Bivalves at Work: Quantifying Nutrient Removal Services in UK Coastal Waters

Publication history: Accepted - 28 February 2026; Published - 30 March 2026.Nutrient loading from agriculture, urban discharge, and industrial effluents contributes to eutrophication, a critical environmental challenge impacting water quality. This research evaluated the role of bivalves in nutrient removal as a bioremediation tool under aquaculture practices in the UK, focusing on current key commercial species: blue mussels Mytilus edulis, Pacific oysters Magallana gigas, (formerly Crassostrea gigas), native oysters Ostrea edulis, and Manila clams Ruditapes philippinarum. The removal of nutrients by bivalve aquaculture was estimated based on the Nitrogen (N) and Carbon (C) fixed in their tissue and shell at the point of harvest using two complementary methods: (i) proximate analysis based on nutrient content in shellfish tissue and shell (for N and C), and (ii) using the FARM model (N only). The monetary value of these services was estimated through comparison to costs of alternative mitigation methods. The results show that the UK bivalve aquaculture sector contributed to the removal of an estimated ca. 127 to 286 tonnes of N in 2019. The harvested bivalves also fixed an estimated ca. 1763 tonnes of C in their tissue and shell. Mussels accounted for the majority of N removed, ca. 116.7 to ca. 264.5 tonnes, due to higher yields. Together, oysters and clams potentially removed an estimated ca. 9.9 to ca. 21.9 tonnes of N. The potential annual value of N removal from the UK bivalve aquaculture sector ranged from £33,000 to over £314 million, depending on estimated harvest and type of alternative removal measure. The results of this work highlight that the expansion of UK bivalve aquaculture could deliver water quality improvements, enhance ecosystem services gains, provide economic benefits and strengthen its role as part of holistic nutrient management strategies.This article was written under the Ecosystem Services (ES) project commissioned by the Shellfish Stakeholder Working Group. This work was funded by Fishmongers’ Company and the Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish)

Strategies to Manage Salmonella in Meat, Egg, and Dairy Processing Plants

Publication history: Accepted - 22 January 2026; Published online - 28 January 2026.Effective Salmonella control in food processing depends on strict sanitation, disciplined hygiene, environmental monitoring, and strong management systems. In meat, egg, and dairy processing, Salmonella can enter through raw materials, animals, and equipment, and survive in hard-to-clean areas, forming resilient biofilms—even in dry environments. Control strategies include multiple cleaning steps, validated disinfectants, proper equipment design, environmental testing, and zone separation. In eggs and dairy, farm-level measures and rapid refrigeration are essential, while pasteurization is highly effective for milk. Innovations such as phage biocontrol, advanced sanitizers, and physical treatments are being adopted, but outbreaks often result from management lapses or postprocess recontamination rather than technical limitations. Close integration of measures from farm to processing, rigorous monitoring, and a robust food safety culture are crucial for maintaining long-term reduction of Salmonella risk. Effective management practices in food processing facilities significantly influence Salmonella prevalence, thereby directly protecting public health. The evidence reviewed shows European industries, guided by zero-tolerance standards and farm-to-fork programs, have achieved substantial reductions in Salmonella over the past two decades, and ongoing vigilance at the processing stage remains crucial to maintaining these improvements. In the United States, the implementation of FSMA’s preventive controls and continuous performance standards similarly highlights that preventing contamination in the plant is far more effective than responding to outbreaks after they occur.This work was funded by the University of Life Sciences King Mihai I of Romania from Timisoara doctoral funds

Into the Wild: Farm-Derived Energy and Nutrients Enter Marine Food Webs With Carrying Capacity Implications for Aquaculture Management

