The region is wealthy enough to import all the food it needs says USDA-ARS researcher Dave Fleisher who leads the overall project.
and vegetables and there are a substantial number of people who are food insecure. Add in uncertainties like climate change and volatile transportation prices and it's clear why many people think the ESR should meet more of its own food needs.
So the big question from my perspective is: what are the biophysical constraints that limit agricultural production in this region?
It's a staple food for one and yet the ESR grows only about 30%of the potatoes it consumes according to U s. Census data.
The research is part of a much larger effort called Enhancing Food security in the Northeast with Regional Food Systems (EFSNE) led by Penn State university.
Funded by USDA-National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) EFSNE is investigating the benefits that increased regional food production may hold both for consumers--especially in disadvantaged neighborhoods--and for local farmers retailers distributors and others in the food supply chain.
The goal in other words isn't just to see how much food the Northeast can grow. Says Fleisher We also want to know:
what is the value of regionally produced food? Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by American Society of Agronomy (ASA) Crop science Society of America (CSSA.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference e
#Is self-fumigation for the birds? Save threatened species by giving them treated cotton for nestswhen University of Utah biologists set out cotton balls treated with a mild pesticide wild finches in the Galapagos islands used the cotton to help build their nests killing parasitic
tomato eaters winscientists from the U s. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have identified a benign bacterium that shows promise in blocking Salmonella from colonizing raw tomatoes.
Since the millennium this pathogen has caused 12 multistate outbreaks of food-borne illness--more than one each year.
and other crops that have lately been responsible for outbreaks of food-borne Salmonella and E coli.
How did humans get food? Without domestication--without food--it's hard for populations to settle down he said.
Domestication was the key for all subsequent human civilization. The study appears this the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Examining crop domestication tells us how our ancestors developed food feed and fiber leading to today's crops and products.
but there are increasing demands for food production and understanding the genetic basis of past plant improvement should help future efforts he said.
and provide low-cost food sources the level of physical activity required also offers a multitude of health benefits.
U s. corn and soybeans account for approximately 40 and 35 percent of global production respectively making the results important to the world's food supply.
#Antimicrobial edible films inhibit pathogens in meatantimicrobial agents incorporated into edible films applied to foods to seal in flavor freshness
The results demonstrate that the bacterial pathogens were inhibited significantly by the use of the antimicrobial films said Catherine Cutter professor of food science.
In the study which was published online in the April issue of the Journal of Food Science researchers determined survivability of bacterial pathogens after treatment with 2 percent oregano essential oil 2 percent rosemary essential oil
The research shows that we can apply these food-grade films and have them do double duty--releasing antimicrobials
and improve food we eat. Working in Cutter's laboratory in the Department of Food Science Mohamed Morsy a doctoral student at Benha University in Egypt conducted the research.
Morsy was at Penn State as a Borlaug Fellow through a grant provided by the USDA-Foreign Agricultural Service.
because marrying the two materials together in packaging would make foods--especially meat and poultry--safer to eat.
Bumblebees face similar danger when foraging for food. Avoiding being eaten can be tricky as predators are disguised often or undetectable.
According to a recent study by Kansas State university published in the Applied and Environmental Microbiology journal insects carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria from one point to another including from food animal farms and wastewater treatment
Zurek and his colleagues collected house flies and cockroaches from food animal production locations including swine
They are attracted to our food and drinks. They have great potential to move multi-drug resistant bacteria to urban areas.
and can be left behind on food by fly regurgitation or spitting and defecation. Background on antibiotic resistanceantibiotics since their discovery 70 years ago have saved millions of lives Zurek said.
and food animal production facilities Zurek said. Antibiotics in food animal production are used not only to treat infections in animals
but also in helping animals grow. Antibiotics in low doses are added as feed additives primarily in poultry
Humans experiencing more problems with antibiotic resistance could be due to many potential reasons Zurek said including overuse of antibiotics in human medicine and human connection to antibiotic use in food animals.
