Cafestol, C₂₀H₂₈O₃, is a compound, specifically a diterpene alcohol, found in coffee beans. It is extracted during the coffee-brewing process and may be present in coffee beverages, depending on the preparation method. Consumption of cafestol in coffee has been shown to produce both positive and negative health effects. See also: Coffee; Terpene

In the future, will global demand for coffee outstrip supply? The International Coffee Organization thinks so, based on droughts in Central America, crop-destroying freezing weather in Brazil, and global climate change. In general, coffee is a very temperature- and drought-sensitive crop. Coffee is also susceptible to more than 350 known diseases. Add in the growing popularity of coffee—currently the second most consumed beverage worldwide (excluding water), after tea—and a potential coffee shortage looms. Because the coffee plant grows best high up in tropical mountain forests, cultivating more coffee plants through deforestation is not a sustainable option. To sustainably shore up the coffee supply, researchers at the Technical Research Center (VTT) in Finland have developed a process for producing coffee in the laboratory by growing the product in bioreactors. The ultimate question that the researchers had to answer was, “How does lab-grown coffee taste?” The short answer is that it tastes and smells just like natural coffee. See also: Coffee; Bioreactor; Deforestation; Extreme weather events; Global climate change; Sustainability

The olive tree (Olea europaea) is an ancient cultivated plant that was originally domesticated by early civilizations in the eastern Mediterranean regions. Today, the major olive-producing countries are Spain, Italy, Greece, and Turkey, which provide about 60–70% of the world's olives. However, the olive trees of Italy are being threatened by the spread of a deadly bacterial pathogen, Xylella fastidiosa, which causes olive leaf scorch. Specifically, the bacterium prevents water movement (via the xylem transport system) in infected trees, causing the leaves of the olive tree to turn yellow and brown, and then fall off. The loss of leaves is in turn followed by a withering of the branches, and the tree eventually collapses and dies. So far, the bacterium is decimating the olive groves located in the Apulia region of southern Italy. The pathologic condition, termed olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS), is a serious one, and it is feared that it will spread to other olive-growing areas of Europe. It is also possible that the bacterium may infect other fruiting trees and plants, including plum, almond, and citrus fruit trees, as well as grapevines. See also: Domestication (anthropology); Fruit; Fruit, tree; Horticultural crops; Lamiales; Olive; Plant pathology; Plant-water relations; Xylem

Organic foods are plant and animal products certified as having been produced by organic farming practices, which generally prohibit the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormone, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and which encourage the use of natural farming practices such as crop rotation, manure for fertilizer, and outdoor access for animals. Prohibited substances and best farming practices vary among countries where organic food is produced. See also: Agricultural science (animal); Agricultural science (plant); Agricultural soil and crop practices; Agriculture; Antibiotic; Fertilizer; Genetically engineered plants; Genetically modified crops; Pesticide

Pesticides—including insecticides and herbicides—are chemical products used to control, reduce, or eliminate organisms that are harmful to cultivated plants. However, the use of pesticides on plants that provide foods for human consumption is often controversial because the benefits stemming from the unmatched ability of certain pesticides to control pests can be counterbalanced by adverse effects on the environment. In particular, numerous fruits and vegetables that are commonplace food items are prone to be contaminated by pesticide residues. Therefore, governmental protection agencies routinely monitor and test fruits and vegetables to ensure that these foods are safe for human consumption. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are responsible for verifying that pesticide-residue levels in foods are low and that quality production standards are met. See also: Agricultural chemistry; Agricultural science (plant); Chemical ecology; Environmental toxicology; Food; Fruit; Fruit, tree; Herbicide; Horticultural crops; Insecticide; Pesticide

Food insecurity—when people lack reliable access to enough nutritious and affordable food—is predicted to increase significantly over the next two decades. Extreme events caused by climate change, human conflicts, and pest and disease outbreaks are projected to drive this increase. Although individual problems relating to these events have been studied, researchers have noted an overall lack of cohesiveness in considering these problems and their potential solutions in combination. For example, an abundance of research has examined the effects of climate change on crop yield, but not on how these effects subsequently impact supply chains. In response to this knowledge gap, an international team of researchers has newly conducted a study in which they asked 69 food system experts, ranging from academics to leaders of government and non-governmental organizations in a variety of fields, to identify the most serious threats to food security for the next two decades. The researchers further asked how these threats should be addressed as part of a horizon scan and priority-setting exercise activity. Through the expert panel, 39 distinct threats were identified. All these threats were then presented to each expert, who subsequently ranked the threats based on (1) their impact on food security and (2) probability of happening. The goal of this exercise was to identify priorities for researchers and funders who are in positions to address global food security issues moving forward. See also: Agricultural soil and crop practices; Food manufacturing; Food preservation; Food processing; Global climate change; Probability; Supply chain management

To better understand the nutritional effects (health benefits), chemical composition, growing conditions, and shelf life of microgreens, a team of researchers reviewed the science behind them in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (October 2018). Microgreens are one- to three-inch-tall herb and vegetable seedlings harvested above their roots about 10 to 14 days after germination just as their first pair of leaves appear, visually looking more like stems and seed leaves (cotyledons). These very young vegetable greens have been used by chefs for years as a garnish because of their colors and flavors. Beyond esthetics, microgreens are packed more densely with nutrients than mature vegetables, making them an interesting subject for food and nutritional scientists. Among commercially grown microgreens are arugula, broccoli, green daikon radish, purple mustard, and red cabbage. See also: Broccoli; Cabbage; Food; Mustard; Nutrition; Radish; Seed; Seed germination

On October 9, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of seven synthetic food flavoring additives: benzophenone, ethyl acrylate, eugenyl methyl ether, myrcene, pulegone, pyridine, and styrene. The use of benzophenone as a plasticizer in materials in contact with food was also banned. According to the FDA, the seven substances were banned because they were found to cause cancer in laboratory animals. Although the ban is effective immediately, the FDA has given food manufacturers 24 months to find suitable replacement ingredients. See also: Food; Food packaging; Mutagens and carcinogens; Pyridine; Spice and flavoring; Styrene

Various studies over the years have suggested that naturally occurring compounds in chocolate called flavanols can confer some health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure. Two reports of research emerging in 2014 may help to explain why. See also: Cacao; Cocoa powder and chocolate; Disease; Nutrition