Publication history: Accepted - 19 February 2026. Published - 5 April 2026.Marine aquaculture is expanding globally, yet its interactions with surrounding ecosystems remain complex and insufficiently understood. This study reviews the fluxes of energy and nutrients from three major aquaculture systems: finfish cages, suspended bivalves, and seaweed farms and considers their implications for ecosystem functioning and management under the ecosystem approach to aquaculture (EAA). Using a focused literature review and expert input from International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), Working Group on Ecological Carrying Capacity of Aquaculture (ICES WGECCA), we synthesized data on farm-derived fluxes, trophic transfers, and ecological consequences. From this synthesis, we developed three conceptual models illustrating direct and indirect pathways of energy and nutrient exchange between farms and marine food webs. Seven case studies from temperate and subtropical systems were analyzed to exemplify site-specific effects, including organic enrichment, altered benthic-pelagic coupling, and changes in wild species assemblages. Key findings highlight that fed aquaculture (finfish) releases substantial particulate and dissolved waste, influencing benthic geochemistry, while extractive systems (bivalves, seaweeds) modulate nutrient cycling. Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) offers the potential for synergistic flux recycling within the farm system. Wild mobile fauna attracted to farm systems shelter and feed directly on the farmed product, fouling, or particulate wastes and dislodgements from the farm, thereby strengthening farm-environment coupling. These insights underscore the need for adaptive management and carrying capacity (CC) assessments that account for energy-nutrient fluxes to ensure sustainable aquaculture development aligned with EAA principles.Research funding: This work was supported by Ifremer (Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer) and the Joint Research Unit MARBEC (MARine Biodiversity, Exploitation & Conservation). Article funding: Open access publication funding provided by COUPERIN CY26

Candidate blood biomarkers linked with feed intake efficiency and weight gain in sheep

Publication history: Accepted - 16 February 2026; Published online - 6 March 2026.Feed consumption and weight gain critically influence sheep production profitability. Therefore, selecting animals that maintain growth while reducing feed intake is desirable. However, measuring residual intake gain (RIG) is resource-intensive, requiring extended monitoring of both feed intake and weight gain. Candidate blood metabolites linked to RIG may provide a practical tool for early selection. We assessed feed efficiency (FE) in 62 Rideau Arcott ewe lambs over 64 days, categorizing animals into efficient and inefficient groups using RIG. Serum metabolites were analyzed via direct injection liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry with a reversephase DI/LC-MS/MS custom assay, and associations with FE classifications were explored using multivariate and univariate statistical analyses. Candidate metabolites differentiating efficiency groups included citric acid, PC aa C32:2, and SM(OH) C22:1 (AUC = 0.82) at day 0, LysoPC a C18:1, SM C20:2, C7DC at day 28 (AUC = 0.84) and SM C16:1.1, PC ae C40:6.1 at day 64 (AUC = 0.77). Pathway analysis highlighted glycerophospholipid and arachidonic acid metabolism as consistently enriched across timepoints. Temporal kinetics analysis identified SM C20:2, LysoPC a C18:1, and butyric acid (p < 0.05) as varying between groups over the feeding period. Seven previously unreported metabolites in the Livestock Metabolome Database were detected in sheep serum. This exploratory study identifies metabolites and pathways associated with divergent RIG phenotypes in ewe lambs and suggests that blood metabolomics could complement performance records in FE improvement programs.This study was financed by Mathematics Information Technology Applied Computer Science (MITACS) Canada [IT28650 and IT40885], Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) [2022N057R], Alberta Lamb Producers, Ontario Sheep Farmers, and Nova Scotia Purebred Sheep Associations

Supplemental UV-B lighting to naturally enhance the vitamin D content of milk of housed dairy cows

Publication history: Accepted - 19 October 2025; Published - 27 January 2026.The increasing incidence of vitamin D deficiency in Europe has generated interest in naturally enhancing vitamin D levels in commonly consumed foods, such as milk, by biofortification (defined here as increasing the concentration of a specific nutrient in a food by changing the diet or management of an animal). Endogenous, solar-driven biosynthesis of vitamin D is a potentially modifiable option for boosting vitamin D concentrations in milk. The objective of this study was to quantify milk and plasma vitamin D responses in housed cows exposed to artificial UV-B light over 12 wk. Two 2 × 2 factorial experiments (experiment 1 and 2) were conducted, each using 32 late-lactation Holstein dairy cows (separate cows in each experiment). Factors examined were level of supplementary UV-B lighting (no UV-B vs. UV-B) and the inclusion of a dietary additive, L-cysteine (Control vs. Additive). Cows were exposed to supplemental UV-B light for 30 and 60 min/d (experiment 1 and 2, respectively). Exposing cows to UV-B increased mean milk concentrations of vitamin D3 by 44.2% (experiment 1) and by 112% (experiment 2), compared with no-UVB. Milk concentrations of 25-(OH)-D3 also increased by 24.2% (experiment 1) and 20.9% (experiment 2). Mean milk vitamin D2 concentration was increased by 33% by UV-B treatment in experiment 2. Milk 25-(OH)-D2 levels were unaffected by UVB exposure. Milk concentrations of vitamin D3 changed with time, as did milk concentrations of vitamin D2. Milk concentrations of 25-(OH)-D2 changed with time in experiment 1, there was a treatment × time interaction for milk vitamin D3 concentrations in experiment 1, and a trend for an interaction in experiment 2. Mean plasma 25-(OH)-D3 concentration increased with UV-B treatment in experiment 1 only. Mean plasma 25-(OH)-D3 concentration decreased over time in experiment 1 but was unaffected in experiment 2. Dietary additive had no effect on any aspect of cow performance, and there were no interactions between UV-B and additive. The UV-B treatment did not affect milk yield or milk fat, protein, or lactose concentrations. Milk yield and milk fat, protein, and lactose concentrations changed with time, and there was a treatment × time interaction for milk yield (experiment 2 only). This study demonstrates the potential for increasing the vitamin D3 content of milk produced by housed cows by short exposure (30–60 min/d) to supplementary UV-B light as a successful biofortification strategy.The study was cofunded by the Agri-Food Quest Competence Centre (Belfast, UK; AFQCC) and was conducted in partnership with Devenish Nutrition Ltd. (Belfast, UK), Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (Belfast, UK; AFBI), John Thompsons and Sons Ltd. (Belfast, UK), Dale Farm Limited (Belfast, UK), Karro Food Group (Malton, UK), College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise (Antrim, UK; CAFRE), and Ulster University (Coleraine, UK; Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health: NICHE)

