This perspective article, co-authored by several Table members including Christian Reynolds, discusses the possibilities and challenges of using natural language processing and artificial intelligence to assess the nutritional and sustainability characteristics of recipes. The authors conclude that an interdisciplinary approach is necessary, combining artificial intelligence with expert domain knowledge.

This paper, based on research with smallholder maize farms in South Africa, argues that the introduction of modern seed varieties (including hybrid and genetically modified seeds) can contribute to “ecological deskilling” and undermine food sovereignty.

Ask The Author recording: Considering plant-based meat substitutes and cell-based meats On 12 March 2021, TABLE hosted an “Ask The Author” session with Raychel Santo, Brent Kim and Jan Dutkiewicz, co-authors of the paper Considering Plant-Based Meat Substitutes and Cell-Based Meats: A Public Health and Food Systems Perspective.

In 2015, 34% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions were caused by the food system, according to this paper - a proportion that has fallen over time. Most of these emissions (71%) were from agriculture and land use or land use change, with the rest from other supply chain stages.

In this article for the Institute of Food Technologists, Liz Specht of the Good Food Institute explores the role that microbial fermentation can play in the alternative protein sector. Specht groups microbial fermentation techniques into three classes: traditional fermentation such as cheese and yoghurt; biomass fermentation such as Quorn and tempeh; and precision fermentation for producing specific molecules, e.g. the heme protein used by Impossible Foods.

According to this infographic from the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies (an academic institution within the US Department of Defence), acute food insecurity in Africa has increased by 60% from 2019 to 2020. The causes in various regions are conflict, road closures due to COVID-19, flooding, locusts, and hyperinflation. 

This book, aimed at first year undergraduate students, defines agroecology and the agricultural practices associated with it.

This book gives an overview of the phytomicrobiome - that is, the microbes that live in and around plants - and how it affects agricultural productivity. It is aimed at students, policymakers and researchers of plant biology.

This briefing paper from UK food waste NGO Feedback argues that supermarkets’ strong influence on the food system means they must act urgently if the UK is to significantly reduce meat and dairy consumption - and associated greenhouse gas emissions - over the next decade.