Making strides on the issueto help eliminate the potential connection to food animal production the U s. Food
All EU countries banned antibiotic use as growth promoters in food animals. Lowering the use of antibiotics in animal industry will be another step to lower prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment
Producing food--and beef in particular--is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions which are projected to grow as rising incomes in emerging economies lead to greater demands for meat.
Exploring options and tradeoffsbecause beef is such a greenhouse-gas intensive food the researchers looked for unintended impacts such as lowering beef prices to the point where people want to consume more
In addition to dairy products other calcium-rich foods include tofu sardines salmon and some green vegetables. The study underscores the work of previous researchers who have shown that many African american children do not get the recommended levels of calcium in their diet.
As consumer interest in the health benefits of colorful foods increases small growers are capitalizing on novelty fruit and vegetable crops such as different-colored raspberries.
and animals and is found in many foods--on weed control efficacy crop injury and squash yields of yellow squash.
Neilsen and colleagues Denise Neilsen Frank Kappel and T. Forge from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre conducted research to determine the response
'and'Skeena'cultivars on the dwarfing rootstock Gisela 6 at the Pacific Agri-Food Research center in Summerland.
Food shortages expectedthe estimated future crop yields will not be feed enough to the world in 2015. The climate has changed already and affected crop yields.
Crop yields and food production per capita have improved generally over the last 40 years due to the development of farming culture and technology
Why what we eat mattersa new report quantifies for the first time how much our food choices affect pollutant nitrogen emissions climate change and land-use across Europe.
The executive summary of the European Nitrogen Assessment Special report on Nitrogen and Food'Nitrogen on the Table'was released today (Friday 25 april 2014.
and water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while freeing up large areas of farmland for other purposes such as food export or bioenergy.
and Food at PBL (The netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency) said The report shows that the nitrogen footprint of meat
%The EU could become a major exporter of food products instead of a major importer of for example soy beans.
One of the major barriers to action is the international trade in food commodities. The result is that countries fear that tackling nitrogen pollution will reduce their international competitiveness.
and researcher at the Air pollution Unit of the Italian National Agency for New Technologies Energy and Sustainable Economic Development has been involved in a number of food pilot projects in Italian schools.
She said The school food pilot projects in Italy have shown added value environmental benefits and health benefits associated with'smart food'.
'This is a new concept in Italian schools where children are informed about health principle of nutrition
#Small-scale, urban allotments yield food, healthy soil, study findssoils under Britain's allotments are significantly healthier than intensively farmed soils researchers have found.
This is the first study to show that by growing at small-scale in urban areas it is possible to produce food sustainably without damaging the soil.
One of the greatest challenges facing the growing human population is meeting rising demand for food without undermining the soils on
which food production--and other services such as carbon storage flood mitigation and locking up pollutants--depends.
Allotment holders are able to produce good food yields without sacrificing soil quality because they use sustainable management techniques.
An estimated 800 million city dwellers across the world participate in urban food production which makes a vital contribution to food security.
and policy making should promote urban own-growing rather than further intensification of conventional agriculture as a more sustainable way of meeting increasing food demand she says.
when 10%of the UK's food came from less than 1%of its cultivated land thanks to the expansion of own growing under the Dig for Victory campaign.
and often overlooked way of increasing productivity whilst also reconnecting urban dwellers with food production.
and can provide access to sustainably produced fruit and vegetable crops without the associated food miles.
The food environment of youth baseballâ#Take me out to the ballgameâ##doesnâ##t exactly conjure up images of apple slices and kale chips.
Unfortunately for children who play youth baseball eating unhealthy food during practices and games may be contributing to weight problems according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical center.
and positive health behaviors the food environments are characterized often by less healthy food options with high calorie contents
In this observational study the research team conducted an environmental scan of foods consumed by players and family members during 12 games at a youth baseball field in northwest North carolina.
The researchers found that most snacks were high-calorie food items including French fries candy and cookies and most beverages were sugar-sweetened.
