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Topic Review
Organic Production in the European Union's Laws
Organic farming is not a new way of producing food. Its development dates back to the early twentieth century in German- and English-speaking countries. This trend was a form of criticism of the industrial revolution prevailing at the time. The principles of organic production are universal and their application is not limited to certified farms. Organic certification is intended to assure the consumer of the quality and method of production. 
  • 1.5K
  • 16 May 2023
Topic Review
The Microbiome of Aquatic Animals and Its Functioning
Aquaculture plays an important role in food production for the world population and at the same time for the livelihood of the most needed globally. The concerns about sustainability and ecological health are growing in this extremely diversified sector just like in the whole agriculture industry. The use of probiotics in aquaculture already has a long history and has served from the beginning the goals of more sustainable production; however, the expansion of intensive systems along with global climate change produces new challenges. 
  • 1.5K
  • 01 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Epigenetics for Forest Trees
Epigenetics refers to a scientific domain studying all the processes affecting the expression of genes and/or the activity of transposable elements (TEs) without altering the DNA sequence that may be heritable by mitosis (during development) and/or meiosis (across generations). Forest trees are sessile, perennial, and modular organisms with complex life cycles that are often challenged by environmental variations such as actual climate changes during their long-lifespan. Surviving tree populations can respond to these environmental changes through complex and interacting mechanisms and notably using epigenetics. 
  • 1.5K
  • 21 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Sweet Rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia L.)
Rowan is a fairly common fruit crop in different countries of the world. The orange or reddish fruits of Sorbus aucuparia L. are small (diameter 6–9 mm) and they have been traditionally used as diuretic, laxative, anti-inflammatory, and vasoprotective agents, against rheumatism and kidney diseases as well as for the treatment of various gastrointestinal and respiratory tract-related disorders.
  • 1.5K
  • 23 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Green Food Development in China
China feeds approximately 22% of the global population with only 7% of the global arable land because of its surprising success in intensive agriculture. This outstanding achievement is partially overshadowed by agriculture-related large-scale environmental pollution across the nation. To ensure nutrition security and environmental sustainability, China proposed the Green Food Strategy in the 1990s and set up a specialized management agency, the China Green Food Development Center, with a monitoring network for policy and standard creation, brand authorization, and product inspection.
  • 1.5K
  • 24 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Geoffroy's Cat
Geoffroy's Cat (Leopardus geoffroyi) is a small wild cat species native to South America, ranging from southern Bolivia and Brazil to central Argentina. Recognized for its distinctive coat pattern, characterized by spots and stripes, Geoffroy's Cat inhabits various habitats, including grasslands, scrublands, and forests. Despite its relatively small size, this elusive feline is an adept hunter, preying on a variety of small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects.
  • 1.5K
  • 08 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Animal Personality
Animal personality can be defined as behavioral and physiological differences between individuals of the same species, which are stable in time and across different contexts.
  • 1.5K
  • 09 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Prevalence of E. coli in Goats
Goat meat is the main source of animal protein in developing countries, particularly in Asia and Africa. Goat meat consumption has also increased in the US in the recent years due to the growing ethnic population. The digestive tract of goat is a natural habitat for Escherichia coli organisms. While researchers have long focused on postharvest intervention strategies to control E. coli outbreaks, recent works have also included preharvest methodologies. In goats, these include minimizing animal stress, manipulating diet a few weeks prior to processing, feeding diets high in tannins, controlling feed deprivation times while preparing for processing, and spray washing goats prior to slaughter.
  • 1.5K
  • 27 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Applications of Nanominerals in Ruminants
A novel approach in livestock production is applying nanominerals, especially selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn), which can serve as a platform to incorporate these elements into the body. This approach enables direct transportation of active compounds to target organs, avoiding their fast degradability and encouraging several health benefits.
  • 1.5K
  • 09 Jul 2021
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Effects of High-Temperature Milk Processing
High temperature is defined as 90 to 150 °C. Many dairy processes, including extended shelf-life (ESL) and ultra-high-temperature (UHT) processing, in-container sterilization, yogurt milk heat treatment, pre-heating or forewarming milk for production of sterile concentrated milk and powders, manufacture of co-precipitate and dolce de leche, involve heat treatments in this temperature range. Pasteurization is not included in this paper as it is generally performed at 72–75 °C.
  • 1.5K
  • 13 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Exogenous Bioactive Peptides and Aging in Rodent Models
Bioactive peptides are short peptides consisting of 2-20 amino acid residues. They have positive effects on body functions and generally have antibacterial, antihypertensive, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. Some exogenous bioactive peptides have been shown to have promising anti-aging effects. These exogenous peptides may have a mechanism similar to endogenous peptides, and some can even regulate the release of endogenous active peptides and play a synergistic role with endogenous active peptides.
  • 1.5K
  • 24 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed
In the European Union (EU), the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) is in place to provide information on risks in the food chain. The largest number of notifications in this system concerns plants, followed by products of animal origin and other products.
  • 1.5K
  • 01 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Halotolerant Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria in Mitigating Salinity Stress
Soil salinity is one of the major abiotic constraints in agricultural ecosystems worldwide. High salinity levels have negative impacts on plant growth and yield, and affect soil physicochemical properties. Salinity also has adverse effects on the distribution and abundance of soil microorganisms. Halotolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (HT-PGPR) secrete secondary metabolites, including osmoprotectants, exopolysaccharides, and volatile organic compounds. The importance of these compounds in promoting plant growth and reducing adverse effects under salinity stress has been widely recognised. HT-PGPR are emerging as effective biological strategies for mitigating the harmful effects of high salinity; improving plant growth, development, and yield; and remediating degraded saline soils. 
