Reduce Nutrient Losses Research Articles

A Critical Review of Biochar Application for the Remediation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Nutrient Loss in Rice Paddies: Characteristics, Mechanisms, and Future Recommendations

Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and nutrient loss are considered to be critical environmental issues facing rice field ecosystems. Biochars (BCs), as carbon-rich materials with porous structures, large specific surface areas, and enriched surface functional groups, have shown great potential for improving environmental problems in rice fields and increasing rice yields. However, thus far, we still lack an adequate summary and review of the performance characteristics of BCs and their environmental behavior in paddy soils. In this paper, we critically review the positive effects of BC application on the growth and yield of rice, nutrient loss reduction, and GHG reduction. Biomass type, pyrolysis temperature, and modification method are considered to be the key factors that determine the performance characteristics of BCs. The application of BCs could promote rice yield and mitigate CO2, N2O, and CH4 emissions by improving soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities, providing nutrient sources, and reducing nutrient losses. Finally, this paper illustrates the potential ecological risks of BC application on paddy fields, including the risks of inconclusive research results and secondary pollution. These shortcomings need to be addressed in future research to ensure the sustainability of BC application.

Edible insects as innovative ingredients: processing technologies and insect incorporated foods

The growing global demand for meat and the limitations of agricultural land and resources have prompted the search for alternative protein sources. Edible insects can be used as a meat substitute because of their significant protein content, high food-to-feed conversion ratio, and mere greenhouse gas emissions. Entomophagy, or the eating of insects, has long been practised by numerous ethnic groups across the world. Approximately 2000 edible insect species are being consumed. Edible insects are only available during certain seasons; therefore, many processing procedures are used to preserve them for extended periods. Traditional processing processes include drying, roasting, and boiling, which aim at imparting local taste and flavour. Along with these traditional drying methods, a number of novel approaches have been developed to reduce nutrient loss while also extending shelf life. Insect-based foods are becoming progressively essential to improve nutritional content while also reducing environmental risk. Because eating whole edible insects has an adverse impact on public acceptance, adding insects as an ingredient has spurred considerable attention in recent years. Insect-enriched food products have numerous benefits as well as challenges. The inclusion of a small amount of insect flour contributes to the additional nutritional and health benefits, however, the inclusion of a higher amount of insect powder frequently modifies the traditional taste preferences of many products. A massive portion of the population still does not accept edible insects due to their distinct flavours and taste. Raising awareness about the benefits of entomophagy, as well as understanding the sensory qualities of insect-added food products will aid in developing a more palatable and acceptable product.

Utilizing animal by-products in European slaughterhouses to reduce the environmental footprint of pork products

Reducing food loss addresses global warming, protects natural resources, and improves food security. The study focuses on improving the use of animal by-products at the slaughterhouse stage.An LCA of pork production was performed using actual data from four European slaughterhouses and two methods for handling by-products. A scenario analysis was then conducted to compare the improved re-use of animal by-products.The study showed substantial variations in the proportion of live weight pig used for human food purposes, with an edible yield ranging from 72 to 88 %. Improved utilization, where 92 % of the live weight pig is used as edible products, could reduce environmental impact per kg pork product sold for human consumption by 4–26 % depending on the current utilization rate, impact category, and by-product handling method. Using system expansion, such as substituting soybean meal in pet feed, lowered the reduction potential from 19 % with economic allocation to 7 % with system expansion due to high net avoided impacts, highlighting the importance of the method to accurately evaluate the environmental benefits of utilizing more edible products. A scenario analysis comparing waste treatment options for the animal by-products proved that the best option is pet feed, followed by biofuel, then biogas, aligning with the circular bioeconomy value pyramid and food waste hierarchy.Higher edible yield per live weight pig considerably reduces the environmental impacts per kg pork product sold for human consumption. The waste hierarchy and the value pyramid are useful tools to prioritize waste utilization for animal by-products.

