The Future of Food, Agriculture, and Aquaculture

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Critical Crops’ Alternative Way to Succeed in Heat and Drought
September 16, 2024

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Scientists have discovered that certain plants can survive stressful, dry conditions by controlling water loss through their leaves without relying on their usual mechanism - tiny pores known as ‘stomata’.

Nonstomatal control of transpiration in maize, sorghum, and proso millet – all C4* crops which are critical for global food security – gives these plants an advantage in maintaining a beneficial microclimate for photosynthesis within their leaves.

This allows the plants to absorb carbon dioxide as part of the photosynthesis and growth process, despite raised temperatures and increased atmospheric demand for water without increasing the water expenditure.

Publishing their findings today (16 Sep) in PNAS, researchers from the University of Birmingham, Australian National University, Canberra, and James Cook University, Cairns, challenge traditional understanding of plant transpiration and photosynthesis under stressful and dry growing conditions – namely that stomata alone control leaf water loss.

Co-author Dr Diego Márquez, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “This revolutionised our understanding of plant-water relations by showing that nonstomatal control of transpiration limits water loss without compromising carbon gain—challenging what is typically accepted as an unavoidable trade-off.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1057994

*C4 carbon fixation or the Hatch–Slack pathway is one of three known photosynthetic processes of carbon fixation in plants….C4 fixation is an addition to the ancestral and more common C3 carbon fixation.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C4_carbon_fixation

Corn, sorghum (jowar) and sugarcane belong to a special group of plants known as C4, so-called because they first fix CO2 into a four-carbon carbohydrate during photosynthesis.

Source: https://theorganicmagazine.com/food-and ... arm-them/

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Organic Farming in Flux: A Five-year Snapshot
by Mónica Cordero
September 11, 2024

Introduction:

(Investigate Midwest) The number of organic farms in the country has declined by nearly 5% over the past five years, from 18,166 in 2017 to 17,321 in 2022, according to the latest Census of Agriculture data released earlier this year.

However, sales still increased by more than 32%, rising from approximately $7.3 billion in 2017 to about $9.6 billion in 2022.

Census data includes both certified organic operations and smaller entities exempt from certification due to gross annual organic sales under $5,000.

Both certified and exempt operations adhere to agricultural practices that support resource cycling, ecological balance and biodiversity conservation.

Organic product sales are heavily clustered on the West Coast, particularly in California, as well as in the upper Midwest, Great Lakes regions, southeast Pennsylvania, and central North Carolina.

Read more here (including graph): https://investigatemidwest.org/2024/09 ... napshot/

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How Agroforestry Could Help Revitalize America’s Corn Belt
by Tom Philpott
September 10, 2024

Introduction:

(Yale Environment 360) Drive through rural Minnesota in high summer and you’ll take in a view that dominates nearly the entire U.S. Midwest: an emerald sea of ripening corn and soybeans. But on a small operation called Salvatierra, 40 minutes south of Minneapolis, Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin is trying something different. When he bought the land in 2020, this 18-acre patch had been devoted for decades to the region’s most prevalent crops. The soil was so depleted, Haslett-Marroquin says, he thought of it as a “corn and soybean desert.” Soon after, he applied 13 tons of compost, sowed a mix of prairie grasses and rye, and planted 8,200 hazelnut saplings.

While he won’t reap a nut harvest until 2025, the farmer and Guatemalan immigrant doesn’t have to wait to make money from the land. He also runs flocks of chickens in narrow grassy paddocks between the rows of the fledging trees, where they hunt for insects and also munch on feed made from organic corn and soybeans, which they transform into manure that fertilizes the trees and forage.

Salvatierra is the latest addition to Tree-Range Farms, a cooperative network of 19 poultry farms cofounded in 2022 by Haslett-Marroquin. Chickens evolved from birds known as junglefowl in the forests of South Asia, he notes, and the co-op’s goal is to conjure that jungle-like habitat. Chickens crave shade and fear open spaces; trees shelter them from weather and hide them from predators. In 2021, Haslett-Marroquin’s nonprofit, Regenerative Agriculture Alliance, purchased a poultry slaughterhouse just south of the Minnesota border in Stacyville, Iowa, where farms in the Tree-Range network process their birds. You can find the meat in natural-food stores from the Twin Cities area to northern Iowa.

