Rutgers Expert Can Discuss Invasive Plants in N.J. and Alternatives

New Brunswick, N.J. (June 10, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Michele Bakacs is available for interviews on invasive exotic plants in New Jersey that are growing out of control, overrunning forests and other natural areas. She can discuss why this…

Rutgers Expert Can Discuss Ethnic or Exotic Crops in N.J., Mid-Atlantic

New Brunswick, N.J. (June 9, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick ethnic crop research specialist Albert Ayeni is available for interviews on growing non-native crops in New Jersey and the mid-Atlantic, including exotic peppers, okra, roselle (sorrel), tropical spinach (amaranths) and…

Mangrove Trees Won’t Survive Sea-Level Rise by 2050 if Emissions Aren’t Cut

Mangrove trees – valuable coastal ecosystems found in Florida and other warm climates – won’t survive sea-level rise by 2050 if greenhouse gas emissions aren’t reduced, according to a Rutgers co-authored study in the journal Science. Mangrove forests store large amounts of carbon, help protect coastlines and provide habitat for fish and other species. Using sediment data from the last 10,000 years, an international team led by Macquarie University in Australia estimated the chances of mangrove survival based on rates of sea-level rise.

Oyster Farming and Shorebirds Likely Can Coexist

Oyster farming as currently practiced along the Delaware Bayshore does not significantly impact four shorebirds, including the federally threatened red knot, which migrates thousands of miles from Chile annually, according to a Rutgers-led study. The findings, published in the journal Ecosphere, likely apply to other areas around the country including the West Coast and Gulf Coast, where oyster aquaculture is expanding, according to Rutgers experts who say the study can play a key role in identifying and resolving potential conflict between the oyster aquaculture industry and red knot conservation groups.

Binge-eating unhealthy foods during quarantine can make you feel depressed

Many people across the country have resorted to binge eating to cope with the coronavirus, but relying ounhealthy snacks is detrimental in the long run, according to Lina Begdache, assistant professor of health and wellness at Binghamton University, State University…

Algae in the Oceans Often Steal Genes from Bacteria

Algae in the oceans often steal genes from bacteria to gain beneficial attributes, such as the ability to tolerate stressful environments or break down carbohydrates for food, according to a Rutgers co-authored study.
The study of 23 species of brown and golden-brown algae, published in the journal Science Advances, shows for the first time that gene acquisition had a significant impact on the evolution of a massive and ancient group of algae and protists (mostly one-celled organisms including protozoa) that help form the base of oceanic food webs.

Rutgers Experts Can Discuss Food Shortages Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

New Brunswick, N.J. (April 21, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick experts William J. Bamka and Michelle Infante-Casella are available for interviews on food shortages and disruptions in the food supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both work in the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment…

A closer look at agriculture market interruptions during COVID-19

Disruptions caused to the food and agriculture sector’s supply chains by the COVID-19 pandemic are being analyzed by the Texas A&M AgriLife-led Center of Excellence for Cross-Border Threat Screening and Supply Chain Defense Center, or CBTS, a Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Center of Excellence.

Rutgers Food Innovation Center Offers Virtual Food Safety Training

New Brunswick, N.J. (April 13, 2020) – Food safety certificate courses offered by Rutgers’ Food Innovation Center are now available via interactive virtual training, including face-to-face video conferencing. Specialty food industry manufacturers, retailers, distributors and individuals across the food supply…

Rutgers Experts Can Discuss Emissions, Climate Change During COVID-19 Crisis

New Brunswick, N.J. (April 13, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick experts are available for interviews on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on greenhouse gas emissions, climate change and efforts to promote a greener economy and lifestyles. “During the 2007…

Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss Gardening During COVID-19 Crisis

New Brunswick, N.J. (April 7, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Michelle Infante-Casella and other Rutgers faculty and staff are available for interviews on home gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic. In each county in New Jersey, the Agriculture and Natural…

Oysters and Clams Can be Farmed Together

Eastern oysters and three species of clams can be farmed together and flourish, potentially boosting profits of shellfish growers, according to a Rutgers University–New Brunswick study. Though diverse groups of species often outperform single-species groups, most bivalve farms in the United States and around the world grow their crops as monocultures, notes the study in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss How to Handle Groceries at Home

New Brunswick, N.J. (March 31, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Donald W. Schaffner is available for interviews on how to handle groceries safely at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. “If you are concerned about the outside of food packages being contaminated, I suggest…

Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss Healthy Eating During COVID-19 Pandemic

New Brunswick, N.J. (March 27, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick experts are available for interviews on healthy eating during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Visualize breakfast, lunch, and dinner for at least five days. What will you serve? What do you need?” according…

Help line requests for food skyrocket as pandemic spreads

In the first week since COVID-19 was designated a pandemic, requests for food pantries skyrocketed across the United States. Requests for home-delivered meals more than tripled in the same time period, said a Brown School researcher who tracks calls to 2-1-1 help lines across the U.S.Matthew Kreuter, the Kahn Family Professor of Public Health at Washington University in St.

