#Scientists map food security, self-provision of major citieswealthy capital cities vary greatly in their dependence on the global food market.
The Australian capital Canberra produces the majority of its most common food in its regional hinterland
while Tokyo primarily ensures its food security through import. The Copenhagen hinterland produces less than half of the consumption of the most common foods.
For the first time researchers have mapped the food systems of capital cities an essential insight for future food security
if population growth climate change and political instability will affect the open market. Several partners in the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) are behind the study.
The three major cities in our study achieve food security by different degrees of self-provision and national and global market trade.
It is important to understand such food flows in order to relate it to the energy challenge
and the risk of national political unrest caused by food shortages and its effect on the open food trade says Professor Dr. John R. Porter from the University of Copenhagen who is leading author on the study recently published online in the journal Global Food security.
John R. Porter is also the main lead author of the forthcoming report from the IPCC Working group 2 on food production systems and food security
which will be released following governments'review in March 2014. Higher farmland yields have influenced the cities self-provisioning over the past 40 years
but overall the ability of cities to feed themselves is unlikely to keep pace with increasing population the research shows.
if climate change has large effects on food production and other parts of the food chain in the future says John R Porter.
The study has focused exclusively on the historical and current production and not considered whether changes in land management practices can increase productivity further
Scientific debate on food security and urbanizationmore than half the human population lives in or near cities.
That has increased global food transportation which makes up 15 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions.
Both food security and urbanization is on the program for next year's major international conference on sustainability hosted by the IARU partnership.
John Porter is organizing the session on global challenges and sustainable solutions related to food security.
The congress will be an important event to discuss new insight in global food security and the different challenges faced by rural and urban populations.
Current crops involved include wine and raisin grape vineyards rice alfalfa almond walnut peach lemon avocado and corn farms.
and forage-based feeds on organic dairy farms. A large body of research has shown that grass and legume forages promote cow health
Western diets typically have a ratio of about 10-to-1 to 15-to-1
The team modeled a hypothetical diet for adult women with a baseline omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 11.3
Women who also avoid a few foods each day that are high in omega-6 fatty acids can lower their fatty acid ratio to around 4 80 percent of the way to the 2. 3 goal.
Surprisingly simple food choices can lead to much better levels of the healthier fats we see in organic milk says Benbrook.
Besides their value in terms of leisure landscape and education forests provide food and timber fix the carbon
#Toxic substances in banana plants kill root pestsbananas are a major food staple for about 400 million people in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia Africa and Latin america.
Banana yields worldwide threatened by pestsbananas are among the world's most important food crops.
Dessert bananas are produced primarily for homegrown consumption in China and India and for export to the northern hemisphere in Latin america.
Plantains (a type of cooking banana) are important components of daily meals in Africa and Southeast asia.
They are prized highly because of their high contents of nutrients such as potassium magnesium and vitamins B and C. Apart from fungi and insects the parasitic nematode Radopholus similis is considered a major banana pest.
The wasps lay their eggs in moth caterpillars then the baby wasps grow up eating the caterpillar from the inside out until the wasps emerge from the caterpillar killing the caterpillar in the process.
We collect Highbush cranberries to make jelly. In 2012 Daust noticed a weird disease on the plants.
and had less sugar than uninfected plants'berries. He dug deep into historical records and found an interesting pattern:
what kind of dried meat people prefer to eat in the different villages. Her study shows that most people prefer to eat normal beef
if they can. But availability is limited she says. For this reason villagers kill wild animals illegally.
It can be very hard to taste the difference between dried meat from different species. One animal in particular the topi a kind of antelope is supposed to taste about the same as normal beef.
but this is by no means a safe method for identifying a species. Chickens and aquaculture Mwakatobe thinks villages close to the national park should get support to keep chickens
and other animals and should also be trained in aquaculture so that the need for bushmeat goes down.
when used as part of weanling pigs'diets. When oil is extracted from the camelina seeds using either solvent extraction
The defatted meal that is produced during this process is high in protein and may be fed to livestock
but there is very little knowledge about the nutritional value of camelina meal when fed to pigs said Hans Stein a U of I professor of animal sciences.
This lack of knowledge limits the use of camelina products in diets fed to pigs
so we wanted to determine the digestibility of amino acids in these ingredients. To determine amino acid digestibility values Stein
and his team fed growing pigs diets containing one of five different camelina products. They tested camelina seeds from two different sources as well as camelina expellers from three different sources.
