San Francisco fast casual start-up Eatsa is using sensory science to create quinoa-based vegetarian bowls that score high with consumers taste buds, according to Fast Company. The company collected and analyzed data on consumer taste preferences over two years, and engineered a taste experience without excessive fat, sodium, or sugar. They use a few varieties…
East African farmers adapt to climate change
Farmers in Kenya are combating climate change through planting legumes and trees that return nitrogen to the soil, collecting rainwater in lined water-harvesting pans, and diversifying their farms with different crops and animals, reports TakePart. Many farmers are turning to the ways of their ancestors, planting older crop varieties that can better cope with conditions…
Wading Through Junk Food Science
PepsiCo removed aspartame from Diet Pepsi because consumers believe it causes cancer—even though scientific evidence indicates that aspartame is safe for human consumption, Bloomberg Business reports. Consuming 20 cans of soda a day would likely net someone reaching the daily consumption limit of aspartame, and that limit constitutes only 1% of the level that raised…
The Color of Energy & Innovation: Black
Dark surfaces absorb sunlight and turn it into heat energy. This is the foundation for a breakthrough solution to harness the sun’s energy for cooking, according to National Geographic. After watching women in developing countries spend all day gathering firewood to cook with, Louise Meyer had an epiphany: in areas near the equator with little…
Measuring Food Waste Country by Country
The key to feeding a booming world population may not be producing more food but rather wasting less of what is already produced, according the World Economic Fund. A recent story examines which countries waste the most, with developed countries topping the list. In developing countries, food is lost during production and postharvest storage, not…
The Future of Alternative Proteins
A recent story on The Salt blog looks at the growing range of alternative proteins available to consumers and manufacturers. Soy has dominated the plant protein market, but proteins from sources such as pea, rice, bean, potato, and quinoa are gaining popularity. In addition, protein from microalgae—a wholefood ingredient that retains a wealth of nutrients—has…
Water and Food Production Infographic Video
For an infographic on this subject, click here.
