed that using ingredients derived from fruits and vegetables is safer and more effective in terms of nutrition. Muffins may have a higher quality and better nutritional profile when certain combinations of fruit- and vegetable-based ingredients are added to the main ingredient. It will be helpful to researchers, food manufacturers, and small and medium-scale bakery unit operators about various aspects of the raw materials and properties connected with new muffin formulations and the standardization of stabilized products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Microbiome of the Built Environment (MoBE) is profoundly implicated in various sectors, including food science. The balance between beneficial and pathogenic microbes in these facilities directly influences product quality and public health. Maintaining a careful check on MoBE and external microbes is vital to the food industry to ensure quality control. There is also a risk of contamination in the meat processing facility as well. However, over-sanitization can increase drug-resistant microbes, highlighting the importance of balanced microbial management. Additionally, facility design, influenced by understanding MoBE, can optimize the growth of beneficial microbes and inhibit pathogenic microbes. Microbial mapping, an emerging practice, offers insights into microbial hotspots within facilities, resulting in targeted interventions. As the food industry evolves, the intricate understanding and management of MoBE will be pivotal to ensuring optimal food quality, safety, and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between agriculture and food is very close. It is impossible to produce adequate crops for global food security without proper farm management. Farming practices represent direct and indirect controlling factors in terms of global food security. Farming management practices influence agro-food production from seed germination through to the post-harvest treatments. Nano-farming utilizes nanotechnologies for agricultural food production. This review covers four key components of nano-farming: nano-mushroom production, protein-based nanoparticles, nano-nutrients, and nanofibers. This provides a comprehensive overview of the potential applications of nanotechnology in agriculture. The role of these components will be discussed in relation to the challenges faced and solutions required to achieve sustainable agricultural production. Edible mushrooms are important to food security because they are a nutritious food source and can produce nanoparticles that can be used in the production of other food sources. Protein-based nanoparticles have considerable potential in the delivery of bioactives as carriers and other applications. Nano-nutrients (mainly nano-selenium, nano-tellurium and carbon nanodots) have crucial impacts on the nutrient status of plant-based foods. Carbon nanodots and other carbon-based nanomaterials have the potential to influence agricultural crops positively. There are promising applications of nanofibers in food packaging, safety and processing. However, further research is needed to understand the impacts and potential risks of nanomaterials in the food production system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world's population is expected to increase by nearly two billion in the next 30 years; the population will increase from 8 billion to 9.7 billion by 2050 and could peak at 10.4 billion by the mid-2080s. The extreme weather triggered by global climate change has severely hit crop yields in open-field cultivation and led to an increase in food prices. Furthermore, in the last few years, emergency events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, wars/conflicts, and economic downturns have conditioned agricultural production and food security around the world. Greenhouses could be efficient cultivation systems because they enable food production in a sustainable way, limiting contact between pollutants and plants and optimizing the use of water, energy, and soil. This paper proposes a novel dome-soilless greenhouse concept for tomato cultivation in the Mediterranean area. The proposed greenhouse is fixed on a sea platform to take advantage of the seawater cooling environment and to integrate water consumption into a hydroponic system. In order to evaluate the best covering solution material to adopt, a few thermal and photometric characteristics of greenhouse covering materials were evaluated using a simplified method. A dynamic simulation was carried out to compare the proposed seawater cooling system with a conventional cooling tower in terms of the electric energy spent to maintain the inside temperature range at 13–25 °C across all seasons in the year. The proposed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system allowed a total annual energy saving of more than 10%. The energy saved was a result of the better cooling performance of the seawater heat exchange that allowed energy saving of about 14% on cooling. The comparison between the model characterised by a 6 mm polycarbonate coupled with UbiGro film and a seawater cooling system, and the model including a 6 mm polycarbonate coupled with a clarix blue film covering and a tower cooling system highlighted energy saving of about 20%. The obtained results indicate possible future directions for offshore greenhouses to carry out independent production together with the integration of photovoltaic modules, water treatment plants, and smart remote-control systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food production is at the heart of global sustainability challenges, with unsustainable practices being a major driver of biodiversity loss, emissions and land degradation. The concept of foodscapes, defined as the characteristics of food production along biophysical and socio-economic gradients, could be a way addressing those challenges. By identifying homologues foodscapes classes possible interventions and leverage points for more sustainable agriculture could be identified. Here we provide a globally consistent approximation of the world's foodscape classes. We integrate global data on biophysical and socio-economic factors to identify a minimum set of emergent clusters and evaluate their characteristics, vulnerabilities and risks with regards to global change factors. Overall, we find food production globally to be highly concentrated in a few areas. Worryingly, we find particularly intensively cultivated or irrigated foodscape classes to be under considerable climatic and degradation risks. Our work can serve as baseline for global-scale zoning and gap analyses, while also revealing homologous areas for possible agricultural interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though food scarcity realizing in many places in the world, food waste generation still shows its increasing trend because of cultural and habitual changes, as well as technological characteristics. However, food waste comprises a large amount of organic material and biodegradable components, showing that it could be a potential source for producing hydrogen (H 2) aiming to satisfy the key goals of diversifying the energy supply and reducing environmental pollution. Indeed, this research addresses