scholarly journals When the Medicine Feeds the Problem; Do Nitrogen Fertilisers and Pesticides Enhance the Nutritional Quality of Crops for Their Pests and Pathogens?

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisy A. Martinez ◽  
Ulrich E. Loening ◽  
Margaret C. Graham ◽  
Alfred Gathorne-Hardy
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Food System ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
N Fertilisers ◽  
Metabolic Disruption

The challenge of maximising agricultural productivity encourages growers to apply high volumes of nitrogen (N) fertilisers and pesticides in order to promote and protect yields. Despite these inputs, pests and pathogens (P&Ps) continue to cause economic losses and challenge food security at local, national, and global scales. P&Ps are a particular problem in industrial agricultural environments, where large-scale monocultures facilitate rapid growth of crop-adapted P&P populations. P&P population growth is strongly dependent upon acquisition of N-resources (e.g., amino acids) from crop tissues, and concentrations of these compounds depend on the metabolic state of the crop which, in turn, is influenced by its growth stage, by environmental conditions, and by agrochemical inputs. In this study we demonstrate that routine applications of pesticides and/or N-fertilisers may inadvertently reinforce the problem of P&P damage in agriculture by enhancing the nutritional quality of crops for these organisms. N-fertilisation has diverse influences on crops' susceptibility to P&P damage; N-fertilisers enhance the nutritional quality and “attractiveness” of crops for P&Ps, and they can also alter crops' expression of the defensive traits (both morphological and chemical) that serve to protect them against these organisms. Exposure of crops to pesticides (including commonly used insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide products) can result in significant metabolic disruption and, consequently, in accumulation of nutritionally valuable amino acids within crop tissues. Importantly, these metabolic changes may not cause visible signs of stress or toxicity in the crop, and may represent an “invisible” mechanism underlying persistent P&P pressure in the field. Given the intensity of their use worldwide, their far-reaching and destructive consequences for wildlife and overall ecosystem health, and the continued prevalence of P&P-associated crop damage in agriculture, we recommend that the impacts of these cornerstone agricultural inputs on the nutritional relationship between crops and their P&Ps are closely examined in order to inform appropriate management for a more secure and sustainable food system.

scholarly journals Effect of accelerated ripening agent on nutrient and antinutrient composition of banana

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-77
Author(s):  
O. Ariyo ◽  
B. Balogun ◽  
E.A. Solademi
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Food System ◽  
Pantothenic Acid ◽  
Calcium Carbide ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Cavendish Banana ◽  
Accelerated Ripening ◽  
Β Carotene ◽  
Sustainable Food System

Food safety especially of fruits is important for a healthy and sustainable food system. Though accelerated ripening of fruits is common in Nigeria, its effect on nutritional quality of fruits remains underexplored. This study was conducted to investigate the changes in the nutrient and antinutrient composition of banana ripened with Calcium carbide (CaC2). In this study, mature bunches of freshly harvested green bananas were grouped separately and allowed to ripen naturally and artificially (with CaC2). At the end of the ripening stage, the nutritional parameters (proximate, minerals, vitamins) and antinutritional parameters were determined using relevant analytical methods, and the results obtained were compared across groups. The results showed that the proximate composition of the artificially ripened samples increase in ash (1.49), fat (0.76), and moisture (69.86) while carbohydrate (23.92) and protein (1.88) contents declined. Similarly, Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe and Zn (mg/100 g) contents were higher in calcium carbide ripened than naturally ripened sample. Naturally ripened samples contained the higher amount of Vitamins C (28.87 mg/100 g), niacin (0.89 mg/100 g), pantothenic acid (0.27 mg/100 g) and pyridoxine (0.29mg/100 g). The β-carotene (127 mcg/100 g), Vitamin E (2.9 mg/100 g) and Vitamin K (0.31 mg/100 g) increased significantly in the artificially ripened samples, when compared to the naturally ripened samples. The use of calcium carbide as a ripening agent increases moisture and phlobatannin content, and loss in protein, carbohydrate, fibre, niacin, pantothenic acid, and pyridoxine composition of Cavendish banana.  