The camelina products were compared with each other and with canola meal. The digestibility of crude protein and most amino acids in two sources of camelina expellers did not differ from that of canola meal
whereas the third source had lower digestibility values. Digestibility values in both sources of camelina seeds were less than in canola meal.
Stein said that the variation in digestibility among the sources of camelina expellers might be due to genetic differences between the seeds or differences in the oil extraction procedures.
However amino acid digestibility in two of the sources of camelina expellers was comparable to that of canola meal
which indicates that camelina expellers may be included in diets fed to pigs he explained. The camelina expellers studied were pressed cold
and contained greater levels of trypsin inhibitors than canola meal. Amino acid digestibility in camelina products might be improved by heat treatment provided that heat damage is avoided.
These findings will help producers and feed companies evaluate camelina expellers for possible inclusion in pig diets.
Stein said that the next steps for research would be to determine the digestible and metabolizable energy content of camelina expellers and to conduct growth performance studies.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by University of Illinois College of Agricultural Consumer and Environmental sciences (ACES.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference e
#Tuberculosis in Zambia: spread, control of infectionin Zambia the incidence of all forms of human tuberculosis is estimated to be 444 per 100000.
and M. tuberculosis by drinking unpasteurised milk and eating meat that has not been tested properly.
Malama used a standard 15 MIRU-VNTR loci-method for the genotyping of M. tuberculosis
in order to control the spread of infection in the area. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Norwegian School of Veterinary Science.
#Perfect storm needed for salmonella to spread in postharvest tomatoesuniversity of Florida researchers have gained new insight into produce-associated salmonella that they hope will eventually reduce the number and severity of the illness-causing outbreaks.
It remains unclear how much each contributes to salmonella's spread but scientists say understanding the process is key to eventually curbing produce-associated outbreaks.
and the food-crop business when it does. During the past decade fruits and vegetables have been among the foods most often linked to gastroenteritis outbreaks caused by E coli
and non-typhoidal salmonella the study said. Those outbreaks resulted in public illness and multimillion-dollar losses for the food-crop industry.
Since 2006 at least 16 salmonella outbreaks have been linked to tomatoes cantaloupes sprouts cucumbers mangoes peanut butter and peppers in addition to frozen foods containing plant products.
But UF/IFAS scientists emphasize that less than 1 percent of supermarket produce contains salmonella or E coli and the contamination becomes a problem only when it contaminates other food
or is consumed raw. Gastrointestinal illnesses caused by pathogens such as E coli and salmonella pathogens have been sporadic with scientists struggling to pinpoint exact causes
and their random nature argues for a perfect storm scenario the study said. It is now clear that salmonella
Marvasi said the tomato industry follows strict protocols to prevent microbial food hazards in fresh fruits and vegetables.
or undercooked meat poultry or eggs but sometimes results from eating contaminated produce. Symptoms can include abdominal pain fever nausea and vomiting.
but later said imported contaminated peppers were responsible. Growers in Florida and other states lost an estimated $100 million in sales.
He has been monitoring the spread of buff-tailed bumblebees over the last ten years. Together with this wife Regula and his colleagues from South america he has published just his work in Journal of Animal Ecology.
in order to document their rapid spread do genetic analyses and examine the parasites which accompany them as stowaways in the bumblebee intestines.
Paul Schmid-Hempel is worried about the rapid spread of the buff-tailed bumblebee in remote areas of southern South america not least
and costs of various means for reducing the nutrient load generated by Finland's agriculture.
Creating permanent plant cover on erosion-sensitive areas such as steep slopes where nutrients are leached easily is a relatively low cost means of nutrient abatement.
The Government Resolution on Water Protection Policy Outlines to 2015 sets the bar high for nutrient abatement.
#Strong nutrition education can lead to healthier food choices among low-income familieswell-designed nutrition education programs can lead to healthier food choices among low-income families who participate in the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP) according to a study conducted by Altarum Institute and RTI International. The study SNAP Education and Evaluation Study (Wave II) was funded by the Food and Nutrition Service of the U s. Department of agriculture (USDA.
It evaluated the impact of several nutrition education programs on fruit and vegetable consumption among low-income elementary school children and seniors.
One of the most important findings from this study is that families want to eat healthy foods
even if they have limited resources said Altarum Institute's Loren Bell the study's project director.