Enrichment of White Wheat Bread with Pistachio Hulls and Grape Seeds: Effect on Bread Quality Characteristics

In creating sustainable food systems, alternative uses of food waste and by-products as a source of phenolic compounds or dietary fiber in food formulations should be evaluated to reduce food losses and waste. In this study, wheat bread was fortified with agro-industrial by-products, namely, fresh pistachio hull (FPH), pistachio hull powder (PHP), fresh grape seeds (FGS), and grape seed powder (GSP), at different levels (0.5–4%). The effects of this enrichment on moisture content, crust and crumb color, specific volume, baking loss, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and textural properties were evaluated and compared with control bread. Fortification with pistachio hulls and grape seeds, especially in powdered form, improved the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the bread compared with the control bread. With the increase in the amount of PHP from 0 to 4.0%, the total phenolic content of the bread initially increased from 0.89 to 14.66 mg GAE/g dry weight and the specific volume decreased from 3.59 cm3/g to 2.91 cm3/g. Bread containing PHP showed a significant reduction in baking loss and specific volume, while the addition of FGS and GSP at a low level (0.5%) improved the specific volume. The brightness (L*) of the crumb and crust gradually decreased with increasing levels of all additives. The crumbs of the breads with PHP and FPH were characterized by lower hardness, while GSP and especially FGS had higher hardness. All enriched breads (except those with FGS) were more elastic and easier to chew.

Solution roadmap to reduce food loss along your postharvest supply chain from farm to retail

Fresh fruits and vegetables typically have a limited shelf life due to their high moisture content and perishable nature. Notably, long global import and export supply chains can lead to an increased risk of food loss. The main underlying drivers for such food loss are air temperature, relative humidity, but also ripening gases influenced by the product's postharvest physiology. These factors can lead to quality variation, over-ripening, or microbial decay. Other factors that can cause food loss include supply chain procedures, such as the lack of transparency (i.e., no cold chain or quality monitoring) or unfavorable product inventory management. Optimizing supply chains to minimize postharvest food loss is challenging, as a multitude of individual measures can be taken. A reason is that available strategies work on different food loss drivers, which vary between products and supply chains. Stakeholders, therefore, often do not know where to start and need to invest time to get acquainted with the multitude of possible measures. Here we synthesized a comprehensive collection of 30 + measures for shelf-life prolongation of fresh fruit and vegetables across the food supply chain. This experience-based roadmap was constructed based on our close collaboration with different cold chain stakeholders. The presented 30 + solutions address inefficiencies during storage, packaging, or transport processes by distinguishing hygrothermal food loss drivers. Examples are (1) the adaption of an optimal storage temperature to prevent decay but also chilling injuries; (2) improved packaging ventilation to ensure cooling efficiency and appropriate humidity conditions around the products; or (3) product-related solutions, for instance, by maintaining specific storage or packaging gas composition, acting on the commodities' unique physiology to prolong its shelf life. Furthermore, we included measures for supply chain monitoring. The easy-to-use solution roadmap can be used by fresh produce suppliers, distributors, retailers, supply-chain engineers and researchers to grasp the multitude of available measures, and thereby accelerating these stakeholders' decision-making and actions and eventually combat postharvest losses.

Biochar amendments combined with organic fertilizer improve maize productivity and mitigate nutrient loss by regulating the C–N–P stoichiometry of soil, microbiome, and enzymes