Schedule Announced for Nutrition 2020

Nutrition 2020 is your source for the latest news on food, nutrition and health. This flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, to be held May 30–June 2 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, will feature new research findings and panel discussions addressing hot topics in nutrition science, clinical practice and policy.

Rutgers Expert Offers Tips on How to Maintain Good Nutrition During Social Distancing Due to Coronavirus

Multiple states and countries are instituting shutdowns, curfews, and encouraging social distancing to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 among people. Nonetheless, food and water are needed to survive. Professor Diane Rigassio Radler, director for the Institute for Nutrition Interventions at…

Vitamin D Boosts Chances of Walking After Hip Fracture

Senior citizens who are not vitamin D deficient have a better chance of walking after hip fracture surgery, according to a Rutgers-led study. The findings in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggest that vitamin D deficiency could limit mobility in older adults, said senior author Sue Shapses, a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University–New Brunswick.

Avoiding Chinese restaurants due to unfounded association with coronavirus is latest example of racist consumer behavior against Asians and Asian Americans

Avoiding Chinese restaurants due to an unfounded association with the coronavirus is the latest example of racist consumer behavior against Asians and Asian Americans, according to Robert Ji-Song Ku, chair and associate professor in the Department of Asian and Asian…

Climate Change Could Threaten Sea Snails in Mid-Atlantic Waters

Climate change could threaten the survival and development of common whelk – a type of sea snail – in the mid-Atlantic region, according to a study led by scientists at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. The common, or waved, whelk (Buccinum undatum) is an important commercial species that has been harvested for decades in Europe and Canada for bait and human consumption. Its habitat within the mid-Atlantic region is one of the Earth’s fastest warming marine areas and annual fluctuations in the bottom temperature are among the most extreme on the planet due to unique oceanographic conditions.

DURING NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH®, ACADEMY OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS ENCOURAGES CONSUMERS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW NUTRITION FACTS LABEL

CHICAGO – The updated Nutrition Facts Label can help the public make more informed decisions about their food and beverage choices. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, understanding the label can make you a wiser shopper and help you eat right.

Rutgers Creates ‘Scarlet Sunrise’ Bicolor Grape Tomato

New Brunswick, N.J. (March 3, 2020) – A Rutgers University–New Brunswick tomato breeding team known for developing the ‘Rutgers 250’ tomato has created ‘Scarlet Sunrise,’ a unique and flavorful bicolor grape tomato. The team at Rutgers’ New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station…

Global Cooling After Nuclear War Would Harm Ocean Life

A nuclear war that cooled Earth could worsen the impact of ocean acidification on corals, clams, oysters and other marine life with shells or skeletons, according to the first study of its kind.

New coalition to help hospitals nationwide become healthier in 2020

There’s a movement underway that’s putting the healthy back into health care by ensuring hospitals provide patients with nutritious plant-based food options. In 2020, a new coalition will help hospitals not just in New York but nationwide provide patients plant-based food options that combat rather than contribute to cancer, diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

Parent confidence is key to keeping kids from unhealthy foods

As the countdown to a new school year begins, many parents will soon find themselves facing the often-arduous task of filling the school lunchbox which, despite the best of intentions, often ends up containing more junk food than nutrition.

Cutting kids’ consumption of unhealthy food is the focus on a new study by the University of South Australia and Flinders University, where lead researcher and PhD candidate Brittany Johnson says there is clear connection between parents’ motivations, and their children’s intake of unhealthy foods.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Climate Change Impacts on Land, Wildfires and Solutions

New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 15, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Pamela McElwee is available for interviews on climate change impacts on land, including increasing wildfires such as in Australia and California, and solutions. She is scheduled to testify before…

Two Rutgers Professors Named Fellows of AAAS

Two Rutgers professors have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) this year, an honor awarded to AAAS members by their peers. They join 441 other AAAS members named new fellows because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. The fellows will be presented an official certificate and a gold and blue (representing science and engineering, respectively) rosette pin on Feb. 15 at the AAAS Fellows Forum during the 2020 AAAS Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington.

Eating and Tweeting: What Social Media Reveals about Neighborhood Attitudes on Food

Whether it be arguments about the merits of pumpkin spice or who makes the best chicken sandwich, food is an ever-popular subject on social media. Michigan Medicine researchers turned to Twitter to see what this online culinary discussion reveals about the people behind the posts, and whether the platform could serve as a real-time tool for assessing information valuable to public health researchers.

RealEats wins $1M top prize in Grow-NY business competition

RealEats, a Geneva, New York-based company that delivers freshly made meals using locally sourced ingredients, has been named winner of the $1 million grand prize in the inaugural Grow-NY business competition. RealEats was one of seven finalists to take home prize money during the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit, held Nov. 12-13 at the Joseph A. Floreano Riverside Convention Center in Rochester. The competition, which will also be held in 2020 and 2021, was administered by Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement.

After trade deal, unhealthy foods flowed into Central America, Dominican Republic, study finds

The study analyzes availability of non-nutritious food in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic in the years after the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) was signed between those countries and the U.S.