Food and Agricultural Sciences News and Research

Latest Food and Agricultural Sciences News and Research

New Protein Discovery Reveals How Bacteria Transport Complex Sugars

Even though sugars are often framed as simple sources of energy, they also serve as structurally complex and functionally diverse molecules that mediate interactions between organisms.

1 Jun 2026

Cornell Researchers Develop Safer CRISPR Technique Using DNA Nicks

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a safer and more precise way to study how genes function in living tissues by refining a recently developed CRISPR-based genetic technique in fruit flies, enabling researchers to better study how genes contribute to development and disease.

28 May 2026

Rapid Diagnostic Tool Yields Definitive Bacterial Pathogen Screening Results in 40 Minutes Flat

Inspired by the widely used and user-friendly COVID-19 strip test kits, a team of science students from Chulalongkorn University has developed a test kit for detecting pathogens in milk and dairy products. The team combined the LAMP technique with strip test technology to create a simple screening tool for harmful bacteria that can be easily used by the public.

26 May 2026

Genetically Engineered Gene Deletions Reveal Unexpected Links Between Ghrelin and Blood Glucose Stability

Hormones influence how we feel - happy, sad or hungry - and profoundly shape how our bodies function and respond to disease.

25 May 2026

Insects, Microbes, and Food Waste May Be the Answer to the Global Food Crisis

This review examines how minimally processed foods, plant-based alternatives, functional foods, novel protein sources, and food waste valorization could help build healthier and more sustainable food systems. It highlights their potential to improve nutrition, reduce environmental pressures, and strengthen food security, while noting barriers around cost, regulation, safety, labelling, scalability, and consumer acceptance.

19 May 2026

Can Everyday Supplements Lead to Failed Anti-Doping Tests?

Researchers developed a high-throughput LC-MS/MS platform that screened 331 pharmacologically active compounds and quantitatively validated 214 analytes across representative food matrices. Applied to 78 commercial foods and supplements, the framework showed that some products could produce modeled urinary concentrations exceeding WADA reporting thresholds under realistic intake scenarios.

19 May 2026

X-Ray Finds Hidden Metal in Beef Where Metal Detectors and Ultrasound Fall Short

X-ray imaging detected all ten embedded metallic objects across tested beef tissue depths and muscle states, outperforming both traditional metal detection and ultrasound. Metal detection worked mainly for larger, shallower objects, while ultrasound showed limited value for detecting foreign metallic materials in beef carcasses.

13 May 2026

Twisted Light Breakthrough Could Enable Earlier Disease Detection

Researchers from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Optical Microcombs for Breakthrough Science (COMBS) have developed a powerful new way to use light to measure tiny changes in biological fluids such as blood – using samples as small as a millionth of a drop.

12 May 2026

New CRISPR System Destroys Diseased Cells With High Precision

A new kind of CRISPR that destroys cells rather than gene editing them has shown potential for killing sick cells while leaving healthy cells untouched.

8 May 2026

Advances in DNA Assembly Enable Efficient Microbial Cell Factories

A review in Quantitative Biology demonstrates that scientists can now reliably build and combine very large pieces of DNA, making it much easier to redesign microbes such as yeast and bacteria to act as efficient "cell factories."

7 May 2026

Breakthrough CRISPR Discovery Enables Selective Destruction of Cancerous Cells

Among the challenges in treating disease, including cancer, is wiping out malignancies, infection, contaminants or other pathologies, without destroying healthy tissue.

7 May 2026

Discovery Shows How Plants Prevent Excess Immune Responses

Salicylic acid, the active molecule in aspirin and some acne medications, is a hormone in plants that is essential for immunity, but it's a double-edged sword: Too much can cause autoimmunity and stunt growth.

5 May 2026

Accelerating Enzyme Discovery With the SMART Single-Molecule Screening System

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in living organisms. They are widely applied in industries such as food production, detergents, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.

30 Apr 2026

Influenza D Virus Shows Potential to Infect Human Cells

The influenza D virus that researchers say has been flying under the radar since its detection in animals in 2011 can vigorously make copies of itself in human cells and lung tissue samples, a new study shows.

27 Apr 2026

Researchers Map the Genetic History of Savanna and Forest Elephant Species

In the largest genomic mapping of Africa's elephants, an international team of researchers shows that elephant history is defined by the ability to move across large distances and exchange genes throughout the African continent. But as the elephants' living space is becoming increasingly patchy, the study documents the visible genetic consequences of isolation – and points to approaches that help to incorporate genomics into current and future elephant conservation.

16 Apr 2026

New Genetic Approach Protects Tomato Yield From Highly Virulent Viruses

Tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD), caused by begomoviruses, is a global problem in tomato production, affecting yield.

15 Apr 2026

Novel Phage W5 Offers a Sustainable Solution for Foodborne Salmonella

Researchers from China have identified a novel bacteriophage that offers a highly promising "green" biocontrol solution against foodborne Salmonella.

27 Mar 2026

The New Microchip Electrophoresis System MultiNA II MCE-301 - High Sensitivity Detection, Improved Analysis Function and Operability

Shimadzu has recently released the MultiNA II MCE-301 microchip electrophoresis system.

From Shimadzu Europa GmbH 27 Mar 2026

New Ring Structure Guides Precise Cell Death and Immunity

Researchers at the University of Michigan have revealed that cells use a previously unknown feat of molecular craftsmanship to help protect their larger host organisms.

16 Mar 2026

Revive Penicillin’s Power by Exploiting Bacteria’s Hidden Weakness

When many disease-causing bacteria come into contact with penicillin, they do not necessarily die immediately, but instead enter a brief survival mode known as antibiotic tolerance.

13 Mar 2026