Summary
Published in Soil Use and Management (2019), this review by Gregory et al. synthesises evidence on the pathways connecting soil properties to the nutritional quality of food and, ultimately, to human health. The paper likely addresses how soil management — including pH adjustment, organic matter inputs, and micronutrient availability — can influence the mineral and phytonutrient density of crops. It provides a conceptual framework relevant to debates about declining nutrient density in modern food systems and the role of soil stewardship in addressing micronutrient deficiencies.
UK applicability
Directly applicable to the UK context, where soil degradation, selenium deficiency in soils, and declining mineral content in food crops are documented concerns; the findings are relevant to Defra soil health policy and the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Key measures
Soil mineral concentrations; crop micronutrient content (e.g. Zn, Fe, Se, iodine); dietary reference values; soil organic matter; soil pH
Outcomes reported
The paper examines how variation in soil physical, chemical, and biological properties influences the nutritional composition of food crops, and considers the downstream implications for human dietary health. It likely reviews evidence linking soil mineral status, organic matter, and management practices to micronutrient concentrations in harvested produce.
Topic tags
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