Environmental Benchmarking of Suppliers in the UK Food Sector

This paper aims to develop an audit toolkit that enables companies in the food sector to benchmark their suppliers in terms of environmental management. The paper reviews environmental practices and performance metrics in the food value chain by developing a custom designed survey to gather results, allow auditing and enable benchmarking of the best practice, common practice and areas for improvement among the suppliers. Some of the key areas in which the suppliers represented best practice include the separation and recycling of their waste streams and efforts to reduce the use of raw materials, energy, water, pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers. Some suppliers were actively engaging with stakeholders in their value chain to collaborate on products and processes that reduced environmental impacts. Notably the supplier with the best environmental performance had both developed an Environmental Management Policy and also implemented it systematically.The areas that the study showed needed improvement included the need for all suppliers to implement an Environmental Management System, the need for more renewable sourcing for materials and energy, the need for systematic measurement of the food miles of products, and the carbon and water footprints of their business processes. Both the approach taken and the results of this study have already proved beneficial for the collaborating partner, Reynolds Catering Supplies Ltd. as they anticipate its use for promoting improved environmental management among their suppliers

Les proverbes en français et en espagnol. Une approche comparative

-Departamento de Filología Francesa y AlemanaGrado en Lenguas Modernas y sus Literatura

Apareamiento intergenómico y formación de polen no reducido en híbridos trigo x aegilops

