Episodes
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Are you a fan of Game of Thrones? Did you know that it was filmed in Croatia?
When I envision Croatia, I think about agriculture, farming, and landscapes. But I’m a big fan of cereal grains, as many of you know. Join me for a conversation with my friends Dr. Ana Matin and Dr. Mateja Grubor, who are from the University of Zagreb. We discuss research and teaching of agricultural and food systems. And we also sample some of the local pelinkovac (if you haven’t tried this drink, you really should). You can learn about their teaching and research at their university webpages.If you are interested in learning more about grain production in Croatia, here is a report from the USDA.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay.
Zivjeli!
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Over the past year, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about grains, their history, their processing, and their use. But, we have not yet spent time talking about grain production. We need to talk about these aspects.
So, in today’s episode we will spend time talking about the importance of soil to crop production. Our guest is Dr. Amber Anderson from Iowa State University. She is a faculty member in the Department of Agronomy, is part of the Sustainable Agriculture Program, as well as Global Resource Systems.
More about Dr. Anderson can be found at her ISU faculty webpage: https://www.susag.iastate.edu/people/amber-anderson-0
Are potatoes really grains or not? It will be interesting to learn what lawmakers decide!! For the latest information and industry stories about cereal grains, check out the Cereals and Grains Association’s webpage, especially their InGRAINed Newsletter at https://www.cerealsgrains.org/
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay.
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Missing episodes?
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How did you start your day? Did you eat breakfast?
If so, what did you eat? Do you ever eat breakfast cereal?
Personally, I eat cereal any time of day – it is a perfect snack for me!Breakfast cereal has a long and suprising history. Today’s guest is Dr. Kathryn Dolan, who has recently published Breakfast Cereal – A Global History. You can find her book at Reaktion Books. More about her can be found at her faculty webpage at Missouri S&T University.
Grab a bowl and listen in!For the latest information and industry stories about cereal grains, check out the Cereals and Grains Association’s webpage, especially their InGRAINed Newsletter.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Did you know that Russia and the U.S. have been competing to feed the world as far back as the late 1700s?
Today's guest is Dr. Scott Reynolds Nelson, who's book Oceans of Grain describes how the flow of wheat has been a maker or breaker of empires since ancient times. More about him can be found on his University of Georgia faculty webpage.
If you would like an update on the grain situation in Ukraine and Russia, the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service has published an overview of the 2023/24 wheat harvest.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Whole grains? Organic foods? Recipes? History?
This week we talk with Marlene Bumgarner about all of these topics. She is the author of The New Book of Whole Grains (and several other books as well) in which she weaves a tapestry of deliciousness and practicality. I highly recommend checking out her books and blog. She has had a fascinating journey, one which I think you will enjoy learning about!
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Have you ever eaten Pharoah's Bread (I found this in Paris, of all places!)? Or heard of King Tut Wheat? In this episode we talk to Dr. Liz Carlisle about her journey into the world of Kamut - an ancient Egyptian wheat, and her path into deeper understandings of the intersections between humans and agriculture. She is an Associate Professor at the University of California Santa Barbara, where she teaches and conducts research on transitions to more sustainable approaches to agriculture. More information can be found at her faculty webpage as well as her personal webpage.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Welcome to the first episode of Season 2! Have you ever wondered what students think about the things that they are learning? I decided it was time to hear their thoughts. Join me as we discuss what we have been learning in a graduate course devoted to Agroecosystems Analysis, the current state of farming and grain production, and the future of agriculture. I think you will find our discussions wide-ranging and fascinating. The future is in good hands with these emerging leaders!
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Have you eaten corn recently? Have you filled your car with ethanol this week? How did the simple grass teosinte evolve to become corn, one of the most important cereal grains on the planet? Join me for our last interview of 2023 as we talk to Professor Michael Blake from the University of British Columbia to learn about the origins and spread of maize. We discuss the history, anthropology, and science of corn, all of which he writes about in his book Maize for the Gods. For more information about him and his research, check out his faculty webpage. If you are interested in the genetics of maize evolution, I also recommend one of his papers in the journal Science:
Genomic estimation of complex traits reveals ancient maize adaptation to temperate North AmericaOur music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay.
