From 31 January to 1 February 2022, the Aarhus University Centre for Innovative Food Research, CiFOOD, invites you to a digital conference on the challenges of future food systems, with a focus on sustainability, circularity, climate changes, and lifestyle diseases. The conference is free of charge.

Mario M. Martinez has been awarded a prestigious Sapere Aude research grant of 6.2 million DKK from the Independent Research Fund Denmark. The grant will be used to explore interactions between plant cell walls and flavonoids, which are found in most fruits and vegetables. This knowledge can protect us from the negative effects caused by sugars.

The talented food scientist, Mario Martinez-Martinez from the Department of Food Science received this year's talent prize at the Food Analytics Conference 2021 held by the multinational FOSS Analytical.

With the help of precision fermentation, it is possible to create protein that is up to 10,000 times sweeter than sugar. This means that just about half of milligram of sweet protein can substitute one teaspoon of sugar. Researchers are trying to find out, if consumers will accept food products based on the new technology, and how this can be influenced by market communication.

Professor Lis Wollesen de Jonge from the Department of Agroecology has received the prestigious SSSA award "Don and Betty Kirkham Soil Physics Award" for her great work in research within soil physics. The award is presented by The Soil Science Society of America.

Professor and Head of Department Jørgen E. Olesen is again this year among the world's 6,000 most cited researchers.

A new project supported by the Green Development and Demonstration Program (GUDP) will develop a system that can help farmers map the most optimal route in the field, so that the soil is less compacted and emissions of both nutrients and greenhouse gases are reduced, while crop yields increase.

The Danish Climate Forest Foundation (Klimaskovfond) aims to reduce CO2 and provide more nature. This is the brief for the Climate Forest Foundation, which is just starting its work. Professor and Head for Department Jørgen E. Olesen has been appointed by the Minister for the Environment to participate in the advisory committee, which will ensure the greatest possible impact.

Previous initiatives to reduce the number of dead piglets in Danish pig pens have not been successful – on the contrary, piglet mortality is increasing. New research efforts aim to improve the genetic opportunities to help the piglets survive.

Protein production from insects will be optimized with help from researchers at Aarhus University, Department of Animal Science and corporation partners. This will be achieved through the GUDP funded project EntoFeed, where the nutritional requirements of black soldier fly larvae will be investigated in order to maximize larvae production while reducing environmental impact.

Our eating habits are changing and healthy, sustainable and safe foods for a growing population must be developed. You are welcome, when Aarhus University for the third year in a row presents a panel of researchers for the Uni Food Day on 9 November 2021 - again this year in a digital format.