They look more like the brightly lit shelves of a chemists shop than the rows of a vegetable garden.

But according to their creators, these perfect looking vegetables could be the future of food.

In a perfectly controlled and totally sterile environment - uncontaminated by dirt, insects or fresh air - Japanese scientists are developing a new way of growing vegetables.

Called plant factories, these anonymous looking warehouses have sprung up across the country and can churn out immaculate looking lettuces and green leaves 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Every part of the plant's environment is controlled - from the lighting and temperature, to the humidity and water. Even the levels of carbon dioxide can be minutely altered.

Rather than the conventional scruffy clothes and dirty fingernails of vegetable growers, the producers wear gloves, surgical masks and sort of dust proof protective suits normally seen in chemical plants.


Via
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech

Tags: plant factories

Organic farming was among the fastest growing segments of U.S. agriculture during the 1990s. The value of retail sales of organic food was estimated to be more than $20 billion in 2005. And, according to the Food Marketing Institute, more than half of Americans now buy organic food at least once a month. Why is organic food becoming so popular?

http://www.howstuffworks.com

Tags: Organic Food

"For most of Australia’s human history -- around 60,000 years -- kangaroo was the main source of meat. It could again become important," says the final report of the Garnaut Climate Change Review, released on Sep.30.

Professor Ross Garnaut, an economist, was commissioned by Australian governments last year to study the impacts of climate change on the country’s economy. His latest offering argues that with cattle and sheep being large emitters of methane -- a greenhouse gas (GhG) -- a shift in diet to a less polluting source of meat remains an option to help reduce emissions.

http://www.ecopanas.com

Tags: Kangaroos, Food

Future generations may never have a sweet tooth to feed. John Mason, the executive director and founder of the Ghana based organization Nature Conversation Research Council (NCRC) believes that in 20 years times, chocolate will be much like caviar today.

"[Chocolate] will become so rare and so expensive that the average joe won't be able to afford it."


This fate of chocolate is terrifying news for two parties. The chocoholics of the world, but more importantly the producer countries that depend greatly on the sale of the cocoa beans as a portion of their GDP.

The main cause for the decline in cocoa bean growth is unsustainable farming in Ghana and other nations known for their cocoa plants. Also cocoa is naturally a rainforest plant that grows in shady conditions surrounded by a high biodiversity, until recently. Now, hybrid varieties have been grown on cleared land as mono-cultures and in full sun.

Although this hybrid seeds fills the demand for the short term, the soil quickly becomes degraded and the lifespan of plants can be cut from 75 or 100 years, to 30 or less. When the trees die and the land is exhausted, farmers must move on and clear more rainforest to plant cocoa.

The decline in West African cocoa is not only a problem for farmers and chocolate producers, one of which is Cadbury who uses 100 percent of West African cocoa beans to produce their chocolate, but environmentalists are increasingly concerned about the destruction of the rainforest for short-term gain.

http://greenopolis.com

Tags: Chocolate, Cocoa

How safe are eggs?
The risk of getting a foodborne illness from eggs is very low. However, the nutrients that make eggs a high-quality food for humans are also a good growth medium for bacteria. In addition to food, bacteria also need moisture, a favorable temperature and time in order to multiply and increase the risk of illness. In the rare event that an egg contains bacteria, you can reduce the risk by proper chilling and eliminate it by proper cooking. When you handle eggs with care, they pose no greater food-safety risk than any other perishable food.

The inside of an egg was once considered almost sterile. But, over recent years, the bacterium Salmonella enteritidis (Se) has been found inside a small number of eggs. Scientists estimate that, on average across the U.S., only 1 of every 20,000 eggs might contain the bacteria. So, the likelihood that an egg might contain Se is extremely small – 0.005% (five one-thousandths of one percent). At this rate, if you’re an average consumer, you might encounter a contaminated egg once every 84 years.

Other types of microorganisms could be deposited along with dirt on the outside of an egg. So, in the U.S., eggshells are washed and sanitized to remove possible hazards. You can further protect yourself and your family by discarding eggs that are unclean, cracked, broken or leaking and making sure you and your family members use good hygiene practices, including properly washing your hands and keeping them clean.

http://www.aeb.org/LearnMore/EggSafety.htm

Tags: Eggs

Bamboo Worms are tasty insect snack that are high in protien, fibre and low in fat. It is one of the most popular edible Thai insects an enjoyed by people nation wide. The taste and texture is similar to corn puff snacks, however bamboo worms are high in protien.
These farm bred bamboo worms have been fried, slow roasted and then tossed in a tasty BBQ powder. Great taste! (Shelf life 2 years)
https://www.thailandunique.com/

Tags: Bamboo, Bugs