Adaptation to climate change for food security in the lower Mekong Basin

Variability in water cycles driven by climate change is considered likely to impact rice production in the near future. Rice is the main staple food for the population in the lower Mekong Basin and the demand for food is expected to grow due to increase in population. This paper examines the impact of climate change on rice production in the lower Mekong Basin, evaluates some widely used adaptation options, and analyses their implications for overall food security by 2050. Climate change data used in the study are the future climate projection for two IPCC SRES scenarios, A2 and B2, based on ECHAM4 General Circulation Model downscaled to the Mekong region using the PRECIS (Providing Regional Climates for Impact Studies) system. In general, the results suggest that yield of rainfed rice may increase significantly in the upper part of the basin in Laos and Thailand and may decrease in the lower part of the basin in Cambodia and Vietnam. Irrigated rice may not be affected by climate change if increased irrigation requirements are met. Negative impact on the yield of rainfed rice can be offset and net increase in yield can be achieved by applying widely used adaptation options such as changing planting date, supplementary irrigation and increased fertilizer input. Analysis of the projected production, considering population growth by 2050, suggests that food security of the basin is unlikely to be threatened by the increased population and climate change, excluding extreme events such as sea level rise and cyclones.     

Addressing the food crisis: governance, market functioning, and investment in public goods

The 2007–08 food price crisis has not only increased food insecurity around the globe, but also exposed long-term failures in the functioning of the world food system. Establishing a global governance architecture for governing food, nutrition, and agriculture as well as improving market functioning and increasing investment in public goods will be critical for the way forward. Three high-priority policy actions are necessary to cope with urgent needs for food and nutrition security and at the same time build a stronger food system that can respond to future challenges: (1) improve productivity and scale up research investments; (2) expand nutrition and social protection, (3) strengthen markets and trade.

Balanced diets in food systems: Emerging trends and challenges for human health

ABSTRACT

Processed foods, generally known as modified raw foods produced by innovative processing technologies alters the food constituents such natural enzymes, fatty acids, micronutrients, macronutrients and vitamins. In contrast to fresh and unprocessed foods, processed foods are guaranteed to be safer, imperishable, long lasting and consist high level of nutrients bioactivity. Currently, the evolution in food processing technologies is necessary to face food security and safety, nutrition demand, its availability and also other global challenges in the food system. In this scenario, this review consists of information on two food processing technologies, which effects on processed foods before and after processing and the impact of food products on human health. It is also very well established that understanding the type and structure of foods to be processed can assist food processing industries towards advancement of novel food products. In connection with this fact, the present article also discusses the emerging trends and possible modifications in food processing technologies with the combination of conventional and modern techniques to get the suitable nutritional and safety qualities in food.     

Debates on food security and agrofood world governance

Mechanisms of global governance, developed in response to initiatives adopted by the FAO to combat hunger and confront food crises, are the result of wide ranging historical debates using three basic criteria for justification: the scientific, the political‐ideological, and the ethical. On the basis of these criteria, certain forms of understanding and acting on agriculture, health and nutrition at global level have come to be accepted as valid. Currently the debate and the resulting proposals are based on the recognition of food as a universal human right.     

Climate change, flooding and food security in south Asia

The most vulnerable groups in terms of food security during floods in south Asia under climate change will be the poor, women and children. Current procedures for the transfer of climate adaptation funds tend to marginalize these groups. Food production is being disrupted by flooding more frequently and more severely than before, due to climate change. By 2080 the situation is likely to be much worse than at present. Adaptation has to encourage management of all stages of food security, from the farm to the consumer, both urban and rural. Measures have to be participatory, from the community to the international level. While many individual initiatives offer hope and demonstrate good practice, institutional, economic and environmental factors may all impede the maintenance and enhancement of food security in south Asia. Innovative forms of food production, distribution and storage will have to be developed.

Exploiting locally available resources for food and nutritional security enhancement: wild fruits diversity, potential and state of exploitation in the Amhara region of Ethiopia

This paper features the composition of wild fruits, their exploitation and their potential contribution to improved food and nutritional security in three districts of the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Data were gathered through structured, semi-structured and key-informant interviews which were administered to the heads of 92 randomly chosen households. Focus group discussions and direct field explorations by the researchers were also undertaken. The results revealed that altogether 44 wild fruit species are available for use in the study areas. The fruits are rich in valuable nutrients and are accessible year-round with significant overlap at times of acute food and nutrient scarcity. Nevertheless, owing to the peoples’ cereal-based dietary habits, cultural perceptions and attitudes, the current state of fruit utilization is very low. Consequently, the potential nutritional contribution of wild fruits to the people’s diets remains largely unexploited. In order to remedy this situation, a wider and sustained acceptance of wild fruits as important dietary components must be fostered.