Nearly 90 percent of food and beverage items purchased were from the concession stand. â#oeteam sports like baseball are still very important for childrenâ##s activity
or obese as a result of chronic unhealthy food behaviors associated with sports participation Skelton said. Contrary to the intent of youth sports these findings indicate that children may be leaving the ball field having consumed more calories than they expended. â#oedespite the benefits of participating in sports the increased exposure to unhealthy foods
and disruption of meal times may increase childrenâ##s risk for poor nutritional habits that can contribute to weight management issuesâ#Skelton said.
A limitation of the study was the ability to accurately document all foods consumed at the ballpark without being intrusive.
The worldwide need for anti-counterfeiting labels for food is substantial. In a joint operation in December 2013 and January 2014 Interpol and Europol confiscated more than 1200 tonnes of counterfeit or substandard food and almost 430000 litres of counterfeit beverages.
The illegal trade is run by organised criminal groups that generate millions in profits say the authorities.
But I need to know where food comes from and how pure it is. In the case of adulterated goods there is no way of knowing
where food is grown. Thousands of antibiotic resistance (AR) genes have already been identified but the vast majority of them don't pose a problem
when these genes appear in the types of pathogenic bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses
and food on the table and then ending up in the clinic--to find out
Alternatively benign bacteria in manure might transfer resistance genes to pathogens at any point along the path--in manure soil food or humans.
so much morein the April issue of Food technology magazine published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Senior Associate Editor Karen Nachay writes about rice becoming a trendy culinary selection of many restaurant menus
Food scientists are looking for new ways to incorporate rice into many consumer products. Rice ingredients can enrich food
and beverage products with nutrients improve textural attributes replace common food allergens function in gluten-free formulations
and act as a thickening agent while providing a cost-effective protein source. The article highlighted food scientists using sprouted brown rice to increase protein in bars powdered shakes soups pastas ready-to-drink beverages cereals and sweet and savory snacks.
Rice starches are being used to provide a variety of texture options in both food and beverages from smooth and creamy to crispy and crunchy.
Rice is also being used to enrich diets with more fiber. The article online can be found at:
The above story is provided based on materials by Institute of Food Technologists (IFT. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
#Top 10 functional food trends for 2014the April 2014 issue of Food technology magazine published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) features Contributing Editor A. Elizabeth Sloan's insights
while shopping for food and seek out foods made with simple real and natural ingredients (Hartman 2013a).
Just over half of consumers look for foods absent of artificial ingredients while one quarter of adults buy organic foods/beverages.
The majority of consumers strongly like the idea of getting their nutrition from foods with naturally occurring health benefits (IFIC 2013b.
Hispanic Health: America's 52 million Hispanics spent an estimated $6. 9 billion on functional foods in 2012 and $9. 4 billion on natural/organic foods/drinks (NBJ 2013d.
and are often the first to try a new health food nutritional product or diet (Packaged Foods 2013c).
Almost half of America's 32 million moms who say they always buy health foods/drinks for their kids are looking for a wider range of healthy convenient kid-friendly foods/drinks with nutrient
and moms are less likely to seek out organic as their children age (Packaged Foods 2012b).
Pharma Foods: Eight in 10 consumers believe that functional foods can help prevent or delay the onset of heart disease hypertension osteoporosis
Last year 56 percent of consumers bought foods or beverages that targeted a specific condition
while cholesterol-lowering foods/drinks were purchased the most condition-specific food or drink (Packaged Facts 2013c).
while adding specific real food components and nutrients to their diet (Hartman 2013a). Whole grains fiber and Vitamin d topped the list of ingredients that two-thirds of those trying to manage their weight added to the diet
Today's Millennials between the ages of 14 and 33 view their food choices as healthier more expensive more natural/organic less processed better tasting and fresh (Hartman 2013c.
