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A common plant could be a valuable food source

April 4, 2024 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

A common plant could boost food security in a hungry world

A new study by researchers at Penn State University has found that a common water plant in the eastern U.S. could be a valuable green fertilizer, a feed for poultry and livestock, and even a life-saving food for people in the event of a catastrophe or disaster.

The plant is the Carolina azolla.  It is sometimes called mosquito fern, fairy moss, or water fern. It is a water plant that grows very rapidly; it can double its biomass in two days.   There are many varieties of azolla, but the Carolina strain is more digestible and nutritious for people than any of the others.

Azolla species have been used across the world for centuries as a livestock feed and as a fertilizer.  They have not been good for human consumption because of high polyphenolic content, which can be 10 times more than that of common food plants.  Polyphenols are abundant compounds in many plants and, in low concentrations, are beneficial antioxidants.  But in high concentrations they act as antinutritional agents.

It turns out that the Carolina azolla – described as having a crisp texture and neutral taste – has a polyphenolic content comparable to many fruits, nuts, and vegetables.  Furthermore, cooking significantly decreases the polyphenolic content in foods.

Carolina azolla has significant nutritional value including high mineral yields and calories,  and moderate protein content.  Whether it is used as a quick-fix in a disaster situation or as part of a long-term resilience plan, the study concludes that Carolina azolla holds excellent potential for use as a fast-growing, short-season crop that requires minimal effort to grow and process and could be used to increase food security in a hungry world.

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Common plant could help reduce food insecurity, researchers find

Photo, posted October 8, 2020, courtesy of Dana L. Brown via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

The Microplastic Diet

July 29, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

According to a new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, Americans consume more than 70,000 microplastic particles every year from the food they eat, the water they drink, and the air they breathe.

While the health impacts of ingesting these tiny particles are largely unknown, there is the potential for the plastic to enter human tissues and cause an immune response or perhaps release toxic chemicals into the body.

The analysis by biologists at the University of Victoria in Canada examined data from 26 previous studies on microplastic contamination.  It found that Americans eat and drink an estimated 39,000 to 52,000 microplastic particles each year, depending on their age and sex.  The numbers jump to 74,000 to 121,000 when inhalation of microplastics is included.

Americans who drink water solely from plastic bottles consume an additional 90,000 particles annually, compared to only 4,000 particles for people who only drink tap water.

The researchers warn that their findings are likely to be drastic underestimates of the problem.  Several major U.S. food groups – including poultry, beef, dairy, grains, and vegetables – have not been studied for their microplastic contamination.  Thus, the estimate of microparticle ingestion is associated with only 15% of an average person’s caloric intake.  Furthermore, there is no assessment currently available for how much plastic might be entering our bodies from food packaging.

The report’s findings suggest that microplastics will continue to be found in the majority if not all items intended for human consumption.  Realistically, the only way to reduce the human consumption of microplastics will be to reduce the production and use of plastics.

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Americans Consume Tens of Thousands of Microplastic Particles Every Year

Photo, posted June 18, 2016, courtesy of Sirirat Kornsongkaew via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Dietary Diversity And Health

September 26, 2018 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/EW-09-26-18-Dietary-Diversity-and-Health.mp3

For decades, we have heard from public health sources that we should eat a variety of foods.  Dietary diversity is touted as important for health.  However, there has never really been a consensus about what so-called dietary diversity actually  is, how it is measured, or how it necessarily is healthy.

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The Tiny Country That Feeds The World

October 3, 2017 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/EW-10-03-17-The-Tiny-Country-that-Feeds-the-World.mp3

The Netherlands is a small, densely populated country with more than 1,300 inhabitants per square mile.  It lacks almost every resource one associates with large-scale agriculture.  Nevertheless, it is the number two exporter of food in the world, second only to the United States, which is almost 300 times bigger.  The Dutch lead the world in exporting tomatoes, potatoes and onions and produce many other crops as well. 

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Big Changes To Big Poultry

July 19, 2016 By WAMC WEB

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/EW-07-19-16-Big-Changes-to-Big-Poultry.mp3

Perdue Farms, the fourth-largest poultry producer in the United States, produces over 60 million pounds of chicken a week.  They are arguably the most progressive of the giant poultry companies.  Two years ago, they were the first to renounce routine antibiotic use.   In late June, they announced a comprehensive animal-welfare plan – the first among large producers – that will change how its chickens are bred, raised and killed.

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Antibiotic Apocalypse

December 18, 2015 By WAMC WEB

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/EW-12-18-15-Antibiotic-Apocalypse.mp3

Virtually everyone listening to this radio segment has relied on antibiotics to treat a bacterial infection. Since the 1940’s, we’ve used antibiotics to combat everything from strep throat to sinus infections. They also play an important role in surgery and cancer therapies.

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Thanksgiving Turkeys

November 19, 2015 By EarthWise

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/EW-11-19-15-Thanksgiving-Turkeys.mp3

Mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.  Thanksgiving is just one week away.  Many of us will spend the next several days shopping around for ingredients, including one of this country’s oldest traditions: the turkey.

[Read more…] about Thanksgiving Turkeys

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