SUSTAINABLE FOOD & Gastronomy

There are two key reasons for moving to more sustainable food & gastronomy: one is because climate change is threatening our very food supply, and the other is that how we are currently producing food is contributing to climate change. The proverbial chicken and egg.

A few years back, the United Nations declared June 18th Sustainable Gastronomy Day in an effort to promote and encourage sustainable dining across the globe.

Sustainable gastronomy is the process of cookery that focuses on the ingredients’ source, how food is grown, the means by which it gets to the market, and eventually, to the plates of consumers.

It is estimated that roughly 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted each year, a clear motivation for thinking about reducing food waste to protect the environment. And a backdrop to this is the estimation that demand for food is likely to rise by 50% by the year 2030, while demand for water is forecast to surge by 30% and land use by 50%.

Sustainable dining out, and eating at home of course, is one way to reduce wastefulness of natural resources, both contributing to the protection of the environment and encouraging healthier eating habits.

Many people are refocusing their approach to food and rethinking what they buy, hence contributing to more sustainable food production and consumption. 

Now let’s look at the steps you can take to reduce waste and create a more sustainable dining system in your home or restaurant.

Reduce food waste: Food waste is one of the key issues and reducing food waste comes with tones of benefits.

1. Keep it seasonal. This is one of the most powerful steps you can take toward sustainability.
2. Offer more vegan and vegetarian options.
3. Use less popular fish choices or those previously seen as ‘marine waste’.
4. Be adaptable: be willing to change your menu depending on what is available.
5. Design your menu to limit the number of ingredients and repurpose those usually thrown away.
6. Buy locally: Support local farms and producers.
7. Buy from farms that practice sustainability.
8. Buy sustainable seafood: The basic rule to follow is, if they won’t tell you how or where they caught it, don’t buy it.
9. Grow your own: Look around you for space you can use to grow things that you use a lot, such as herbs and salad greens 
10. Buy sustainable equipment: Energy efficient equipment may initially cost more but having it can pay off more in the long run. Look for things like low flush toilets, energy star appliances, and energy star refrigeration. Make sure all your equipment like POS systems, lights, and ovens are turned off at close of business every day.
11. Use green cleaning products.
12. Buy apparel and napkins from fair trade materials.
13. Use little or no paper.
14. Buy furniture made from reclaimed wood.
15. For your interior design, work with local, environmentally conscious artists.
16. Use eco-friendly solar, geothermal for electric use where possible.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (E171) is used as a whitening agent in mayonnaise, icing and other foods.

Experts call for better regulation of a common additive in foods and medicine, as research reveals it can impact the gut microbiota and contribute to inflammation in the colon

— by University of Sydney

University of Sydney research provides new evidence that nanoparticles, which are present in many food items, may have a substantial and harmful influence on human health.

The study investigated the health impacts of food additive E171 (titanium dioxide nanoparticles) which is commonly used in high quantities in foods and some medicines as a whitening agent. Found in more than 900 food products such as chewing gum and mayonnaise, E171 is consumed in high proportion everyday by the general population.

Impact of the Food Additive Titanium Dioxide (E171) on Gut Microbiota-Host Interaction► Read original article► Download original article (pdf)

Published in Frontiers in Nutrition, the mice study found that consumption of food containing E171 has an impact on the gut microbiota (defined by the trillions of bacteria that inhabit the gut) which could trigger diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer.

Co-lead author Associate Professor Wojciech Chrzanowski said the study added substantially to a body of work on nanoparticle toxicity and safety and their impact on health and environment.

“The aim of this research is to stimulate discussions on new standards and regulations to ensure safe use of nanoparticles in Australia and globally,” he said.

While nanoparticles have been commonly used in medicines, foods, clothing, and other applications, the possible impacts of nanoparticles, especially their long term effects, are still poorly understood.

Titanium dioxide consumption has considerably increased in the last decade and has already been linked to several medical conditions, and although it is approved in food, there is insufficient evidence about its safety. 

Strategies that alter the composition of the bacteria that make up the gut microbiome could promote healthy aging. 

A new study suggests that chronic inflammation in the elderly — thought to be involved in many age-related diseases — is due to imbalances in gut bacteria

Scientists in the Netherlands have shed new light on how an imbalance of the gut microbiome may be the cause of so-called “inflammaging” in the elderly.

Inflammaging, or low-grade chronic inflammation, occurs with aging and is linked to life-limiting conditions such as stroke, dementia and cardiovascular disease.

The discovery was made as researchers transplanted bacteria from the gut of old conventional mice into young germ-free lab mice — and saw that the recipient mice showed the same inflammaging response as the elderly donors.