Coupled amendments of biochar and organic fertilizers may be one of the effective practice to ensure high cropland productivity and resource use efficiency, but there is little field-based evidence for this. Herein, we employed a eight-years (2014–2021) field experiment to explore the effectiveness of biochar and organic fertilizer amendments on crop productivity and nutrient runoff losses, as well as to further explored their relationships with the carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) stoichiometry of soil, microbiome, and enzymes. Experiment treatments include No fertilizer (CK), chemical-only fertilizer (CF), CF + biochar (CF + B), 20% chemical N was replaced by organic fertilizer (OF), and OF + biochar (OF + B). Compared with the CF, the CF + B, OF, and OF + B treatments increased average yield by 11.5%, 13.2%, and 32%, average N use efficiency by 37.2%, 58.6%, and 81.4%, average P use efficiency by 44.8%, 55.1%, and 118.6%, average plant N uptake by 19.7%, 35.6%, and 44.3%, as well as average plant P uptake by 18.4%, 23.1%, and 44.3%, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). Compared with the CF, the CF + B, OF, and OF + B decreased average average total N losses by 65.2%, 97.4%, and 241.2%, and average total P losses by 52.9%, 77.1%, and 119.7%, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). Organic-amended treatments (CF + B, OF, and OF + B) significantly changed soil total and available C, N, and P content, soil microbial C, N, and P content, as well as the potential activities of soil C-, N-, and P-acquiring enzymes. Plant P uptake and P-acquiring enzyme activity were the main drivers of maize yield, which was influenced by the contents and stoichiometric ratios of soil available C, N, and P. These findings suggest that organic fertilizer applications combined with biochar have the potential to maintain high crop yields while reducing nutrient losses by regulating the stoichiometric balance of soil available C and nutrients.

The effects of ozonated slurry ice treatment on microbial, physicochemical, and quality of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) during cold-chain circulation

Cold chains are effective in maintaining the quality of aquatic products and reducing food losses, especially for dynamic transportation. The purpose of the research was to evaluate the effects of different ice treatments on the microbial, physicochemical, and quality characteristics of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) during cold-chain circulation. Different ice treatments (flake ice (FI), slurry ice (SI), and ozonated slurry ice (OSI)) were used during circulation, respectively. Changes in microbial (total viable count (TVC), psychrophilic bacteria count (PBC), H2S-producing bacteria count, pseudomonas bacteria count), physicochemical (pH, K-value, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), biogenic amines (BAs) content, color difference, texture profile analysis (TPA)) was measured. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were also measured to evaluate the feasibility of preservation methods. The results demonstrated that compared with SI treatment, the growth of psychrophilic bacteria, H2S-producing bacteria, and pseudomonas bacteria was inhibited by OSI treatment on the 21st day (0.55, 0.24, and 0.73 log CFU/g reduction, respectively). Besides, OSI treatment exhibited inhibitory activity toward K-value and BAs during storage, along with texture softening. Compared with FI treatment, OSI could retard the water migration and extend the shelf-life of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) for another 6 days. Therefore, ozonated slurry ice will be a promising long-term preservation method for maintaining the quality of large yellow croaker.

Effect of the Different Fertilization Treatments Application on Paddy Soil Enzyme Activities and Bacterial Community Composition

The application amount of fertilizer is believed to dramatically influence soil bacteria in paddy fields, and soil bacteria critically affect soil enzyme activities and the growth of rice in paddy fields. Thus, providing a suitable amount of fertilization to ensure rice yields is an important issue in field management. In this study, four treatments were carried out in a paddy field, including control (fertilization methods commonly used by farmers in the past), IT + RF 10, IT + RF 20, and IT + RF 30 (integrated technology and 10%, 20%, and 30% reduction in nitrogen fertilizer, respectively). Soil samples were collected in two periods, the rice booting stage and the harvest period. High-throughput sequencing was used for analysis of soil bacterial diversity and community composition across different fertilizer treatments, and clarified the effects of different fertilizer treatments on soil enzyme activities and bacterial community composition. This study showed that a reduction in chemical fertilizer application has a certain impact on the soil pH, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), soil organic matter (SOM) value, and bacterial community of the rice planting system, and that the IT + RF 10 treatment was the best way to reduce fertilizer application, which can reduce nutrient loss in the paddy soil. The application of organic fertilizer partially replaces chemical fertilizer, which not only effectively stimulates soil enzyme activity, but also enriches bacterial groups that may participate in complex organic matter decomposition and soil nutrient mobilization.

