New Paper: “The Role of Microbiology in Sustainable Food Systems: Challenges and Opportunities”
During the 2021 United Nations General Assembly Science Summit, leaders discussed the role of biology in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One SDG of particular interest is “Goal 2: No hunger,” which sets the objective of ending hunger and achieving food security with improved nutrition through promoting sustainable agriculture. The urgency of this goal is made clear in recent estimates showing that about 1 in 10 people worldwide are suffering from hunger and that nearly 1 in 3 people lack regular access to adequate food.
In this Issues in Brief, Jason Samaroo explores the key role that microbiology can play in achieving this SDG. Microbes can survive and thrive in extreme environments, from the deep sea, where high pressures and temperatures do not support the regular canopy of life, to the vacuum of space, where gravity or even matter does not have to be present for microbes to adapt and survive. Microbes too play an integral role in the production of food. Microbes localized in soil aid in the growth of plants and protect crops from diseases. Microbes make up the preferred source of enzymes across multiple industries — including baking, brewing, dairy, and fermentation — due to their advantages in consistent and cost-effective production when compared to plant or animal sources. Samaroo argues that microorganisms can make more environmentally-conscious and nutritionally-valuable food a near-future reality, thereby helping achieve better, longer-term developmental outcomes.
Jason Samaroo is a PhD candidate in biological sciences at Boston University. He graduated from UNC Charlotte with a BS in biology. Jason is now interested in the intersection of biology and design, specifically how microorganisms can be leveraged to solve longstanding problems, and the development of alternative frameworks that address the impact our food systems have on people and the planet. He was a 2023 Graduate Summer Fellow at the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future.