This news, published in Frontiers in Immunology, brings the hope of a potentially simple strategy to contribute to healthy aging, as the composition of bacteria in the gut is, at least in part, controlled by diet:

“Since inflammaging is thought to contribute to many diseases associated with aging, and we now find that the gut microbiome plays a role in this process, strategies that alter the gut microbiota composition in the elderly could reduce inflammaging and promote healthy aging,” explains Dr Fransen, who performed the research at the University Medical Center Groningen. “Strategies that are known to alter gut microbiota composition include changes in diet, probiotics, and prebiotics”.

Previous research has shown that the elderly tend to have a different composition of gut bacteria than younger people. It is also known that immune responses in the elderly tend to be compromised, resulting in inflammaging. Knowing this, Dr Fransen and his team set out to investigate a potential link.

The study looked at a variety to markers, using mice as a proxy for humans.

The scientists transferred gut microbiota from old and young conventional mice to young germ-free mice, and analysed immune responses in their spleen, lymph nodes and tissues in the small intestine. They also analysed whole-genome gene expression in the small intestine. All results showed an immune response to bacteria transferred from the old mice but not from the young mice.

An imbalance, or “dysbiosis” of gut bacteria can have serious health implications: several disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, anxiety and autism are already linked to the condition.

“Our gut is inhabited by a huge number of bacteria,” explains Dr Fransen. “Moreover, there are many different kinds of bacterial species, and the bacterial species that are present can vary a lot from person to person.”

Dysbiosis results in “bad” bacteria being more dominant than “good” bacteria.  An overgrowth of bad bacteria can make the lining of the gut becoming more permeable, allowing toxins to enter the bloodstream where they can travel around the body with various negative effects.

Maintaining a healthy gut microbiota is clearly important to a healthy body and healthy aging, but why the gut microbiome is different in the elderly is not fully understood.  Many people are aware of the effect a course of antibiotics can have on the digestive system for example, but as Dr Fransen explains, it may not be down to just one thing: “It is likely a combination of factors such as reduced physical activity, changes in diet, but also as part of a natural process.”

Most, if not all, age-related diseases can be linked back to inflammaging. Despite the fact that this particular study was conducted on mice, it is clear that maintaining a healthy gut microbiota is key to a healthy lifestyle. However, more research is needed to confirm that the human body mirrors the mice in this study.

“Both in humans and mice there is a correlation between altered gut microbiota composition and inflammaging, but the link between the two remains to be proven in humans,” concludes Dr Fransen.

The article is part of the Frontiers Research Topic Immunomodulatory Functions of Nutritional Ingredients in Health and Disease.

Original research article: Aged Gut Microbiota Contributes to Systemical Inflammaging after Transfer to Germ-Free Mice

Corresponding author: Floris Fransen

Our ambition is to protect and regenerate natural resources by going beyond our circular economy model. Furtermore we would like to investigate how AI is setting new standards for sustainable agriculture, with huge implications for the future of food production !! 

We promote Conservation agriculture (CA) which comprises minimum soil disturbance, retention of crop residues and crop diversification.

We believe this is the right approach for making farming systems more resilient to climatic changes as well as mitigating climate change through soil carbon sequestration. Breeding crops to resist biotic and abiotic stresses will be an essential tool in managing climate change impacts.  

We are  socially responsible and support regenerative local farming.

A transparent supply chain is key to making informed decisions about our food. This is why we work so closely with farmers and make it easy for customers to know exactly where their food comes from.  

Knowing that our farmers use natural, regenerative systems and farm in a way that increases biodiversity means the food you buy from us has a positive impact on the climate and the environment.  

We try to  encourages social change. We don't just want to stock shelves with sustainable (and tasty) options. We want to change the way people think about food—consuming it, buying it, making it—we want everyone to question the whole food industry and how we got here. We want to encourage people to find everyday solutions that consider the planet, the people who live here, and what we're leaving for future generations.  

Organic farming methods are known to be more environmentally friendly. They promote soil health, reduce water pollution, and conserve biodiversity.  

Organic foods are cultivated without the use of synthetic pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or artificial additives. This emphasis on natural and sustainable practices has resonated with a broad customer base.

As the world becomes increasingly conscious of health, sustainability, and the environment, the organic food industry has experienced remarkable growth.

With consumers seeking healthier and environmentally friendly alternatives, investing in organic food presents an opportunity that aligns with both ethical and financial goals.

