Trade and dietary preferences can determine micronutrient security in the United Kingdom

Linalool as a key component in strawberry volatile organic compounds (VOCs) modulates gut microbiota, systemic inflammation, and glucolipid metabolism

Strawberries are rich in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are increasingly recognized as potential health-promoting factors. This study explored the health effects of intaking strawberry VOC extract and its dominant terpene, linalool. The results indicated that linalool and strawberry VOC extract significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus, Bacillus, and Alistipes in mice. Moreover, mice treated with linalool and strawberry VOC extract exhibited notable reductions in serum pro-inflammatory cytokines; interleukin IL-6 decreased by 14.5% and 21.8%, respectively, while IL-1β levels decreased by 9.6% and 13.4%, respectively. Triglyceride levels in the treated groups were reduced by 38.3% and 58.1%, respectively. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that Bacillus negatively correlated with glucolipid indices, and Bifidobacterium and Dubosiella negatively correlated with inflammatory factors, indicating that alterations in glucolipid metabolism might be associated with the regulation of gut microbiota and systemic inflammation.

Fruit quality in organic and conventional farming: advantages and limitations

Fruit quality is essential for nutrition and human health and needs urgent attention in current agricultural practices. Organic farming is not as productive as conventional agriculture, but it can provide higher quality in some fruit crops, thanks to the absence of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, enhanced pollination, and the reduction of protection treatments, hence boosting antioxidant compound production. Although organic farming does not always provide healthier food than conventional farming, some lessons from organic farming can be extrapolated to new sustainable production models. Exploiting natural resources and an adequate knowledge transfer will undoubtedly help improve the quality of climacteric and nonclimacteric fruits in new agricultural systems.

Adequacy and Distribution Equity of Nutrition Supplies across China

Procuring food enriched with diverse nutrients is pivotal for maintaining a robust immune system. However, the food system is now unprecedentedly globalized and faces challenges arising from climate change, pandemics, and political unrest. This study aims to illuminate the gap in exploring the adequacy and distribution equity of nutrition supplies in response to potential trade fluctuations and restrictions on agrifood within China's local agriculture endowments. Also, it seeks to identify the role of trade in contributing to these indices. Accordingly, we analyzed the distribution of nutrients in agrifood categories from production to consumption and assessed the adequacy and distribution equity of corresponding available nutrition supply from the local food provision system in terms of meeting residents' nutritional requirements, across China, and compared with those in the practical market. The local self-supply system showed that 12 out of 31 provinces have difficulty achieving an iron supply with 11% to 108% deficiencies. Except for iron, 52% (folate)-90% (vitamin B12) of agricultural output was available for diet provisioning nationwide. While food trade emerges as a crucial factor in enhancing secure and equitable nutrition supply, risks associated with micronutrient deficiencies necessitate careful consideration in current global circumstances. Our analysis explored a regional pool of nutrient information in supplements to the conventional food profile in China and could implicate better knowledge toward healthier food supplies and tailored improvements for achieving a resilient nutrition supply.

A sustainable food future

The adverse environmental impacts of food production, the ill-health resulting from excess consumption and malnutrition, and the lack of resilience to the increasing number of threats to food availability show that the global system of food provision is not fit for purpose. Here, the causative flaws in the food system are identified and a framework presented for discovering the best ways to eliminate them. This framework is based upon an integrated view of the food system and the socio-economic systems in which it functions. The framework comprises an eight-point plan to describe the structure and functioning of the food system and to discover the optimum ways to bring about the changes needed to deliver a sustainable food future. The plan includes: priorities for research needed to provide options for change; an inclusive analytical methodology that uses the results of this research and incorporates acquisition, sharing and analysis of data; the need for actions at the local and national levels; and the requirements to overcome the barriers to change through education and international cooperation. The prospects for implementation of the plan and the required changes in the outcomes of the food system are discussed.