The Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Its Implications for the Global Food Supply Chains.

Food is one of the most traded goods, and the conflict in Ukraine, one of the European breadbaskets, has triggered a significant additional disruption in the global food supply chains after the COVID-19 impact. The disruption to food output, supply chains, availability, and affordability could have a long-standing impact. As a result, the availability and supply of a wide range of food raw materials and finished food products are under threat, and global markets have seen recent increases in food prices.

Transformational Steam Infusion Processing for Resilient and Sustainable Food Manufacturing Businesses.

Here we show how food and beverage manufacturers report more incisive sustainability and product fulfilment outcomes for their business enterprises when innovative processing technologies are used. The reported steam infusion technology heats food materials within a Vaction Pump device so that steam is directed into the food material within a much reduced volume, reducing the use of steam and processing time. This study reports how such technological interventions will enable supply chain stakeholders to demonstrate responsible consumption by connecting assessments for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions with consumer-focused outcomes such as product quality.

Codesign of Food System and Circular Economy Approaches for the Development of Livestock Feeds from Insect Larvae.

Processes that utilise low-value wastes and convert them to high-value food ingredients systemically add value across commercial operations. Current common disposal options include use as animal feed, anaerobic digestion, composting, incineration, and the worst-case options of landfill and wastewater disposal. The pressure is acute with food manufacturers needing to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and reach targets of zero waste to landfill.

Interacting with Members of the Public to Discuss the Impact of Food Choices on Climate Change-Experiences from Two UK Public Engagement Events.

Food systems contribute to up to 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and emissions are increasing. Since the emissions vary greatly between different foods, citizens' choices can make a big difference to climate change. Public engagement events are opportunities to communicate these complex issues: to raise awareness about the impact of citizens' own food choices on climate change and to generate support for changes in all food system activities, the food environment and food policy.

Testing the data platforms required for the 21st century food system using an industry ecosystem approach.

Testing the planning of resource utilisation across food supply chains provides sustainability and security reporting that can resonate with consumer requirements. The research reported here demonstrates this approach for fast throughput convenience foods that have short shelf life and whose product development must be agile enough to meet changing consumer demand. The higher-level outputs of these conditions are the responsible reporting of nutritional, greenhouse gas emission and packaging impact assessments.

The impact of food preservation on food waste.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relationship between food preservation and reducing consumer waste is of value in developing sustainable meal options. The research reports insights into Austrian marketplace for frozen and fresh foods that have been obtained from a consumer survey.

Design/methodology/approach: The consumer survey methodologies indicate how preservation can change meal planning and lower food waste across frozen and fresh and ambient food purchases using freezing preservation methods.

The potential of food preservation to reduce food waste.

While we state it seems unthinkable to throw away nearly a third of the food we produce, we still continue to overlook that we are all very much part of this problem because we all consume meals. The amount of food wasted clearly has an impact on our view of what we think a sustainable meal is and our research suggests food waste is a universal function that can help us determine the sustainability of diets. Achieving sustainability in food systems depends on the utilisation of both culinary skills and knowledge of how foods make meals.

Carbon, food and fuel security - will biotechnology solve this irreconcilable trinity?

The emergence of food security as a key policy issue in developed nations has been concomitant with the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the implementation of Environmental Management Systems in primary industries. Biotechnological interventions such as biorefinery platforms that produce chemicals and fuels provide opportunities to reconcile the security and environmental sustainability criteria increasingly sought after by governments. Indeed, sustainable and more carbon neutral options have been positively benchmarked against scenarios based solely on petrochemical feedstocks.

The X-ray structure of Brassica napus beta-keto acyl carrier protein reductase and its implications for substrate binding and catalysis.

Background: beta-Keto acyl carrier protein reductase (BKR) catalyzes the pyridine-nucleotide-dependent reduction of a 3-oxoacyl form of acyl carrier protein (ACP), the first reductive step in de novo fatty acid biosynthesis and a reaction often performed in polyketide biosynthesis. The Brassica napus BKR enzyme is NADPH-dependent and forms part of a dissociable type II fatty acid synthetase (FAS). Significant sequence similarity is observed with enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase (ENR), the other reductase of FAS, and the short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase (SDR) family.

Crystallization of the NADP-dependent beta-keto acyl-carrier protein reductase from Brassica napus.

The NADP-dependent beta-keto acyl-carrier protein reductase (BKR) from Brassica napus has been crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using polyethylene glycol of average molecular weight 1500 as the precipitant. The crystals belong to the hexagonal space group P6(4)22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 129. 9, c = 93.

Crystallization of the NADP-dependent beta-keto acyl carrier protein reductase from Escherichia coli.

The NADP-dependent beta-keto acyl carrier protein reductase (BKR) from E. coli has been crystallized by the hanging-drop method of vapour diffusion using poly(ethylene glycol) of average molecular weight 1450. The crystals belong to the hexagonal space group P6122 or P6522 with unit-cell dimensions a = b = 67.

Conversion of D-hamamelose into 2-carboxy-D-arabinitol and 2-carboxy-D-arabinitol 1-phosphate in leaves of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

[1-14C]Hamamelose (2-hydroxymethyl-D-ribose) was synthesized by reaction of ribulose 5-phosphate with potassium [14C]cyanide, catalytic hydrogenation of the resulting cyanohydrin, and dephosphorylation of the product. Its identity was established by a chromatographic comparison with hamamelose isolated from the bark of witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana L.).

Changes in Activities of Enzymes of Carbon Metabolism in Leaves during Exposure of Plants to Low Temperature.

The aim of this study was to determine the response of photosynthetic carbon metabolism in spinach and bean to low temperature. (a) Exposure of warm-grown spinach and bean plants to 10 degrees C for 10 days resulted in increases in the total activities of a number of enzymes, including ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco), stromal fructose 1,6 bisphosphatase (Fru 1,6-P(2)ase), sedoheptulose 1,7-bisphosphatase (Sed 1,7-P(2)ase), and the cytosolic Fru 1,6-P(2)ase. In spinach, but not bean, there was an increase in the total activity of sucrose-phosphate synthase.

Towards optimizing rowing technique.

An equation is developed (and solved) to describe the speed of a rowing boat as a function of the movement of the sculler's center of mass relative to the boat and the force applied. A method is presented to determine the degree to which fluctuations in boat speed through the rowing cycle affect the amount of power necessary to propel the boat at some mean speed. By changing technique, it is possible to modify these fluctuations in order to achieve the higher mean speed for a given amount of propulsive power.

Mechanical energy in sculling and in rowing an ergometer.

The purpose of this study was to quantify and contrast the instantaneous segmental and total body energy patterns of rowing a single scull racing shell with rowing a Gjessing (Norway) rowing ergometer (RE), and to contrast energy savings through exchanges of mechanical energy among segments and conversions of energy within segments. Four scullers, two male and two female, were filmed at three stroke rates while rowing on a stationary and a wheeled RE, and rowing in single sculls racing shells. Coordinates of joint markers were digitized, digitally filtered, and combined with estimated body segment parameters using link-segment mechanics to obtain segmental centre of gravity kinematics.