By combining food-bearing trees and shrubs with poultry production, Haslett-Marroquin and his peers are practicing what is known as agroforestry — an ancient practice that intertwines annual and perennial agriculture. Other forms include alley cropping, in which annual crops including grains, legumes, and vegetables grow between rows of food-bearing trees, and silvopasture, which features cattle munching grass between the rows.

Read more here: https://e360.yale.edu/features/trees-a ... e-farming

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The Environmental Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops
September 24, 2024

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Genetically modified (GM) crops are widely used around the world, but their effects on the environment need to be explored more.

New research, published in Science on August 30, 2024, takes a look at common genetic modifications in four crops: soybean, corn, cotton, and canola. Although GM crops can produce more yield and profits, it can lead to changes in agricultural practices that could inadvertently impact the environment. For example, farmers may increase pesticide use as crops become more resistant to herbicides or insect pests.

“Increasing land productivity in the form of greater crop yields can make agricultural land more profitable overall, which can encourage agricultural expansion,” explains co-author Eduardo Souza-Rodrigues, an associate professor and associate chair with the Department of Economics at University of Toronto Mississauga. “However, increased supply may then reduce crop prices, which decreases the conversion of additional land to agriculture elsewhere. These changes have the potential to cause deforestation, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and impacts to human health, and biodiversity.”

“Although we have made progress in understanding the impact GM crops have on our environment, there are much more uncertainties that need to be studied to support good farming practices that are better for the environment,” Souza-Rodrigues continued.

The study concludes more research is needed to understand the long-term effects of GM crops on large-scale agricultural practices and resistant pests. Gathering more detailed environmental data, especially about wildlife, will better measure their impacts and support farming practices that promote sustainable agriculture.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1058990

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Americans Eat Out Far More Now — and It’s Affecting Their Diets
by Sky Chadde
September 25, 2024

Introduction:

(Investigate Midwest) In the 1970s, Americans consumed most meals at home. While that’s still generally true, Americans’ diets have changed over the past half-century, and rather starkly.

Consumers now get about a third of their calories from eating out, according to research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Many of those calories come from fast food chains. In the late 1970s, Americans got about 6% of their calories from fast food. Now, it’s about 16%.

Generally, the USDA considers eating out worse for a diet than making food at home. The exceptions are school meals, which follow federal nutrition guidelines.

The pandemic dramatically slowed the trend of eating out, at least for a year. Once things opened up again, Americans started spending more money on restaurants than they did before.

In general, the cost of food — no matter where consumed — has gone up over the past couple of decades. In 2022, after accounting for inflation, Americans spent roughly 70% more on food than they did in the late 1990s.

Read more here: https://investigatemidwest.org/2024/09 ... tistics/

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Vietnam on Quest for Specialty Coffee Development
September 27, 2024

Introduction:

(Vietnam+) Hanoi (VNA) – It is a great time for Vietnam to build on specialty coffee segment to enhance its global recognition and increase its value in the coffee supply chain.

Although Vietnam is a major coffee exporter worldwide, the country primarily exports raw materials, which remain largely unknown among global consumers.

Trinh Duc Minh, President of the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Association, noted that the global specialty coffee market has developed over the past three to four decades, while Vietnam’s has only started in the last decade.

According to Minh, Vietnam is developing both Arabica and Robusta specialty coffee, with a stronger emphasis on the latter, given that the country is the world leader in its production and export.

Conclusion:

In a word, Vietnam pins hopes on the concerted efforts of farmers, businesses, and associations to elevate its specialty coffee to new heights.

Read more here: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/vietnam-on-q ... 7323.vnp

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These California and Colorado Ballot Measures are Terrifying the Meat Industry
by Marina Bolotnikova
October 10, 2024

Introduction:

(Vox) Most people know Sonoma County, the Northern California region sometimes called America’s Provence, for its lush vineyards, Mediterranean-style villas, and farm-to-table restaurants. But when I traveled to wine country last year, it was to observe a side of Sonoma that few outsiders know about: a dead-of-night animal rights protest at an industrial chicken slaughterhouse, located within a stone’s throw of a gastropub, an organic bakery, and a major vegan cheesemaker.

Run by a subsidiary of the poultry giant Perdue, which raises hundreds of thousands of chickens on factory farms across Sonoma, the slaughter plant typifies the unusual politics of agriculture in this part of the country, where a cultivated image of gentle, humane farming sometimes sits uneasily alongside an increasingly consolidated agriculture sector. The county has also seen a recent influx of new residents fleeing rising housing prices in San Francisco, a longtime center of animal rights activism and utopian thought.

