Increasing world population worsens the serious problem of food security in developing countries. On the other hand in industrialized countries, where the problem of food security is of minor ...concern, health problems related to food refer to 2 main factors: food safety and environmental sustainability of food production. For these reasons, new ways must be found to increase yields while preserving food quality, natural habitats, and biodiversity. Insects could be of great interest as a possible solution due to their capability to satisfy 2 different requirements: (i) they are an important source of protein and other nutrients; (ii) their use as food has ecological advantages over conventional meat and, in the long run, economic benefits. However, little is known on the food safety side and this can be of critical importance to meet society's approval, especially if people are not accustomed to eating insects. This paper aims to collect information in order to evaluate how insects could be safely used as food and to discuss nutritional data to justify why insect food sources can no longer be neglected. Legislative issues will also be discussed.
► Bicentennial of chitin, first carbohydrate polymer discovered. ► Food chitin digested by human chitinases enhances immune defenses. ► Chitosan protects crops against microbial attack and spoilage. ...► Plant extracts reacted with chitosan yield valuable products. ► Braconnot's work is still pivotal for sustainable green solutions.
Two hundred years ago, Henri Braconnot described a polysaccharide containing a substantial percent of nitrogen, later to be called chitin: that discovery stemmed from investigations on the composition of edible mushrooms and their nutritional value. The present interdisciplinary article reviews the major research topics explored by Braconnot, and assesses their importance in the light of our most advanced knowledge. Thus, the value of fungi, seafoods and insects is described in connection with the significance of the presence of chitin itself in foods, and chitinases in the human digestive system. The capacity of chitin/chitosan to depress the development of microbial pathogens, is discussed in terms of crop protection and food preservation. Other topics cherished by Braconnot, such as the isolation of pectin from a large number of plants, and inulin from the Helianthus tubers, are presented in up-to-date terms. Acids isolated from plants at that early time, led to enormous scientific advancements, in particular the glyoxylic acid and levulinic acid used for the preparation of soluble chitosan derivatives that paved the way to a number of applications. An opportunity to trace the origins of the carbohydrate polymers science, and to appreciate the European scientific heritage.
Humanity is facing possibly the greatest challenge in its history. Population is expected to reach 9 billion in 2030. At the same time agricultural land is becoming scarcer and poorer in quality. ...Furthermore, the environmental impact of intensive agriculture and the effects of climate change are threatening food security in many regions of the globe. Further, shortage of fossil fuels will have dramatic effects on the performance of intensive agriculture. There is an urge to develop more ecological agricultural practices both to meet the need to preserve agroecosystems health and to deal with the reduced availability of "cheap" energy from fossil fuels. This paper reviews a number of studies comparing the performances of conventional and organic agriculture in light of energy use, CO
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emission and other environmental issues. Organic agriculture, along with other low input agriculture practices, results in less energy demand compared to intensive agriculture and could represent a means to improve energy savings and CO
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abatement if adopted on a large scale. At the same time it can provide a number of important environmental and social services, such as preserving and improving soil quality, increasing carbon sink, minimizing water use, preserving biodiversity, halting the use of harmful chemicals, thereby guaranteeing healthy food to consumers. We claim that more work should be done in terms of research and investment to explore the potential of organic farming for reducing environmental impact of agricultural practices. However, in the case of organic agriculture, the implications of a reduced productivity for the socioeconomic system should be considered and suitable agricultural policies worked out.