RESUMEN Para que material genetico de una especie cultivada llegue a incorporarse de manera estable a una forma silvestre relacionada no es suficiente con que se forme el correspondiente hibrido interespecifico. Es necesario que durante la meiosis del hibrido, la region cromosomica donde se localiza esa secuencia se transfiera por recombinacion a un cromosoma homeologo de la otra especie y que, posteriormente, los cromosomas recombinantes originados en el hibrido se incorporen por retrocruzamiento a la especie silvestre. La presente memoria, que tiene por objeto de analisis algunos de los principales procesos responsables del exito en la transferencia genetica entre especies relacionadas, se ha centrado en el caso del trigo, uno de los cultivos mas importantes a nivel mundial, y algunas de sus especies silvestres afines. Para evaluar los procesos de transferencia genetica extraespecifica del trigo cultivado se han obtenido hibridos entre Triticum turgidum o T. aestivum y las especies del genero Aegilops mas extendidas en los paises de la cuenca mediterranea y, por tanto, mas susceptibles de incorporar material genetico del trigo por medio de fenomenos naturales de hibridacion: Aegilops geniculata, Ae. cylindrica , Ae. neglecta, Ae. triuncialis y Ae. ventricosa. En el grupo de las Triticineas, la utilizacion de sondas de ADN genomico en las tecnicas de hibridacion in situ (GISH) ha resultado muy util para la discriminacion de genomios en materiales poliploides, asi como de los genomios parentales en hibridos interespecificos. El analisis mediante GISH de la Metafase I meiotica en hibridos interespecificos sirve para conocer el patron de recombinacion intergenomica. Asi, se han analizado celulas en Metafase-I de diferentes combinaciones hibridas Aegilops×trigo mediante una modificacion de la tecnica GISH que ha combinado sondas de ADN genomico con las sondas pAs1 de Ae. tauchii y pTa71, sonda de ADN ribosomico. De esta manera, se ha incrementado el potencial de discriminacion de la GISH, al poder analizarse el nivel y patron de apareamiento de algunas regiones cromosomicas especificas. El nivel de apareamiento homeologo en Metafase-I ha resultado variable y dependiente del parental trigo, aunque otros factores genotipicos y no genotipicos pueden afectar a la frecuencia de apareamiento. Con respecto al patron Resumen 2 de apareamiento, las frecuencias relativas de los tipos de asociacion en Metafase-I se han mantenido con bastante consistencia, tanto en genotipos de la misma combinacion hibrida, como en hibridos entre trigo y diferentes especies Aegilops. La tecnica de GISH ha servido para revelar el nivel de apareamiento homeologo de los genomios de trigo con las especies silvestres, cuya frecuencia fue superior al 60%. Las regiones cromosomicas del genomio A han resultado mucho mas susceptibles de ser transferidas a las especies silvestres que las que se encuentran en el genomio B, tanto en los hibridos con trigo duro, como en los de trigo blando, aunque en estos ultimos los cromosomas del genomio D presentaron la mayor frecuencia de apareamiento con sus homeologos de la especie silvestre. El analisis de regiones cromosomicas especificas ha corroborado los resultados obtenidos a nivel de genomios completos, aunque no todos los cromosomas y/o regiones cromosomicas de un mismo genomio de trigo han mostrado la misma probabilidad de ser transferidas a las especies silvestres. Los hibridos interespecificos son generalmente esteriles debido a su reducida o incluso nula tasa de formacion de gametos funcionales, geneticamente equilibrados. Sin embargo, existen diversos mecanismos por los que un hibrido puede llegar a dejar descendencia y actuar a modo de puente en procesos de transferencia genetica entre especies relacionadas. Se han analizado los estadios que van desde anafase-I a polen maduro en los hibridos trigo×Aegilops detectandose anomalias en la primera y segunda division meiotica. Algunas de estas anomalias han desembocado en la formacion de tetradas de contenido cromosomico diploide. La frecuencia de esas tetradas 2n ha sido utilizada como estima de fertilidad. Tambien se ha realizado el analisis de viabilidad de polen maduro de los hibridos mediante la tincion de Alexander. Las mejores estimas de fertilidad han sido las derivadas de este ultimo, lo que sugiere una perdida de funcionalidad de muchos de los productos meioticos no reducidos desde el final de meiosis hasta la maduracion del polen. Se detecto una gran variabilidad en la produccion de gametos no reducidos mediante estos dos tipos de analisis, no solo entre combinaciones hibridas, sino tambien entre anteras de una misma planta, lo que demuestra la gran influencia de los factores no genotipicos en la produccion de este tipo de gametos. Algunos hibridos produjeron semillas por autofecundacion debido probablemente a la formacion de gametos 2n aunque se detectaron grandes variaciones en la produccion de semillas entre genotipos de la misma combinacion y entre plantas. Resumen 3 Por lo tanto, ambos factores genotipicos y no genotipicos deben estar involucrados en la fertilidad de los hibridos. Abstract 4 ABSTRACT The occurrence of interspecific hybridization is not the only requirement for gene transfer from a crop to a wild relative. Both crop and wild chromosomes must pair and recombine during meiosis and recombined sequences must be incorporated into the wild genome by subsequent backcrossing. The purpose of this memory is to analyze some of the main processes responsible of the success of gene transfer between related species. It has focused in the case of crop wheat, one of the most important cultivated species at world level, and some of its wild relatives. To evaluate extraspecific transfer from wheat, Triticum turgidum×Aegilops and Triticum aestivum×Aegilops hybrids have been obtained. Several species belonging to the genus Aegilops are the most widespread among the closest wheat relatives in the mediterranean basin, therefore they are prone to gene introgression from crop wheat by natural hybridization. These species are: Aegilops geniculata, Ae. cylindrica , Ae. neglecta, Ae. triuncialis and Ae. ventricosa. Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) has proven to be very useful for discrimination of parental genomes in interspecific hybrids and derivatives, and it is being routinely used in many polyploid complexes. When used for the analysis of Metaphase-I associations in interspecific hybrids, GISH reveals the outcome of synapsis and crossing-over between the constituent genomes. Metaphase-I pairing of different Triticum×Aegilops hybrids has been analyzed by in situ hybridization experiments that combined both total genomic DNA probes and repeated DNA probes, namely, pAs1 from Ae. tauchii and ribosomal pTa71 probe. As a result, discrimination was increased so it has been possible to analyze the homoeologous pairing level and pattern at Metaphase-I for some chromosome regions. Metaphase-I pairing level has been variable and mainly dependent on wheat parent, though there must be some other factors, genotypic or not, affecting the pairing level. The pattern of homoeologous Metaphase-I association was consistent in different genotypes of each hybrid combination and also in different wheat×Aegilops combinations. GISH has revealed that wheat-Aegilops pairing has exceeded 60% of the whole pairing amount. On average, A genome sequences are much more likely to be Abstract 5 transferred to wild relatives than B genome sequences, both in durum and bread wheat hybrids although in the latter D genome showed the high frequency of wheat-wild associations. Analysis of specific chromosome arms has corroborate the results of individualized genomes even though not all wheat specific regions within the same genome have the same probability of being transferred to wild relatives. Interspecific hybrids are usually sterile because of their reduced formation of viable gametes, genetically balanced. However there are few mechanisms that allow hybrids to produce offspring that could act as a bridge for gene transfer between species. Anaphase-I to mature pollen stages of wheat×Aegilops hybrids has been analysed. First and second meiotic division showed disturbances, some of them resulted in tetrads with 2n chromosome content. Fertility estimations have been done with both tetrad analysis and pollen staining with Alexander solution. Best estimations were obtained with Alexander analysis, suggesting a loss in gamete viability from the end of meiosis to pollen maturation. Unreduced gamete production showed great variability in different hybrids combinations and also between anthers of the same hybrid plant. This results support the great influence of non-genotypic factors in 2n gamete production. Some hybrid plants produced seeds by selfing, likely due to unreduced gamete formation, but there were great variations between hybrid combinations, genotypes and hybrid plants within the same genotype. Therefore, genotypic and non-genotypic factors act simultaneously in hybrid fertilit