Disruptive innovation and operationalization in local and sustainable food systems: Examining the University of Toronto-Local Food Plus partnership

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-139
Author(s):  
Lori Stahlbrand
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Disruptive Innovation ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
The University

This paper traces the partnership between the University of Toronto and the non-profit Local Food Plus (LFP) to bring local sustainable food to its St. George campus. At its launch, the partnership represented the largest purchase of local sustainable food at a Canadian university, as well as LFP’s first foray into supporting institutional procurement of local sustainable food. LFP was founded in 2005 with a vision to foster sustainable local food economies. To this end, LFP developed a certification system and a marketing program that matched certified farmers and processors to buyers. LFP emphasized large-scale purchases by public institutions. Using information from in-depth semi-structured key informant interviews, this paper argues that the LFP project was a disruptive innovation that posed a challenge to many dimensions of the established food system. The LFP case study reveals structural obstacles to operationalizing a local and sustainable food system. These include a lack of mid-sized infrastructure serving local farmers, the domination of a rebate system of purchasing controlled by an oligopolistic foodservice sector, and embedded government support of export agriculture. This case study is an example of praxis, as the author was the founder of LFP, as well as an academic researcher and analyst.

scholarly journals Food Bank Donations in the United States: A Landscape Review of Federal Policies

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3764
Author(s):  
Katelin M. Hudak ◽  
Emily Friedman ◽  
Joelle Johnson ◽  
Sara E. Benjamin-Neelon
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Food System ◽  
The United States ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Food Banks ◽  
Food Bank ◽  
Federal Policies ◽  
Food And Beverage

Rates of food insecurity have increased substantially in the United States (US), and more families are turning to the charitable food system to help meet their needs. Prior studies have examined the nutritional quality of foods offered through food banks, but little is known about what government policies may shape the healthy food donation landscape. The purpose of this study was to review US federal policies that impact food and beverage donations to food banks and assess whether policies encourage healthy food donations. In spring 2020, two researchers independently reviewed federal food and beverage donation policies using predefined search terms in two legal databases. We identified six categories of policies based on the existing food donation literature and themes that emerged in the policy review. We identified 42 federal policies spanning six categories that addressed food and beverage donations to food banks. The largest category was “government programs,” with 19 (45%) policies. The next largest category was “donation via schools,” with 12 (29%) policies. However, no policies specifically addressed the nutritional quality of food donations. There is an opportunity for the federal government to strengthen food bank donation policies and improve the nutritional quality of donated foods and beverages.

Nutritional Quality of Sorghum Seeds: Storage Proteins and Amino Acids

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariane Vendemiatti ◽  
Renato Rodrigues Ferreira ◽  
Luiz Humberto Gomes ◽  
Leonardo Oliveira Medici ◽  
Ricardo Antunes Azevedo
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Storage Proteins

scholarly journals It’s All in the SKU: Getting Food from Somewhere from the Field to the Dinner Plate while Using a Large Scale Retailer

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Haythorn ◽  
Daniel Knudsen ◽  
James Farmer ◽  
Carmen Antreasian ◽  
Megan Betz
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Economic Viability ◽  
Local Food Movement ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Good System ◽  
Food Retailers ◽  
Food Movement

The local food movement provides sustainable food, but often suffers from a lack of economic viability. We examine the need for concerned consumers, qualified growers, and responsible retailers. Concerned consumers are individuals who desire food from somewhere, but must shop at food retailers. Qualified growers sell sustainable food from somewhere, and must be able to set their own prices. Responsible retailers provide consumers with food from somewhere. Taken together, currently there is no good system in place to allow for large scale purchases and long term sales of food from somewhere for a retailer. To solve this, we propose a benevolent wholesaler model, in which stock keeping unit (SKU) numbers are given to each type of product from each farm. This enables tracking of the origin of the produce by retail customers and individual consumers, while retaining the attributes of a food system that allow for large scale purchases and long term sales. Such systems are no less sustainable, but potentially provide enhanced economic viability for producers.

scholarly journals Effect of Reduced Nitrogen and Supplemented Amino Acids Nutrient Solution on the Nutritional Quality of Baby Green and Red Lettuce Grown in a Floating System

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavlos Tsouvaltzis ◽  
Dimitrios S. Kasampalis ◽  
Danai-Christina Aktsoglou ◽  
Nikolaos Barbayiannis ◽  
Anastasios S. Siomos
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Mineral Nitrogen ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Nitrate Accumulation ◽  
Nitrogen Reduction ◽  
Soluble Solid ◽  
Floating System

