Researchers in Germany have used Lupin seeds, a type of legume, to produce low-fat, high-quality sausage products. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, believe that lupins may hold the key to producing a satisfying vegetable protein to replace animal raw materials in food production. “In emerging countries such as China or Brazil, meat consumption is rising dramatically. Indeed, worldwide consumption of red meat has quadrupled since 1961. The United... ...Read more »

In a collaborative effort involving 74 researchers from 38 research institutes, scientists have produced the full genome of a wild strawberry plant. The woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is closely related to garden-variety cultivated strawberry. The fruit of this berry contains large amounts of anti-oxidants (mainly tannins, the substances that give wine their astringency), as well as vitamins A, C and B12 and minerals – potassium, calcium and magnesium. In addition, the strawberry fruit... ...Read more »

Lupins – a valuable crop rotation legume, and a rich source of protein and dietary fibre – will be the subject of Australia’s first major plant genome sequencing project. CSIRO researchers will collaborate with the Centre for Food and Genomic Medicine (CFGM) in Perth, WA, to sequence the genome of the narrow-leaf lupin. The three-year, $1.5 million project will enable researchers and breeders to accelerate lupin crop improvements such as drought tolerance, disease resistance and... ...Read more »

A collaboration between the US Department of Agriculture and chocolate giant Mars, Inc has announced the preliminary release of the sequenced genome of the cacao tree. The data is expected to help sustain the supply of high-quality cocoa to the $17 billion US chocolate industry and protect the livelihoods of small farmers around the world. Cocoa comes from the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao. The tree’s seeds are processed into cocoa beans, which are the source of cocoa, cocoa butter and chocolate.... ...Read more »

Researchers, funded by the US Department of Energy, have completely mapped the soybean genome, according to a study published in Nature magazine.  They have also begun comparing soybean DNA to traits in the growing plant, allowing scientists to select for desirable characteristics such as plant hardiness, digestibility, disease resistance, and reduced environmental impact. Soybeans (Glycine max) are one of the world’s largest staple crops, and can be made into an enormous variety of food... ...Read more »