Articles tagged with Food Security
Colorado State University researchers propose strategies to immobilize toxic metals and prevent plant uptake in rice grains, protecting food security and public health. The approach aims to reduce arsenic, cadmium, and mercury contamination in rice paddies using nanomaterials and chemical reactions.
A new study found that global rice production nearly doubled between the 1960s and 2010s due to increased irrigation and nutrient inputs. Climate change reduced rice production by an estimated 7% between 2006 and 2015, but elevated atmospheric CO2 levels contributed to improved water-use efficiency and enhanced photosynthesis.
Research by Lancaster University and the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur found that vulnerable families coped with food insecurity by limiting food diversity, taking loans, and temporarily withdrawing children from school. The study highlights the importance of local social networks and government support in mitigating crisis.
A recent study in the Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior found that geographic differences account for most of the variation in the cost of the USDA's Thrifty Food Plan, with regions like the Northeast and major metropolitan areas like New York having higher costs. The study highlights the importance of considering regional pric...
Researchers uncover how a previously uncharacterized transporter protein controls magnesium transport in rice, leading to improved grain development, nutritional quality, and cooked texture. The study reveals that magnesium transport is closely linked to crop productivity and sensory traits.
New research links food insecurity to altered gut microbiomes in children, with potential implications for child health and development. The study found higher levels of certain bacteria, such as Sutterella, in children from food-insecure households.
A new study by the American Cancer Society finds that nearly five million Americans live in food deserts, where grocery stores are scarce. The number of food swamps, areas with mostly restaurants and fast-food locations, has increased nationwide.
A new Oxford study models the impact of compound shocks on global grain supplies, highlighting countries with diverse suppliers and flexible trade networks as more resilient. The analysis suggests that producing all food domestically is unfeasible for many countries, leaving them exposed to global food crises.
A study found that universal free school meals can decrease out-of-school suspensions by 10% in elementary schools and 6% in middle and high schools. This impact was more pronounced in schools with fewer eligible students before implementing the policies.
Researchers have identified a novel genetic locus in the common agricultural weed Elymus repens that provides significant resistance to Fusarium Head Blight, a destructive fungal disease threatening global food security. The novel Fhb.Er-1StL locus has been successfully transferred into wheat, reducing diseased plant spikelets by up to...
A new report highlights the catastrophic risks of nature loss on food systems, economies and societies. Chronic pressures like soil degradation and water scarcity are already reducing crop yields and increasing food prices.
A new optimization framework helps food banks deliver food more efficiently by accounting for variables such as food availability and household demand. The tool has been incorporated into an app that can also be used by businesses to address delivery logistics challenges.
A study in Nature reveals a sharp increase in wild meat consumption across Central Africa, driven by urban populations. The total annual biomass of wild meat consumed has increased from 0.73 million tonnes in 2000 to 1.10 million tonnes in 2022.
Researchers have produced complete genome sequences for six peanut varieties, identifying two candidate genes linked to oil content and seed size. These findings provide a comprehensive blueprint for future peanut breeding and improvement strategies.
Researchers developed durable nanofilm electrodes for long-term measurement of bioelectric potentials in plants, paving the way for more resilient agriculture. These electrodes can detect stress in crops early, enabling timely warnings and improving yields.
A new study finds that large-scale food fortification programs currently prevent around 7 billion cases of micronutrient inadequacies worldwide each year, costing just 18 cents per person. Improving and expanding these programs could triple their impact to prevent 25 billion cases annually.
Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a destructive wheat disease that can reduce yields and contaminate grain with toxins. New research in Plant Disease identified several emerging fungal pathogens, including a previously undescribed species, responsible for the severe outbreak in Ethiopia.
A new study suggests that ultra-sensitive food safety tests may drive food waste and unavailability without significant public health benefits. The researchers propose using more flexible risk-based approaches to align food safety policies with sustainability goals.
A study by Frontiers in Science argues that ultra-sensitive food safety tests may drive food waste and unavailability, but not always translate to health risk. The researchers propose a more balanced approach that considers trade-offs between food safety, sustainability, and nutritional health.
A cross-sectional study documents persistent racial disparities in food insecurity over 23 years, with smaller disparities among SNAP-participating households. The study highlights the need for targeted policies to address food insecurity and its intersectional effects.