Effects of basalt and biochar addition on base cations and trace metals in plants and soil in an urban field trial

Accepted - 12 February 2026; Published - 03 March 2026.Enhanced weathering (EW) and biochar amendment are proposed carbon dioxide removal (CDR) techniques with potential co-benefits for soil health and plant productivity. However, knowledge gaps remain regarding their impacts on soil carbon dynamics and heavy metal mobility. This study investigates the effects of basalt and biochar amendments on soil base cation dynamics, biomass yield and trace metal uptake in clover (Trifolium pratense) and mustard (Brassica juncea) field plots. Basalt addition did not increase soil inorganic carbon, Tessier-extractable base cations, or dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in leachates, indicating no detectable inorganic C sequestration during this experiment. Weathering of the relatively coarse, albite-rich basalt may have been limited in the alkaline soil and/or the weathering products were retained in soil pools not accessible to the extraction scheme. Basalt increased Ni and Cr in the reducible soil fraction but did not elevate plant metal concentrations and even tended to reduce Ni and Zn in leachates. Biochar increased plant biomass, mustard phosphorus and reduced plant uptake of several trace metals in both mustard and clover plants, while basalt did not affect any of the 33 assessed elements in aboveground plant biomass. Co-application of basalt and biochar did not lead to observable rock weathering while also no synergistic gains in biomass or reductions in plant heavy metals were observed after co-amendment in this alkaline soil. Overall, our findings suggest that in this alkaline urban soil, basalt weathering was limited and provided few immediate co-benefits, whereas biochar showed clearer advantages for plant growth and metal immobilization.This research has been supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 (UPSURGE project (grant no. 101003818)), the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (grant nos. 1S06325N and S004023N), and the UK Research and Innovation, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership)

Shaping research in marine functional connectivity for integrated and effective marine science and management

Publication history: Accepted - 12 December 2025; Published online - 2 January 2026Effective knowledge of ecological connectivity at sea and at the land–sea interface is key to supporting global policy goals to conserve and restore ocean biodiversity and function. However, a persistent lack of commonality in terminology and understanding around the concept of connectivity in marine ecological studies hampers its integration across disciplines, and its application in spatial planning and policy. Building on an extensive literature review, we clarify definitions and subcategories of marine connectivity, and propose a unified conceptual framework for Marine Functional Connectivity (MFC) research to support the integration of multidisciplinary scientific knowledge into management and policy. We identify key challenges and future directions for advancing this emerging field, bringing together most strands of marine science to understand changes in biodiversity and functional interdependencies between habitats and regions. Embedding this new integrated MFC research at the core of marine environmental science promises to improve significantly predictions of environmental and socio-economic change and the sustainable use of ecosystems and resources at sea and at the land–sea interface.European Cooperation in Science and Technology. Grant Number: CA1910

Causes and economic loss due to postmortem rejections in cattle and pigs slaughtered at Matabeleland abattoirs, Zimbabwe