Planting seeds for the future of food

The health and wellbeing of future generations will depend on humankind's ability to deliver sufficient nutritious food to a world population in excess of 9 billion. Feeding this many people by 2050 will require science‐based solutions that address sustainable agricultural productivity and enable healthful dietary patterns in a more globally equitable way. This topic was the focus of a multi‐disciplinary international conference hosted by Nestlé in June 2015, and provides the inspiration for the present article. The conference brought together a diverse range of expertise and organisations from the developing and industrialised world, all with a common interest in safeguarding the future of food. This article provides a snapshot of three of the recurring topics that were discussed during this conference: soil health, plant science and the future of farming practice. Crop plants and their cultivation are the fundamental building blocks for a food secure world. Whether these are grown for food or feed for livestock, they are the foundation of food and nutrient security. Many of the challenges for the future of food will be faced where the crops are grown: on the farm. Farmers need to plant the right crops and create the right conditions to maximise productivity (yield) and quality (e.g. nutritional content), whilst maintaining the environment, and earning a living. New advances in science and technology can provide the tools and know‐how that will, together with a more entrepreneurial approach, help farmers to meet the inexorable demand for the sustainable production of nutritious foods for future generations. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Developments in instrumental techniques for food flavour evaluation: future prospects

Analytical instruments have enabled the discovery and quantification of many of the key taste and aroma compounds known today in food. Recent trends in instrument development have focused on following the temporal aspects of tastant (or odorant) release from foods, and their delivery to the sensory apparatus during eating. However, there is an increasing demand for detection systems that are not reductionist, but more holistic, with similar sensitivity and selectivity properties to the human sensory apparatus. The output from such detection systems would ideally provide an indication of quality, palatability and hedonistic appreciation. Advances in molecular biology may hold the key to future developments. Cloning of receptor proteins, individual receptors or the whole sensory organ may produce detection systems with similar function to the human sensory organs. However, it will be necessary to deconvolute the signals obtained from these systems to convert them into terms typically used to describe our perception of stimuli. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Construction of a solar drying unit suitable for conservation of food and enhancement of food security in West Africa

Drying is a widely used technique in sub-Saharan Africa which allows food conservation, weight reduction and added value for some products. However, the technique is quite complex, making the rational concept of drying devices challenging. A rational method for the design and the construction of a fruit and vegetable solar dryer is presented. A prototype was designed and constructed at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) to test the concept and was found to be capable of drying more than 40 kg of fresh tomatoes in 10 h. A second prototype was constructed in Bandiagara (Mali) by both local craftsmen and students from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, using local materials. Speed of drying and prevention of food spoilage was far superior to that of traditional solar dryers. Based on these prototypes, a dryer industry is being constructed in Bandiagara in order to increase food self-sufficiency.     

Food security: definition and measurement

The term “food security” has been used over time to mean different things. This brief article discusses the various meanings attached to the concept and suggests that it can be a useful measure of household and individual welfare, particularly if combined with estimates of household food aquisition and allocation behavior. If nutritional security is the goal of interest, estimates of access to food should be combined with estimates of access to clean water and good sanitation. Anthrometric measures are likely to be more appropriate than food security estimates to target policies and programs to improved child nutrition.

Emulsion electrospinning: Fundamentals,food applications and prospects

BackgroundIn the past decades, many natural bioactive compounds with antioxidant, immunoregulatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities have been successfully identified in plant and animal materials. However, due to their poor solubility, unfavorable flavor, low bioavailability and instability during food processing and storage, the development of bioactive compounds used in the food industry presents many technological challenges.Scope and approachEmulsion electrospinning is a novel and simple technique to fabricate core-shell nanofibers, and either water-in-oil (W/O) or oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions can be electrospun to directly encapsulate hydrophilic or hydrophobic compounds into core-shell fibers, respectively. This review introduces fundamentals and advantages of emulsion electrospinning as well as its food applications. The effects of different types of emulsifiers on the formation of emulsion systems and emulsion-based electrospun fibers are highlighted. Further, the existing limitations and scope for future research are discussed.Key findings and conclusionsRecent studies have found that the emulsion-based electrospun nanofibers can enhance the encapsulation efficiency, stability, and bioavailability of bioactive compounds, as well as achieve targeted delivery and controlled release, thus providing new strategies to improve their barrier performance compared to conventional electrospinning and therefore facilitating the development of emulsion-based electrospun mats in the food industry.     

