Cheese without cows?
An increasing number of people are turning to vegan products. However, when it comes to cheese, this transition is proving difficult. One alternative is precision fermentation, in which microorganisms produce milk proteins to enable the production of genuine dairy products, such as cheese, without the need for cows. But would consumers actually buy such cheese? Researchers from the Department of Agricultural and Food Market Research at the University of Bonn investigated this question. Their study has now been published in the journal ‘Food Quality and Preference’.
Preparations for the planned ESA satellite mission “Genesis”
As part of the Genesis-D project led by the GFZ Potsdam, German institutions are preparing for the European Space Agency's (ESA) new Genesis satellite mission, which is scheduled to launch in 2028.
How a Fungus Leads to Tissue Growths in Maize
When a maize plant is attacked by the fungus Ustilago maydis, tumor-like tissue growths occur at the site of infection. How the pathogen causes this response in its host has long been unknown. But a University of Bonn study has now shown how the fungus takes over the plant’s function for forming lateral roots. The findings have been published in the journal New Phytologist.
Expensive food makes children fat
When food prices skyrocket during an economic crisis, it is primarily urban populations and people with low levels of education who are affected. This can have lifelong negative health consequences – such as stunted growth in children. A research team at the University of Bonn has now demonstrated such long-term effects using the example of the "Asian financial crisis" in the 1990s. At that time, turmoil on the financial markets led to a drastic increase in the price of rice, Indonesia's most important staple food, which left measurable traces in the development of children. The study was published in the journal "Global Food Security."