Written for the blog of the American Anthropological Association’s Committee for the Anthropology of Science, Technology, and Computing (CASTAC). Originally published on blog.castac.org in November 2023. Header image credit: Humyara Mahbub for ABC Everyday. Content and Trigger Warning: This post contains commentary and reflections about disordered eating. Food(ie) Fixation In September 2019, I responded to an […]
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Originally published on FoodUnfolded.com in October 2023. Header image by Reuters. It’s been over a decade since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011, but the devastation left in its wake continues to impact the Japanese public and its relationship with the government. As Japan seeks to revitalise the region’s rural economy, the task of […]
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On October 4 2023, I presented some thoughts on the impact of regulatory processes on food innovation to pursuing an MSc in Health Food Innovation Management at Maastricht University. The invited talk was part of a student conference entitled “Thinking of a better food system”. The goal of the presentation was to explore the interactions […]
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Published Open Access in Food and Agricultural Economics in September 2023. View full text here. Title Understanding the phenomenon of food waste valorisation from the perspective of supply chain actors engaged in it Abstract The repurposing of surplus food and food processing by-products is a key aspect of the shift towards a circular bioeconomy. In […]
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Originally published on foodunfolded.com in September 2023 From packaging material to disposable cutlery, today’s food system is no stranger to plastic. In fact, it is so pervasive that tiny particles even end up in the food we eat. These particles, known as microplastics, often go unnoticed because of their small size and the lack of […]
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Originally published on foodunfolded.com in June 2023. Bibimbap, Biryani, Jollof Rice, Nasi Lemak, Paella, Risotto, Sushi – the list of delicious rice dishes from around the world is truly endless. But how did this humble grain come to be a ubiquitous, universally loved food? Let’s take a look at the origins of rice and scientific […]
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Written for and originally published on aeon.co on 19 June 2023 Having lived nowhere other than the western coast of India for the first 21 years of my life, seafood was an indispensable part of my diet growing up. When the family business was prospering, we’d feast on plump pomfrets and juicy tiger prawns. When it wasn’t, […]
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Published in Annals of Emergency Medicine in June 2023. I contributed to this study by guiding the study design and supporting the first author in their analysis of qualitative data. To be cited as: van Boven, L.S., Kusters, R.W., Tin, D., van Osch, F.H., De Cauwer, H., Ketelings, L., Rao, M., Dameff, C. and Barten, […]
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Originally published on foodunfolded.com on 31/05/2023 Sin maíz no hay país – without maize, there is no country – is a popular slogan from a Mexican campaign that seeks to preserve the country’s native maize seeds, varieties and smallholder farmers’ rights. In Mexico and many other countries, where millions depend on maize for their sustenance […]
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Header image credit: UNDP Climate Promise On May 30 2023, I delivered a (virtual) lecture on food waste valorisation in circular economy to graduate students of the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. I was invited by Prof. Nelson Barros Colauto who coordinates the University’s efforts towards internationalisation. The lecture can be viewed on YouTube using […]
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Madhura Rao 