A recent study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior highlights the impact of digital transformation on food access, emphasizing opportunities for innovative interventions and policy approaches to promote health equity.
A comprehensive systematic review found that large-scale food fortification is a highly cost-effective intervention for reducing global malnutrition, with benefits far outweighing costs. The study analyzed 56 studies from 63 countries and found that fortification programs deliver substantial health benefits relative to costs.
Researchers have identified a master regulator in plants that balances root and shoot growth when nutrients are limited, leading to yield increases of up to 24% in rice plants. This breakthrough could ultimately improve global crop yields while reducing dependence on synthetic fertilisers.
The report highlights the need for an agreed definition of healthy soil, scalable biological indicators, and collaborative transitions to sustainable land management practices. It emphasizes the importance of building trust and aligning diverse priorities among all soil stakeholders.
Researchers at Colorado State University have found a way to boost plant growth while maintaining its immune system through hormone treatment, showing promise for increasing food production. The approach involves genetically manipulating phytohormone interactions to restore cell division and increase disease resistance.
A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that food insecurity negatively affects employees' anxiety, work engagement, and task performance. Employers can improve job outcomes by offering free or discounted food through various programs.
A decade-long study reveals that combined effects of rising atmospheric CO₂ and warming reduce phosphorus availability in rice-upland crop rotation systems. Warming plays a dominant role in redirecting phosphorus into less accessible soil pools.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine discovered that food shortages trigger a coordinated system to uphold immune function while conserving energy. Calorie-restricted mice fought off infection using very little glucose, thanks to glucocorticoids, which reorganized immune cells and their energy usage.
A new report by Anglia Ruskin University and the University of York identifies key weaknesses in the UK's food system and recommends interventions to prevent disruptions from escalating into a crisis. The study suggests increasing energy security, diversifying food value chains, and promoting varied diets to reduce risks.
A $1.8 million grant will fund the development of refrigerated semen storage, eliminating liquid nitrogen needs for dairy farming in developing countries. This technology is expected to increase milk production and improve farmers' incomes, addressing food insecurity.
The new centre will support the WHO in estimating disease burden from foodborne diseases and developing integrated risk-benefit approaches, combining nutrition, microbiological risks, and chemical contamination. The centre will contribute scientific expertise to achieve healthy, safe, and sustainable dietary patterns worldwide.
Researchers propose redesigning health systems in the Brazilian Amazon to account for climate change, extreme weather events, and food insecurity. They suggest integrating traditional knowledge and care practices adapted to local communities' specific needs.
A study by Chungnam National University finds that climate adaptation can significantly reduce migration from drought and armed conflict in Africa. Countries with stronger adaptive capacity experience lower migration levels during crisis conditions, highlighting the importance of policies addressing environmental and security threats.
The United Nations University reports that many regions are living beyond their hydrological means, with critical water systems already bankrupt. The study defines 'water bankruptcy' as persistent over-withdrawal from surface and groundwater relative to renewable inflows and safe levels of depletion. This has resulted in a growing list...
Knocking out the OsDT5 gene boosts drought resistance in rice, corn, and wheat, as well as the bryophyte Physcomitrium patens. The study provides a unified mechanistic framework for drought adaptation in terrestrial plants.
A multi-center observational study found that households facing food insecurity and challenges like low social support had a significantly higher risk of long COVID. Healthy diets may protect against the risk, highlighting the need for addressing adverse social factors in disease prevention.
Rebuilding coral reef fisheries can help fight global hunger and improve nutrition by increasing sustainable fish yields by nearly 50%. Countries with higher malnutrition indexes can benefit most from recovered reef fish stocks, which could provide enough servings for several million people annually.
A study found that nearly 1 in 7 graduate medical education trainees experience food insecurity, which is associated with higher levels of burnout and social isolation. Academic institutions can address this issue by implementing systemic solutions to support resident well-being.
The Binghamton University Food Justice Working Group developed the Broome County Food Access Plan, enhancing nutrition resources and community education. The group also created a story map illustrating food insecurity in Broome County.
