You might think that microorganisms - aka microbes - contaminate food, cause disease and are generally something to be avoided. But we shouldn’t be afraid of the microbes in our food...
In her science feature article at the Naked Scientist, Winton Scholar Hannah Laeverenz Schlogelhofer discusses the important role played by microorganisms; these range from how their chemical interactions with soil can enable plants to acquire nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous to making cheese with a diversity of textures, smells and flavours.
With technological advances in microscopy, genetics and DNA sequencing, our understanding of the significant role microorganisms play in agriculture is growing fast. Perhaps we need to look no further than the soil beneath our feet or the cheese on our plates to find inspiration and work with the mini biochemists that are all around us to sustainably feed our growing global population.
Further details can be found in the article and podcast produced by Hannah whilst an intern at The Naked Scientist.