Researching fermentation in cocoa
March 11, 2020
Prof David Salt recently visited the Cocoa Research Centre in Trinidad & Tobago. In this post he reflects on our cocoa project in Colombia, and the work we are developing with the CRC. Our Colombian cocoa project began because we were interested in understanding the connections between the way fermentation works in cocoa beans and …
How do plant roots branch towards water?
February 27, 2020
Plant roots need to forage for water and nutrients in the soil. These key resources are not distributed equally through the soil so plants therefore have to send their roots towards the best available sources of water and nutrients. If plants couldn’t flexibly adapt to changing conditions in their environments, they would struggle to thrive …
Collaborations with Embrapa to research Brazilian agricultural practices
February 11, 2020
The Future Food Beacon is developing a working partnership with Embrapa, Brazil. Embrapa, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, is part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply and is concerned with generating knowledge and technology for Brazilian agriculture. In late 2018 and early 2019, supported by the UoN International Collaboration Fund, six Future …
The new agricultural bill: soils, sustainability and farming
February 4, 2020
It may have already left your news feed, but a few weeks ago a new agricultural bill was presented in parliament. We spoke to some of our local soil and plant scientists, Prof Sacha Mooney, President of the British Society of Soil Science, and Prof Malcolm Bennett, and Prof David Salt on what the new …
Using eating together to think: reflections on doing research at public mealtimes
January 30, 2020
This post is written by Marsha Smith. Is there something special that happens when we eat together in groups? This post looks at an emergent form of group eating initiatives and explores some ways of doing research with, and about, the customers and producers of these eating events. Community-based forms of group eating practices are …
A Creative Approach to Engaging with Male Eating Disorders: Animating the Patient-Doctor Encounter in Clinical Settings
January 23, 2020
This post is written by Dr Richard Vytniorgu, Impact Research Fellow, School of Cultures, Languages, and Area Studies. To animate something means to give shape to that which is hidden, inert, silenced. To be animated is to demonstrate movement rather than rigidity, a liveliness in place of absence. Together with the animation studio Woven Ink, …
Doing science in the field: stories from our Colombian cocoa project
January 16, 2020
Dr Christopher Moore and Dr David Gopaulchan travelled to Colombia together in May 2019 to carry out scientific sampling of the cocoa fermentation process on different farms. David recently travelled back to Colombia for the second harvest, to conduct further sampling, in November and December 2019. We spoke to David and Chris about the experiences, …
Genomic characterisation of the University of Nottingham dairy herd
December 18, 2019
This post is written by Dr Sarah Blott, Associate Professor in Animal Breeding and Genetics, in the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. Milk and dairy products are a significant source of nutrition in the human diet; the first evidence of dairy consumption dates back over 6,000 years, and today dairy farming is a global …
Understanding more about oil palm farmed by smallholders
December 12, 2019
This post is written by Dr Thomas D Alcock and Dr Christina Vimala Supramaniam During a recent trip to Malaysia, including visits to the University of Nottingham Malaysia campus, Dr Thomas D Alcock and Dr Lexi Earl stopped by some smallholder oil palm plantations to get a feel for production practices. This is what they …
Eating chocolate in the name of science!
November 20, 2019
The Future Food Beacon is currently leading a Prosperity Fund/Innovate UK funded project titled Controlling cocoa bean fermentation for enhanced chocolate flavour. The project draws together Colombian female farmers with a Nottingham bean-to-bar chocolate maker, Luisa’s Vegan Chocolates, working alongside our researchers to improve the flavour of chocolate. The first harvest of cocoa took place …
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