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Newsletter: May 2024
Welcome to the latest edition of the Exeter Food Research Network newsletter.
Have you recently published work on a food-related theme, completed a project, or been awarded a grant? Are you planning an event that colleagues should know about, or have you heard of such events elsewhere? Are you aware of opportunities or resources that might be of interest to other network members? Please email Exeter Food.
Contents:
NEWS | EVENTS | OPPORTUNITIES | RESOURCES
NEWS
New publication- Farming in the shadow of violent organisations: understanding farmers’ relational place‑making in socio‑ecological crises
This paper by Exeter Food member Stefano Pascucci looks into how farmers in Naples and Caserta, Italy, respond to environmental crimes committed by the Camorra Mafia, affect their communities. Despite challenges in collective mobilisation, a subset of farmers has reacted to issues like land exploitation and illegal dumping. Investigating the waste crisis in the "Land of Fires," the study highlights farmers' varied responses to organised violence and environmental crime, shaping unique place-based narratives and practices within this context. The study was presented in its early version at an Exeter Food pechakucha event last year and the full report is available from ResearchGate.
Exeter Food Industry Research Forum
The Exeter Food Industry Research Forum met on Friday 3rd May in The Deck at the Innovation Centre on Streatham Campus. The forum is convened by Exeter Food’s Industry and Enterprise Stakeholder Working Group. It brings individuals with experience in the food industries together with Exeter Food academics and academic support from Exeter Innovation to discuss industry developments as well as the challenges and research opportunities arising from them. At this meeting, themes discussed included automation and AI in the food sector and their relationship with labour in the sector; and conflicting views on “natural foods”, from marketing narratives and consumer preferences to regulatory frameworks.
EVENTS
Food on Film: The Ants and the Grasshopper
The Ants and the Grasshopper is the next in the Food on Film series, being screened on 22nd May at the Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street. The film sees a group of Malawian farmers impacted by climate change head to the US to try to persuade producers there that it won’t be long before they start to feel the effects too. For more information and to book tickets visit the Exeter Phoenix website.
The third Exeter Food Pechakucha seminar
Thursday 23 May 9:45-11:15 join us via TEAMS
These events are designed to allow us to familiarise ourselves with what colleagues across the University are working on, to offer them input, and spark ideas for future collaborations. Presentations will be short (7-8 minutes), followed by discussion time. The speakers are:
Molly Rose Bond, Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Following Stevia (Ka’a he’ê): Indigenous herb to cash DNA. Un-earthing lab-grown food futures.
Tim Taylor, Associate Professor in Environmental and Public Health Economics
The Food, Health and Environment Nexus: Perspectives from an Economist
Naomi Sykes The Lawrence Professor of Archaeology. Fair Game: valuing the bio-cultural heritage of fallow deer and their venison for food security, sustainable woodlands and biodiversity.
Andy Cunliffe Oppenheimer Senior Research Fellow and African Landscape Systems Programme Leader. Understanding social-ecological system (in)stability with remote sensing, supporting environmental sustainability in Africa, and a funding finder to enhance global collaboration. For more information visit the Exeter Food website.
Exeter Food Network Penryn Food Showcase
Tuesday 25th June 10:00-15:00 at the Penryn Campus
The event will bring together University of Exeter researchers from our Cornwall and Devon campuses, stakeholders, students, and interested members of the public. It’s a showcase of food research conducted by colleagues in Penryn. A lunch, featuring foods from Cornwall, will be served and transportation by coach will be provided from the Streatham Campus.
For more information about the programme and to register, please visit the EventBrite page.
CRPR Seminar 2: Jonathan Baker, Defra- Environmental land management and the agricultural transition in England, where are we, and why?
Wednesday 22nd May 10:45-12:15, Byrne House Boardroom or via TEAMS
Jonathan Baker is a senior civil servant working on farming reform in England. In this seminar, he will discuss progress in reforming farming policy, provide insights into decision-making processes and demonstrate how policy makers use evidence, advise Ministers and set strategy in complex change programmes. Please email CRPR@Exeter.ac.uk if you plan on attending this seminar in person.
