Food security
Millions of people are undernourished globally and with the population growing, food security is a major concern. Food security is multifaceted, requiring advancements in food safety, ensuring products have a good shelf life, reducing spoilage and providing dietary additions to improve the nutrient intake of the population. The application of microbiology is far reaching, and new approaches are required to maintain food security. Through an improved understanding of plant-microbe interactions, it is possible to forecast and mitigate food shortages.
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Two paths to healthier soils: Scientists reveal how straw and biochar store carbon differently
Researchers discovered that combining manure with straw or biochar significantly increased soil organic carbon, but through two distinct pathways. Straw primarily stimulated microbial activity and carbon transformation, while biochar improved soil structure and the physical protection of carbon.
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NewsResearchers engineer the first bacterial biocatalyst of a toolbox to produce greener pharma and food ingredients
To produce pharmaceuticals, food ingredients, and flavours and fragrances, it is often necessary to oxidise alcohols. But there is a more sustainable route: living organisms, including fungi, produce galactose oxidases, proteins that can carry out the same reactions on alcohols and simple sugars under mild conditions, using oxygen.
NewsMicroalgae show promise as sustainable fertiliser for malting barley
New research has demonstrated that microalgae could provide a sustainable alternative to conventional mineral fertilisers for malting barley production. The study explored whether microalgae could help reduce the agricultural sector’s reliance on synthetic mineral fertilisers while maintaining crop performance and grain quality.
NewsMultitarget compound strengthens tomato defenses against TYLCV with layered response
Scientists testing compounds against tomato yellow leaf curl virus found that one antiviral appears to protect tomato plants by coordinating several defensive routes rather than depending on one narrow antiviral action. It strengthens resistance-associated gene activity while also engaging host proteins that may support viral infection.
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Wine-like terroir: Influence of wild plants results in distinctive microbial and flavour signatures in Munkoyo
Wild plants traditionally used as natural starter cultures for fermentation of Munkoyo, a traditional non/very low-alcoholic fermented cereal beverage consumed in parts of Africa, can influence not only the initiation of fermentation but also the microbial communities and flavour characteristics of the final beverage.
CareersFood and innovation: Reflections from FOODMicro 2026
AMI Food Security Advisory Group member Professor Marciane Magnani, a Full Professor of Food Science at the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Brazil, reflects on her experiences of FOODMICRO 2026 in Slovenia.
NewsGut bacteria shape how fiber works
Eating more fiber does not necessarily mean the same thing for every gut microbiome. New research shows that plant-based carbohydrates can favor Segatella copri only when certain other bacteria are already present, revealing how strongly diet depends on the microbial community it enters.
NewsAmerican Academy of Pediatrics warns of dangers in consuming raw dairy products
Updated guidance warns that raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products can expose children and pregnant people to serious infections, with H5N1 now emerging as an additional concern. Experts say pasteurisation provides the same nutritional benefits while dramatically reducing the risk from harmful bacteria and viruses.
NewsAn unexpected lab guest reveals a natural pest repellent
An accidental fruit fly invasion in a research lab has led scientists to identify a naturally occurring yeast that repels a major blueberry pest. The unexpected discovery could eventually support new non-chemical ways to protect soft-fruit crops.
NewsNew microscopy investment will help unlock solutions to costly crop diseases
The James Hutton Institute has secured £640,000 from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) ALERT 2025 programme to install a new confocal microscope that will enable scientists to undertake a range of studies at the cellular level, while also opening up new scientific possibilities through enhanced imaging capabilities.
NewsBlue light could cut food poisoning from raw chicken
A low-power blue light could be the key to significantly reducing food poisoning caused by raw chicken in the UK, scientists have found.They tested violet-blue photodynamic inactivation (VB-PDI) against 64 different strains of Campylobacter - every strain was killed by the treatment, regardless of species or antibiotic resistance profile.
NewsDesert alga could hold the key to more resilient crops
A single-celled green alga from the sand dunes of the Negev Desert has, within just a few years, become a key model organism in modern photosynthesis research. Chlorella ohadii helps researchers better understand plants’ adaptability to extreme environmental conditions.
NewsStaphylococcus aureus is highly resistant and virulent in milk
Staphylococcus aureus is frequently found in human and veterinary infections. Its ability to withstand antibiotic treatment makes it a major clinical challenge. To better understand the factors underlying this resistance, the scientists investigated the growth of the bacterium in two environments relevant to infection: milk and serum.
NewsStudent earns competitive fellowship for research on corn’s defense against bacteria
New funding has been awarded for research focused on understanding how plants protect themselves against pathogens. Peyton Sorensen looks specifically at corn and two of its bacterial pathogens: Xanthomonas and Clavibacter, which cause bacterial leaf streak and Goss’s bacterial wilt and blight, respectively.
NewsWeather and poultry litter shape E. coli survival in onion fields
How long can E.coli survive in the soil beneath an onion crop? A two-year field study suggests the answer depends not only on the type of poultry-based fertiliser used, but also on weather conditions such as humidity, rain, temperature and wind. The findings could help growers and regulators better assess food safety risks as extreme weather becomes more common.
NewsMicrobes supercharge plant nutrition
Researchers have shown that microorganisms can improve the amino acid composition of crops. A new method can make plant-based foods more nutritious and also improve animal feed. In the long term, it could help reduce nitrogen emissions from agriculture
VideoSoil Stars Heligan Summit Highlights
Watch highlights from the Soil Stars Heligan Summit and hear from those involved about the ideas, discussions and ambitions that shaped the meeting.
NewsAFYREN and Terrial renew their partnership for French-manufactured potash fertilizers
AFYREN and Terrial today announce the renewal of their strategic partnership with the signing of a new multi-year fertilizer supply contract, worth several tens of millions of euros This long-term contract strengthens both companies’ commitment to making French agriculture more sustainable and less dependent on international fertilizer markets.
NewsThe Andes were supposed to stop this cacao killer - they didn’t
Black pod disease destroys up to a quarter of the world’s cacao every year. A study provides the first comprehensive portrait of Phytophthora palmivora’s genetic structure in Colombia. Researchers genotyped and virulence-tested 73 isolates gathered from 48 locations across the country’s three main cacao-growing regions.
NewsRoot gene panel reveals hidden apple replant disease
In-depth research is needed to identify biomarkers that can diagnose apple replant disease (ARD) consistently across diverse soils. Researchers measured the expression of 90 candidate genes in the roots of ARD-sensitive ‘M.26’ apple plants grown in soils from 151 German sites.
NewsHow straw is returned to soil can make a major difference in nitrous oxide emissions
Returning crop straw to farmland is widely used to recycle nutrients and improve soil quality. But new research shows that the way straw is returned to soil can strongly influence how effectively it limits emissions of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas.
NewsFAO renews university’s designation as Reference Centre on Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is redesignating Mississippi State University as an FAO Reference Centre on Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity.
NewsNew dynamic vision of the rhizosphere moves beyond the drive to just add more inputs
A new Perspective argues the case for an expanded view of the rhizosphere as a dynamic system, paving the way for a vision of sustainable soil management that moves beyond simply adding more fertilizers, microbial products, or other inputs.