The microbiome and its potential are making headlines worldwide with most of the attention focussed on the gut microbiome in human health. Yet research into all types of environments show that beneficial microbes exist everywhere and that we can harbour their potential across the whole food system. Yes, really!
CIRCLES investigates the potential of the microbiome for food systems innovation and how can we harvest it.
Have a look at our showcases:
- Animal gut microbes are essential in supporting feed digestion, nutrient synthesis, intestinal barrier maintenance, immune system function and the inhibition of harmful bacteria in livestock. Want to know more? Here is the full story.
- Plants and the soil in which they grow are incredibly rich in microbes that interact with the plant in a beneficial way, supporting its growth and increasing crop yield. Most exciting are the fungi that connect plants with each other (the network is called mycorrhiza) and may even enable plants to communicate directly with each other. See here for more details on the microbes supporting plants and how they can increase food production.
- Oceans and freshwater system are as of yet the environments about which we know the least when it comes to their microbiomes, yet they may have the biggest potential in the applications that we can harvest from them. The full story can be found here.