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How long have humans been storing grain? If you listened to the last episode you may recall that it has been at least 11,000 years. This episode is the second element of a duet which is focused on history. It was an honor to talk with Dr. Ian Kuijt from the University of Notre Dame about his excavation work in Jordan, archaeology, as well as other aspects of history. More about his work can be found at his Academia page and his University of Notre Dame webpage. There you can his published works and his contact information.
Evidence for food storage and predomestication granaries 11,000 years ago in the Jordan Valley (by Kuijt and Finlayson, 2009)Archaeobotanical evidence reveals the origins of bread 14,400 years ago in northeastern Jordan (by Arranz-Otaegul et al., 2018)
If digging into history and archaeology is of interest, I highly recommend the following papers:Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay.
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The ways that we do things today have been informed by the ways that humans have done them throughout our history. How long have humans been cultivating, harvesting, storing, and eating grain? Can you believe that the archaeological record shows that humans have been storing and processing cereals for more than 11,000 years? It was an honor to talk about grain archaeology with Dr. Bill Finlayson from Oxford University about the Agricultural Revolution and other related topics. More about his work can be found at his Academia page and his Oxford University webpage. There you can his published works and contact information.
In our next episode, we will continue our discussion about the archaeology and history of cereals. We will talk with Dr. Ian Kuijt, one of Dr. Finlayson’s colleagues and fellow archaeologists. Hopefully you enjoy this two-part series and find it enlightening.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Have you ever driven through the countryside and seen large steel or concrete structures in the distance? Alas, they are probably not castles. Although some people do refer to these the "castles of the prairies". They are likely grain storage elevators.
These facilities play a critical role in the cereal grain supply chain, although most people are not aware of their functions.
Today's guest is William J. Brown, who is the author of "American Colossus". This is the first book written about the history of grain elevators (at least what I have been able to find), and it tells an intriguing story that parallels that of the development of modern America. More about his books can be found on his book publishing site Colossus Books, or at Amazon.
Most of the published literature does not discuss the history of grain elevators themselves, rather their operations and efficiencies. If you are interested in learning more about the design and operation of grain elevators, search the resources available at the Grain Elevator and Processing Society, the Cereals and Grains Association, and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. They have many publications and articles that you will find informative and useful. History, however, is not widely available, which is why today's interview is so fascinating!
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Rashid Suleiman is a Lecturer and Head of the Department of Food Science and Agroprocessing at Sokoine University of Agriculture where he is responsible for leading the department, and teaching food science and biological systems subjects. He serves as a chairperson of Agriculture and Food Standards Division Committee (AFDC) of Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) which oversees over 29 different Agriculture and Food Technical Committees. Dr. Suleiman is a chairperson of National Codex Committee and a member of several academic, professional and scholarly societies.
Dr. Suleiman’s research program focuses on food safety, food quality management, new product development and post-harvest management applied to grain, and fruits and vegetables. Projects involve post-harvest loss reduction and prevention, food security, food systems, mycotoxins, value-added products and process, grain storage and stored products protection, extrusion technology, new product development and formulation, techno-economic analysis and food packaging.
Dr. Suleiman’s outreach program focuses on crop post-harvest handling, storage, processing and loss prevention, mycotoxin control, nutrition feeding programs, and food and nutrition security.
More about Rashid, his work, and his department can be found on his website.
If you are interested in learning more about the current state of global food security, some good resources can be found in articles from the World Bank, as well as the World Economic Forum.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Today’s guest was Dr. Julia Pezzali. We discussed her work on pet food nutrition as well as a variety of other topics. She is doing some really interesting work on use of cereal grains in pet foods. More information can be found about Dr. Pezzali and her work at her faculty webpage at Iowa State University.
You can find her publications at her Research Gate page.
