Agricultural economist, PhD. Curating and sharing research and evidence-based information on food, health, technology & sustainability. More about me: www.AJStein.de. Moderated private account. Posts + Likes ≠ endorsements. German: ajstein-de.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mtydxgbx322qHumans & animals cannot synthesize essential #aminoacids. A simple 2-step #fermentation strategy with safe #microorganisms can generate #lysine from plant biomass (fava beans & rapeseed press cake). This has possible implications for the food sector: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6c06318 #nutrition #foodsecurity26 Aug 2026 12:37 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtydxgbx322qhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mtybm2tivk2qHigher adherence to the (largely #plantbased) Planetary Health Diet is linked to a reduced risk of #sleep disorders. (Based on a study with >165k participants & a 14 year follow-up.) The authors highlight the importance of #diets in sleep health: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2026.117415 #Sleeping #Disorders #Health26 Aug 2026 11:55 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtybm2tivk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mty7qankwc2q#PlantBased options in German #university canteens increased from 64% to 71% (from 2015 to 2024, across 3.7 m meal options from 340 #canteens). Vegan options increased by 23%, while #vegetarian and meat-based options declined by 16% and 6%. #Emissions calculations indicate… https://doi.org/10.1038/s44458-026-00138-3 +26 Aug 2026 11:21 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mty7qankwc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mty5qetgr22qHealthy & sustainable #diets can be affordable, incl. in low-income settings, esp. when choosing peas & #beans to replace #meat & dairy (which also maximizes #health & #environment benefits). There are many #policies to support dietary change, incl. reforms of agricultural… https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2026.101809 +26 Aug 2026 10:45 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mty5qetgr22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mttabo7dc22d75% of secondary schools in England break rules on food offered to pupils by serving #meat products (burgers, #nuggets, #sausages) and chips too often—and by serving banned products high in fat, sugar or salt (crisps, #cheese crackers, sweets): https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/aug/24/most-english-secondary-schools-are-breaking-healthy-food-rules-finds-report #nutrition #health24 Aug 2026 11:48 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttabo7dc22dhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mtt2fkm22c2dIn the first seven months of 2026, the police recorded 57 shootings in Brussels, which is set to break another tragic record by year's end. "Anyone—every resident of Brussels & every citizen—could fall victim to a shooting" the Brussels Public Prosecutor stated: https://www.brusselstimes.com/brussels/2282256/brussels-records-57-shootings-in-first-seven-months-of-2026-new-record-year-looms24 Aug 2026 10:02 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtt2fkm22c2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mtor5q6cic2dOver 60,000 people in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia sought treatment last year for severe long-term effects linked to #COVID, with many being unable to work & isolated. This is 0.3% of the population, in only one year: https://rp-online.de/nrw/landespolitik/corona-knapp-62000-menschen-in-nrw-wegen-schwerer-spaetfolgen-behandelt_aid-153499603 #Covid19 #LongCovid #MECFS #Health22 Aug 2026 17:06 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtor5q6cic2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mtoiosd2qs2dEU agricultural #subsidies contribute far less to #foodsecurity than often claimed: Even without them, production volumes & #selfsufficiency rates would hardly decline. It is #landowners rather than operating farms that benefit from area premiums. And… https://www-nabu-de.translate.goog/natur-und-landschaft/landnutzung/landwirtschaft/agrarpolitik/gap-ernaehrungssicherheit.html?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en +22 Aug 2026 14:35 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtoiosd2qs2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mtlktz6emk2nAm I or AI? #LLMs can be useful tools for non-native speakers #writing English texts—and help level the playing field with native researchers who so far benefitted from an unfair advantage when it came to #publishing. Even scientific publishers offer for-pay… https://ajsteinde.blogspot.com/2026/08/ai-can-be-useful-tool-in-scientific.html21 Aug 2026 10:36 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtlktz6emk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mtj2dnkrtc2n5.3% of Italians are vegetarian and 3.2% are #vegan. Another 20% say they are in favour of adopting a vegetarian diet—but fear they would not be able to put it into practice. For almost 80%, being #vegetarian is a choice to be respected, and 55% consider it also an… https://eurispes.eu/en/news/italy-report-2026-press-release-executive-summary/ +20 Aug 2026 10:35 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtj2dnkrtc2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mtivyj2knc2nHigh grocery bills? Plant-based products are increasingly priced lower than the cheapest meat & #dairy products. On average, Dutch #consumers save 18% on their basic #groceries. Plant-based burgers, #chicken pieces & minced #meat are most affordable. The… https://proveg-org.translate.goog/nl/nieuws/plantaardige-boodschappen-tot-wel-34-procent-goedkoper/?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en +20 Aug 2026 09:17 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtivyj2knc2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mtgbuenrpc2zThe European Court of #HumanRights finds that – as a sincerely-held philosophical conviction – #veganism has a level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance to benefit from the right to “freedom of thought, conscience and religion” (under Art. 9 ECHR) https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=002-1463019 Aug 2026 08:11 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtgbuenrpc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mte6btgh4c2eHigh-disturbance land management practices, incl. summerfallow & conventional #tillage, contribute to soil #erosion & declines in #soil quality. Shifts to less tillage & continuous cropping—enabled by herbicide-tolerant crops—can help restore organic matter: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2026.101613 #GMO #Herbicides18 Aug 2026 12:02 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mte6btgh4c2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mt56bl53ic26Where Swiss precision misses the mark: Swiss #diets by far exceed the recommendations of the “Planetary Health Diet” for #meat (x8), #dairy (x4) & #eggs (x3), while the consumption of #legumes falls considerably short of recommended intakes (achieving only 4%)… https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-026-00306-6 #Switzerland +15 Aug 2026 17:13 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt56bl53ic26https://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mt4ke5d35226Two people were killed in an accident on a motorway linked to a farmers’ protest: Many tractors were driving on a motorway, which caused a traffic jam and the fatal accident. Tractors are not allowed on the highway. The farmers’ protest went ahead regardless… https://nos-nl.translate.goog/artikel/2626800-twee-doden-en-zes-gewonden-aan-staart-van-file-met-tractoren-op-weg-naar-boerenprotest?