Editorial and News

With COP26 being hosted in Glasgow October, the eyes of world will be on UK and how we are responding to urgent need tackle climate change. According Alok Sharma, COP President, ‘If serious about holding temperature rises 1.5°C adapting impacts change, must change way look after our land seas grow food. The challenge for food sector is immense require some major changes grow, process, transport distribute New technologies assist transition net zero, but changing consumer attitudes behaviour also key reducing meat dairy consumption, waste, cutting miles improving diets. September issue FS&T focuses sensory behavioural science its role influencing choices. COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact across world, example more people shopping locally (p22). Creative new business models that use byproducts produce ingredients foods can help mindset consumers (p48). Intervention by government tax ‘unhealthy’ been successful case Soft Drinks Industrial Levy, which resulted small, significant, health outcomes without causing long-term harm soft drinks companies (p26). Interest vegetarian vegan diets among increasing rapidly, plant-based proteins as alternatives products requires optimisation taste, texture appearance ensure meet with approval (p30). A better understanding genetics influence preferences may people's choices (p34). Novel technologies, such augmented reality gaming, offer potential perceptions bringing together multiple elements create journey (p37). email [email protected] Food Standards Agency published Consumer genome edited report, part wider efforts increase evidence base genetic technologies1. project, carried out Ipsos MORI, involved members public England, Wales Northern Ireland online workshops activities, followed representative survey over 2,000 consumers. It sought feedback from their (GE) future labelling. research highlighted low participant awareness GE difference GM, educate technology foods. Some participants felt regulation transparent labelling would important, should they reach market. There currently no authorised sale UK, although available elsewhere rapidly-growing within global system. In January 2021, Department Environment, Rural Affairs (Defra) launched consultation into including inviting responses proposal remove GM regulation. due soon. ■ collaborative project AB Agri University Leicester examined delivering cocktail bacteriophage (the natural viruses bacteria) via animal feed reduce Salmonella colonisation broiler chickens2. (FSA) results study investigated principal sources human Campylobacter infection. They confirm chickens source majority cases Campylobacter, other animals, sheep, pigs cows3. This infection have passed directly through food, could environmental water contamination. Source Attribution Study, 2015 FSA's ongoing Reduction Programme, reveals an antimicrobial resistance strains between 1997 2018. Work continuing this area. Part Two National Strategy, led Henry Dimbleby, was July 20214. review commissioned set vision plan Strategy report concludes now once-in-a-lifetime opportunity reshape system because pandemic created momentum there widespread recognition national diet matter urgency. identifies single biggest contributor biodiversity loss, deforestation, drought, freshwater pollution collapse aquatic wildlife, second-biggest energy industry. finds 80% processed sold unhealthy bigger market invest developing marketing it. Highly – high salt, refined carbohydrates, sugar fats, fibre reported average three times cheaper per calorie than healthier described one reason why bad particularly acute problem least affluent. identified third-fattest country G7, almost ten adult population obese, obesity factor UK's tragically death rate pandemic. highlights address damage caused intensive agriculture. Following exit European Union, Government drawn up agricultural subsidies, known Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs), reward farmers who manage sustainably work restore biodiversity. However, not considered enough own. Government's commitment carbon emissions zero 2050 30% protected nature 2030 at centre Farmers’ Union already committed become neutral, areas farmland repurposed or adapted sequester carbon, mopping industries still depend fossil fuels. Many trialling ways benefit nature. remaining using regenerative farming practices instead against recommends latest AI, robots breeding techniques yields polluting land. We unleash soilless farming, develop proteins, tap plant-farming oceans just pillaging them fish. introducing livestock back traditional rotations improve soil fertilisers. considers careful boon environment, current appetite unsustainable: 85% total produces used graze crops animals. Climate Change Committee said amount eat 20–50% order 2050. strategy sets goal reduction years. One idea proposed imposition ‘meat tax’, long popular any measure discussed citizens during review. consequence penalising poorer households, imposed weight. For now, least, authors believe off nudging habits while investing methane projects development alternative proteins. emphasises properly recompensed unfair competition. argues point making only open cheap produced lower standards abroad. mean exporting all damaging wish avoid, undercutting own farmers. needs trade policy supports ambitions. contains recommendations issues facing system: use, diet-related disease, inequality, security trade. These grouped under four main objectives (Figure 1). £22bn innovation strategy, (published Business, Energy & 20215), aims make world's most innovative nation 2035; independent first ‘missions’ next twelve months, publish white paper, informed stakeholder community. aim support sustainable, resilient affordable system, live healthy lives protect welfare. cover entire chain field fork, building underway Agriculture Act, Fisheries Bill Childhood Obesity plan6. Fields World (FOW), access dataset containing digital twins international fields, Agrifood Data Marketplace7, platform helps organisations find, manage, monetise data. Marketplace 2019 Agrimetrics, Agri-tech Centres funded Innovate enabling agrifood realise value trapped FOW (free use) consisting 12 spanning 11 countries. comprises 3,500 fields 50,000 hectares includes boundaries, weather data, crop cover. API (Application Programming Interface), provides convenient mechanism. supported Microsoft's AI Earth initiative benefitted generous provision crop-field location data range different organisations. Despite ever before, finding accessing right difficult. Increasingly, datasets combined addresses interoperable. enable solutions tested rapidly cost effectively. pre-sourced pre-linked, users download away. Users write queries identify obtain assemble single, smaller bespoke much larger ones. Query Builder graphical frontend assists query construction queries, fetching cropping history, soil, satellite Mexico. broad applications demonstrates global-scale cloud-scale computation provide field-level decision information previously required redundant, expensive effort thousands individual operators. early stages hypothesis testing product development, creators efficiently test needing significant time budget. Yield forecasting, anomaly detection optimised management promising cases. Green finance, commodities, insurers stand benefit, alongside arable Agrimetrics’ Science team discovered forecast species As illustration, drive growth model wheat France Netherlands. inputs simulated time, resulting predictions yield. ambition accelerate progress towards sustainable Institute Grocery Distribution (IGD) partnered expert South Pole launch guide8 goods industry take positive, tangible steps Net Zero. guide Building Your Zero Roadmap Guide Industry Leaders Decision Makers designed leaders decision-makers kick start journey. achieving greenhouse gas 2050, number businesses committing 2040. IGD bring parts together, helping everyone build knowledge, innovate, consensus co-create complex challenges ahead. action framework robust momentum. 23 2021 ADVANCES IN BREEDING FOR AGRICULTURE NEW TOOLS SOLUTIONS Venue Web agri-tech-e.co.uk/event/advances-in-breeding-for-agriculture-new-tools-for-new-solutions/ 6-7 October 7TH ANNUAL TRANSLATIONAL MICROBIOME CONFERENCE Washington DC, USA microbiomeconference.com/ 15-16 PLANT BASED WORLD AND EXPO Business Design Centre, London plantbasedworldeurope.com/ 31 November ukcop26.org/ 1-4 35TH EFFOST INTERNATIONAL HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES, GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY Lausanne, Switzerland effostconference.com/ 22 November-2 December INGREDIENTS EUROPE Frankfurt figlobal.com/fieurope/en/home.html