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Teaching Resources

Our Food (and Beverages)

Living beings—from bacteria to humans—have developed strategies to store nutrients and survive periods of scarcity. These strategies include internal reserves of sugars, lipids, and other polymers that cells can later break down for energy. Some animals also store food externally, protecting it from competitors and from deterioration. For humans, proper food storage and preservation is essential. Today, these practices aim to maintain the nutritional and sensory qualities of food and to prevent spoilage caused by microorganisms. Microbes can reduce the quantity of food, alter its flavor, smell, or texture, and even make it unsafe to eat by producing toxins or causing disease.

Food preservation

Dad, why don't you keep that fish in the fridge?

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Image: Anders Beer Wilse, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. https://digitaltmuseum.no/011012602381/klipfiskstabel

Mycotoxins are toxic, low-molecular-weight compounds produced by filamentous fungi that contaminate food and feed, posing serious risks to plants, animals, and humans. Excessive use of chemical antifungals has led to resistant fungal strains, toxic residues, and environmental damage. Climate change is expected to further favor mycotoxin production, while global population growth will increase challenges to food security, particularly in developing regions. Therefore, developing safe, eco-friendly, and cost-effective strategies to control mycotoxin contamination is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mycotoxins: fungal toxins in our food or Fungi: friends or foes?

Mummy: some of these walnuts are greenish/greyish inside: I don’t really fancy them!

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"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" – this proverb is widely known. Apples, often one of the first fruits babies eat, come in many forms: whole, cut, mashed, cooked, or as juice, jam, or wine. Rich in nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and flavonoids, apples also contain millions of microorganisms. They support children's health by enriching their microbiome, which aids immune system development and reduces allergies. While considered a healthy superfood, apples can be risky if contaminated with mycotoxins from fungi or if they cause allergic reactions.

The apple microbiome

Miss: shouldn’t the phrase ‘an apple a day’ be changed to ‘an apple and its microbiome a day’

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In many parts of the world, consuming meat, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream is a daily norm. Most of these products come from domesticated cows, with a global population of about 1.5 billion. While cow-based foods are rich in protein and a staple of balanced diets, large-scale production creates significant environmental challenges. One major issue is methane, a potent greenhouse gas produced by microbes in the cow's rumen during digestion. Interestingly, cows rely entirely on these microbes to break down their feed and convert it into energy; without them, cows would starve. Reducing methane emissions from cows is critical for sustainable meat and dairy production but must not harm the animals' well-being. Scientists are uncovering how methane output is influenced by a combination of factors: rumen microbes, feed composition, and cow genetics. Addressing this challenge will require studying all three factors together for effective solutions.

Lowering the carbon footprint of food animals

Timmy: why do cows produce so much greenhouse gas? Is it possible to make them more environmentally friendly?

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Photo by Elina Sazonova, courtesy of Pexels.com

Infectious diseases pose a significant threat to the long-term survival of marine species, impacting both commercial and natural stocks. Effective disease management is critical as aquaculture plays a key role in addressing global food shortages. However, it must balance ecosystem stability and environmental fragility. The intensive use of antibiotics in animal husbandry endangers public health and biodiversity by disrupting beneficial bacteria and accelerating antibiotic resistance. This resistance could lead to future epidemics or pandemics. Research now focuses on eco-friendly alternatives, such as bacteriophages—viruses abundant in aquatic environments that specifically target harmful bacteria without affecting others.

Aquaculture

Freddie, are these beautiful marine species also infected by the coronavirus? No Lou but these animals have their own troubles.

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Eating is essential for energy and hunger satisfaction, but it also plays a key role in our social lives. Shopping for ingredients, cooking, and sharing meals enriches our quality of life. We expect food to taste and smell good, satisfy our hunger, and support our health. Functional foods, a special category, contain added ingredients—like specific compounds or living microbes—that promote health. Fermented foods, rich in beneficial microorganisms, are closely tied to this concept, as microbes can produce a wide range of health-supporting substances.

Functional food

Child: I am so hungry and need to eat something now. Can food make me not only full, but also more healthy?

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A coffee in the morning, after a meal, or with friends—coffee has become a global staple since its origins in 16th-century Yemen. Introduced to Europe in the early 1600s, it was initially enjoyed in specialized coffee houses. Coffee is valued for its ability to suppress appetite, aid digestion, and provide a wakeful boost. Preferences for brew strength, temperature, and additions like milk or sugar vary across cultures, but coffee is universally seen as a hallmark of a quality lifestyle. Scandinavian countries lead in per-capita consumption, perhaps due to their long, dark winters. Notably, microbes play a crucial role in coffee production, contributing to its beloved flavor and aroma.

Coffee

Mom: coffee looks mucky and smells strong, why are you always drinking it?

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Credit: C Schwab

Chocolate is one of the world’s most beloved treats, often tied to romance, indulgence, and comfort. While cacao (Theobroma cacao) contains beneficial antioxidants, most are lost during processing, making chocolate’s health-food reputation misleading. Few realize chocolate is a product of microbial fermentation, similar to yogurt and kombucha. This process, involving yeast, bacteria, and fungi, is essential for developing its signature flavor. Growing cacao is also challenging, as the plant faces pests, diseases, and environmental pressures, with significant social and ecological costs. Next time we enjoy chocolate, we should appreciate the effort—by both humans and microbes—that brings it to our shelves and consider its connection to sustainability.

Chocolate: our favorite treat!

Daddy: Cynthia says chocolate has mold in it! Is this true?

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The role of fungi in food and food production is often underestimated. Mushrooms, for example, can be cultivated in the dark and grown on waste materials, while mycoprotein is produced in large fermentation vats with minimal energy, water, and nutrient inputs. Fungi are also essential in the production of staples like bread, beer, wine, and certain cheeses. Additionally, they enhance crop growth by supplying nutrients to plant roots, protect crops from insects and microbial pathogens, and help prevent competition with weeds. Given their versatility, fungi are integral to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to ending hunger, providing nutritious diets, and promoting sustainable land conservation practices.

Fungi as food

Gramps: are you sure we can eat this one?

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Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Bandera de Costa Rica

Institutions

Logo Centro Nacional de Innovaciones Biotecnológicas (CENIBiot)
Logo Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR)
Logo Centro Nacional de Alta Tecnología (CeNAT)
Logo Escuela de Química UCR
Logo Centro de Investigación en Productos Naturales (CIPRONA)

Email

max.chavarria@ucr.ac.cr

Telephone

+506 2511 2270       (CIPRONA)
+506 2519 5871       (CENIBiot-CeNAT-CONARE)

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