The above story is provided based on materials by Institute of Food Technologists (IFT. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
and provide food for a rapidly increasing global population Gepts added. Study co-author Gary P. Nabhan an ethnobiologist and agroecologist at the University of Arizona's Southwest Center noted:
In fact this may be the only crop-origins research to have predicted ever the probable first cultivators of one of the world's most important food crops Nabhan said.
when people at several different spots around the globe brought plants under cultivation and domesticated animals for transport food or fiber.
because they were attracted to human settlements for food and in some sense domesticated themselves. But new research is showing that other domesticated animals may be more like cats
when people threw out the refuse of plant foods including seeds some grew and again set seed and in this way people inadvertently selected species they were eating that also did well in the disturbed and nutrient-rich environment of the dump heap.
or agriculture migration corridors for wildlife are broken blocking access to food shelter and breeding grounds. A scholarly theory was developed to estimate the number of species in such fractured landscapes where patches of forest surrounded by farms resemble islands of natural habitat.
and food production to make agricultural lands more hospitable to wildlife by reducing chemical inputs preserving fragments of forest and other natural habitats and rewarding farmers and ranchers for the benefits that result.
I read the rule the ranchers might be affected more than crop producers in this particular situationâ#Lee said. â#oewhen you look at it the lesser prairie chicken uses cropland for a minor amount of food certain times of the year.
#Food shortages could be most critical world issue by mid-centurythe world is less than 40 years away from a food shortage that will have serious implications for people and governments according to a top scientist at the U s
For the first time in human history food production will be limited on a global scale by the availability of land water
Food issues could become as politically destabilizing by 2050 as energy issues are today. Davies who also is a Texas A&m Agrilife Regents Professor of Horticultural Sciences addressed the North american Agricultural Journalists meeting in Washington D c. on the monumental challenge of feeding the world.
That would call for a 70 percent increase in food to meet demand. But resource limitations will constrain global food systems Davies added.
The increases currently projected for crop production from biotechnology genetics agronomics and horticulture will not be sufficient to meet food demand.
Davies said the ability to discover ways to keep pace with food demand have been curtailed by cutbacks in spending on research.
The U s. agricultural productivity has averaged less than 1. 2 percent per year between 1990 and 2007 he said.
That connection he suggested also will be vital in the push to grow enough food to feed people in coming years.
what foods we consume. Also urban agriculture favors horticulture. For example he said the fastest growing segment of new farmers in California are female non-Anglos who are intensively growing horticultural crops on small acreages he said.
which the bees get all their food may be the more important factor driving these declines.
They pollinate many food crops as well as those important for economic development and their products like honey
and the native flowering plant diversity that the bees depend on for food. In addition the researchers suggest that beekeepers use pesticides sparingly.
Pursuing changing human diets away from food animal products--Rice acknowledged that this recommendation may be controversial
but the authors determined that changing human diets away from food animal products could help in mitigating greenhouse gasses.
Reducing food waste--Another thing that's easier to accomplish is cutting back on food waste he said adding that 30 to 40 percent of food that's produced is used not.
The new Cornell Food and Brand Lab study by Andrew Hanks David Just and Brian Wansink found that eliminating chocolate milk from the elementary schools decreased total milk sales by 10%indicating that many
In conclusion co-author and Director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab Brian Wansink recommends There are other ways to encourage kids to select white milk without banning the chocolate.
The above story is provided based on materials by Cornell Food & Brand Lab. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
taste of food after weight loss surgerychanges in appetite taste and smell are par for the course for people who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery during
Seventy-three percent of patients noted change in the way food tasted and especially in their sweet and sour palate.
or sausages while fish fast foods chocolate greasy foods pasta and rice were also high on the list.
Three out of every four (73 percent) patients noted that they had developed an aversion to specific foods after the surgery.
Interestingly patients who experienced food aversions enjoyed significantly more postoperative weight loss and reduction in their body mass index (BMI) compared to their counterparts without such dislikes.
what the role is that perceptual changes in the taste and smell of food play to influence calorie intake meal composition and subsequent weight loss following bariatric surgery.
We think this mechanism is common to many food-borne bacteria and shows that they can exploit common factors found in both plants
so we can reduce the risk of food-borne disease. The researchers believe that the E coli O157:
By understanding the mechanisms of how the bacteria interact with plants the researchers are hoping to find targeted ways to stop the binding reducing the risk of food contamination.
