These three food crops are heat tolerant and very nutritious

It’s only June and heat records have already been broken across the world. In Europe, where I live, parts of the southeastern continent sweltered at nearly 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). Greece experienced its first heat wave on record, dating back to 1890. In the United States, millions of Americans have sought air-conditioned housing in recent days to escape the relentless temperatures. And it’s not an anomaly that’s going to abate anytime soon: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a US federal agency, is forecasting a hotter summer than usual.

In addition to posing a significant health threat, prolonged heat also makes growing food more difficult. Extreme heat and drought can cause yield loss of up to 30%, according to a study published in Nature. Crucial crops like wheat, which is planted in the fall and harvested in early summer, could suffer devastating losses if temperatures exceed their physiological tolerance. A recent report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change describes the worst possible scenario of simultaneous crop failures of staple crops including rice, wheat, corn and soybeans. If this were to happen, we would see an increase in world hunger.

In addition to fortifying our staple crops with the latest scientific advances in crop breeding and protection, we must not neglect alternative sources of high-quality nutrients that can grow in harsh, hot environments. Here are three that come to mind:

1) Millet

Millet is an ancient cereal consumed in Africa and Asia. “It is very climate resilient as it can grow in unfavorable conditions of high temperatures, thirty to sixty degrees centigrade,” says Dr. Anil Kumar Anal, professor of food science and chairman of the university’s department of food innovation, nutrition and health. program at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand. “Similarly, millets are resistant to drought, disease and pests in various climates and ecosystems. The carbon and water footprint is much lower than that of other cereals such as rice, wheat and corn.

Millet grows quickly, even in small spaces. A single millet plant can even produce a few kilos of grain. It is packed with nutrients, is rich in dietary fiber, protein with all essential amino acids in varying concentrations, as well as minerals like iron and zinc, which are generally higher than those of other grains. It also has a low glycemic index, which won’t spike your blood sugar, and it’s gluten-free.

About eight or nine years ago, millet was considered an underutilized crop, but that is changing. In fact, the United Nations has designated 2023 as the International Year of Millets to raise awareness about its nutritional benefits.

“There is still more scientific research to be done to improve processing and improve the digestibility of millet so that we can see more value-added products on supermarket shelves,” Kumar Anal said.

His lab is studying how to reduce the amount of antinutrients found in millet, such as tannins, phytic acid, and polyphenols that interfere with nutrient absorption and digestion. Several promising methods include germination and fermentation, which reduce anti-nutrients after processing by 80 to 90 percent, while improving the digestibility of its amino acids, minerals and vitamins. The product obtained could be flour intended for baking or gluten-free noodles, for example. His lab is also exploring the use of 3D printing to improve texture, taste and protein concentrations to produce plant-based meat analogues.

“It is one of the crops that will need to be further developed in the coming years, because its future potential is quite high in the global market,” he says. Even in people’s gardens, this can yield a good yield for a sustainable source of nutrition without using a lot of water or chemical inputs.

2) Chickpeas

Chickpeas are loved around the world for their mild flavor and texture, as well as their nutritional attributes – and they also grow well in hot, dry conditions. They naturally rejuvenate the soil by fixing their own nitrogen and use water efficiently.

California startup NuCicer, which received a minority investment from my team at Leaps, is now breeding improved chickpeas optimized by analysis of wild-type genetic data to produce varieties up to 75% higher in protein than traditional varieties. traditional. stores. They also taste even more neutral and milder than basic chickpeas.

CEO Kathryn Cook explains that NuCicer’s ambitions don’t stop at enhanced protein content: “As we look beyond our commercially available high-protein variety, we focus on the key characteristics that support our growing partners, including yield, disease tolerance and growing season length. reducing the need for chemical inputs while improving the economic value of chickpea ingredients.

An integrated system of mixing chickpea flour with whole grains, she adds, can enrich people’s diets with more fiber and protein. Chickpeas are considered a specialty crop in North America and Europe, although they are a staple crop in India, the Middle East and Africa.

“We don’t need to compromise between flavor, price and sustainability. With our improved technology and ingredients, the final step is to encourage food brands to change their formulations,” says Cook.

The good news is that it’s already in the works. Application testing on pastas, puffs, waffles and breakfast cereals is complete, and products that count NuCicer’s protein-rich chickpeas among their ingredients are expected to hit shelves in North America more late this year or early next year.

3) Algae

Seaweed is a rapidly growing industry that relies on a highly sustainable and nutritious food. There are over 12,000 varieties of seaweed that have their own nutritional profile, but each is packed with valuable compounds. And it’s beneficial for the environment.

“Seaweed farms create local habitats for marine species, increasing biodiversity,” says Simon Davis, founder and chief executive of Seadling, a five-year-old Malaysia-based startup that grows seaweed and makes seaweed-based ingredients. algae. “It also reduces ocean acidity and captures carbon. »

The carbon aspect is still early science, and some groups are working to determine the amount and rates of carbon capture allowed by algae, so there is no commercial market for it yet.

Today, around fifty startups are working in the algae field. Seadling, for example, specializes in seaweed as an ingredient for food manufacturers, focusing on pets. One of the company’s innovations is algae fermentation, which improves the functional properties of algae. Seadling packages the extract as a plant biostimulant for farmers and plans a new line of products for human consumption.

Davis says the quality of cultivated seaweed seed is declining, so his company is developing its own seed varieties that grow faster, have a higher yield and are more resilient to rising ocean temperatures and diseases. His team identifies superior strains in nature, creates higher quality seeds through a lab-to-ocean pipeline approach, grows them in land-based hatcheries, then transfers them to the ocean, where the algae are attached on ropes and floats on the surface. It grows so quickly that it is harvested every six weeks, all year round.

The nutritional benefits of their fermented seaweed products include prebiotic oligosaccharides for gut health and vitamin K2, which is linked to brain, bone and cardiovascular health.

While it’s disheartening to see this summer’s heat settling in for a long stay, I’m encouraged by the innovative researchers and startups that are producing climate-resilient, nutrient-packed foods. There’s no better win-win than health for the planet and health for us.

Thanks to Kira Peikoff for additional research and reporting on this article.