A new study reveals that global measures of food insecurity, such as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification System, tend to understate the severity of hunger crises. The researchers found that up to 66.2 million people, or one in five, may be going uncounted due to conflicting data and conservative assessments.
A cross-sectional study found that state-level SNAP policies associated with higher program enrollment also lowered county-level food insecurity rates. The study suggests that these policies may help address rising food insecurity rates.
A new Cochrane review found that free or subsidized school meals slightly improve math achievement and enrolment rates in low- and middle-income countries. School feeding programs also likely contribute to small gains in physical growth indicators, but evidence from high-income countries is limited.
A new study analyzed consumer psychology to understand why game meat remains widely rejected in Japan despite its ecological benefits. The research found that Food Neophobia is a dominant psychological barrier, negatively influencing consumers' intentions primarily due to association with poor quality.
A University of Adelaide study found that promotional cues, product placement, and pricing interventions can empower people experiencing food insecurity to select more nutritious foods. The intervention led to an increase in turnover of healthy options and a decline in discretionary snacks.
A new study reveals that China's nationwide nitrogen management could reduce fertilizer use by over one third, improving air and water quality without compromising crop yields. Implementing a three-step strategy to increase manure recycling, balance fertilizer applications with environmental sources, and adopt integrated soil and crop ...
The 2025 Tata Transformation Prize recognizes Padubidri V. Shivaprasad's epigenetic engineering for climate-resilient rice, Balasubramanian Gopal's sustainable bio-manufacturing platform using E. coli bacteria, and Ambarish Ghosh's cancer-targeting magnetic nanorobots.
Global rice yields have suffered significantly due to severe flooding, with losses of approximately 4.3% per year between 1980 and 2015. The study highlights the need for adoption of flood-resistant rice varieties in vulnerable regions to avert future losses.
Researchers at Hosei University developed a hydroponic cultivation system using LED lighting to produce high-quality edamame consistently throughout the year. The nutrient film technique (NFT) method resulted in higher yields, better nutritional value, and increased productivity compared to traditional open-field cultivation.
Researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem unlock natural pathway to immortalize cow cells, overcoming major barrier to affordable cultivated beef. The study reveals bovine cells can spontaneously renew themselves indefinitely without genetic modification.
A new study reveals that widely cited statistics on global water and food security are based on weak evidence and poorly connected to current data. The findings suggest that irrigation's role in global food and water security is highly ambiguous, ranging from 18% to 50%, and its share of global freshwater withdrawals is uncertain.
Researchers propose a multi-pronged strategy to boost grain number in wheat by unlocking branched varieties, maintaining meristem activity, improving floret fertility, and enhancing nutrient transport. A multi-omics approach integrating genomics, metabolomics, and phenomics will be used to re-engineer wheat inflorescence architecture a...
The 15% expansion of food stamp payments during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced child food insufficiency among SNAP participants compared to eligible non-participants. In Hispanic-American households, odds were 39% lower, while in large households (6+ people), they were 33% lower.
A new climate dataset warns of a sharp drop in crop yields globally, with the poorest nations facing the greatest risks. The dataset projects that every additional degree Celsius of warming will drag down global food production by 4.4%, impacting millions at risk of hunger.
Researchers used Tesco Grocery 1.0 dataset to identify large clusters of food deserts in East and West London, where residents have limited access to affordable nutritious food. The study found correlations between sociodemographic factors and nutrient-deficient purchases in areas with higher income and car ownership.
A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that most informational materials meant to assist refugees in Australia are written above the recommended reading level. The study evaluated 184 government and community-developed resources, finding nearly all were accurate but 96% too difficult for refug...
A study by Stanford University researchers reveals that regions relying more on land-sourced moisture, such as the US Midwest and southern Africa, face greater drought risk and crop yield losses when rainfall falters. The study identifies a critical threshold beyond which crops become far more likely to suffer water stress.
Researchers evaluate ways to redesign land use and nature conservation using integrated approaches to meet ecological, social, and economic goals. Multifunctional landscapes can promote biodiversity, food production, climate regulation, and human well-being.
The Lancet Countdown report reveals that the world is facing unprecedented levels of health threats due to climate change, with millions of lives lost unnecessarily. The report calls for urgent action to limit future harm by prioritizing human health in policy decisions.