The region’s rural heritage and progressive politics will collide next month when Sonoma County residents vote on a first-of-its-kind ballot measure that could banish Perdue’s chicken facilities, along with all other large factory farms. The proposed law — which would cap the size of animal agriculture facilities and phase out all large factory farms in the county within three years — faces long odds. If successful, it could reshape the face of farming in the county and set a precedent that has terrified agricultural interests in California and across the country.

Known as Measure J, the proposal has produced fierce debate in the county over the environmental, public health, and animal welfare impacts of modern animal agriculture. It’s poised to generate the highest campaign spending of any ballot measure in Sonoma County history, with about $2 million in contributions made for and against — the vast majority of which has been spent by industry in opposition.

Read more here (including a brief description of a Colorado slaughterhouse ban measure): https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/377 ... measures

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Strawberry-picking Robot to Speed Up Harvest and Tackle Labour Shortage
October 10, 2024

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Low-cost robots which can harvest and package strawberries in a matter of seconds have been trialled in Essex as part of ambitious plans to tackle a labour shortage in the industry.

The University of Essex has been working with world-famous jam makers, Wilkin & Sons, to test the new prototype, which costs a fraction of the price of existing technology.

Funded by a £1.02million grant via the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ flagship Farming Innovation Programme, the project has seen the low-cost robot tasked with picking strawberries from one of Wilkins and Sons’ vertical farms in Tiptree.

The robot, which can pick a strawberry in just 2.5 seconds, is based on a previous prototype which has been successfully trialled for the last two seasons.

The modular architecture can be easily adapted to other crops – with robotic harvesting trials planned later on in the project with onions, tomatoes and lettuce.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1060873

caltrek’s comment: Low cost is a key here as at least one farmer I have talked to cited high cost as a barrier to use of robots in many forms of agriculture.

[caltrek]

Notes from a Farm Tour
by caltrek
October 12, 2024

(Future Timeline) We could have signed up for an all-day tour that would have taken us to several different farms but instead we decided to just visit what has become a favorite for us. We arrived a few minutes before one of the scheduled tours and duly signed in at the front gate. The weather was pleasantly warm in contrast to the coastal fog environs that we had just left.

While waiting for the tour to start, we sampled some of the apple slices that awaited us. The slices were crisp and sweet, crisper than what you will find at your local grocery store. Standing in front of the apple stand, and then later on the tour, the owner explains to me the local stores often failed to store their apples in a suitably cold environment. For this reason, he decided to opt out and offer his apples exclusively at about a dozen farmers markets. He simply did not want his apples associated with that soggy mushy state that they degenerate into if not property stored.
The tour includes storage facilities where the temperature is kept at 36 degrees Fahrenheit. A little on the warm side for some of his apples, a little on the cool side for others. In all, his eighty-acre farm grows 40 different varieties of apples.

During the tour we trudge uphill on a dirt road running between his apple groves. Most of the trees are dwarfs that grow close to the ground. “Nobody likes to prune and harvest trees that grow high up into the air” he explains, adding that he shares in some of that work and therefore does not want to make it too difficult on himself.

Alongside that road is a rather unimpressive looking device stuck on a pole sunk into the ground. This is a sensor station, he explains, that helps him to anticipate problems that might occur. Such anticipation of problems is absolutely essential as discovering a problem such as pest infestation after it manifests itself is simply too late. The devices cost hundreds of dollars, but they save thousands of dollars in chemical applications that might otherwise occur.

A certain kind of apple eating moth is a big culprit. He shows us pheromone strips hanging from a tree. He takes a few moments to find a strip as they are not highly visible or present in great numbers. These strips release pheromones which then make it impossible for the male moths to locate the females. This prevents their breeding.

One young man on the tour asks the farmer if he uses a certain chemical in his pest control program. “No” is his immediate and abrupt response. Some of us laugh at the quickness of his response and I comment to the young man “nice try.” If looks could kill, I would have been dead meat. The farmer then then goes on to explain why the chemical in question was not favored.

The tour ends and we plod downhill to the warehouse where we can select from a wide variety of apples as well as bottled salsa, tomatoes, and several different jams. All products of the farm.

As we walk, one of the friends we have brought along speaks effusively of how much she has enjoyed the tour. Later, her husband indicates he would have preferred a long walk inside the cool environment of an indoor mall. Perhaps our next field trip will be to such a mall. One wonders if the available food will taste as good.