Always Enough: A Global Food Memoir with Annette Anthony and Julian Time
Thursday 30th May 2024 18:00-20:00
Black Britain and Beyond invite you to this conversation and book signing to celebrate the release of Annette Anthony's forthcoming book, Always Enough: A Global Food Memoir (May 2024). Anthony's debut book weaves her passion for the connectivity of food with her fascinating personal journey.
The free event will be held at UCL Bidborough House, 38-50 Bidborough Street, London WC1H 9BT. For more information and to register visit the Eventbrite page
Using Creative Processes in Participatory Research workshop.
Tuesday 4th June 9:30-14:30, The Collaboratory, Streatham Court
The HASS ECR Network are hosting an interactive workshop aimed at exploring the intersection of arts, digital technologies, and participatory research. Led by expert practitioners from within and beyond the University, this event is designed to spark creativity and create connections with like-minded researchers and creative professionals. Funded by an Early Career Researcher Network (ECRN) Enhancement Award, the workshop is free and includes refreshments and lunch with additional networking opportunities. For more details and to register, visit Eventbrite or contact Catherine Broomfield.
Nutrition Science and Innovation: Powerful Partnerships for the Future
Tuesday 4th June 1-2pm, webinar
The foods and drinks we consume can profoundly impact our health, and unhealthy diets are a major contributor to the global disease burden. At the same time, our food systems strongly impact environmental sustainability. There is an urgent need to address both challenges and innovative, forward-looking solutions are essential. Nutrition research plays a key role, but its effectiveness lies in translating findings to tackle some of the major diet- and health-related challenges we face. Collaborative partnerships between funders, researchers and the food industry, as currently being undertaken through the Diet and Health Open Innovation Research Club (OIRC), help to bridge the gap between research and practical application.
This British Nutrition Foundation webinar brings together academics and entrepreneurs to discuss how collaboration is key to translating nutrition research into innovative solutions for a healthier and more sustainable food supply. For more information and to register visit the BNF website.
Recipes for Collaboration - Food Drink Devon & the CRPR event
Tuesday 11th June 09:00- 16:30, Reed Hall, Streatham Campus
Food Drink Devon & the Centre for Rural Policy Research invite all University of Exeter researchers to attend this in-person event bringing together researchers from the CRPR and members of Food Drink Devon to explore possibilities for future collaboration. Please contact Melissa Hawkins CRPR@exeter.ac.uk for more information and to register to attend.
UK Metamaterials Network (UKMMN): Metamaterials for Food
Wednesday 12th June 10:00-16:00, Sheffield Hallam, National Centre of Excellence for Food Engineering (NCEFE) [Registration deadline 24th May]
Metamaterials and metasurfaces present promising solutions to an extraordinarily wide array of enduring challenges within the food industry. They introduce innovative methods for altering mouthfeel sensory experiences, non-invasive content monitoring through to improving food processing capabilities. Yet, the full potential of this field remains largely untapped. This event is designed to unite researchers and industry professionals to address sector-specific needs and explore the solutions that metamaterials can provide. By pooling expertise, we aim to tackle significant challenges together.
This event will focus discussions on how academic and industry stakeholders in the metamaterials for food can work together to access and influence funding for large funding calls. This will focus on workshopping ideas in this space.
OPPORTUNITIES
Exeter Food is keen to support members in the development of research proposals. If you have an idea that you would like to explore in a “sandpit” with colleagues and potential partners, or a draft proposal on which you would like feedback from colleagues, please contact the network lead, Harry G West.