食品过敏原研究进展及其在食品安全重要性方面的探讨

环境中能够刺激机体发生过敏反应的都可称为过敏原,我们每天接触的食品中的过敏原问题也是一项不容忽视的问题。食品过敏原问题属于食品安全性的范畴,它与食品生产厂商和消费者密切相关,同时也涉及到临床医学的领域。就其检测及其在食品安全性方面进行了探讨。     

永嘉县学校食品安全存在的问题和对策建议

近几年来,学校的食品安全事故频发,其发生频率及涉及人数明显上升。为了提高学校的食品安全,对永嘉县学校食品安全存在的问题进行分析,并提出一些对策建议。     

五味子在食品工业中的应用及其开发前景

对五味子的营养价值和医疗保健作用及在食品工业中的应用现状、开发前景进行了分析．并根据当前五味子在食品工业中的应用出现的主要问题提出了相应对策。     

Functionalization techniques for improving SERS substrates and their applications in food safety evaluation: A review of recent research trends

BackgroundFood safety and quality have gained much attention in recent years and the capability to evaluate food quality and safety in a sensitive, rapid, and reliable manner is of great importance in the food industry. Therefore, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) with the advantages of excellent sensitivity, high selectivity, non-destructive nature and significant enhancement to identify the target has demonstrated a great potential for quick detection of chemical contaminants, chemical constitutes, and pathogens in food samples.Scope and approachThe enhancement of Raman signals for SERS is not only related to the interactions between substrates and samples but also the functionalization of substrates to gain SERS active substrates. In the present review, different types of substrates are briefly discussed, functionalization techniques for SERS active substrates are discussed, and applications of functionalized SERS substrate in food samples are presented.Conclusions and key findingsIt is evident that functionalization techniques for improving SERS substrates have given encouraging outcomes, which provides possibility for identifying multiple target analytes within a complex matrix, and thus could be used as a powerful analytical tool in real-world applications in food safety analysis as well as for enhancing food quality surveillance.     

Factors affecting food security and contribution of modern technologies in food sustainability

The concept of food insecurity is complex and goes beyond the simplistic idea of a country's inability to feed its population. The global food situation is redefined by many driving forces such as population growth, availability of arable lands, water resources, climate change and food availability, accessibility and loss. The combined effect of these factors has undeniably impacted global food production and security. This article reviews the key factors influencing global food insecurity and emphasises the need to adapt science-based technological innovations to address the issue. Although anticipated benefits of modern technologies suggest a level of food production that will sustain the global population, both political will and sufficient investments in modern agriculture are needed to alleviate the food crisis in developing countries. In this globalised era of the 21st century, many determinants of food security are trans-boundary and require multilateral agreements and actions for an effective solution. Food security and hunger alleviation on a global scale are within reach provided that technological innovations are accepted and implemented at all levels.     

Industrial potential of carotenoid pigments from microalgae: Current trends and future prospects

Microalgae are rich source of various bioactive molecules such as carotenoids, lipids, fatty acids, hydrocarbons, proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, etc. and in recent Years carotenoids from algae gained commercial recognition in the global market for food and cosmeceutical applications. However, the production of carotenoids from algae is not yet fully cost effective to compete with synthetic ones. In this context the present review examines the technologies/methods in relation to mass production of algae, cell harvesting for extraction of carotenoids, optimizing extraction methods etc. Research studies from different microalgal species such as Spirulina platensis, Haematococcus pluvialis, Dunaliella salina, Chlorella sps., Nannochloropsis sps., Scenedesmus sps., Chlorococcum sps., Botryococcus braunii and Diatoms in relation to carotenoid content, chemical structure, extraction and processing of carotenoids are discussed. Further these carotenoid pigments, are useful in various health applications and their use in food, feed, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries was briefly touched upon. The commercial value of algal carotenoids has also been discussed in this review. Possible recommendations for future research studies are proposed.     

我国食品安全风险评估的主要挑战

我国自2009年以来依照食品安全法开展食品安全风险评估体系建设,在风险评估技术规范、基础数据、应用模型、技术方法等科学方面取得明显进展,成为我国开展食品安全风险评估的重要基础。根据管理需要开展的风险评估工作实践已在我国食品安全管理中发挥重要作用,有效提升了我国食品安全管理决策的科学化水平。但是,我国风险评估在工作机制、基础数据和技术创新等方面依然存在亟需解决的问题。随着21世纪科学技术的快速发展以及我国食品安全治理科学化需求的增加,如何提高风险评估质量、实现现代技术和数据的整合应用以及参与和推进风险评估方法学的全球协调等,将成为我国食品安全风险评估建设的主要挑战和发展方向。     

无机陶瓷膜分离技术在食品工业中的应用及前景

无机陶瓷膜由于其耐高温、耐化学腐蚀、耐生物侵蚀等特性，因而在食品工业有着广泛的应用前景。综述了无机陶瓷分离膜在食品加工方面的应用概况，包括乳制品、果汁和茶饮料、粮油加工等领域。