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.
News
Can microbes be the good guys? New study reveals Hollywood’s blind spot
A new review shows how films — from French Kiss to The Martian — highlight microbes as allies in food, medicine, and even space exploration.
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NewsHerbs hit the sweet spot to extend shelf life of popular global drink
A team of food scientists has discovered a natural way to significantly extend the shelf life of sugarcane juice. By adding microwave-dried extracts of mint and coriander to the juice in the production process, its shelf life can be extended from three days up to 14 days.
NewsTraditional herb boosts fish health and immunity, study reveals
A groundbreaking study reveals how the traditional herb Picria fel-terrae (PFL) can significantly improve fish health. When added to fish feed at just 0.1% concentration for six weeks, the herb maintained healthy gut structure while reducing inflammation.
NewsCheese fungi color changes help unlock secrets of evolution
Color changes in fungi on cheese rinds point to specific molecular mechanisms of genetic adaptation—and sometimes a tastier cheese.
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News
Molecular Sustainable Solutions receives investment from BeAble Capital to boost disinfection and sterilization methods
Molecular Sustainable Solutions, a spin-off from the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló (UJI), secures €186,000 investment from BeAble Capital, a leading Science Equity fund specializing in disruptive scientific technologies.
NewsJames Hutton Limited awarded almost £39,000 to develop innovation campus
James Hutton Limited, the commercial wing of The James Hutton Institute, has been awarded £38,881 from the Scottish Government to progress a clima-tech and agri-tech innovation campus at its Invergowrie site.
NewsSwitch on, switch off: the dynamic defense of a deadly plant disease
Even strains of Phytophthora infestans considered sensitive to mefenoxam can rapidly develop resistance after a single exposure to a low dose. Researchers have uncovered the dynamics of this defense mechanism, revealing a foe that is more adaptable than previously thought.
NewsScientists probe tool used by harmful bacteria to hijack crops
Researchers have identified a tool that helps the bacteria Pseudomonas syringae turn a plant’s fundamental biology against itself. The findings could eventually lead to new approaches to protecting crops.
NewsResearcher developing electronic nose to detect foodborne illness
A researcher is working on developing an electronic nose (e-nose) to detect abnormalities from their version of the sniff test. The method would revolutionize food safety by relying on what the e-nose can detect rather than only the appearance of the food.
NewsGiving food waste fermentation a ‘jolt’ increases chemical production
Adding an electrical jolt to fermentation of industrial food waste speeds up the process and increases the yield of platform chemicals that are valuable components in a wide range of products, new research shows.
NewsNew insight into yam disease defense: how leaf traits and ABA stop anthracnose
A research team has isolated the anthracnose pathogen infecting greater yam and identified it as Colletotrichum alatae—the first report of this species in yam.
NewsFungi–biochar partnership boosts soil health and crop growth under cadmium stress
A study reports that combining arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) with biochar can reshape soil microbiomes, reduce cadmium uptake, and dramatically improve plant growth, offering a sustainable strategy for restoring farmland contaminated with heavy metals.
NewsGame-changing biotech for engineering pathogen-resistant crops
Researchers have identified an ancient protein that has the potential to help defend plants against tens of thousands of different bacteria and other pathogens. Dubbed “SCORE”, this receptor detects cold-shock protein—variations of which are found in more than 85% of known bacteria, as well as fungi and insects.
CareersMeet the Advisory Groups: Our Q&A with Karin Goodburn
The Microbiologist chats with AMI’s Food Security Advisory Group member Karin Goodburn, Director General of the Chilled Food Association in the UK.
NewsBroccoli seeds can spread resistance to multiple fungicides
Researchers who screened commercial broccoli seeds for Alternaria brassicicola, a fungal pathogen, found that seeds can harbor A. brassicicola and can spread resistance to multiple fungicides. Based on the findings, the researchers developed a faster way for detecting and monitoring fungicide resistance.
NewsLess is more: Gene loss drives adaptive evolution of a pandemic bacterium
A study reveals a surprising evolutionary insight: sometimes, losing genes rather than gaining them can help bacterial pathogens survive and thrive. The research focused on Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a bacterium behind many of the seafood-related infections worldwide.
NewsNew study finds concerning sea star response to an algal neurotoxin
Researchers found potentially concerning concentrations of the neurotoxin domoic acid in sea stars even in the absence of the algal blooms that are thought to drive DA outbreaks.
NewsPioneering raspberry genome editing technique could be the future of fruit and farming
Researchers have published a new method to edit the DNA of raspberries, with the goal of creating more sustainable raspberry production and less food waste. Protoplasts were gene edited with CRISPR-Cas9, which can be programmed to target any region of the genome.
OpinionSafety and nutritional claims for raw milk
Robert F Kennedy Jr. famously advocates drinking raw milk and promotes its benefits. But how safe is unpasteurised milk? Nicola Holden and Gil Domingue, who sit on Applied Microbiology International’s Food Security Scientific Advisory Group, take a deep dive into the science.
NewsFern leaf pockets hide secrets of plant-microbe symbiosis
Comparison of symbiotic bacteria to free-living relatives shows the genomic effects of host adaptation.
NewsFermentation method transforms unripe fruits into specialty coffees
Normally discarded, green beans from the Arara cultivar were subjected to airless fermentation and produced high-quality beverages in blind tests. Researchers see potential for the product to be valued in domestic and foreign markets.
NewsLaser therapy enhances treatment of fungus resistant to conventional medication
Researchers have managed to reduce Candida albicans’ resistance to fungicides by incorporating photodynamic inactivation techniques into the treatment. The technology can be used in both human healthcare and the prevention of food contamination.
NewsCommon food thickeners – long thought to pass right through us – are actually digested
It turns out cellulose-based thickening agents can be digested. Researchers have shown that our gut bacteria can feed on these large molecules – thought to not be possible – thanks to enzymes that normally help us break down dietary fibre.