Food science

Dubcovsky lab seeks non-allergenic wheat

Jorge Dubcovsky’s ground-breaking research on wheat genetics will receive an additional seven years of support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dubcovsky and team, in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, are looking for ways to make wheat less likely to spark allergic reactions in people – a condition that affects about 3 million Americans.

Picnic Day 2023: How to pop popcorn

At Picnic Day, one of the most popular exhibits is the popcorn shelling machine, in front of the Plant and Environmental Sciences building. Visitors grab a few ears of special corn grown just for popping and toss them down a shaft. Two mighty wheels break the kernels off the cobs and spit the cobs out one chute. Down a second chute clatter the kernels, which are scooped into a bag for folks to take home.

Then what??? This next part is even more fun – be sure to include the kids!

Study Challenges Evolutionary Theory That DNA Mutations Are Random

A simple roadside weed may hold the key to understanding and predicting DNA mutation, according to new research from University of California, Davis, and the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Germany.

The findings, published today in the journal Nature, radically change our understanding of evolution and could one day help researchers breed better crops or even help humans fight cancer.

Sustainable intensification for a larger global rice bowl

Rice is the main staple food for more than half of the global population, and as the world population grows, demand for rice is expected to grow, too. The challenge is how to produce more rice on existing cropland, and do so while minimizing the environmental impact. Here the authors, including Bruce Linquist, provide an analysis of roadmaps toward sustainable intensification for a larger global rice bowl. The research was published Dec. 9 in Nature Communications.

Would You Eat Ugly Produce? Beth Mitcham Explains Quality

Postharvest specialist Beth Mitcham, a faculty member in the Plant Sciences department at UC Davis, compares quality and cost of “imperfect” fruits and vegetables to store-bought produce. She notes that imperfect produce can be just as good, less expensive, and reduce food waste. VIDEO: Good Morning America.