Ökologische Landwirtschaft und Ernährung aus systemtheoretischer Perspektive

In diesem Beitrag werden die vielfältigen Ansätze innerhalb der Systemwissenschaften beleuchtet. Es wird aufgezeigt wie sie eingesetzt werden können, um Unterschiede zwischen konventionellen und biologischen Lebensmittel-, und Agrarsystemen analytisch aufzuarbeiten

A comparative analysis of chromosome pairing at metaphase I in interspecific hybrids between durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) and the most widespread Aegilops species.

Homoeologous metaphase I (MI) associations in hybrids between durum wheat and its wild allotetraploid relatives Aegilops neglecta, Ae. triuncialis and Ae. ventricosa have been characterized by a genomic in situ hybridization procedure that allows simultaneous discrimination of A, B and wild species genomes. Earlier results in equivalent hybrids with the wild species Ae. cylindrica and Ae. geniculata have also been considered to comparatively assay the MI pairing pattern of the durum wheat × Aegilops interspecific combinations more likely to occur in nature. The general picture can be drawn as follows. A and B wheat genomes pair with each other less than the 2 wild constituent genomes do in any of the hybrid combinations examined. Interspecific wheat-wild associations account for 60–70% of total MI pairing in all hybrids, except in that derived from Ae. triuncialis, but the A genome is always the wheat partner most frequently involved in MI pairing with the wild homoeologues. Hybrids with Ae. cylindrica, Ae. geniculata and Ae. ventricosa showed similar reduced levels of MI association and virtually identical MI pairing patterns. However, certain recurrent differences were found when the pattern of homoeologous pairing of hybrids from either Ae. triuncialis or Ae. neglecta was contrasted to that observed in the other durum wheat hybrid combinations. In the former case, a remarkable preferential pairing between the wild species constituent genomes Ut and Ct seems to be the reason, whereas a general promotion of homoeologous pairing, qualitatively similar to that observed under the effect of the ph1c mutation, appears to occur in the hybrid with Ae. neglecta. It is further discussed whether the results reported here can be extrapolated to the corresponding bread wheat hybrid combination

Participatory Guarantee Systems in Spain: Motivations, Achievements, Challenges and Opportunities for Improvement Based on Three Case Studies

The increasing number of producers and consumers of organic products means that there is an increasing need to guarantee the organic characteristics of organic products. Certification is a tool that bridges the information deficit between demand and supply, ensuring that a product complies with the specified standards. Third-party certification (TPC) is the main tool for assessing compliance today. However, there have been criticisms about the suitability of TPC for small-scale producers and alternative certification systems have been developed, such as Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS). PGS are quality assurance systems in which stakeholders are expected to be involved and assure the quality claims being made by producers. This paper presents three PGS initiatives in Spain. The research methods used in this study were semi-structured and structured interviews. Interviewees felt that their PGS initiatives fulfilled the important motivations of building a community and adding value to their products. The main challenges mentioned were the participation of stakeholders and the efficiency of internal organization. The absence of official recognition for PGS in Spain and insufficient dissemination were also perceived as challenges. Although PGS has the potential for further development in Spain, the interviewees believed that more support and official recognition were still required

Design of a compact objective for SWIR applications

Lately the short-wave infrared (SWIR) has become very important due to the recent appearance on the market of the small detectors with a large focal plane array. Military applications for SWIR cameras include handheld and airborne systems with long range detection requirements, but where volume and weight restrictions must be considered. In this paper we present three different designs of telephoto objectives that have been designed according to three different methods. Firstly the conventional method where the starting point of the design is an existing design. Secondly we will face design starting from the design of an aplanatic system. And finally the simultaneous multiple surfaces (SMS) method, where the starting point is the input wavefronts that we choose. The designs are compared in terms of optical performance, volume, weight and manufacturability. Because the objectives have been designed for the SWIR waveband, the color correction has important implications in the choice of glass that will be discussed in detai

Transparency solutions for healthy, sustainable and safe food systems in existing policy