Excessive nitrogen fertilization results in nitrate accumulation in leafy vegetables. Reducing the dose of mineral nitrogen or using alternate fertilizers lowers the nitrate accumulation; however, a critical minimum level of mineral nitrogen is necessary to maintain yield and nutritional quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two levels of mineral nitrogen (100% and 50%) and three levels of an amino acid solution (0, 0.3, and 0.9%) in the nutrient solution of two baby lettuce cultivars (green and red) grown in a floating system. Nitrogen reduction did not affect yield (12.9–13.4 and 11.0–11.3 g/plant, respectively) but reduced nitrate accumulation (by 43 and 19%, respectively) in both green and red lettuce, while enhancing phenolic content (by 28%) and antioxidant capacity (by 69%) in green lettuce and soluble solid (by 7%) and total chlorophyll content (by 9%) in red lettuce. Although nitrate accumulation was prevented (< 355 mg/kg FW) and most nutritional components increased in both lettuce types by amino acids supplementation, plant growth was negatively affected, especially in red lettuce, in both concentrations of amino acids (reduction by 9 and 35% in 0.3 and 0.9%, respectively). In both lettuce types, proline content increased by 0.9% amino acids supplementation (by 45%), implying a probable induction of a stress condition. Mineral nutrients were slightly affected by nitrogen reduction, which was probably perceived as an abiotic stress.

scholarly journals Urban vs. Rural Socioeconomic Differences in the Nutritional Quality of Household Packaged Food Purchases by Store Type

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
pp. 7637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Lacko ◽  
Shu Wen Ng ◽  
Barry Popkin
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Multivariate Regression ◽  
Food System ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Food Purchases ◽  
Weighted Means ◽  
Food And Beverage ◽  
Quality Of Food ◽  
Packaged Food

The U.S. food system is rapidly changing, including the growth of mass merchandisers and dollar stores, which may impact the quality of packaged food purchases (PFPs). Furthermore, diet-related disparities exist by socioeconomic status (SES) and rural residence. We use data from the 2010–2018 Nielsen Homescan Panel to describe the nutritional profiles of PFPs by store type and to assess whether these vary by household urbanicity and SES. Store types include grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, online shopping, dollar stores, and convenience/drug stores. Food and beverage groups contributing the most calories at each store type are estimated using survey-weighted means, while the associations of urbanicity and SES with nutritional quality are estimated using multivariate regression. We find that households that are customers at particular store types purchase the same quality of food regardless of urbanicity or SES. However, we find differences in the quality of foods between store types and that the quantity of calories purchased at each store type varies according to household urbanicity and SES. Rural shoppers tend to shop more at mass merchandisers and dollar stores with less healthful PFPs. We discuss implications for the types of store interventions most relevant for improving the quality of PFPs.

scholarly journals Evaluating the healthiness of chain-restaurant menu items using crowdsourcing: a new method

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenard I Lesser ◽  
Leslie Wu ◽  
Timothy B Matthiessen ◽  
Harold S Luft
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Registered Dietitian ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Large Scale Data ◽  
Nutrient Profiling ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Scale Data

AbstractObjectiveTo develop a technology-based method for evaluating the nutritional quality of chain-restaurant menus to increase the efficiency and lower the cost of large-scale data analysis of food items.DesignUsing a Modified Nutrient Profiling Index (MNPI), we assessed chain-restaurant items from the MenuStat database with a process involving three steps: (i) testing ‘extreme’ scores; (ii) crowdsourcing to analyse fruit, nut and vegetable (FNV) amounts; and (iii) analysis of the ambiguous items by a registered dietitian.ResultsIn applying the approach to assess 22 422 foods, only 3566 could not be scored automatically based on MenuStat data and required further evaluation to determine healthiness. Items for which there was low agreement between trusted crowd workers, or where the FNV amount was estimated to be >40 %, were sent to a registered dietitian. Crowdsourcing was able to evaluate 3199, leaving only 367 to be reviewed by the registered dietitian. Overall, 7 % of items were categorized as healthy. The healthiest category was soups (26 % healthy), while desserts were the least healthy (2 % healthy).ConclusionsAn algorithm incorporating crowdsourcing and a dietitian can quickly and efficiently analyse restaurant menus, allowing public health researchers to analyse the healthiness of menu items.

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