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French cattle breeding faces a major challenge: the management of inbreeding and its corollary, the appearance of recessive genetic anomalies affecting the health and sustainability of herds. A proof-of-concept study conducted by INRAE geneticists, in partnership with the Institut de l'élevage (IDELE), ELIANCE, the 4 French veterinary schools (ENVF) and the main French breeding organizations and companies, proposes a new approach to identifying and countering these anomalies.

L'alimentation serait responsable d'environ 30% des décès dus aux maladies cardiovasculaires. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality in Western Europe, accounting for 1/3 of deaths in 2019. Diet is thought to be responsible for around 30% of such deaths. Nutrition-related prevention policies therefore constitute a major public health challenge for these diseases.

In France, 46 regional cheeses possess protected designation of origin (PDO) status. France's rich regional landscapes, terroirs, shape the microbial diversity of PDO cheeses, giving rise to their unique flavours. Researchers from INRAE, CEA, CNAOL, and CNIEL made this remarkable discovery after analysing the bacteria, yeasts, and moulds found in over 2,000 samples of French PDO cheeses and in nearly 400 milk sources.

Farm saved seed is seed that comes from farmers' own harvests, which they then sow in their fields the following crop year. This practice, which is common for certain field crops, sometimes involves royalty payments to finance seed research. A team from INRAE studied existing systems in Europe and Australia and showed that royalties on farm saved seed generally increases profits for all the economic players involved, from farmers to breeders of protected varieties.

Since January 1, 2023, the Egalim law has required public establishments to offer a vegetarian option every day. In line with this, the Crous are aiming for 30% vegetarian meals by 2025. One of the main obstacles to be overcome to reach this objective is the acceptability of such a measure by students.

Jannis Brandt Unsplash The intestinal immune system is an indispensable intermediary in the complex association between diet and metabolism: without it, the dietary fibers present in fruit and vegetables cannot play a proper part in regulating blood sugar levels in the body. Researchers at Inserm and Sorbonne University have now demonstrated that a certain type of immune cell is essential for the beneficial effect of dietary fibre on carbohydrate metabolism.

Comprising billions of microorganisms, the gut microbiota progressively matures after birth in humans and other animals. While environmental factors, and especially diet, are known to have a major influence on microbiota development and composition, the role of genetics remains a topic of debate. In a groundbreaking study recently published in Microbiome, INRAE researchers used pigs to experimentally demonstrate that gut microbiota composition is partly heritable.

The fungus Magnaporthe oryzae ravages rice and wheat crops and poses a formidable threat to human food on a global scale. Researchers from INRAE, CIRAD and the Université de Montpellier, together with the Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Centre (HHRRC) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have discovered a gene in rice for resistance to this pathogen, challenging the findings of a study that remained the reference for 25 years.

A new study, published by scientists from CIRAD and INRAE, provides a state-of-the-art assessment of the risk of Desert Locust invasions in West and North Africa, by analyzing 40 years of field data and climate records. The study reveals that preventive management measures have been successful in countering the favorable effects of climate change on outbreaks of the pest.

Bird flu control for pandemic prevention must start before poultry reach wet markets, new research finds Research published today reveals the speed at which avian influenza ('bird flu') can spread in Asia's live bird markets and the urgent need to pivot pandemic prevention strategies. The paper, from senior scientists in the GCRF One Health Poultry Hub, describes how a computer model of avian influenza virus transmission was for the first time input with biological data obtained from chickens in live bird markets (also known as wet markets).

Emulsifiers are among the additives most widely used by the food industry, helping to improve the texture of food products and extend their shelf life. Researchers from Inserm, INRAE, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Université Paris Cité and Cnam, as part of the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (CRESS-EREN), studied the possible links between the dietary intake of food additive emulsifiers and the onset of type 2 diabetes between 2009 and 2023.

How can we know what chickens are feeling? An INRAE research team were able to uncover various degrees of redness on chickens' faces depending on their emotional state, while, at the same time, demonstrating that the skin of chickens that were used to humans stayed lighter in colour, thereby indicating a calmer state when humans were nearby.

Emulsifiers are among the additives most widely used by the food industry, helping to improve the texture of food products and extend their shelf life. Researchers from Inserm, INRAE, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Université Paris Cité and Cnam, as part of the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (CRESS-EREN), studied the possible links between the dietary intake of food additive emulsifiers and the onset of type 2 diabetes between 2009 and 2023.

For the first time, a study by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from Aix-Marseille Université and Sorbonne Paris Nord University, including specialists in the fields of communication, nutrition, epidemiology and public health, has shown that displaying the Nutri-Score on food products in advertisements would lead consumers to choose healthier foods.

INRAE, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux and Université de Bourgogne have analysed trends to come in current and developing winegrowing regions around the world to adapt wine production to climate change. The results of the study, published in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, show that some 90% of coastal and low-altitude regions in southern Europe and California may no longer be able produce good wine in economically sustainable conditions by the end of the century if global warming exceeds +2°C.

The scientific community has been sounding the alarm over the effects of pesticide use on human health and the disappearance of numerous species in agricultural environments for half a century. As early as 1962, Rachel Carson's pioneering work predicted "silent springs" caused by the decline of birds, the collateral victims of pesticides via the poisoning of environments and the disappearance of insects.

Researchers at INRAE analysed the market and non-market impacts of the European Green Deal on the European agrifood system. Substantial positive impacts on the climate, the environment and public health require simultaneous action on agricultural production, food losses and waste, and eating patterns.

As heatwaves intensify in France, we need to adapt our crops. A new study by INRAE and Institut Agro reveals the genome regions involved in tolerance to extreme temperatures in grapevines - thanks to an experiment using the exceptional canicular episode of June 2019. Results published on February 7 in New Phytologist.

Biodiversity-friendly livestock farms could be a real source of inspiration! Some positive news for the planet drawn from the conclusions of a study revealing how farm design and management can provide a window of opportunity for nature. Results published in the January 2024 issue of Agricultural Systems.

A major breakthrough has been unveiled in Nature Communications, revealing the results of an in-depth study on the beneficial effect of temporal crop diversification in reducing pesticide use in France. These results, based on a detailed analysis of more than 14,000 observations, pave the way for an in-depth understanding of the links between temporal crop diversity and dependence on pesticides, be they fungicides, insecticides or herbicides.