Organic agriculture refers to a farming system that enhance soil fertility through maximizing the efficient use of local resources, while foregoing the use of agrochemicals, the use of Genetic ...Modified Organisms (GMO), as well as that of many synthetic compounds used as food additives. Organic agriculture relies on a number of farming practices based on ecological cycles, and aims at minimizing the environmental impact of the food industry, preserving the long term sustainability of soil and reducing to a minimum the use of non renewable resources. This paper carries out a comparative review of the environmental performances of organic agriculture versus conventional farming, and also discusses the difficulties inherent in this comparison process. The paper first provides an historical background on organic agriculture and briefly reports on some key socioeconomic issues concerning organic farming. It then focuses on how agricultural practices affect soil characteristics: under organic management soil loss is greatly reduced and soil organic matter (SOM) content increases. Soil biochemical and ecological characteristics appear also improved. Furthermore, organically managed soils have a much higher water holding capacity than conventionally managed soils, resulting in much larger yields compared to conventional farming, under conditions of water scarcity. Because of its higher ability to store carbon in the soil, organic agriculture could represent a means to improve CO2 abatement if adopted on a large scale. Next, the impact on biodiversity is highlighted: organic farming systems generally harbor a larger floral and faunal biodiversity than conventional systems, although when properly managed also the latter can improve biodiversity. Importantly, the landscape surrounding farmed land also appears to have the potential to enhance biodiversity in agricultural areas. The paper then outlines energy use in different agricultural settings: organic agriculture has higher energy efficiency (input/output) but, on average, exhibits lower yields and hence reduced productivity. Nevertheless, overall, organic agriculture appears to perform better than conventional farming, and provides also other important environmental advantages, such as halting the use of harmful chemicals and their spread in the environment and along the trophic chain, and reducing water use. Looking at the future of organic farming, based on the findings presented in this review, there is clearly a need for more research and investment directed to exploring potential of organic farming for reducing the environmental impact of agricultural practices; however, the implications of reduced productivity for the socioeconomic system should also be considered and suitable agricultural policies should be developed.
Humans the world over have depended on wild-growing plants in their diets for hundreds of thousands of years, and many people continue to rely on these species to meet at least part of their daily ...nutritional needs. Wild harvested plant foods include: roots and other underground parts; shoots and leafy greens; berries and other fleshy fruits; grains, nuts and seeds; and mushrooms, lichens, algae and other species. Use of any of these species requires special cultural knowledge regarding harvesting, preparation, cooking and other forms of processing. Many were, and are, prepared and served in mixtures or combinations. In most cases, too, the species are managed, tended or manipulated in some way to increase their productivity and availability. Many of the most widely used species are categorized as weeds-species that grow and reproduce readily in disturbed or cleared land, and are common around human settlements and agricultural areas. This paper presents case examples of edible wild plant use and the roles of these species in agroecosystems from different parts of the world and discusses similarities and differences in use across different cultures and segments of society.
Earthworms, which inhabit soils and litter layers in most landscapes, can offer an important tool to evaluate different environmental transformations and impacts. Agricultural landscapes, urban and ...industrialized habitats have some earthworms that represent interesting indicators to monitor different contaminations, to assess different farming practices and different landscape structures and transformations. Species number, abundance and biomass can give easily measurable elements. Ecological guilds can help in comparing different environments.
Taxonomy is relatively well known, at least in temperate areas, where species identification is in general easily solved. CD-ROM based programs facilitate rapid identification of collected specimens.
The substantial amount of research carried out on these invertebrates has made these soil organisms more promising for further improved and accurate work in assessing sustainability of different environments. In most cases earthworm biomass or abundance can offer a valuable tool to assess different environmental impacts such as tillage operations, soil pollution, different agricultural input, trampling, industrial plant pollution, etc. In rural environments different farming systems can be assessed using earthworm biomass and numbers.
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•The efficiency of pest control in organic and conventional agroecosystems with horticultural crops was analysed.•In particular, natural control agents (parasitoids and predators) of ...Plutella xylostella were considered.•Phytophagous communities were more diverse in organic than in conventional fields.•The parasitization of P. xylostella was significantly higher in organic than in conventional fields.•Food-web structure was more complex in organic than in conventional fields.
This research analyzes the efficiency of natural pest control in horticultural crops (Red chicory and White cabbage) within different regimes (organic and conventional). Agroecosystem food-web structure was examined in conventional and organic fields, in north-eastern Italy, considering phytophagous, parasitoid and hyperparasitoid guilds. Natural control agents were analysed, especially parasitoids of Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), one of the most problematic pests on cabbage crops. Phytophagous communities were more diverse and more predators and parasitoids were present in organic than in conventional farms. The parasitization of P. xylostella was significantly higher and the food-web structure was also more complex in organic than in conventional fields. Even with lower spray inputs, organic fields often supported a less abundant phytophagous community than conventional fields, even though the crop damage was similar in both management systems. The present data seem to indicate that the higher presence of biological control agents (predators and parasitoids) in organic fields is effective in moderating crop pest populations.