[firestar464]

omg caltrek journalism

[caltrek]

Regenerative Farming Practices Require Unlearning Past Advice
by Jana Rose Schleis
October 11, 2024

Introduction:

(Investigate Midwest) Early on a cool September morning, farmer Josh Payne tends to his flock in Concordia, just east of Kansas City, Missouri. As Payne opens the gate, about a thousand sheep round the corner and bound into fresh grass.

The pasture the flock grazes was once corn and soybeans, along with the rest of the Payne family farm. Josh’s grandfather Charles Payne cultivated nearly a thousand acres of row crops for decades.

But as Josh Payne took over managing the property about 15 years ago, that wasn’t going to work anymore.

“I found out I’m allergic to herbicide,” he said. “My throat would swell shut three or four times a week during harvest.”

Payne wanted to transition the farm to regenerative agriculture — a movement that aims to revive farmland soil and by extension the ecosystem and the small farm economy.

Read more here: https://investigatemidwest.org/2024/10 ... -advice/

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Chickpeas– Sustainable and Climate-friendly Foods of the Future
October 16, 2024

Introduction:

( Eurekalert ) Climate change has a negative impact on food security. An international research team led by Wolfram Weckwerth from the University of Vienna has now conducted a study to investigate the natural variation of different chickpea genotypes and their resistance to drought stress. The scientists were able to show that chickpeas are a drought-resistant legume plant with a high protein content that can complement grain cultivation systems even in urban areas. The study was recently published in the specialist magazine The Plant Biotechnology.

Conclusion:

"With their high protein content and their drought resistance, legumes such as chickpeas are a food of the future. Another advantage is that a higher proportion of legumes in a country's agricultural systems improves the overall efficiency of nitrogen use - this also makes agriculture more sustainable," summarizes Weckwerth.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1061470

[Time_Traveller]

Aquaculture could harm animal welfare or protect it, depending on what species the farms raise

October 16, 2024 7.01pm BST

The global aquaculture industry has tripled in size since the year 2000, with producers raising a mind-boggling diversity of species, from seaweeds and clams to carp, salmon and cuttlefish. Many of these creatures are undomesticated and lead complex and highly social lives in the wild.

The rapid growth in aquaculture means that billions of individual aquatic animals are now being farmed without basic information that could help ensure even minimal welfare standards. Our newly published study shows that these welfare risks are not uniform: Aquaculture is likely to have severe effects on welfare for some species, but negligible impacts on others.

Whenever humans manage animals on a large scale, welfare becomes a concern. As experts on aquatic animals and their welfare, we believe that taking proactive measures to shape the aquaculture industry’s growth will be critical for its long-term success.

Complex aquatic lives

In a wide-ranging review of the existing science, we identified seven risk factors in fish and other sea creatures that would be challenging or impractical to accommodate in captivity. They include 1) migratory behavior, 2) solitary social structures, 3) long life spans, 4) carnivorous feeding habits, 5) cannibalism, 6) living at depths of 165 feet (50 meters) or more, and 7) elaborate courtship or involved parental care.

We researched these characteristics for each of the more than 400 species currently farmed in aquaculture. Our analysis found that many species of fishes, reptiles and amphibians are likely to suffer in aquaculture because they won’t be able to engage in their natural behaviors in farmed conditions. The same is true for crustaceans such as lobsters and for cephalopods such as cuttlefish.

https://theconversation.com/aquaculture ... ise-240771

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Denver Voters Reject Slaughterhouse Ban, Allowing Superior Farms to Continue Selling Lamb in Colorado and Nationwide
by Jennifer Martin
Updated November 6, 2024

Introduction:

(The Conversation) Ballot measure 309, which aimed to ban slaughterhouses in the city and county of Denver, failed on Nov. 5, 2024. The measure would have closed Superior Farms in the Globeville neighborhood north of Denver.

I’m an associate professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University. My research explores solutions for meat and food system challenges such as food safety, market resiliency and sustainability. I’m part of a research team that examined the potential effects of ballot measure 309 on the local, state, national and global meat supply chain.

Denver’s only slaughterhouse

The Superior Farms lamb processing facility employs approximately 160 people and represents 15% to 20% of the total lamb slaughter capacity in the U.S. Our study reports that the sheep harvested at the Denver facility are primarily from Colorado and the Mountain West region.