Education efforts that help individuals and families make healthy food choices are clearly an important part of our overall health
and found that children participating in certain nutrition education programs increased their daily fruit and vegetable consumption at home by a quarter-to a third-cup and were more likely to choose low-fat or fat-free milk.
Two of the programs studied for this report provided nutrition education lessons in schools take-home materials and activities to low-income elementary-aged children.
while engaging parents and caregivers through take-home materials that helped to address concerns about providing healthy foods on a tight budget.
The third program provided direct nutrition education take-home materials and other materials to low-income adults aged 60 to 80 at senior sites and other gathering centers.
The study demonstrates that effective nutrition education programs like those supported by the Nutrition Education
and eat more healthy foods. The program which was updated recently through the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act emphasizes evidence-based outcome-driven interventions with a focus on preventing obesity and coordinating with other programs for maximum impact and cost-effectiveness.
The results of this study reiterate the critical role of nutrition education and promotion in improving the healthfulness of SNAP purchases said USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon.
and eat more healthy foods. More information on the program can be found at: http://www. fns. usda. gov/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-education-and-evaluation-study-wave-iistory Source:
The above story is provided based on materials by RTI International. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
#Legumes in fish feed: Can anti-nutritional substances damage health? Seeds from soya peas lupins and other legumes are protein-rich feedstuffs
which are given to normal livestock during periods of rapid growth or high egg and milk production.
Salmon require overall less feed but the protein content of the feed must be maintained at a high level throughout their life cycle.
Legumes are therefore appropriate ingredients for fish feed too. They are easily available on the world market and reasonably priced.
Elvis Chikwati's doctoral research has increased our knowledge about how ingredients in feed influence intestinal functioning and health
His overall objective was to make it easier to use such ingredients in fish feed as he set out to find the answer to three questions:
when they are given feed containing soya? The answer is that after changing to a feed with soya the way the intestines function changes very quickly.
The very first change that occurred during the first two days was that the fish ate less probably
because they did not like the new feed. But after five days enteritis could clearly be seen in the microscope.
and is affected this process by temperature and by soya in feed? The answer is that the maturation of intestinal cells
The maturation of intestinal cells was delayed in fish that were given soya in their feed. The cells never reached full maturity.
and maize gluten meal they did not cause inflammation but tended to reduce the fish's utilization of nutrients in the feed.
Chikwati's studies show that other anti-nutritional agents from soya i e. lectin and trypsin inhibitor also affect the function of the intestines
and the way they adapt to new ingredients in feed. It also throws light on how diet-induced enteritis develops
and how specific anti-nutritional substances affect the functioning and health of the intestines. This knowledge will help us to reach our aim of increasing salmon production
Master of Aquatic Medicine Elvis Chikwati defended his doctoral research on 3rd december 2013 at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (NVH) with a thesis entitled Diet-induced physiological and pathophysiological responses
The inability of most copper films to survive this stage of graphene growth has been one problem preventing wafer-scale production of graphene devices Keller said.
First they deposited copper onto a sapphire wafer held slightly above room temperature. Second they added the transformative step of annealing
While the two groups of iguanas did not differ in body condition indicators for dietary nutrition differed.
Dr Knapp says Both sexes on visited islands consume food distributed by tourists although male iguanas are more aggressive
when feeding and eat more provisioned food. Consequently they may be impacted more by provisioning with unnatural foods
which could explain the greater suite of significant physiological differences in males between populations. Iguanas on visited islands predominantly eat grapes that are provided by tour operators on a daily basis. The higher concentrations of glucose found in tourist-fed iguanas may be a result of being fed too many sugary fruits such as grapes.
An overabundance of grapes in those iguanas'diets could also explain the excessive diarrhea observed during the study.
which may indicate the introduction of meat to their diet. Similarly the higher uric acid levels in male and female iguanas could be the result of animal protein such as ground beef being fed to iguanas by tourists.
Furthermore food provisioning by tourists on beaches has encouraged the iguanas to spend disproportionate amounts of time foraging in the area rather than further in the island resulting in higher levels of marine life being ingested.
Dr Knapp says The biological effects of altered biochemical concentrations may not be manifested over a short time period
and excessive reliance on tourists for food may prove problematic if food supplementation is discontinued for any reason.
Further plant community dynamics can be disrupted by changed feeding patterns in the iguanas. Dr Knapp says The complete restriction of feeding by tourists may not be a realistic option.