the potential possibilities to use food waste for the production of H 2 by using a water gasification reactor. In this work, food waste was gasified by varying the operating parameters in the H 2 production process and the addition of additives. In this investigation, different additives such as HCl, NaCl, and NaHCO 3 were considered to investigate at different reactor temperatures like 300, 350, and 400 °C for different reaction durations like 30, 45, and 60 min. The results revealed that the best average yields of CH 4 , H 2 , CO 2 , CO, and total gas were obtained as 1.5, 12.9, 0.2, 0.1, and 13.9 mol/kg, respectively, when the reaction employed with NaHCO 3 additive than the other cases (with HCl, NaCl additives and no additive cases). The H 2 production efficiency was estimated as 43%, 34%, 27%, and 30% when the use of NaHCO 3 , NaCl, HCl, and no additives. Hence, it is found that the NaHCO 3 catalyst considerably enhances the gasification process through the improvement of the water-gas shift reaction, and thereby H 2 production increases. [Display omitted] • Hydrogen Production from food waste possibilities were experimentally analyzed. • HCl, NaCl, and NaHCO 3 Alkaline metals additives tested in H 2 production. • Analyzed influence of reaction temperature and reaction duration in H 2 production. • NaHCO 3 additive with food waste, improves the water-gas shifting reaction. • NaHCO 3 additive recorded 12.9 mol/kg H 2 production & production efficiency 43%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The productive management of Apis mellifera L. faces threats that put the populations of this species, which is part of the set of crucial pollinators for agriculture, food production, and the sustainability of ecosystems. Worldwide, bee loss is a multifactorial phenomenon associated with various factors such as exposure to pesticides, pests and diseases, improper beekeeping management practices, habitat deterioration, climate change, etc. The occurrence of these causative factors in a particular or synergistic way limits the productive use of A. mellifera. This review addresses five of the main factors affecting bee production globally. A systematic search of published information available in the Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, and Google Scholar databases was carried out, using keywords for each topic, from January 2011 to November 30, 2021. The most relevant information of each factor, its causes, and research focus was considered, with a conclusion to explore proposed alternatives for future studies. Consequently, an analysis of the accumulated knowledge on the problems that exist around the productive management of A. mellifera worldwide is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tillering, also known as shoot branching, is a fundamental trait for cereal crops such as rice to produce sufficient panicle numbers. Effective tillering that guarantees successful panicle production is essential for achieving high crop yields. Recent advances in molecular biology have revealed the mechanisms underlying rice tillering; however, in rice breeding and cultivation, there remain limited genes or alleles suitable for effective tillering and high yields. A recently identified quantitative trait locus (QTL) called MORE PANICLES 3 (MP3) has been cloned as a single gene and shown to promote tillering and to moderately increase panicle number. This gene is an ortholog of the maize domestication gene TB1 , and it has the potential to increase grain yield under ongoing climate change and in nutrient-poor environments. This review reconsiders the potential and importance of tillering for sustainable food production. Thus, I provide an overview of rice tiller development and the currently understood molecular mechanisms that underly it, focusing primarily on the biosynthesis and signaling of strigolactones, effective QTLs, and the importance of MP3 (TB1). The possible future benefits in using promising QTLs such as MP3 to explore agronomic solutions under ongoing climate change and in nutrient-poor environments are also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The growing elderly population calls for specialized dietary options to address the unique nutritional needs of aging individuals. Current food production methods often overlook the dietary requirements of older adults. Expanding the range of gerodietic food products can significantly contribute to improving the health and well-being of the elderly. Methods: This study focuses on the development of gerodietic cookies, a pastry product enriched with key additives--phytolin, collagen hydrolysate, and trehalose. Organoleptic and physicochemical parameters of the cookies were evaluated using standard techniques. The formulated cookies aim to support collagencontaining tissues' health, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, and lower the product's glycemic index while maintaining an appealing taste and texture. Results: The synergistic effects of phytolin, collagen hydrolysate, and trehalose in the gerodietic cookies contribute to their potential health benefits. The study determined the optimal composition of these additives, ensuring their effectiveness and overall product quality. The enriched cookies displayed favorable characteristics, including uniform porosity, pleasant aroma, and taste, meeting the established standards for alkalinity, moisture content, and wetness. Conclusion: Developing gerodietic cookies with scientifically justified formulations offers a promising approach to address the dietary needs of the elderly population. These cookies have the potential to support collagen-rich tissues, mitigate the risk of type 2 diabetes, and provide a tasty and nutritious addition to the diet of older adults. This research contributes to the growing field of gerodietic nutrition, offering innovative solutions to promote healthy aging through dietary choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swarming locusts cause huge plagues across the world threatening food production. Before swarms form, locust populations exhibit a dramatic phase change from a solitary to a gregarious phase. The cause of this phase change is a complicated interplay of conspecific and environmental cues and is, especially for one of the major pests, the migratory locust Locusta migratoria, still not well understood. Here we study the behavior of both solitary and gregarious L. migratoria towards the headspace odors of conspecifics. As we do not find a general attraction of gregarious animals to the headspace of gregarious conspecifics, swarm formation does not seem to be mainly governed by olfactory aggregation cues. When testing for potential mating signals, we observe that the headspace of virgin gregarious females is highly attractive only towards virgin males of the same phase, while mated gregarious males and solitary males, regardless of their mating state, do not become attracted. Interestingly, this phase-specific attraction goes along with the finding, that mating behavior in experiments with inter-phasic pairings is extremely rare. Our data suggest that odor emissions in L. migratoria play a significant role in a mating context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]