Rikard Landberg, researcher at Chalmers University of Technology, is working on projects about wholegrains and individual nutrition, partially funded by Lantmännen Research Foundation. Rikard began by stating that wholegrain intake reduces the risk of early death from diseases such as diabetes, bowel cancer and cardiovascular diseases. However, the effects differ hugely between individuals, and can only be minimally explained by genetics. Studies are now looking at how gut flora composition affects the impact of wholegrains.

If some gut bacteria provide more benefit from wholegrains, we may be one step on the way to individualised dietary advice.

If some gut bacteria provide more benefit from wholegrains, we may be one step on the way to individualised dietary advice. Francisco Vilaplana, researcher at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, highlighted how side streams such as wheat bran can be better utilised in foodstuffs. Valuable ingredients can be produced by separating the bran into its components. Arabinoxylan fibre, for example, can be used to make fibre-rich bread lighter in colour. Lantmännen’s PhD student, Solja Pietiäinen, is contributing to this work. Three researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences talked about imaging and new farming technologies. Aakash Chawade described how image analysis can be used in plant cultivation. Analysing daily images over a long period can provide statistics about biomass, disease or the growth of individual plants in test fields or greenhouses. Mats Söderström provided an overview of how different light wavelengths can be used for field measurements, by drone or satellite. Models are made using light bands and can predict protein levels at harvest. This technology is now used when fields are almost ready for harvest, but studies are underway that may allow even earlier assessments.

The aim is to control actions in different parts of a field, resulting in higher, more even protein levels, for example.

The aim is to control actions in different parts of a field, resulting in higher, more even protein levels, for example. Anna Hessle concluded with a review of digitalised monitoring in animal husbandry. Virtual fences are one such area, where a collar on livestock “fences in” an area. If an animal approaches the “fence”, the collar emits a warning sound and, if it attempts to continue, it receives a weak electric shock. Sweden does not yet permit this technology. One of the remaining research questions is whether animals understand there is a fence when it is not visible.

Text: Helena Fredriksson, Head of Research at Lantmännen Research Foundation