Improving potato productivity and mitigating nitrogen losses using enhanced-efficiency fertilizers: A global meta-analysis

Potato is the largest non-cereal food crop in the world, and its sustainable production is critical for global food security. Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers (EEFs), when used in potato cropping systems, improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and reduce nutrient losses, although the effectiveness of EEFs varies considerably with different management and environmental conditions. In this context, a meta-analysis of 56 studies (including 65 experimental sites) reported from across the world was conducted to evaluate the effects of EEFs (polymer-coated urea [PCU], nitrification inhibitor [NI], urease inhibitor [UI], and urease and nitrification inhibitors combined [NIUI]) on the yield, N uptake, NUE, and N losses (via nitrate [NO3−] leaching, ammonia [NH3] volatilization, and nitrous oxide [N2O] emissions) in potato fields. The yield responses to EEF application under different management and environmental conditions, including the N application rate, planting density, climatic conditions, and soil properties, were comprehensively analyzed. It was observed that, compared to the traditional fertilizer, EEFs reduced the N2O emissions by 0.3 kg N ha–1 (32.2%), NO3− leaching by 15.6 kg N ha–1 (35.1%), and N application rates by 32.8 kg N ha–1 (16.8%), without any yield loss. The UIs were the most effective in increasing the potato yield, N uptake, and NUE (by 7.6%, 12.1%, and 34.6%, respectively), while the NIs were most effective in reducing the N2O emissions (by 49.4%). In addition, PCU was most effective in reducing NO3− leaching and NH3 emissions, with an average reduction of 18.5% and 74.3%, respectively. Tradeoffs were observed between N2O reduction and potato yield improvement with the use of NI and UI. However, the potato yield did not improve significantly with the use of NI fertilizers. The agronomic benefits of EEFs were mainly dependent on potato yield, soil pH, N application rate, soil organic carbon content, soil total N, and soil texture. Therefore, it was inferred that the selection of an appropriate EEF application strategy based on the environmental conditions and implementing it with the corresponding N application rate was important.

Digital twins for selecting the optimal ventilated strawberry packaging based on the unique hygrothermal conditions of a shipment from farm to retailer

Berries are one of the most challenging products to preserve after harvest due to their high perishability and short shelf life. Ventilated packaging plays a key role in maintaining fruit quality along the supply chain. However, every supply chain is composed of different unit operations, and every shipment encounters unique hygrothermal conditions such as air temperature fluctuations over time, sub-optimal humidity conditions, and the risk of condensation. Therefore, every supply chain has an optimal packaging that provides the best hygrothermal climate and ventilation to the fruit. Given the vast space of potential supply chain scenarios and packaging configurations, in-silico studies are an attractive alternative for selecting this optimal packaging. In this study, we developed physics-based digital twins for ventilated packaging of strawberries. We utilized measured air temperature and humidity data from an actual supply chain from the farm to the retail store. With these digital twins, we mimicked in-silico how the strawberries evolve hygrothermally, physiologically, and microbiologically along the supply chain inside 21 different types of ventilated packaging. We predicted actionable metrics of fruit quality and shelf life for these 21 packages. These metrics include total mass loss, risk of putative mold infection due to Botrytis cinerea, retention time of condensate, and remaining shelf life based on respiration, transpiration, and mold growth. In addition, we analyzed the impact of package-related metrics, such as total vent area, degree of filling, pressure drop across the package, and seven-eighths cooling time, on fruit quality metrics. With this approach, we pinpointed the critical quality loss points in the supply chain for every package. We identified the package that performs best in balancing the three-way trade-off between the respiration-driven biochemical shelf life, transpiration-driven physical shelf life, and mold growth-driven microbial shelf life of fruit. Our findings showed that the performance of open trays is comparable to ventilated clamshells, as long as a high humidity is maintained along the supply chain. Flow-wrapped packages presented the highest risk of condensation and microbial growth. We also quantified the spatial heterogeneity in fruit quality within the packages and highlighted the most vulnerable locations for quality loss inside each packaging type. Our study presents a novel, holistic approach to select the optimal ventilated packaging of strawberries from farm to retailer based on its measured hygrothermal fingerprint. This approach can help reduce food loss and contribute towards making supply chains smart and efficient.