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en +15 Aug 2026 11:17 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt4ke5d35226https://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mt26xskcvc2a#Germany: Bavaria paid over half a million euros for a study confirming—for the umpteenth time—that homeopathic pills are no more effective than #placebos. The responsible ethics committee knew #homeopathy doesn't work, but couldn't block the study: https://www-br-de.translate.goog/nachrichten/bayern/landtag-homoeopathie-studie-mit-nachwirkungen?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en #health https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/landtag-homoeopathie-studie-mit-nachwirkungen14 Aug 2026 12:48 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt26xskcvc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mt253y5twk2aOver 30 years of safety: Risk assessments of GM crops began in the early 1990s. Since then, over 4,400 evaluations have been conducted across more than 70 countries, and none have identified increased risks—i.e. GM crops are equivalent in risk to conventional varieties and… https://doi.org/10.1080/21645698.2026.2704430 +14 Aug 2026 12:14 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt253y5twk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mszwl2u7v22aUndocumented #migration does not raise #crime rates: The largest study of its kind finds that neighbourhoods with a rise in the number of undocumented #migrants did not show a rise in violent crime rates and a reduction in property crime: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-02542-0 #immigration14 Aug 2026 10:17 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mszwl2u7v22ahttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mszrygm5oc2a#Hospitals can provide fully plant-derived meals that ensure #nutrition adequacy, palatability, #cost-effectiveness & feasibility, enabling them to respect their clinical & #sustainability priorities while keeping patient needs central: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-026-04040-5 #PlantBased #Meals #Diets #Protein14 Aug 2026 08:55 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mszrygm5oc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mszpzurnm22aOptimizing food intakes for nutrition, #environment & affordability, a study in China found that substantially reducing #meat consumption is effective in reducing resource pressure, carbon #emissions, and #nitrogen & phosphorus pollution: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.130647 #Diets #Nutrition #Carbon #Pollution14 Aug 2026 08:20 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mszpzurnm22ahttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3msy3lvmtmk2aAdherence to an adapted Planetary Health Diet (more fruits & #legumes; less #dairy, red #meat, animal fats & added #sugar) in China was linked to reduced GHG #emissions, water use & #landuse, as well as lower risk of all-cause mortality: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-026-04078-5 #environment #health #footprint13 Aug 2026 16:42 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3msy3lvmtmk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3msxt56zqls2aFood consumption is responsible for over 80% of #carbon storage & biodiversity loss from #landuse in global agricultural supply chains—of which animal products drive 60% of carbon & 70% of #biodiversity losses, largely due to high land requirements of #meat. Shifts towards… https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-026-01387-0 +13 Aug 2026 14:11 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxt56zqls2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3msxosamio22n@researchgate.bsky.social I just came across a person who uploaded 28 new "papers" to their profile so far in August alone, on a range of topics. Safe to assume it's AI-generated. This slop then ends up in Google Scholar results as your platform has (still) some credibility. You need to stop this.13 Aug 2026 12:53 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxosamio22nhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3msxna4pq3k2nWhich tax is best? Current #foodsystems contribute to poor diets—which are leading global risk factors for ill #health & premature mortality—while accelerating #climatechange. A tax on high-fat, #sugar & salt foods in the UK would only have modest benefits. By contrast… https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119654 +13 Aug 2026 12:25 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxna4pq3k2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3msxkmcb6422nThe historically hot summer will cost France €10-15 billion—as much as 0.5% of its GDP—but the figure could rise as temperatures remain well above seasonal averages. Wildfires and drops in agricultural output were the biggest cost drivers. However… https://www.politico.eu/article/environment-minister-monique-barbut-estimates-heatwaves-will-cost-france-10-to-15-billion-euros/ +13 Aug 2026 11:38 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxkmcb6422nhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3msx5srzvlk2nAgainst the evidence: The concept of #ultraprocessed foods is inconsistent with the evidence from #nutrition science as not all UPFs are unhealthy. Chronic diseases linked to #UPFs are due to a small number of unhealthy foods, esp. processed #meat & sugary sodas. Placing… https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-25402-3_4 +13 Aug 2026 07:49 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3msx5srzvlk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3msszkvqxes2xSpanish #diets are linked to a loss of 1.3 m life years—driven by low intakes of whole grains, fruits & #legumes, and high intakes of red #meat & other unhealthy foods. Following dietary guidelines could save 700k live years—more if people ate plant-based diets: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2026.149124 #health11 Aug 2026 16:22 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3msszkvqxes2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3mssp53ko242cPocket Primer: Food systems should provide appropriate #nutrition for a growing global population while minimizing negative #environment impacts. Sustainability and personal #health can be improved following simple recommendations: Individuals can… https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-25402-3_13 +11 Aug 2026 13:16 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3mssp53ko242chttps://bsky.app/profile/ajstein.bsky.social/post/3msscqgtamm2cBiofortified crops could provide a sustainable approach to addressing #irondeficiency while maintaining healthy microbiome development in early life, with implications for immune development, metabolic #health & disease prevention: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-75674-6 #nutrition #biofortification #children11 Aug 2026 09:34 +0000at://did:plc:bdbuhq46rj2nerrfacwh4flu/app.bsky.feed.post/3msscqgtamm2c