Call for Proposals ISGSS Congress "Shaping Gastronomy Regenerating Food Systems and Societies"
International Gastronomical Society Congress on "Shaping Gastronomy Regenerating Food Systems and Societies" is now accepting proposals. Submissions are invited for oral contributions and posters. Choose from seven thematic areas or to one of the open panels. Visit the Congress website for more information. To submit, please complete these poster or oral proposal forms ahead of the deadline on Saturday 18th May.
2024 Scholars' Grants from the CHNY
The Culinary Historians of New York (CHNY) are accepting submissions for the 2024 CHNY Scholars’ Grant, supported by the Julia Child Foundation. This year, three grants totalling $7,500 will be awarded to individuals aged 18 and above. The grants support research and scholarship in culinary history, covering projects such as books, articles and films. Applicants can visit http://www.culinaryhistoriansny.org/ for application details and forms. Winners will be announced in July, and the grants can be used for research expenses, conference attendance, or other project-related activities. The deadline for applications is Friday 31st May.
FSA Consultation on food regulation and authorisation
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) are seeking input on initial proposals for legislative reform, aimed at streamlining the authorisation process for regulated food and feed products. This consultation targets stakeholders' feedback on two key proposals: eliminating renewal requirements for certain products and enabling authorisations to take effect upon publication following ministerial decision. These changes are intended to enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of the authorisation process, reflecting the need for adaptation in the face of evolving food industry innovation. Stakeholders are encouraged to provide input on the proposed reforms and their potential impacts outlined in the consultation pack which is available from the FSA website, and any additional considerations. The deadline to contribute is Wednesday 5th June.
NFU Mutual Centenary Award 2024 - postgrad agriculture bursaries
Rural insurer, NFU Mutual, has launched its 2024 Centenary Award, which provides postgrad bursaries for studies supporting UK agriculture. The award pays up to 75% of course fees for selected applicants, both Masters and PhD students, who start their studies during the 2024/25 academic year. For full details of the award and to apply, visit the NFU Mutual website. The closing date for applications is Sunday 30th June.
RESOURCES
Does CRISPR make our food unnatural?
This discussion with Dr. Lauren Crossland-Marr, a food anthropologist and host of the podcast A CRISPR Bite, delved into the implications of gene-edited foods for our future. It explored whether CRISPR technology truly accelerates natural breeding processes, if innovations like gene editing effectively tackle underlying issues in our food systems, and whether there's room for consensus on this divisive topic. The recording is available to view from the Table Debates website.
The Hope Farm Statement
In a watershed statement food businesses have joined with farmers' organisations, citizens, and campaigners to call on the government to prioritise an ambitious food and farming strategy and introduce binding, cohesive food system targets and policies to improve the public’s health, boost farm resilience, and protect nature and the environment. The Hope Farm Statement is available to view in full from the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission (FFCC) website.
Unintended consequences of Environmentally Friendly Diets
Amid worldwide concerns about health, climate change, and biodiversity, attention has turned to the pivotal role of our diets. Unhealthy eating habits contribute significantly to global disease, while food systems worsen climate change and environmental degradation. Efforts continue to develop sustainable food systems, but a recent review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition warns of potential trade offs, including potential nutrient shortages despite the environmental gains. This Food Tank article underscores the necessity of collaboration among scientists, policymakers, and programme implementers to create food systems that prioritise both sustainability and nutrition for people and the planet.
Waste Not, Want Not: Food as a Major Sustainability Lever?
Explore the latest insights from Hospitality Net World Panel experts as they examine the two crucial topics of eliminating food waste and transforming diets for socio-economic, climate, and biodiversity benefits. Despite widespread recognition of the need for sustainability, many individuals and hospitality managers struggle to translate intention into action. Discover the barriers hindering progress and uncover practical solutions in the experts' analysis. Access the full article, "Waste Not, Want Not: Food as a Major Sustainability Lever?" from the Hospitality Net website.
Exeter Food is coordinated by Professor Harry West
Please email us to submit items for future newsletters by the last Friday of each month. To find out more about our work, please get in touch with us.
