In the developed proposal, they used the shell and the stem to create sheets that can be used to make furniture, replacing the wood. According to the student Lina María Gil Rodríguez, from the Agronomic Engineering course at the National University of Colombia (UNAL), “with this product – made from waste – we want to reduce the cutting of trees to generate this type of material, and ideally, so we can replace the wood, ”he said.

1,976,520 tons of rice waste were produced in the country in the second half of last year. The remains are generally cremated or used as a subsidy. However, as a fertilizer, it is polluting because it releases methane during decomposition and can cause respiratory diseases such as asthma and allergies.

The proposal is to develop with these remains a type of agglomerate that can be used in a sustainable way both as thermal insulation, furniture, products for agriculture and other sectors of the primary economy.

The student team has developed the idea based on local demand, which would like to make better use of the remains of the rice produced. In conclusion, despite the solutions that require the installation of adequate machines, and possibly high cost, alternatives can be sought that offer benefits for both rice producers and the environment.

FUNIBER promotes the Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering and Technology, which technically addresses different environmental problems, with the study of solutions and good practices, taking into account economic and social factors.

One of the strategies most used by governments to promote healthy eating is to tax food products that do not offer many health benefits.

Recently, the Ministry of Consumption of Spain proposed to increase taxes on sugary drinks.

The measure is celebrated by dietitians and nutritionists, however, they point out, it is insufficient. According to the General Council of Official Associations of Dietitians-Nutritionists (CGCODN), the income from these taxes should be used to promote healthy habits, or even to reduce the tax on other basic foods that are considered healthy.

The vice president of CGCODN, Paula Crespo, recalled that many low-income people find it difficult to buy healthy foods that meet their daily nutrient demands. “The childhood obesity rate in families with fewer resources is significantly higher than in the rest,” he says.

The president of CGCODN, Luis Morán, has stated that “the important thing is to use this collection to finance mentality campaigns about the dangers of obesity”.

Another necessary issue for the improvement of the population’s diet is the appreciation of nutritionists and dieticians. They must be part of the public health system, and that schools can develop classes on food and nutrition, capable of raising awareness about healthy consumption habits.

FUNIBER promotes studies to train professionals in the area of ​​Nutrition and Dietetics, such as the Master’s Degree in Maternal-Child Nutrition and the Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Food Biotechnology, among others.

Several studies have already shown indicators of the effects of the microbiome on health, and understanding its association with disease is a growing field of scientific research.

According to a more recent study, gut bacteria may also lower the risk of developing leukemia among those with a genetic predisposition to the disease.

The study was published in the journal Blood, and although the experiment has been carried out in mice, the results may indicate possibilities of preventing the disease in children susceptible to genetic inheritance.

The study highlights that precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common among childhood leukemia cases. This type of disease is associated with a combination of genetic factors and some infections that can occur after delivery.

Even with genetic predisposition, many children do not go on to develop the disease. “In rats, it is observed that intestinal microbes are different from those of animals that are not susceptible to the disease,” says one of the study authors, Isidro Sánchez-García, from the Center for Oncological Research (CIC-IBMCC).

To continue their studies, they hope to expand large-scale experiments to find out if a change in the microbiome could be a successful strategy to prevent disease.

FUNIBER promotes studies in the area of ​​food and health, such as the Master’s Degree in Maternal-Child Nutrition and the Doctorate in Nutrition

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, buckwheat contains nutritional values ​​very similar to wheat. Both provide practically the same amount of calories per 100 grams (340 kcal of wheat flour and 335 kcal of buckwheat flour), almost the same amount of protein and very similar values ​​of vitamins.

Buckwheat has slightly more fat, sugar, and minerals, mainly calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and zinc.

Because of these qualities, it is believed that this grain can be a great food to offer healthy nutrition, with antioxidant effects. At the moment, there are few studies, but the Instituto Nazionale di Ricerca sugli Alimenti e la Nutrizione has been better analyzing these benefits.

According to the Alimente website, the preparation of this grain is similar to rice, and it is usually consumed with other foods. When using flour to make bread, it is important to consider that buckwheat flour is denser than wheat flour.

This neural connection may be associated with the possibility of gaining and losing weight, because it provides data for a theory that believes that some people receive more stimuli when they see and smell food.

Study leader Gidon Levakov said these results suggest that “weight loss is not just a matter of willpower, but is actually related to much more basic visual and olfactory signs,” he says.

The study was carried out with 92 people who followed an 18-month weight loss intervention. These participants were analyzed using data such as waist circumference, age, and abnormal lipid levels, in addition to other behavioral tests and brain imaging.

The study understands that visual information is an important factor that causes food, since it is a meaning widely used by humans. According to the study, this sense is associated with the stomach.

To expand knowledge about food and health, FUNIBER facilitates the training of professionals with the Scholarship program for programs in the area of ​​Nutrition, such as the International Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and the Specialization in Overweight and Obesity.

Avoiding food waste is one of the strategies that the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been trying to promote around the world to avoid some global social and environmental problems, such as hunger and climate change.

On September 29, during the celebration of International Food Loss and Waste Awareness Day, FAO has sent some important messages, which, according to Jean Buzby, representative of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), they are:

– Take advantage of the current crisis to rethink the way we produce, manage and waste our food.

– Reducing food and waste losses requires us to strengthen food systems.

– Innovation, technologies and infrastructure are essential to improve the efficiency of food systems and reduce food losses and waste.

Crises offer us opportunities for change. “Together, the food waste of individual stocks, food companies and governments can make a difference,” he said. According to Buzby, the USDA aims to cut food waste in half by 2030.

FUNIBER promotes studies in the area of ​​Nutrition, such as the International Master in Nutrition and Dietetics, aimed at professionals who carry out their activity in positions related to health, industry or companies that want to specialize in the area of ​​food.