A new way of valuing ecosystem services, incorporating the local perspective, is the driving force behind a project assessing aquatic ecosystems in highland areas of Asia

As policy for European seas moves towards an ecosystem approach in an effort to achieve environmental sustainability, there is resistance to this shift 

Neonicotinoids are under intense scrutiny. But a ban of a broad variety of pesticides may be required to protect bees, humans and the environment.

Research attempts to balance more efficient uptake during cows’ digestion of nitrogen feed fertiliser to help reduce the level of cattles’ flatulences responsible for generating methane, a greenhouse gas

Reusing the by-products of fruit and cereal processing could help promote the sustainability of the food industry, as long as its overall environmental fingerprint is clearly evaluated

An additive for oxygen-based processing of sludge may be useful in specific cases in lowering the environmental impact of waste water treatment for the meat and dairy industries

Food market volatility has yet to be understood and there is no definite proof that it is due to speculators

New research exposes the limitations of environmental models and data sets by providing easy-to-understand pictures displaying the extent of their reliability

Scientists studying way of protecting the environment while encouraging economic growth have mapped cultural and spiritual vulnerabilities for the first time, thus giving new a dimension to the notion of sustainability

The prebiotic potential of seaweed derived nutriments has to be further confirmed before marine nutritional supplements flood the shelves of our health shops

More accurate data regarding the extent to which greenhouse gases stemming from human activity interplays with the balance of carbon stocks in Europe will soon be available to inform policies. But would that make a difference?

Scientists are trying to engineer apples so that the most widely consumed fruit in Europe no longer triggers allergic reactions. But would people want to eat them? 

Monitoring communities of climate sensitive species, such as insects, could enable scientists to develop indicators for climate change effects on biodiversity and help devise policies to protect it

Scientists are targeting disease-causing bacteria present on cows’ skin as an attempt to prevent them from contaminating beef meat, and from posing a threat to consumers’ health. 

The public perception of who can provide safe food evolves all the time and is culturally dependent, whereas people have preferred information channels they’d like to rely on to gain food safety information.

Pan European food safety regulations leave a room for interpretation and could be more precise to help the food industry across Europe be more compliant. 

In this special topic issue, youris.com analyses the current horse meat scandal from a wider perspective. It reports the opinions of a broad variety of experts from across European countries affected by this fraud, namely Romania, Poland, France and the UK.

In the wake of previous food scandals, the public no longer trusts the authorities or the food industry. Reversing the trend would require transparency regarding risk management. 

The current horse meat scandal should ring like an alarm bell regarding the need to be more considerate of the food we eat, in order to ultimately reduce our risks of contracting illnesses. 

Scientists are investigating how shell waste from crustaceans could be turned into polymer precursors as a substitute to petroleum-derived solutions.