News & Events

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Municipality of Rome, kicked off celebrations for the International Day of Forests (IDF) 2025 by engaging young students in exploring the connection between forests and foods at the Global Library of Trees and Flowers - FAO Park in Villa Doria Pamphilj today.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) released an evidence review examining consumer responses to cell-cultivated products in the UK, including meat, seafood, dairy, and plants. The findings are published in FSA Research and Evidence. Previous studies have explored consumer responses to cell-cultivated meat and seafood, with limited research on plant-based and dairy alternatives.

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is a bacterial pathogen responsible for bacterial leaf blight (BLB) in rice, which can result in significant yield losses of up to 70%. A study evaluated the spread of Xoo in rice fields using environmental samples and employed colorimetric loop-mediated amplification (cLAMP) and PCR for detection. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to measure infection levels. The research compared infection severity between a susceptible rice variety, Phitsanulok 2 (PSL2), and a resistant variety, PSL2-Xa21.

The global genetically modified food market size is valued at $112.8 billion in 2024 and is projected to exhibit a growth rate of 7.2% to achieve $196.7 billion by 2032. These data are provided by USD Analytics in their latest growth report. The report highlights the following findings: The increasing market value of GM food is attributed to the demand for sustainable agricultural practices and food security solutions amidst massive global challenges.

Scientists from Australia and China unveiled the first chromosome-scale genome of the wild barley species Hordeum brevisubulatum. Shown here is the Murdoch University team with Professor Rajeev K. Varshney of the Food Futures Institute. Scientists from Murdoch University in Australia and the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences in China have unveiled the first chromosome-scale genome of the wild barley species Hordeum brevisubulatum, known for its exceptional tolerance to alkaline and saline soils.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a globally significant oil and economic crop, serving as a primary source of edible oil and protein. Aflatoxin contamination is a main risk factor for peanut food safety and industry development worldwide. The most cost-economic and effective control strategy entails the exploration and utilization of natural resistance in peanut, alongside the development of resistant varieties. However, the underlying mechanism of resistance to aflatoxin production (AP) in peanuts remains elusive.

A research team led by Associate Professor Takashi Ishida from Kumamoto University in Japan reveals a new genome editing breakthrough that enables partial inhibition of gene function using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. The findings of their study are published in the Journal of Plant Research. Researchers often face challenges studying essential genes, as completely disabling them can be fatal to organisms.

Duke University and North Carolina State University researchers reported their breakthrough in finding new CRISPR-Cas systems in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). One of the promising CRISPR components is called SubCas9. It was isolated from Streptococcus uberis, a bacterium that is commonly found in dairy cows that are also used in some human probiotic products.

Transgenic crops that produce insecticidal toxins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are grown worldwide to manage insect pests. Western corn rootworm is a serious pest of maize in the United States and is managed with Bt maize. In the United States, the commercial cultivation of a Bt crop requires an accompanying resistance-management strategy to delay the evolution of Bt resistance.

Australia's Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) has issued license DIR 209 to the University of Queensland, allowing the field trial of sorghum genetically modified (GM) for altered reproduction from sexual to asexual. The GM sorghum may be grown at one site with a maximum area of one hectare at the University of Queensland's Gatton Campus. The field trial may run from May 2025 until December 2030.

On March 14, 2025, the Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union (Coreper) endorsed the Council's negotiating mandate on the regulation of plants obtained by new genomic techniques (NGTs). The EU Proposal, launched in July 2023, aims to boost innovation and sustainability within the EU agrifood sector while contributing to food security and reducing external dependencies.

Participants were categorized into two groups based on eGFR: High-GFR (control; n = 51,084) and Low-GFR (renal dysfunction; n = 7617), using an eGFR threshold of 60 mL/min/1.73 m². Genetic variants were identified through a genome-wide association analysis, and their interactions with lifestyle factors were assessed a using generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) analysis.