Food and Natural Resources

EU-funded researchers say chickpeas, fava beans, lentils and quinoa are ideal crops for cultivation in Europe and could help the shift towards a more nutritional, environmentally friendly and sustainable food system.

EU-backed researchers have developed a solution that can improve crop yields while reducing resource consumption for a more sustainable future.

EU-backed scientists show us how smart materials called magnetoactive polymers (MAPs) could someday be used to stimulate healing in epithelial wounds.

An EU-backed study has found that remote monitoring using satellites and drones could make nature-based solutions better able to protect communities from devastating natural hazards.

Planting more legumes can provide human nutrition at a lower environmental cost, advise EU-backed researchers.

EU-funded researchers studied the connection between equatorial current fluctuations and changes in oxygen content. They discovered that stronger upper-ocean currents have led to higher oxygen concentrations in the equatorial Atlantic.

EU-backed food scientists are using ultrasound technology to produce fruit juices and smoothies that are more nutritional and have a longer shelf life.

New research has shown that the Greenland ice sheet will melt 60 % more by 2100 than scientists had thought, pushing rising sea levels from 10 cm to 18 cm.

An EU-funded study has shown that the additives and contaminants that plastic particles leave behind in water can cause deformities in sea urchin embryos.

An EU-funded project team is developing and testing smart nets, smart scanners and other technologies to help combat overfishing.

An EU-funded study investigates how livestock breeding programmes could benefit from disease resilience research and offers four genetic improvement alternatives.

An EU-funded project demonstrates the potential of sustainable bio-based composite applications in the aerospace, acoustics and automotive sectors.

An EU-funded project team received a research grant from an international organisation to apply their bio-inspired desalination solution to farmland in Oman.

EU-backed researchers develop a simulation model applied to a real-world food supply chain and review current knowledge on next-generation supply chains.

An EU-funded team studied a common weed to find out why some plants are infected by more viruses than others. They discovered that the answer lies in the plant’s genetic differences.

Say goodbye to traditional pig tracking, extra sensors and individual marking. A fast and accurate 2D camera-based deep learning system automatically recognises pig feeding behaviour, making early detection of health and welfare problems possible.

In issue 84 of Research*eu, we interviewed Arturo Lizón, coordinator of the INNOPREFAT project on behalf of Spanish SME Monteloeder. Their MetabolAid product provides a nature-inspired solution to help deal with metabolic syndrome which affects around 25 % of the world’s population. When last we spoke, they were preparing to introduce MetabolAid to major markets across the world. We reconnected with Lizón to see how they’ve been progressing.

Whilst developing biodegradable food packaging from upcycled cheese whey and almond shells, the EU-funded project YPACK has discovered that integrating zinc oxide and oregano essential oil helps biopapers protect against bacterial contamination in food packaging. This promises to increase the shelf life of fresh products such as meat, fruit, vegetables and fresh pasta.

A species of jelly resorts to eating its own offspring to thrive in new habitats and cope with food shortages, according to new research.

Partners of an EU-funded initiative are integrating innovative technologies to recover water and minerals of sufficient purity and quality from brine for reuse in various industries.