Usage of Gamification and Mobile Application to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: A Case Study of Indonesia

Food loss and waste (FLW) are major global issues, and Indonesia has been identified as the world's second-largest contributor to this problem. Bappenas research indicates that FLW in Indonesia, particularly food waste, is increasing annually, with the household sector being the primary source. In response, we developed a gamification mobile application for FLW, drawing on a case study from Cechetti et al. to encourage households to reduce food waste. We tested the application's acceptance using the modified TAM model and analyzed the data using content analysis. Our findings provide insights into the potential of gamification to address FLW in Indonesia and contribute to environmental sustainability.

Plant-biomass-based hybrid seed wraps mitigate yield and post-harvest losses among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

Sustainable practices that reduce food loss are essential for enhancing global food security. We report a ‘wrap and plant’ seed treatment platform to protect crops from soil-borne pathogens. Developed from the abundantly available wastes of banana harvest and recycled old, corrugated cardboard boxes via chemical-free pulping, these paper-like biodegradable seed wraps exhibit tunable integrity and bioavailability of loaded moieties. These wraps were used for nematode control on yam (Dioscorea cayenensis-rotundata) seed pieces in Benin, a major producer of this staple crop in the sub-Saharan African ‘yam belt’. Our seed wraps loaded with ultra-low-volume abamectin (1/100 ≤ commercial formulation) consistently controlled yam nematode (Scutellonema bradys) populations while considerably increasing the yield at various locations over 2015–2018. Substantial reduction in post-harvest tuber weight loss and cracking was observed after 3 and 5 months of storage, contributing to increased value, nutrition and stakeholders’ preference for the wrap and plant treatment.

A comprehensive review on the application of ultrasound for the preservation of fruits and vegetables

AbstractUltrasound technology is a green and environment‐friendly technology that rarely causes thermal damage to food products. In this review, we present an overview of the application of ultrasound technology for the dehydration of food products, including pre‐treatments such as ultrasound, osmotic dehydration, and ultrasound‐assisted osmotic dehydration. Dehydration promotes the preservation of food products and increases the shelf life of the food products by reducing water activity. In addition, the ultrasound‐assisted drying of food products is highlighted. The influence of ultrasound and ultrasound‐assisted osmotic dehydration parameters on drying kinetics and food quality is also discussed. The application of pre‐treatments enhances the mass transfer rate, increases the drying rate and drying efficiency, reduces drying time, and helps to retain food properties such as texture and nutrition value. Generally, ultrasound and osmotic dehydration application decreases water activity, increases rehydration ability, improves product color, and reduces nutrient losses. To conclude, we have discussed the use of ultrasound applications for improving the quality and safety of produce before and after the drying process.

A healthy diet for a growing population: a case study of Arua, Uganda

It is uncertain whether Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2), a healthy diet for all, can be achieved in East Africa given its strong population growth, low agricultural yields, and the high perishability of nutrient-dense foods. We examine the consequences of a locally produced healthy diet on land use in a case study of the Arua district in Uganda. This type of analysis can alert policy makers to looming nutrition gaps and support the selection of alternative solution strategies. Using a linear programming (LP) model and three population growth projections, we estimate the minimum agricultural area needed in 2040 to produce a healthy diet that follows EAT-Lancet dietary diversity guidelines and supplies the average requirements of calories, proteins, Iron, and vitamin A. We also compare in scenarios to what extent i) production intensification, ii) food loss reduction, iii) by-product consumption, and iv) vitamin supplementation could reduce the required agricultural area. Results show that the necessary area to produce a healthy diet in 2040 is 160% larger than Arua’s current crop area and would greatly exceed the district’s total area. We also show that none of the changes proposed in our scenarios allows a sufficient increase in food production, suggesting that a mix of even more drastic changes across sectors will be necessary. The results underline the challenge for rural areas in East Africa like Arua to provide a healthy diet to its fast growing population, requiring integrated food system changes and policy coordination to orchestrate the increased availability of diverse and nutritious foods.