I have recently found an interesting paper that discusses cereal grains and coproducts in terms of nutrient content for use in pet foods: “Compositional Analysis of Whole Grains, Processed Grains, Grain Co-Products, and Other Carbohydrate Sources with Applicability to Pet Animal Nutrition”, which is free to download at MDPI.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Today’s guest was Dr. Thomas Sinclair, and we discussed his book “Bread, Beer, and the Seeds of Change: Agriculture’s Imprint on World History”. It is a fascinating journey through the history of grains, foods, and humans. I highly recommend it. More information can be found about Professor Sinclair and his work at his faculty webpage at North Carolina State University.
Information about this book can be found at CABI’s website.
CABI has a variety of publications about agriculture, and it has a global reach. They work to help farmers and governments protect livelihoods and the environment, improve food safety and people’s lives. They have outreach and training programs, as well as publishing platforms for knowledge transfer to developing countries. More can be found at their website.
If you are interested in this subject, I have recently found another interesting paper that discusses experimental archaeology: “Reinvigorating Modern Breadmaking Based on Ancient Practices and Plant Ingredients, with Implementation of a Physicochemical Approach”, which is free to download at MDPI.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) is a key non-timber forest product that occurs largely in forested areas in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, including northern Ghana. Harvesting of non-timber products from trees is being promoted worldwide to enhance local food supplies, rural livelihoods, and to increase environmental sustainability and biodiversity. Shea nuts provide fruits for direct consumption, and are typically sold raw as kernels or are further processed into shea butter for cooking or cosmetics. If you are interested in learning more, here is a short documentary from CNN.
US AID has developed a comprehensive roadmap for shea development.
And, if you are interested in science, policy, and opportunities, here is a review paper about shea butter production.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Russia continues to destroy grain export infrastructure in Ukraine. This has global implications to food security. But this is not the first time that grain has been contentious between Russia and Ukraine.
Today our guest is Professor Mark Tauger. He is an expert in agricultural history, especially that of famines in Ukraine, the Soviet Union, and Bengal. Join us as we talk about famines. You can find more information about his background at his faculty webpage at West Virginia University, and his publications at his Academia.edu website.
If you want more information about the state of world food security, I highly recommend the latest publication from the U.N. FAO: The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Is perennial ground cover the future of agriculture?
Since the dawn of the agricultural revolution, humans have been working to increase productivity from the soil. Intensive farming practices in the USA, which include mechanized tillage and fertilizer applications, have resulted in a hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico due to nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from fields. More information about this can be found at NOAA’s website.
A group of researchers is working to change this situation. Dr. Raj Raman from Iowa State University is leading a team that is working to improve the sustainability of cereal production through the use of perennial ground cover (PGC). More about RegenPGC can be found at their website.
Here are two of their journal papers that might be of particular interest to our listeners:
Perennial groundcovers: an emerging technology for soil conservation and the sustainable intensification of agriculture. Emerging Topics in Life Sciences, 5, 337-347. 10.1042/ETLS20200318
Regenerating agricultural landscapes with perennial groundcover for intensive crop production. Agronomy, 9, 458. org/10.3390/agronomy9080458In this episode we talk about PGC, education, and a variety of other topics. The agricultural revolution continues to evolve.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Grain as a weapon? Have you ever heard of food being weaponized? What does this mean? It has happened repeatedly throughout history and is not new.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. We should care because Russia and Ukraine produce approximately 25% of global wheat supply and a large share of other grains. Ukraine alone (at least prior to the war) was exporting approximately 15 of the world’s corn and 10% of the world’s wheat. Food prices, insecurity, and starvation have been rising, especially in countries that are dependent upon these two countries as sources of food. Targeting Ukraine has impacted the world’s food supplies, with people most in need being hardest hit – innocent bystanders.
The USDA has resources and about grain export from Russia and Ukraine. You can find more information here: https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/russia-grain-and-oilseed-exports-expand
https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/outlooks/105619/whs-23a.pdf?v=9791.4
Initially, all exports out of Ukraine ceased, which led to price spikes throughout global commodity trade. Post-invasion, the U.N. and the government of Turkey were able to negotiate the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) which allows Ukrainian grain to be shipped out of a handful of ports in the Black Sea (https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/ukrainian-grain-exports-explained/); but this required mandatory inspections of incoming and outgoing cargo vessels. It was established in order to help meet global grain demand by allowing commodities to be shipped out of Ukraine – corn, wheat, sunflower, and other ag products (64% of Ukrainian wheat has been destined for developing countries while 51% of the corn has been similarly destined). This endeavor has helped global commodity prices stabilize and to even decrease to almost their pre-invasion levels.