Read more here: https://theconversation.com/denver-vot ... de-241330

[Time_Traveller]

I've been reading about the Future of Food, Agriculture, and Aquaculture, and it's become clear that reducing processed foods from our diets can make a big difference for health and sustainability. I’d like to explore practical ways to make this shift and discuss the innovations in food and agriculture that can support us. What strategies have you found helpful in reducing or removing processed foods from your diet?

Here are a few initial thoughts:

Understanding Processed Foods

It’s helpful to distinguish between minimally processed foods (e.g., pre-cut vegetables, frozen fruits) and highly processed foods (e.g., snacks with artificial additives). Focusing on whole, unprocessed ingredients is a good place to start.

Local and Sustainable Farming

Small-scale farms and urban agriculture are growing trends. Buying local can reduce the need for highly processed foods and support sustainable practices. Urban farms and farmer’s markets are excellent sources of fresh produce.

Alternative Proteins and Aquaculture

Innovations in plant-based and lab-grown proteins, along with sustainable aquaculture practices, are making it easier to replace processed meat products with healthier, environmentally friendly options.

Home Cooking and Batch Preparation

Cooking at home is one of the most effective ways to control ingredients. Prepping meals in advance can make it easier to avoid packaged, processed food during busy times.

Future Tech in Food Preservation

Advances in food preservation techniques aim to extend shelf life naturally, reducing the need for preservatives. Understanding these technologies can help us choose products that align with a whole-foods diet.

Would love to hear everyone’s thoughts, strategies, and resources on this topic!

Reliable Resources:

Future Food Institute – Research and insights on sustainable food systems and innovations in agriculture.

EAT-Lancet Commission – Provides a framework for healthy, sustainable diets with reports on the impact of food on health and the environment.

FAO - Future of Food and Agriculture – Publications and projections on future food trends and sustainable practices from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN.

Sustainable Aquaculture from NOAA – An introduction to sustainable aquaculture practices and their role in future food security.

Harvard School of Public Health – Healthy eating guidelines focusing on whole foods and reducing processed ingredients.

[caltrek]

^^^Another suggestion: Read labels of canned or packaged foods listing ingredients. If you don't recognize words that sound like they describe chemicals the food likely fits under the category of "overprocessed."

[caltrek]

Holistic Approach of Nutrients and Traditional Natural Medicines Can Promote Human Health
by November 11, 2024

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) In recent years, there has been a rising interest in combining traditional natural medicines with essential nutrients to foster a holistic approach to human health. The focus on integrating both elements reflects an understanding of health that transcends the simple absence of disease, encompassing physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. This review highlights how traditional medicine systems, such as Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and other indigenous practices worldwide, can be harmonized with nutritional science to form a comprehensive healthcare approach. Such a combination has the potential to improve disease prevention and enhance overall wellness.

Overview of the Holistic Approach

The holistic approach emphasizes the importance of considering multiple facets of health—physical, emotional, and mental—while prioritizing prevention over treatment. It suggests a shift from symptom-specific treatments to root-cause resolution, acknowledging that various factors, including lifestyle, genetics, and environment, impact health. Prevention plays a central role in this perspective, with dietary recommendations, stress-reduction techniques, and lifestyle modifications aimed at maintaining the body's natural balance and avoiding illness.

Additional Extract:

Nutritional Foundations in Holistic Health

Nutrition is central to maintaining physiological balance, supporting cellular functions, and bolstering the immune system. This section of the review explores how a balanced diet, rich in essential vitamins and minerals, supports various bodily functions. For example, vitamins C and E offer immune support and antioxidative protection, while minerals like iron and calcium are critical for oxygen transport and bone health. The relationship between nutrient intake and factors like immune response, hormonal regulation, and cellular function exemplifies the importance of a nutrient-dense diet in preventing chronic illnesses.

Integration and Synergy

A key theme in holistic health is the synergistic relationship between traditional remedies and modern nutritional science. Many traditional remedies contain bioactive compounds that, when combined with a well-rounded diet, can enhance health outcomes. For instance, the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin from turmeric, a staple in Ayurvedic medicine, can be complemented by nutrients that support its absorption. The combination of traditional medicine and nutrients provides a dual benefit, enhancing treatment efficacy and reducing potential side effects.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1064030

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The Globalized, Industrialized Food System Is Destroying the World—We Urgently Need to Support Local Food Economies
by Helena Norberg-Hodge
October 29, 2024

Introduction:

(Wiki Observatory) We can thank small farmers, environmentalists, academic researchers, and food and farming activists for advancing ecologically sound food production methods. Agroecology, holistic resource management, permaculture, and other methods can address many of the global food system’s worst impacts, including biodiversity loss, energy depletion, toxic pollution, food insecurity, and massive carbon emissions.