Achieving the nutrient reduction objective of the Farm to Fork Strategy. An assessment of CAP subsidies for precision fertilization and sustainable agricultural practices in Germany

The Farm to Fork Strategy of the EU aims at sustainable food systems. One objective of the Strategy is to reduce nutrient losses by at least 50% resulting in at least 20% less fertilizer use by 2030. To this end, Member States are expected to extend digital precision fertilization and sustainable agricultural practices through the Common Agricultural Policy. In this context, this article applies a qualitative governance analysis which aims to assess the extent to which the measures proposed by the Farm to Fork Strategy, i.e., digital precision fertilization and sustainable agricultural practices, contribute to the nutrient objective of the Farm to Fork Strategy. The article analyses how these measures are implemented through the Common Agricultural Policy in Germany and Saxony. Results show that the nutrient objective of the Farm to Fork Strategy itself offers shortcomings. Germany offers some, yet overall limited, support for sustainable agricultural practices and digital precision fertilization. Hence, the Common Agricultural Policy will to a limited extend only contribute to the objective of the Strategy. The results furthermore highlight some general shortcomings of digitalization as sustainability strategy in the agricultural sector including typical governance issues (rebound and enforcement problems), and point to the advantages of quantity-based policy instruments.

Simultaneous recovery of nutrients and water from human urine by a novel thermally activated peroxydisulfate and membrane distillation integrated system

Membrane distillation (MD) has been applied to urine recovery with growing interest and demand for resource recovery from waste. However, MD application to urine is limited by obstacles, including the inability to recover nutrients and water simultaneously, low separation efficiency due to ammonia permeation, and membrane fouling. Herein, a novel system integrating thermally activated peroxydisulfate with MD (TAP-MD) was developed to overcome the above obstacles. The synergy effects were found between TAP pretreatment and MD process. With TAP pretreatment, membrane fouling was alleviated by organics degradation and mineral precipitation reduction, resulting in significant improvements in MD performance. Water flux of pretreated urine decreased from 25 L/m2/h to 15 L/m2/h after 80 % of water recovery, but that of unpretreated urine decreased to near zero after 38 % of water recovery. Meanwhile, MD process revealed further enhancement in urine stability by activating residual peroxydisulfate, reducing nutrient losses due to ammonia volatilization during storage and utilization of concentrated fertilizer. As a result, nearly 92.95 % of N-urea, 97.35 % of P, and 99.77 % of K was recovered as concentrated liquid fertilizer, meanwhile, 80 % of water was recovered as high-quality reclaimed water. The energy efficiency was improved by reusing waste heat from pretreatment. The TAP-MD system achieved a 45.63 % increase in thermal efficiency and a 38.25 % reduction in specific energy consumption compared to no pretreatment. This study developed an energy-efficient and high-performance separation treatment for complete resource recovery from urine.

Can “ugly veg” supply chains reduce food loss?

The tradition of marketing only aesthetically agreeable produce by retailers contributes to a major source of food loss through “ugly veg”, i.e., the produce that does not look “regular”. In this paper, we examine the relations between different tiers of agri-food supply chains to study the impact of marketing ugly veg on different supply chain members and the food loss in the system. We examine and compare scenarios of a centralized supply chain, a traditional supply chain without ugly veg, an ugly veg supply chain with a single retailer offering both regular produce and ugly veg, and a two-retailer supply chain where an auxiliary retailer sells the ugly veg. We characterize the equilibrium decisions in these systems and also provide analytical results and insights on the effectiveness of different supply chain designs based on a comprehensive numerical study. We demonstrate the conditions under which the supply chain can reduce overall food loss. For sufficiently high cost of effort, selling ugly veg through the single retailer reduces food loss. Nonetheless, the grower is generally better off offering the ugly veg to an auxiliary retailer. We show that the ratio of food loss per cultivated land always decreases in the two-retailer supply chain, while the total food loss might increase for sufficiently high cost of effort.

Utilization of Food Waste and By-Products in the Fabrication of Active and Intelligent Packaging for Seafood and Meat Products.