On July 17, when this agreement was set for renewal, Russia decided not to extend the deal. Global wheat prices spiked by at least 9% within two days. The New York Times has an excellent piece discussing these developments: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/07/19/world/russia-ukraine-news/wheat-prices-spike-after-russia-declares-all-ukraine-bound-ships-are-possible-military-targets?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
As I prepare this post, stories from the BBC just entered my feed: the Russians have been conducting missile strikes on grain terminals in Odesa: https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66242446.amp
Hopefully we can soon get back to feeding people, especially in developing countries. Stay tuned. This is such an important topic that we will definitely have another episode in the future.
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Cereal grains are staple foodstuffs around the world. Unfortunately, it is estimated that in 2023 nearly 350 million people will suffer from food shortages. How can we help alleviate hunger and starvation?
Global Food Crisis: 10 Countries Suffering the Most From Hunger
Our guest this week talks about global food security issues. Olivia Caillouet is a Soil Health Program Manager at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Prior to that she was a recruiter for Winrock International where she coordinated Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer assignments in Africa (this is how I met Olivia, in fact). She has a Ph.D. from the University of Florida, and M.S. in Agricultural and Extension Services and B.S. in Horticultural Science from the University of Arkansas. Feel free to reach out to her via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ocaillouet.
If you are interested in further information on today's topic, I suggest that you check out the US AID webpage (U.S. Agency for International Development (usaid.gov)) to learn about the US government's activities to help alleviate global hunger and poverty. They have some really amazing programs. I also suggest that you check out Winrock International's page (Winrock International) to learn about the Farmer-to-Farmer program, which is making significant impact in many countries.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (Home | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (fao.org)) has a vast array of country-specific statistics and information about food supplies, poverty, hunger, and related topics.
Finally, I think you will find this article really enlightening:
Please rate this podcast wherever you get your podcasts, and feel free to reach out to me any time. Thanks for listening!
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. -
Light or dark? Which kind of beer do you prefer? Do you like hoppy IPAs?
Me? I like to explore all kinds of flavors. I'm a food scientist after all!
Today's episode builds upon our previous conversation with Dr. Noelle Phillips about the history of beer. This episode is Part 2 of our beer sequence. Our guest today is John Forte, who is the President of Betatec Hop Products, which is part of John I. Haas, the world's oldest and largest hops producer. John joins us today to discuss all things hops and hops acids. Not only do they provide flavors to beer, but they have some amazing antimicrobial properties which are effective against contaminating bacterial for all kinds of industrial fermentations. John has an extensive background, including a Masters degree in International Food Marketing from Saint Joseph's University, an MBA from Rosemont College, a BS from Roosevelt University, and an Advanced Culinary Arts Certificate from the Culinary Institute of America. He can be contacted at [email protected] or on Twitter @Hopsman321.
And if you are interested in the latest scientific research on hops, I suggest checking out a new journal paper that examines the characteristics and effectiveness of various hops acids against bacterial contaminants:
Kolenc, Zala, Tomaž Langerholc, Gregor Hostnik, Miha Ocvirk, Sara Štumpf, Maša Pintarič, Iztok Jože Košir, Andreja Čerenak, Alenka Garmut, and Urban Bren. 2023. "Antimicrobial Properties of Different Hop (Humulus lupulus) Genotypes" Plants 12, no. 1: 120. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12010120
MDPI has also published a special issue which focuses on hops acids for brewing and beyond:
Special Issue "Humulus lupulus: From Field to Glass and Beyond"I suggest listening to today's episode with a rich IPA. Enjoy the hoppy notes while you listen to our conversation!
Our music is Inspiring Cinematic Asia by Lexin Music, which is available at Pixabay. - Show more