This document examines the concept of transparency, and the role envisioned for it in contributing to the transformation of future food systems. It is the outcome of Task 7.1, which aimed to review how the potential roles of transparency in the food system are envisioned in existing policy, and also reports on aspects of Task 7.2, which worked with stakeholders from across the food system to identify key areas in which existing policy requires, constrains, or enables transparency. The report argues that ‘transparency’ is frequently alluded to in policy and regulation that relate to the food system, but that the concept is, at best, loosely defined. A brief review of academic literature on the topic identifies a similar ambiguity in transparency’s conceptualisation, where it has often been conflated, or used interchangeably with, the closely-related notion of traceability. The immediate policy context for the TITAN project, and its concerns for transparency, is the Farm to Fork Strategy, which is an action towards the European Green Deal. While maintaining a focus on the importance of clear and accurate information to inform consumer purchases, the Strategy signals a shift towards a more systemic approach that acknowledges the influence of processors and retailers. Similar shifts can be identified in other recent and ongoing legislative activity, such as the Regulation on Deforestation-free Products, and the Green Claims Directive. While not the focus of this report, the role of international organisations (e.g. the UNFAO), national governments, non-governmental organisations (e.g. International Organisation for Standardisation) and third sector organisations (such as environmental charities) is acknowledged. The policy review encompassed TITAN’s areas of focus: environmental sustainability, food safety, and health and nutrition. While policy most frequently fails to define transparency explicitly, the review identified five themes that point towards an ethos of transparency: 1) openness; 2) explication of rules; 3) involvement of stakeholders; 4) standardisation of data/consistency of approach; and 5) independent and/or public scrutiny. It also argues that food system transparency is both about food itself and the governance and decision-making that surround it – and, crucially, that these two elements should be considered together. Six ‘visions’ for transparency are identified in the report: 1) achieving confidence in the food system; 2) a desire to respond to consumer interests; 3) greater involvement of stakeholders in reviewing policy; 4) accountability; 5) greater scrutiny of policy-making; and 6) a means through which consistency of approach might be achieved. Intended audiences for transparency range from end-consumers and the general public to certifiers, value chain actors and public authorities. Stakeholder interviews demonstrated divergence of understanding of ‘transparency’, ranging from an interest in being open through to more nuanced interpretations around agreement over the types of data to be shared, and the nature of sharing that should be undertaken. Stakeholder interviews identified the nature of infrastructure for data sharing as not only a factor that might enable transparency, but one that also can affect the interpretation of transparency. The report highlights some of the challenges both of achieving a shared or consistent understanding of the concept of transparency, and of realising a more transparent food system through policy interventions

Diverse types of knowledge on a plate: a multi-perspective and multi-method approach for the transformation of urban food systems towards sustainable diets

Urbanization processes are accompanied by growing global challenges for food systems. Urban actors are increasingly striving to address these challenges through a focus on sustainable diets. However, transforming food systems towards more sustainable diets is challenging and it is unclear what the local scope of action might be. Co-production of knowledge between science and non-science is particularly useful for analysing context-specific solutions and promise to result in more robust socio-economic, political and technical solutions. Thus, this paper aims to integrate different types and sources of knowledge to understand urban food systems transformation towards a more sustainable diet in Vienna; and, second, to analyse and reflect on the difficulties and ways forward to integrate diverse actors’ perspectives, multiple methods and epistemologies. We created different future scenarios that illustrate the synergies and trade-offs of various bundles of measures and the interactions among single dimensions of sustainable diets. These scenarios show that there is plenty of scope for local action, but co-ordination across diverse groups, interests, and types of knowledge is necessary to overcome lock-ins

Modelos mentales y algoritmos de programación en estudiantes de media técnica en informática

El presente artículo analiza la asociación entre la tipología de estructuras algorítmicas de programación y los modelos mentales construidos para su resolución. El estudio se inscribe en el paradigma cuantitativo con un diseño cuasi-experimental, y contó con la participación de 95 estudiantes de grado undécimo de media técnica en informática. La metodología implicó evaluar los procesos desarrollados por los estudiantes, a través de los modelos obtenidos en una prueba de resolución de problemas algorítmicos; los resultados fueron sometidos a un análisis descriptivo, con el fin de establecer diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los niveles de consistencia de los modelos asociados al proceso de resolución y a los tipos de estructuras. Lo anterior, analizado en razón a la verosimilitud Chi-cuadrado, complementado con la magnitud del efecto V de Cramér; también, se aplicó la prueba de Dwass-Steel-Critchlow-Fligner (DSCF), para realizar comparaciones entre las estructuras. Los resultados indicaron modelos más consistentes en la estructura secuencial, en contraste con los modelos inconsistentes y ambiguos predominantes en las estructuras condicionales, cíclicas y anidadas. Las principales conclusiones exponen una relación significativa entre los modelos mentales y la tipología de las estructuras algorítmicas de programación, evidenciando la necesidad de enfocar las estrategias didácticas en la resolución de problemas