These inspiring testaments to human ingenuity and goodwill have two things in common: They involve smaller-scale farms adapted to local conditions and depend more on human attention and care than energy and technology. In other words, they are the opposite of industrial monocultures—huge farms that grow just one crop.

However, to significantly reduce the many negative impacts of the food system, these small-scale initiatives need to spread worldwide.
Unfortunately, this has not happened because the transformation of farming requires shifting not just how food is produced but also how it is marketed and distributed. The food system is inextricably linked to an economic system that, for decades, has been fundamentally biased against the kinds of changes we need.

Destructive Food Policies

Put simply, economic policies almost everywhere have systematically promoted ever-larger scale and monocultural production. Those policies include:
• Massive subsidies for globally traded commodities. For example, most farm subsidies in the United States go to just five commodities—corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, and rice—that are the centerpieces of the global food trade. At the same time, government programs like the U.S. Market Access Program provide hundreds of millions of dollars to expand international markets for agricultural products.

Read more here: https://observatory.wiki/The_Globalize ... conomies

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The Blue-green Sustainable Proteins of Seaweed May Soon be on Your Plate
November 13, 2024

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) The protein in sea lettuce, a type of seaweed, is a promising complement to both meat and other current alternative protein sources. Seaweed also contains many other important nutrients, and is grown without needing to be watered, fertilised or sprayed with insecticides. However, the proteins are often tightly bound, and their full potential has not yet been realised on our plates. But now researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden, have found a new way to extract these proteins three times more efficiently than before – and this progress paves the way for seaweed burgers and protein smoothies from the sea.

"It tastes like umami with a certain salty flavour, despite not containing such high levels of salt. I would say it's a great flavour enhancer for seafood dishes and products, but the possibilities to explore are endless. Why not protein smoothies or ‘blue burgers’ from the sea?" says João Trigo, PhD in Food Science at Chalmers, about the dark green powder, which is a concentrate of proteins from sea lettuce, scientifically known as Ulva fenestrate. Sea lettuce is a type of macroalgae, commonly called seaweed, which grows on rocks in calm waters, or free-floating on the surface, and resembles ordinary lettuce leaves in appearance.

The so-called protein shift – switching from red meat to more sustainable and healthy protein sources – is a way to reduce the climate impact of food production while providing everyone with a nutritious diet. Many alternative protein sources, mainly based on pea, soy and mushroom, are common in our grocery stores. But all the vegetarian protein that is found under the sea is still an untapped source.

The CirkAlg-project, led by Chalmers University of Technology, has explored the possibilities of developing processes that can create a new, “blue-green” food industry in Sweden, and make use of seaweed as a promising source of protein. Within the framework of the project, a newly published scientific study shows a unique way of extracting proteins from sea lettuce, so that it is now possible to extract three times more protein from the seaweed than was possible with previous methods.

"Our method is an important breakthrough, as it brings us closer to making it more affordable to extract these proteins, something that is done with pea and soy proteins today,” says João Trigo.

Read more of Eurekalert here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1064718

For a technical presentation of the results of the study as published in Food Chemistry: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ ... a%3Dihub

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‘Electro-agriculture’ Could Grow Food Without Light
by Leah Shaffer
November 13, 2024

Introduction:

(Futurity) The agriculture industry relies on photosynthesis to grow food to feed the world. However, the process is slow and requires a lot of resources, making it inefficient to meet the world’s needs.

Now, the researchers propose a move to an electro-agriculture framework that combines carbon dioxide electrolysis with biological systems to boost food production’s efficiency.

Such a system could reduce agricultural land use in the United States by nearly 90% and allow food to be grown in urban areas and deserts without the need for light or pesticides. It also allows farmers to use fertilizer more efficiently.

The approach could reduce the environmental impacts of food production, streamline supply chains, and address the global food crisis, says Feng Jiao, a professor of energy, environmental, and chemical engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis.

Jiao’s ongoing work is to optimize the process of converting carbon dioxide into acetate, which potentially could serve as a feedstock for plants in this system.

Read more of the Eurekalert article here: https://www.futurity.org/electro-agric ... t-3257042

Read a presentation of study results as published in Joule: https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2 ... ll%3Dtrue