Effective nitrogen management at the local scale, through targeted practices, can enhance agricultural sustainability. However, it also necessitates consideration of climate change and socio-economic transformations.

Proteomic signatures associated with healthy dietary patterns can link diets to disease outcomes. Yet, it is unclear what information can be obtained through the development of proteomic signatures, how they can be used to elucidate the mechanisms linking dietary patterns to disease outcomes and whether they have utility in predicting and preventing diet-related diseases.

Land consolidation in China is seen as a key strategy to increase resource use efficiency while maintaining high yields, yet it often reduces crop diversity. Reconciling consolidation, diversity and agricultural technology is key for food and nutrition security.

In May 2024, the EU adopted the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive3. The directive requires companies to carry out a human rights and environmental due diligence process to prevent, mitigate and address their own potential or actual adverse human rights and environmental impacts, as well as those of their subsidiaries and those arising in their global chains of activities. The directive

A data-driven synthesis demonstrates the positive impact of nanomaterials in boosting crop yields while reducing heavy metal accumulation and identifies the key factors influencing their efficacy.

Evidence from crop–soil systems shows that potassium limitation poses a critical challenge in Southeast Asia, impacting crop yields, quality and soil health. Addressing this is vital to closing cereal yield gaps and enhancing food security.

More than 1,600 multi-stakeholder dialogues were convened in preparation for the United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021. These dialogues have helped facilitate inclusive explorations of the complex challenges of transforming food systems and accelerate progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The bioaccumulation of methylmercury in fish and its biomagnification through the food chain is a major public health concern. Differences in fish methylmercury concentration observed between China and the United States highlight the need for a better understanding of region-specific factors that drive its formation and biological uptake.

Artificial intelligence has the potential to improve the energy and resource use efficiency of plant factories with artificial lighting, promoting more economically viable and environmentally sustainable indoor agriculture.

Malnutrition and climate change are intimately linked. Nature Food’s latest Collection illustrates the central role of diets in both of these issues, underscoring the burden of current diets on human and planetary health, as well as how much improvement can be achieved through better dietary choices.

Correction to: Nature Food https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-024-01016-8, published online 24 July 2024.

Edgar and colleagues contrasted stock biomass estimates at the time of assessment for 230 fisheries with updated hindcast estimates modelled for the same year in later assessments to evaluate systematic over or underestimation. They found that two thirds of stocks had positive assessment bias, indicating that the full extent of biomass depletion was not known when management actions were considered

Dietary shifts are among the most important actions we can take to reduce the environmental impact of our food system and improve human health. However, implementing such changes requires that dietary recommendations be tailored to the cultural heritage, values and preferences of populations.

Not only does the problem persist, but it is also getting worse. Nature Food’s Collection ‘Loss and waste in food systems’ is a contribution to the debate on drivers, impacts and solutions.

Monitoring systems that incentivize, track and verify compliance with social and environmental standards are widespread in food systems. In particular, digital monitoring approaches using remote sensing, machine learning, big data, smartphones, platforms and blockchain are proliferating. The increasing use and availability of these technologies put us at a critical juncture to leverage these innovations

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and temperature unevenly affect the two main rice subspecies, which is predicted to increase the yield gap between low-income and middle- to high-income countries later this century.

Protein content in wild-harvested meat can exceed that of domestic livestock3, is low in saturated and trans fats4, and high in bioavailable micronutrients5 important for reducing malnutrition6. Animal-based foods are the most expensive component of food budgets, representing 40% of income for a healthy diet that can be augmented through wildlife harvests. In Namibia, for example, the contribution

The association between adherence to healthy dietary patterns during pregnancy and higher exposure to certain chemicals highlights the need for an exposomics-based approach to better understand the impacts on maternal and child health.

Climate change and Russian invasion threaten Ukraine’s crop production. Data-informed climate adaptations and water management for sustainable irrigation expansion are recommended for post-invasion recovery in Ukraine and global food security.