Publication history: Accepted - 7 July 2025; Published - 12 January 2026.Cattle and pig farming play a critical role in sustaining livelihoods and ensuring food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, diseases and conditions leading to carcasses and offal condemnation at abattoirs are significant threats. This study sought to address gaps in recent data relating to the causes of carcass and offal condemnations in cattle and pigs at selected abattoirs in the Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe and the resulting economic losses. Meat inspection condemnation records for the period 2017 to 2022 were accessed from the Veterinary Public Health Department in Bulawayo. A total of 402,668 cattle and 55,177 pigs were slaughtered during this period. Pigs had significantly higher organ condemnation rates than cattle (4–12% vs. 0.5–1.6%). The liver was the most condemned organ in cattle, mainly due to fasciolosis, while the lungs were most condemned in pigs, primarily from contamination. Partial and whole carcass condemnations were more common in cattle (1,957, 0.5% of carcasses examined) than pigs (28, 0.05% of carcasses examined), mostly due to Taenia saginata and Taenia solium cysticercosis, respectively. Economic losses were estimated at USD 551,038 for cattle and USD 21,252 for pigs. Our study provides insights into important zoonotic and food safety issues in livestock production in Zimbabwe and baseline data to inform interventions to reduce condemnations and associated economic losses.The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript

Fasciola gigantica: Ultrastructure and cytochemistry of tegumental secretory activity and extracellular vesicle formation in juvenile flukes migrating in mouse liver

Publication history: Accepted - 5 January 2026; Published online - 6 January 2026.Fasciola gigantica, the predominant cause of fasciolosis in tropical regions, is a major cause of economic loss to the global farming community and is also recognised as a significant human pathogen. The surface tegument of the fluke, situated as it is at the host-parasite interface, is a metabolically active and highly dynamic secretory organ mainly concerned with ensuring the survival of the parasite in a hostile immunological and physiochemical environment. The period of migration of the juvenile fluke through the hepatic parenchyma of the host is critical in establishing a mutually sustainable host-parasite relationship, but due to technical difficulties has been inadequately investigated. Here, the tegument of migrating juvenile F. gigantica collected from the hepatic parenchyma of experimentally infected mice 4 and 7 weeks after infection was examined by conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and by cytochemistry using the periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazine-osmium (PATCO) and Ruthenium Red methods. T1 secretory bodies in the surface syncytium maintain the surface glycocalyx by exocytosis in response to sloughing of immunocomplex as the fluke encounters the effectors of host immunity. Their bounding plasma membranes engender a superficial zone of microvilli which appear to give rise to detached tubules and extracellular vesicles. These may have a role in host-parasite communication and immunomodulation. T2 secretory bodies in the tegument contain stable glycoprotein, and their main contribution may be to preadapt the apical surface for changes in the physicochemical environment when the fluke enters the bile ducts. A novel type of tegumental cell, termed T3, has been described in the sub-syncytial zone. T3 secretory bodies may contribute to the syncytial proteome or spine formation in the growing juvenile flukes. The surface secretory activity in migrating juvenile flukes may offer a battery of stage-specific soluble and membrane-associated molecular products with potential for therapeutic exploitation

Associations Between the Leaf Microbiome and the Health of Irish Ash Trees Affected by Hymenoscyphus fraxineus

Publication history: Accepted - 19 March 2026; Published - 21 March 2026.Ash dieback, caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, continues to threaten European ash (Fraxinus excelsior), yet the contribution of the leaf microbiome to disease severity remains poorly understood. We surveyed 133 ash trees across nine sites in Northern Ireland, using canopy cover as a proxy for health, and characterised leaf-associated microbial communities using Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) long-read amplicon sequencing (full-length 16S and ITS) and QIIME2-based workflows. Many trees exhibited partial tolerance to ash dieback, with most maintaining stable canopy cover year-on-year, while fewer trees show a decline and a smaller portion showing improvement. Microbial communities were largely stable irrespective of ash health with little difference in alpha diversity (Shannon) or beta diversity (Bray–Curtis PERMANOVA) for either bacteria or fungi. Differential abundance and correlation analyses showed that H. fraxineus was, as expected, negatively associated with canopy cover. Only one fungal species, Papiliotrema flavescens, demonstrated a strong positive association with healthier trees, consistent with previous findings. These results indicate that Northern Ireland hosts a reservoir of ash trees displaying tolerance to ash dieback. While the leaf microbiome does not appear to drive this tolerance at the community level, one fungus, P. flavescens, was correlated with healthier ash.This research was funded by the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, proposal reference 21 3 02