Taxpayer money invested in making Christmas dinner more climate-resilient

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) said taxpayers’ money, along with other forms of finance, had been invested in projects that could help protect Christmas dinner staples from the effects of climate change and other growing problems.

Science funding agencies have been supporting innovators to make festive meals healthier and tastier, as well as helping them stay on British tables for future generations.

These include alternative proteins, biotech super spuds, innovations to reduce the need for antibiotics in farmed animals, and the development of foods that require less energy to cook.

The project has been supported through organizations such as the Technology Mission Fund, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Innovate UK (IUK).

It comes as a major government report was published last week warning that the long-term decline of the natural environment and worsening climate change could pose serious risks to Britain’s food security.

Stella Peace, Interim Executive Director of IUK and Food Champion at UKRI, said: “Food is at the heart of many cultures, bringing people together to share traditions and create new memories, as well as providing nutrition and health.

“As friends and families gather together in the coming weeks, we have an opportunity to ensure that the food we share is healthy, nutritious and sustainable through research and innovation.”

Alternative proteins will provide a tasty and nutritious alternative to turkey, the centerpiece of the main course, UKRI said. This is due to the emphasis on scientific players making progress in this field.

These include the National Alternative Protein Innovation Center in Leeds, the Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub in Bath and the UKRI Engineering Biology Microbial Foods Hub led by Imperial College.

For trimmings, Lincoln-based B-Hive Innovations has been using gene editing to develop “super spuds” for improved potato varieties that are healthier, more bruise-resistant, cook faster and use less energy.

The research hub is also working on projects to keep potato farming sustainable.

When it comes to Brussels sprouts, Britain’s increasingly extreme weather has threatened the supply of the love-it-or-hate-it vegetable in recent years.

However, UKRI said its John Innes Center in Norwich was working to reduce the vulnerability of the UK brassica crop supply chain, which includes sprouts as well as broccoli, cabbage and kale, to climate change fluctuations.

First, the public body said the festive festivities could begin with SuperSoup, a soup developed to support metabolic health, healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels, to be launched in 2022 by Smarter Naturally, a spin-out company of the Norwich-based Quadram Institute. . .

Elsewhere, researchers at Queen’s University Belfast’s Institute for Global Food Security are studying how animals fed seaweed reduce their need for antibiotics. UKRI associates it with pigs in blankets.

For an even more festive twist, researchers at The Good Pulse Company, a spin-off from the University of Nottingham, have developed a “cheese made from peas.”

The team uses new technology to convert yellow peas grown in the UK into a sustainable, plant-based cheese with similar properties to dairy cheese without the need to use high levels of fat.

UKRI said the wheat varieties being developed as part of its Sustainable Wheat Delivery program would be more resistant to climate change, ensuring continued availability of crackers and breads for cheese.

Artificial intelligence company Deep Planet is working with Sussex-based Rathfinny Wine Estate to use remote sensing and AI to help winegrowers better predict crop health, yield and maturity.

The company is also working with wine growers around the world to improve the health of wine grapes in several major wine-producing regions, with the broader goal of improving supply and lowering costs.

Sushma Shanker, CEO of Deep Planet, said: “We are excited to be a global leader in driving sustainability into the age-old tradition of wine growing.

“VineSignal’s AI models help wine growers in the UK and around the world make the critical decisions needed to adapt to a changing climate and achieve the highest quality wines, while also being more environmentally friendly by reducing chemicals and increasing carbon storage in the soil. leads to positive results. UKRI’s support and funding has been invaluable in helping us achieve this.”

Jeff Brunstrom, Academic Director of the Consumer Lab, said: “We seem to be paying more attention to Christmas food than ever before. Brussels Sprouts – Do We Love Them Or Hate Them? Choosing food may seem simple, but it’s not.

“Taste and texture can drive our decisions, but food composition is also important. We also care about your health and our planet.

“If we want to improve our diets, we need to understand these complexities. That’s why the Consumer Lab is building a community of researchers to study how we interact with our everyday foods.”