Topic 2: Part A Flashcards
Agriculture revolution
12000 BC. planting and harvesting of crops domestication of animals and plants. security of food suppl
Salting
method of preservation was mastered in europe approx. 500 BC and salt was a major commodity
Late 15th century when ..
wheat was introduced to Canada
Industrial revolution 18-19th century
- technological change
- transportation of food a priority
- refrigeration and drying developed in 19th century
- canning methods developed in 1780s
- pasteurization
Decrease in biodiversity began with the green revolution which is..
dramatic increase in food production in the 60’s due to new seeds developed from crossbreeding
Science revolution in 20th century was about
biotechnology and planting of high yield wheat varieties (monoculture, fertilizers etc)
4 methods of increasing food productivity
- agriculture chemicals
- aquaculture
- irrigation
- biotechnology
Agriculture chemicals
fertilizers and pesticides increase crop yield and quality when applied appropriately. indiscriminate use can contaminate the water we drink and plants/animals we eat
Aquaculture
practice of mass production of fish in ponds or in floating cages in rivers, lakes or sea. f
Aquaculture food safety concerns include
- exposure to chemical pollution and oil spills
- residual levels of drugs and medications in the flesh of fish
- drugs and medications are required to prevent spread of diseases in such dense fish populations
Irrigation
involves providing water to crops. helps provide a wide variety of food that would otherwise be less available
Irrigation concerns
- high salt in soil
- cost of fuel to pump will increase
- high disease ( >30 diseases have been linked to irrigation projects and dams in tropical countries)
Biotechnology
practice of genetic engineering to make useful biological products
Genetic engineering
manipulation of the genetic material of living organisms
Biotechnology has been used to..
a. improve resistance of food crops to pest infestation
b. increase crop yield
c. extend shelf life
d. improve food texture / taste
e. improve quality attributes
f. enhance nutritional content
g. increase yield from animals
h. improve health of animals
i. enhance quality of product derived
Examples of genetic engineering
- delayed ripening in tomato fruits.
- chymosin/rennin used for cheese making
- rice with high % lysine
- poultry producing eggs with high % lysozyme
- corn with high % of protein for animal feed
- high gluten content of what and barley flours
Bovine somatotropin hormone (BST)
genetic engineering, called bovine growth hormone, improves milk production in cows 10-14%. not approved in Canada.
Plants and animals modified by genetic engineering are called
transgenic
Genetic engineering of corn, soybeans and canola
altered to increased % of more desirable unsaturated fats
Plants developed to have //
resistance to frost.
Lactoferrin (essential form of iron)
found in human milk being introduced to cows milk.
Golden rice
- psy (phytoene synthase) from daffodil
- crtl (phytoene desaturase) from soil bacterium
What the biotechnology industry says
- Genetic engineering is an extension of plant breeding techniques
- Genetically engineered foods are not nutritionally different from conventional foods
- The potential for benefits is immense, especially with improving agricultural practices
Pros of biotechnology
- minimize food shortages (Food production maximized, reduced spoilage due to delayed ripening, improved resistance to heat)
- reduce environmental impact of food production. breeding plants resistant to disease can lessen need for pesticides
- improve nutritional health of individuals (breed foods to contain high levels of nutrients
Organically grown crops
crops grown and processed according to regulations define the due of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, preservatives and other chemical ingredients
Meat and dairy products may also be called organic if..
the livestock has been raised on organic feed with use of hormones, and antibiotics according to regulations
Producers may not claim products are organic if they have been..
- irradiated
- genetically engineered
- grown with fertilizer made form sewer sludge
Organic farming is associated with ..
reduced farm costs, increased soil quality due to the decrease chemical impact on the environment (dragon flies to control mosquitoes)
Organic food product are usually more..
expensive but offer no nutritional advantage
General principles of organic production
- Protect the environment
- Maintain long-term soil fertility
- Maintain biological diversity
- Recycle and maintain resources to the greatest extent possible
- Provide attentive care to livestock
The belief that organic food has a high nutritional quality than conventional food is only..
middle supported by scientific evidence. may be higher in Vit C and phytochemical but reports are inconsistent.
What factors affect the growing season
- soil quality
- types of seeds used
- temperature
- amount of light
Organic not always safer example
use of unprocessed animal manure as an organic fertilizers may transmit bacteria such as E. Coli to humans
Challenge in organic farming is “nutrient mining” where..
nutrients are removed from the soil in the form of crops, its impossible to replace all nutrients with livestock manure and compost
Canada has created mandatory regulations and standards for organic foods called the
organic products regulations as of june 2009
The CFIA works with certification bodes to ensure that Canada wide standards are ..
met and a special logo identifying the food as organic is used on packaging that’s used on organic foods and multi ingredient food products containing at least 95% organic ingredients
Foods contain 70-95% organic ingredients can make labelling claims about organic ingredients such as..
- contains organic ingredients
- contains 70% organic,
- CANNOT use organic label
Canada creates regulations but the CFIA..
enforces them