Research on the utilization of food waste and by-products, such as peels, pomace, and seeds has increased in recent years. The high number of valuable compounds, such as starch, protein, and bioactive materials in waste and by-products from food manufacturing industries creates opportunities for the food packaging industry. These opportunities include the development of biodegradable plastics, functional compounds, active and intelligent packaging materials. However, the practicality, adaptability and relevance of up-scaling this lab-based research into an industrial scale are yet to be thoroughly examined. Therefore, in this review, recent research on the development of active and intelligent packaging materials, their applications on seafood and meat products, consumer acceptance, and recommendations to improve commercialization of these products were critically overviewed. This work addresses the challenges and potential in commercializing food waste and by-products for the food packaging industry. This information could be used as a guide for research on reducing food loss and waste while satisfying industrial demands.

Vertical migration of nutrients and water-soluble organic matter in the soil profile under pre-sowing seed treatment with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria

Studies conducted in a stationary lysimeter experiment in the conditions of the washing water regime have shown that the use of PGPR for pre-sowing seed inoculation of agricultural crops reduces vertical migration of biogenic nutrients and water-soluble organic matter down the soil profile. The effect of seed inoculation with PGPR on the reduction of nutrient losses was not specific to the type of rhizobacteria and was similar for crops grown on different mineral fertilizers backgrounds (spring barley and winter rye seeds were inoculated with the nitrogen-fixing bacteria—Azospirillum brasilense 410 and A. brasilense 18-2, respectively, while maize seeds were inoculated with the phosphate-mobilizing Paenibacillus polymyxa KB). Seed inoculation has decreased nitrogen leaching down the soil profile by 4–9 kg/ha, phosphorus compounds—by 0.5–3.0 kg/ha, potassium—by 0.6–3.0 kg/ha, calcium—by 6–42 kg/ha, magnesium—by 3.0–6.0 kg/ha, water-soluble organic matter—by 0.8–8.0 kg/ha, subject to crop and norms of mineral fertilizers. Maize seeds inoculated with phosphorous-mobilizing P. polymyxa KB under crop cultivation on the cattle manure background did not affect the intensity of nutrient migration. On the other hand, the combination of green manure (narrow-leaved lupine as an intermediate crop) with pre-sowing seed inoculation had significantly reduced nutrient losses beyond the root zone soil layer. It is concluded that the use of PGPR in crop production on mineral and green manure backgrounds contributes to the preservation of soil fertility by limiting biogenic nutrients and water-soluble organic matter leaching with the water drainage down the soil profile. Pre-sowing seed inoculation had no significant effect on the vertical migration of nutrients in the soil on the background of cattle manure, due to the highly competitive environment created with the introduction of microorganisms from organic fertilizer, preventing the establishment of close interactions between PGPR and plants.

Defining upcycled food: The dual role of upcycling in reducing food loss and waste

BackgroundFood loss and waste over-uses natural resources and is responsible for a considerable share of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Moreover, increasing food prices and growing food insecurity internationally make instances of food wastage appear even more irresponsible and showcase the inefficiencies of the current food system. A new concept in the toolbox for fighting food loss and waste is upcycling – value enhancing use of ingredients otherwise wasted – that leads to upcycled food. However, not all products currently called ‘upcycled food’ live up to the resource-saving and value-adding promise entailed in the idea of ‘upcycling’, and products markedly differ in how ‘radical’ the upcycling is from a consumer perspective. Scope and approachTo shed light on this, we introduce a two-folded definition that hinges on current consumer edibility perception and has a view to changing consumer perception; We show that there are two types of upcycled food which each have a distinct role and contribution to preserving natural resources - one is avoiding resources are wasted that have gone into food production, thus constituting upcycled foods through alternative use, the other is diversifying and broadening the food resource base, thus constituting upcycled foods through novel use. We provide examples of these upcycled food types and highlight potential boundaries from a sustainable development goal perspective. Key findings and conclusionsMainstreaming the idea of upcycling in food systems has huge potential for improving circularity in the food system. Untapping this potential needs collaboration across the whole value chain and taking a food system perspective, such as when being well-aware of the boundaries arising from the dynamic nature of the topic and the interdependencies.