The food system is responsible for almost a third of greenhouse gas emissions, with connected challenges such as food waste, resource depletion and energy consumption. To reach net zero and mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis, we must scale a systems approach to change that enables the transition to sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices, creates new markets and opportunities for food waste and loss reduction, and empowers all stakeholders to play an active role in the circular food economy. . 

  Resveratrol is a stilbenoid, a type of natural phenol, and a phytoalexin produced by several plants in response to injury or when the plant is under attack by pathogens, such as bacteria or fungi. Sources of resveratrol in food include the skin of grapes, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, and peanuts.

Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol compound in certain plants and fruits, including grapes, berries, apples, and peanuts. In supplement form, most resveratrol extracts are derived from the root of Polygonum cuspidatum, also known as the Japanese knotweed plant.

Resveratrol is rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties that may help relieve joint pain and benefit cardiovascular, brain, and metabolic health. 

Resveratrol is a potent sirtuin-activating compound (STAC). As mentioned, through xenohormesis It protects the plants in which its found from environmental stressors and disease. When ingested by humans, resveratrol binds to sirtuins, altering their affinity for NAD and their protein substrates, thereby increasing sirtuins’ activity. As such, resveratrol — or I should say, trans-resveratrol — offers a promising therapeutic strategy to ameliorate age-related diseases and extend healthspan.

Let’s dig into those health benefits potentially conferred by resveratrol, particularly trans-resveratrol.

Numerious studies have demonstrated the superiority of trans-resveratrol over other types of resveratrol, such as cis-resveratrol:

• Trans-resveratrol may help promote lifespan extending effects and alleviate metabolic diseases through its activation of sirtuins, the so-called “longevity genes” [7].
• Trans-resveratrol inhibit memory loss and mood dysfunction which can occur during aging [8].
• Trans-resveratrol has superior chemotherapeutic activity than resveratrol [9,10,11].
• Trans-resveratrol is more cardioprotective than resveratrol [12,13,14,15].
• Trans-resveratrol exhibits more Hepatitis C virus inhibition than resveratrol [16].
• Trans-resveratrol is more bioavailable than resveratrol [17,18].

This is not to suggest that regular resveratrol has no therapeutic value; it does. Consider this summary from Healthline.com that lists documented evidence of what even regular, low-absorption resveratrol might be able to do:

• May help lower blood pressure by increasing the production of nitric oxide.
• May benefit blood fats in animals. As an antioxidant, they may also decrease LDL cholesterol oxidation.
• Has lengthened lifespan in animal studies, however, it’s unclear if they would have a similar effect in humans.
• Shows promise in protecting brain cells from damage due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
• Has helped mice develop better insulin sensitivity and fight complications of diabetes. In the future, humans with diabetes might also benefit from resveratrol therapy.
• May help relieve joint pain by preventing cartilage from breaking down.
• Has shown exciting cancer-blocking activity in test tubes and animal studies.

Clearly, resveratrol is worth examining, and the best resveratrol supplement you can take is trans-resveratrol. But it can be made even better by adding BioPerine®.

BioPerine® is a patented extract obtained from black pepper fruits (Piper nigrum) standardized to contain a minimum of 95% Piperine. It’s used safely and extensively as a bioavailability enhancer for over 20 years [19].

An in vivo study (taking place in a living organism) conducted by the University of Wisconsin showed that BioPerine® significantly improved the bioavailability of Resveratrol by 229% and the maximum serum concentration was increased by 1,544% [20].

The Sustainable Food Institute is an on-line, open education resource to transform our food systems. We work with Academic institutions, Government Agencies  and private companies to protect and regenerate natural resources by going beyond our circular economy model. 

 Several studies in adults found a strong scientific concordance between consumption of ultra-processed foods and a higher risk of developing cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Evidence is accumulating from mechanistic studies of the plausible causal pathways by which the physical structure and chemical compositions of these foods might cause harm. 

Additives or cocktail of additives could play a role in the incidence of NCDs and further R&I are needed. It is now widely accepted that a diet rich in plant-based food, such as fruits, vegetables, wholegrain cereals, legumes and nuts, may reduce the incidence of chronic diseases and is also beneficial against obesity and metabolic diseases 

 We want to enhance a comprehensive understanding of the importance of a robust environmental monitoring program. with proper sampling techniques,, target organisms and methods. Finally, our courses cover the responses to testing data, e.g., implementing corrective actions, documentation and data management.  We partner with great companies like the Puglia Chef Academy, Green Italy Tours, Italy Experiences, Green Ukraine, Pasta Volare, Soul Food & Riverside. 

www.sustainablefoodinsitute.com