#The human food connection: Authentic Puerto rican food in Connecticuttucked away in Hartford Connecticut a Puerto rican community is creating a tropical home away from home through cuisine that is so authentic it has caught the attention of scientists.
David W. Taylor (University of Portland) and Gregory J. Anderson (University of Connecticut) took a close look at the fresh crops in the Puerto rican markets of Hartford
and uncovered evidence that gives new meaning to a phrase that food lovers have been using for years:
Such a strong relationship to food has had a profound impact on human health by reshaping environmental biodiversity influencing the diets of neighbors and preserving elements of culture.
The similarities between the market foods in temperate Hartford and tropical Puerto rico demonstrate the great cultural value that the Puerto rican community places on its cuisine--which they have recreated after moving to a climatically culturally
and food is one of the most important. Over the course of nearly two decades Taylor and Anderson carefully and patiently measured the diversity of crops in the marketplace their availability over time the proportion of market space dedicated to each
Fresh starchy plants called viandas were the most essential food group for recreating a sense of home.
The second is Cultural Keystone Food Group or food groups that prove to be more vital to the cuisine than others like the viandas in this study.
Taylor and Anderson designed these concepts to help scientists analyze the cuisines of different communities and draw important comparisons between them.
They are uncovering the foods that shape our identity and create an essential connection to home.
since growing food in space may greatly improve long-duration spaceflight. Veggie can support a variety of studies used to determine how plants sense
They too regurgitate food from the forestomach in order to reduce it in size through renewed chewing.
The lower metabolism of camels could explain why they thrive particularly in areas with a shortage of food--desert and barren mountain regions.
but arid regions that are inhospitable to most food crops. But there is one valuable plant that thrives at high temperatures and in poor soil:
or food or energy sometimes leads to creative solutions said Lobell who is a coauthor on the new study.
We are interested now very in the possibility that several food-based natural compounds such as tomatidine
or even simply incorporated into everyday foods to make them healthier. In an effort to accelerate this research
His work is supported also by the Dairy Research Institute and the Midwest Dairy Food Research center.
#Kitchens are source of multi-drug resistant bacteriaafter handling raw poultry hands of food preparers
and food production such as metalworking fewer people were regularly doing tasks that were very strenuous on their legs.
and allowed for people to specialise in tasks other than food production. Macintosh said: In Central europe adaptations in human leg bones spanning this time frame show that it was initially men who were performing the majority of high-mobility tasks probably associated with tending crops and livestock.
#Spring allergies linked to specific food allergies, says specialistthe Midwest's high tree pollen count is primarily birch and oak bad news for carrot celery and almond lovers.
if certain foods make your mouth water but it is unhealthy if foods make your nose run
or your gums and throat itch says Joseph Leija MD allergist who performs the Gottlieb Allergy Count the official allergy count for the Midwest.
While many people experience minor reactions to certain foods that are basically harmless others have extreme reactions.
However most people in North america would have to more than double their consumption of these foods known as pulses to reach that target said the researchers at St michael's Hospital.
Pulses have a low glycemic index (meaning that they are foods that break down slowly) and tend to reduce
Forests provide essential ecosystem services for people including timber food and water. For those struggling with the after-effects of deforestation the main hope lies in rebuilding forest resources through ecological restoration.
#Food quality will suffer with rising carbon dioxide, field study showsfor the first time a field test has demonstrated that elevated levels of carbon dioxide inhibit plants'assimilation of nitrate into proteins indicating that the nutritional quality of food crops is at risk as climate change intensifies.
Findings from this wheat field-test study led by a UC Davis plant scientist will be reported online April 6 in the journal Nature Climate Change.
Food quality is declining under the rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide that we are experiencing said lead author Arnold Bloom a professor in the Department of Plant sciences.
In food crops it is especially important because plants use nitrogen to produce the proteins that are vital for human nutrition.
While heavy nitrogen fertilization could partially compensate for this decline in food quality it would also have negative consequences including higher costs more nitrate leaching into groundwater
Overtext Web Module V3.0 Alpha
Copyright Semantic-Knowledge, 1994-2011