Instead wildlife managers could approach manufacturers of pelleted iguana foods and request specially-formulated food to mitigate the impact of unhealthy food.
Tour operators could offer or sell such pellets to their clients which would provide a more nutritionally balanced diet
and reduce non-selective ingestion of sand on wet fruit. We also endorse a broad education campaign
#First in depth analysis of primate eating habitsfrom insect-munching tamarins to leaf-loving howler monkeys researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have compiled the most thorough review of primate
eating habits to date. Findings published today in the journal Oikos show how some monkeys consume their'five a day'within a single hour
and diversity of fruits that they eat as well as the overall contribution of fruit to their diets.
We found that the diet of medium-sized primates is most likely to be dominated by fruits.
Meanwhile smaller primates which have high metabolic requirements eat more insects as they provide a high-quality source of nutrients and calories.
--which are unpalatable or indigestible to smaller primates. Many primates easily consume their'five a day'often within a single hour of active foraging.
because these species tend to be generalist feeders. Another surprise was that primates with higher prevalence of fruit in their diets were historically among the most poorly studied meaning we still have a lot to learn about their importance as consumers and seed dispersers.
Co-author Prof Carlos Peres also from UEA added: Having a good understanding of nonhuman primate diets in the wild is very important for the conservation planning of threatened and area-demanding species with forest habitat loss and severe forest degradation a major concern
This is also critical to evaluate the roles of primates within forest food webs particularly as seed dispersers for tropical forest plants.
--or services that nature provides to humans that have both economic and biological value such as drinking water
The wasp's ovipositor the organ through which it lays its eggs looks a lot like those of present-day wasps that lay their eggs in figs.
when it comes to choosing the best site for egg-laying. Using behavioural assays researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena Germany
In nature laying eggs on oranges is advantageous because parasitoid wasps feeding on the larvae of Drosophila avoid citrus fruits.
For egg-laying insects selecting the best site to lay eggs is crucial for the survival of the eggs and larvae.
Once the eggs have been deposited the maternal care of the female flies ends: eggs and larvae are henceforth at the mercy of their environment;
their range is limited usually. Suitable and sufficient food sources for the hungry larvae and protection against predators and parasites are important selection criteria for the best oviposition substrates.
First Marcus Stensmyr Bill Hansson and their colleagues in the Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology tested the preferred egg-laying substrates of fruit flies by letting insects select among different ripe fruits.
They excluded damaged fruits to make sure that the smell of yeast would not influence the flies choices (yeast is the flies main food source.
An analysis of the behavioural assays showed that female flies preferred to lay their eggs on oranges.
Further selection experiments helped to identify the odour that was the crucial factor for the flies choice:
those that guide flies to their food source and those that elicit the oviposition behaviour.
It is fascinating that a complex behaviour such as choosing an egg-laying site can be broken down into multiple subroutines that have such a simple genetic basis says Marcus Stensmyr.#
#oewe were surprised quite that by silencing just this single odorant receptor flies could no longer localize their preferred egg-laying substrate.#
#In nature a considerable proportion of Drosophila larvae are killed by enemies mainly parasitoid wasps that lay their eggs inside the larvae.
although citrus should guide them to their food source: Drosophila larvae. The parasitoid wasp Leptopilina boulardii which specializes in Drosophila melanogaster is repelled by valencene.
However the expected long-term and larger market for Miscanthus is in digesting the celluloses in the biomass to sugars for fermentation to ethanol
In the autumn and winter the nutrients drain out of the stems and leaves and are retained in the roots stimulating new growth the following spring.
The recycling of nutrients is not 100 percent efficient however and the team wanted to know
and nutrients help to regulate their body temperatures during cold or hot weather and provide refuge from encroaching human activities like deforestation she said The remarkable thing about our study was that over a six-year period the same troops of ring-tailed lemurs used the same sleeping caves on a regular daily basis
Scientists are looking at its biology behavior food and odor preferences and pesticide resistance. Many researchers are working hard to study the biology of this insect through basic and applied projects
The spotted wing drosophila a native of Asia that was detected first in the United states in 2008 is wreaking economic havoc on crops such as blueberries cherries blackberries and raspberries.
This fly lays its eggs inside the ripe or ripening fruit and the developing larvae feed on the soft fruit crippling crop yields.
The spotted wing drosophila is a vinegar fly about 1/16 to 1/8 inch long with red eyes pale brown thorax and a black-striped abdomen.
