Sustainability Update: June 2025

EU: Commission Withdraws Green Claims Proposal On June 20, 2025, the European Commission announced its intention to withdraw its Green Claims proposal, as reported by Euronews. This surprise decision marks the latest withdrawal of a major Green Deal initiative following the publication of the Commission’s “Omnibus” package aimed at simplifying EU legislation. Initially proposed in […]

Labeling Update: June 2025

EU: Public Consultation on Criteria for Establishing High-Risk Countries and Products in Organics With regard to organic production and labeling of organic products, the Commission has published a draft regulation amending the criteria for the establishment of the list of high-risk third countries and high-risk products. Certain products from non-EU countries certified as organic are […]

Marketing Orders: June 2025

USA: Marketing Order for California Prune Board Renewed Through 2030 Following a successful public hearing and comment period, the California Prune Board has been reauthorized by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for another five years through July 31, 2030. Operating under a marketing order, the program is funded through mandatory assessments from […]

Sustainable biocarbon derived from walnut shells and its composites with mono-functional bio-benzoxazine for advanced applications

Using agricultural waste as biocarbon material is a recent development with many potential applications. Nutshells can be utilized to produce biocarbon, enhancing the electrical properties of thermoset composites. In this research, Walnut shells (WSs) were carbonized at 750 °C, and activated carbon filler was thoroughly examined. Isothermal compression molding was used, and composites were produced […]

Efficacy of a continuous Dean flow UV-C system in almond milk treatment using computational fluid dynamics and biodosimetry

A continuous Dean flow UV-C system was designed using fluorinated ethylene propylene tubing with UV-C transmission ≈60% wrapped in a serpentine path to improve axial mixing with a Dean number > 140. The microbial inactivation efficiency of the system was evaluated using Salmonella Typhimurium, E. coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, and T1UV inoculated in almond milk […]

From waste to wrap: Pistachio shell powder–reinforced chitosan biocomposite for eco-friendly packaging

Chitosan (Cs) is a biopolymer which has exceptional biocompatibility, biodegradability and antibacterial properties. On the other hand, pistachio shell (Ps) powder is environmentally friendly, sustainable, biodegradable and non-toxic. Therefore, the combination of these two biomaterials may lead to a biocomposite with numerous attractive properties. In this work, we report the preparation and characterization of a […]

Mathematical modeling of powdery mildew disease in cashew plants with optimal control and cost-effectiveness analysis

This study aimed to determine the optimal and cost-effective strategy for controlling powdery mildew disease (PMD) in cashew plants by incorporating resistant varieties, cultural practices, and chemical control into a mathematical model. A deterministic model was developed and analyzed to study the impact of implementing these three time-dependent controls on disease transmission dynamics. Pontryagin’s maximum […]

Carbon-water coupling in California almond orchards: a multi-scale assessment of ecosystem water use efficiency using eddy covariance and remote sensing

Water use efficiency (WUE) at the ecosystem level is a critical ecophysiological indicator that integrates carbon-water coupling processes and provides essential insights for sustainable agriculture in water-limited environments. This study investigated the dynamics of WUE in California almond orchards, a high-value and water-intensive crop system of global economic significance, by combining eddy covariance (EC) measurements […]

Research Shows Walnuts May Help Reduce Inflammation and Colon Cancer Risk

A compound produced after walnut consumption was linked to healthier colon tissue A recent study published in Cancer Prevention Research examined the cancer-protective effects of walnuts, focusing on the role of urolithin A —a compound produced in the gut when certain polyphenols found in walnuts are metabolized by the microbiome. Urolithin A has been associated […]