Biofuels have lately been indicated as a promising source of cheap and sustainable energy. In this paper we argue that some important ethical and environmental issues have also to be addressed: (1) ...the conflict between biofuels production and global food security, particularly in developing countries, and (2) the limits of the Human Appropriation of ecosystem services and Net Primary Productivity. We warn that large scale conversion of crops, grasslands, natural and semi-natural ecosystem, (such as the conversion of grasslands to cellulosic ethanol production, or plantation of sugar cane and palm oil), may have detrimental social and ecological consequences. Social effects may concern: (1) food security, especially in developing countries, leading to an increase of the price of staple food, (2) transnational corporations and big landowners establishing larger and larger landholdings in conflict with indigenous areas and the subsistence of small farmers. Ecological effects may concern: (1) competition with grazing wild and domesticated animals (e.g., millions of grazing livestock in USA prairies), (2) an excessive appropriation of Net Primary Production from ecosystems, (3) threatening biodiversity preservation and soil fertility. We claim that is it well known how ecological and social issues are strictly interwoven and that large scale biofuels production, by putting high pressure on both fronts, may trigger dangerous feedbacks, also considering the critical fact that 9 billion people are expected to inhabit the planet by 2050. There is a need to conduct serious and deep analysis on the environmental and social impact of large scale biofuels production before important energy policies are launched at global level. Biofuels will not represent an energetic panacea and their role in the overall energy consumption will remain marginal in our present highly energivorous society, while their effect on food security and environment preservation may have detrimental results. We should also have the courage to face two key issues: (1) we cannot keep increasing resources consumption at present pace, and have to change our life style accordingly, and (2) we have to deal with population growth; we cannot expect to have 9-10 billions people inhabiting the earth by 2050, without this representing a major impact on its support system.
: Some wild Mediterranean plants used as traditional food are an extraordinary source of antioxidants. We tested some properties of 10 of these herbaceous plants, used in Liguria (Northwest Italy) ...to prepare a traditional dish known as “prebuggiun.” A total of 9 of them were found to have a polyphenol content and antioxidant properties similar or better than those of red chicory and blueberry, which are, in the case of vegetables and fruits, among the richest of antioxidants.
Practical Application: In this article, we reported a study on wild plants growing in the Mediterranean area. These herbs have been neglected and this study aimed to revalue these plants because they are an extraordinary source of antioxidants. The increasing demand for natural antioxidants (additives in the food industry too) justifies the search for new sources of natural antioxidants. The revaluation of these plants will be interesting for: (1) consumer health, rediscovering a vegetable source of high antioxidant power; (2) possibility of producing new commercial products, such as food supplements of high quality and low cost; (3) pharmacological applications.
Dupilumab, an anti-IL-4 receptor a monoclonal antibody, was recently approved for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and moderate-to-severe asthma. Onset of its ...clinical effects is rapid. CRSwNP is characterized by extended type 2 inflammatory involvement that can be assessed using extended nitric oxide analysis. We investigated whether dupilumab was associated with a rapid improvement in extended nitric oxide parameters, lung function, and clinical outcomes in patients with CRSwNP.
Consecutive patients with CRSwNP and an indication for dupilumab were evaluated for extended nitric oxide analysis (exhaled, FeNO; bronchial, JawNO; alveolar, CalvNO; nasal, nNO) and lung function 15 and 30 days after initiation of treatment and for clinical outcomes (nasal polyps score NPS, quality of life questionnaires, visual analog scale VAS for the main symptoms, and the Asthma Control Test ACT) 30 days after initiation of treatment.
We enrolled 33 patients. All extended nitric oxide and lung function parameters improved significantly after 15 days of treatment, remaining stable at 30 days. Scores on the NPS, VAS for the main RSwNP symptoms, quality of life questionnaires, and the ACT improved significantly 30 days after initiation of treatment.
Dupilumab is associated with very rapid improvement in type 2 inflammation in all airway areas. This is associated with improved lung function and clinical parameters in patients with CRSwNP.
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