The males have a distinguishing black spot toward the tip of each wing. Females have no spots
but have a prominent saw-like ovipositor for drilling fruit to lay their eggs. Chiu teamed with scientists at UC Davis Oregon State university the China National Gene Bank
and the American Museum of Natural history as part of a $5. 8 million project on the biology and management of spotted wing drosophila funded by a U s. Department of agriculture Specialty Crops Research Initiative grant
They collaborated with Walton and spotted wing drosophila project leader Linda Brewer of OSU; Ernest Lee from the American Museum of Natural history;
http://www. treesearch. fs. fed. us/pubs/45205story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by USDA Forest Service-Pacific Northwest Research Station.
& Food Research and the University of Otago has identified the gene controlling bulb development the first step in discovering genetic markers that can be used as tools to screen conventional breeding programmes for new onion varieties with the right genetic
and temperature to form a bulb says John Mccallum of Plant & Food Research. Around 90 million tonnes of onions are produced globally each year
#Culling vampire bats to stem rabies in Latin america can backfireculling vampire bat colonies to stem the transmission of rabies in Latin america does little to slow the spread of the virus
and can in some cases actually increase its spread by driving infected bats into neighboring colonies.
Continued growth of the livestock industry likely exacerbates rabies outbreaks in the region by providing an almost unlimited food source for the blood-feeding bats fueling population growth and range expansion.
and listen for the regular breathing sounds of sleeping mammals which serve as their main food source.
An enzyme in the saliva prevents clotting as the bat feeds and a specialized groove in the tongue keeps blood flowing without the need for sucking
#Food fight or exercise attack? Though the Thanksgiving feast and leftovers are behind you the holiday eating season has begun just.
On average Americans gain one or two pounds this time of year. Though that might not sound like much the annual weight gain adds up from year to year
and you're despairing at the incoming tide of buffets cookie exchanges family meals toasts
FOOD FIGHTTHIS time of year you are bombarded with food. High calorie treats appear everywhere you look. Tables are filled with homemade cookies gingerbread hot apple cider Swedish meatballs
and savory appetizers that are irresistible. But resist you must says Amy Moore Ph d. assistant professor of nutrition
and dietetics at Saint louis University who shares strategies to control your holiday eating. Be picky about your splurges.
You can eat crackers and cheese any time but the holidays are a time to sample special seasonal treats that people have spent a lot of energy preparing.
So if you're at a holiday buffet browse before you graze to size up your best options Moore says.
If Aunt Helen's delectable Christmas Buche de Noel chocolate dessert beckons enjoy a slice
but pass on the brownies or soda. Allow yourself to indulge just choose where you want to spend your calories.
So pay attention to what you're eating. Slow down and savor every bite taking the time to appreciate what you're putting into your mouth.
If you know you are going to a party in the evening eat a healthy breakfast and lunch.
Bring something healthy to potlucks so at least you can count on one healthy option being offered. Fruit--pomegranates clementine oranges and cranberries--are terrific holiday dishes
because they are pretty festive and best of all easy. Conversation is calorie-free. Once you've taken a plate of food at a holiday gathering step away from the table.
Find a comfy space where you can talk to others at the party. The focus of the holiday is family faith and friendship.
Alternate a glass of water with every alcoholic beverage to pace yourself as you celebrate and prevent a next day hangover.
Consider creating a wine spritzer by adding flavored sparkling water to your wine. Instead of drinking lemonade or soda with a meal choose water.
Because drinking water fills you up it is a favorite dieter's trick Moore says. Water also does good things for your digestive system skin muscles and kidneys.
EXERCISE ATTACKAN exercise-based approach is best for those who are eating extra holiday treats in moderation
but it is not license to add massively to your diet. So suppose you splurged
and ate a 350 calorie pastry on top of your normal daily calories. If you want to burn off all of the excess you'll need nearly an hour of intense exercise.
and know that it can take more exercise than you might think to balance out your food intake.
and neighbors drop off canned goods at a food pantry check out an exhibit at a museum or build a snowman.
Remember that the secret to controlling your weight is balancing the calories you take in (food) with the calories you burn (exercise.
Even the healthiest eaters need to exercise and the best exercisers need nutrition Moore says.
Nutrition and exercise provides the one-two punch of holiday weight management. Make your weight management mantra for the season to maintain not gain.
And if you stumble? Fortunately we do have New year's resolutions right around the corner Moore says.
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