chemistry
Feeding Cows Ginkgo Nuts to Reduce Methane Gas: Aichi Prefecture Launches Research and Development for Climate Countermeasures
Related terms: メタン 温室効果ガス 畜産 地球温暖化 化学反応 反芻動物 CH₄
Key points (reviewing AI explanation)
In 2026, the Aichi Prefectural Agricultural Research Center confirmed the possibility of significantly reducing the methane gas emitted through cow belching and other means by feeding cattle a diet mixed with ginkgo nuts (the fruit of the ginkgo tree), and has launched full-scale research and development. The approach is drawing attention as a practical way for the agricultural sector to contribute to reducing greenhouse gases.
Methane (CH₄) is a gas with roughly 28 times the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide (CO₂) over a 100-year span. The global agricultural sector accounts for about 30% of humanity's methane emissions, with digestive fermentation in ruminant animals such as cattle considered the primary cause. According to the FAO, livestock farming as a whole accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Ginkgo nuts are the seeds of the ginkgo tree and contain terpenoid compounds (ginkgolic acid and flavonoids). These are thought to suppress the activity of archaea, which produce methane in the cow's first stomach (rumen). Similar research has reported reductions of up to 80% from adding seaweed (Asparagopsis), and controlling gut environments using natural ingredients is drawing worldwide attention.
Countering global warming is not just an issue involving thermal power generation and automobiles—it is also deeply connected to our daily meals, agriculture, and livestock farming. Consider the relationship between "eating meat" and methane emissions, and the impact that changes in diet have on the climate. Which should be given greater priority: technological solutions or changes in behavior? Try telling the AI what you think.
Explanation
In 2026, the Aichi Prefectural Agricultural Research Center confirmed the possibility of significantly reducing the methane gas emitted through cow belching and other means by feeding cattle a diet mixed with ginkgo nuts (the fruit of the ginkgo tree), and has launched full-scale research and development. The approach is drawing attention as a practical way for the agricultural sector to contribute to reducing greenhouse gases.
Methane (CH₄) is a gas with roughly 28 times the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide (CO₂) over a 100-year span. The global agricultural sector accounts for about 30% of humanity's methane emissions, with digestive fermentation in ruminant animals such as cattle considered the primary cause. According to the FAO, livestock farming as a whole accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Ginkgo nuts are the seeds of the ginkgo tree and contain terpenoid compounds (ginkgolic acid and flavonoids). These are thought to suppress the activity of archaea, which produce methane in the cow's first stomach (rumen). Similar research has reported reductions of up to 80% from adding seaweed (Asparagopsis), and controlling gut environments using natural ingredients is drawing worldwide attention.
Countering global warming is not just an issue involving thermal power generation and automobiles—it is also deeply connected to our daily meals, agriculture, and livestock farming. Consider the relationship between "eating meat" and methane emissions, and the impact that changes in diet have on the climate. Which should be given greater priority: technological solutions or changes in behavior?
Source: news.google.com