  • 1.5K
  • 01 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Genomic and Udder Evaluation for Dairy Cattle Selection
Genomic and phenotypic selection criteria have been crucial in dairy cattle. Udder health and milk production are important factors affecting productivity in dairy cattle. Furthermore, genomic and phenotypic selection are essential tools for increasing milk supply for human consumption, decreasing the use of antimicrobial products, improving animal health and welfare, and developing efficient dairy cattle production systems. 
  • 1.5K
  • 19 May 2023
Topic Review
Root Rot Disease in Agriculture
Root rot diseases remain a major global threat to the productivity of agricultural crops. They are usually caused by more than one type of pathogen and are thus often referred to as a root rot complex.
  • 1.5K
  • 19 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Genetics Matters
The understanding of how genetic information may be inherited through generations was established by Gregor Mendel in the 1860s when he developed the fundamental principles of inheritance. The science of genetics, however, began to flourish only during the mid-1940s when DNA was identified as the carrier of genetic information. The world has since then witnessed rapid development of genetic technologies, with the latest being genome-editing tools, which have revolutionized fields from medicine to agriculture. This entry walks through the historical timeline of genetics research and deliberates how this discipline might furnish a sustainable future for humanity.
  • 1.5K
  • 19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Induced Systemic Resistance and Beneficial Microbes
Plant beneficial microorganisms improve the health and growth of the associated plants. Application of beneficial microbes triggers an enhanced resistance state, also termed as induced systemic resistance (ISR), in the host, against a broad range of pathogens. Upon the activation of ISR, plants employ long-distance systemic signaling to provide protection for distal tissue, inducing rapid and strong immune responses against pathogens invasions. The transmission of ISR signaling was commonly regarded to be a jasmonic acid- and ethylene-dependent, but salicylic acid-independent, transmission. 
  • 1.5K
  • 18 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Organic Acids and Feeding
Because the application of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) causes accelerated adverse effects on the animal diet, the scientific community has taken progressive steps to enhance sustainable animal productivity without using AGP in animal nutrition. Organic acids (OAs) are non-antibiotic feed additives and a promising feeding strategy in the swine and broiler industry. Mechanistically, OAs improve productivity through multiple and diverse pathways in: (a) reduction of pathogenic bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) by reducing the gut pH; (b) boosting the digestibility of nutrients by facilitating digestive enzyme secretion and increasing feed retention time in the gut system; and (c) having a positive impact and preventing meat quality deterioration without leaving any chemical residues. Recent studies have reported the effectiveness of using encapsulated OAs and synergistic mechanisms of OAs combinations in swine and broiler productivity. On the other hand, the synergistic mechanisms of OAs and the optimal combination of OAs in the animal diet are not completely understood, and further intensive scientific explorations are needed. 
  • 1.4K
  • 24 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Nano-Agrochemicals
Nano-agrochemicals (NACs) are nanomaterials and formulations specifically designed and controlled at the nanoscale. They can be defined as agricultural formulations in the form of nanopesticides (NPCs) which have unique properties (high aspect ratio) due to elements ranging in nanometer size (up to 100 nm). They have the potential to revolutionize agriculture through the promotion of efficient and ecofriendly NPCs with properties such as target specificity, the ability to control usage, and high surface area which allow the targeted delivery of nutrients and protection of crop yields. NACs, or nanotechnology-based agrochemicals, have gained considerable attention in recent years due to extensive research and development efforts. These cutting-edge products harness the special qualities of NPs to improve the effectiveness, safety, and ecofriendliness of conventional agrochemicals. This technology has emerged as a valuable tool in the agricultural sector, offering novel and efficient solutions for conventional agricultural methods and practices. Some of these include NPCs, among other NACs, which have the capacity to revolutionize agriculture by enhancing sustainability and efficiency. These NPCs, ranging in size from 1 to 200 nm, serve as a vehicle to transport agrochemical ingredients (AcI). With unique properties, they outperform conventional pesticides by 31.5% in managing crop pathogens, weeds, and insects. These unique properties include enhanced water solubility, improved bioavailability, and increased protection of agrochemicals from environmental degradation. Thus, NPCs address the drawbacks of conventional pesticides such as limited availability, susceptibility to degradation from light, and the negative effects of organic solvent pollution.
  • 1.4K
  • 03 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Black Soldier Fly Larvae Nutrients Digestibility and Bioavailability
The black soldier fly (BSF) is a distinct member of the Stratiomyidae family within the Diptera order. BSF, primarily thriving in South America, has adapted to a wide range of climates including temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions, with its ideal living conditions being temperatures between 25 °C and 30 °C. Outside of industrial production, they cannot live in northwestern Europe and locations with temperatures below 5 °C due to their inability to withstand the cold. Today, the BSF is estimated to inhabit over 80% of the world, particularly between latitudes 46 N and 42 S. Incredibly prolific in humid tropical areas, the BSF is drawn to regions abundant in decomposing organic materials.
  • 1.4K
  • 08 Feb 2024
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