Climate Change at the Table: Rising CO2 May Affect Your Bread

Wheat harvests across Europe are showing a deficiency of gluten, the protein that gives bread elasticity, as mounting levels of atmospheric CO₂ keep plants from getting enough nitrogen to synthesize the protein. German scientists predict that by 2050, bread could rise 20 percent less, giving it the texture of a sponge cake rather than a baguette. Growing levels of CO₂ will likely affect the nitrogen uptake of grain crops around the world, and elevated CO₂ levels are already suspected of contributing to the global rice shortage. The researchers see two options: add massive quantities of polluting nitrogen fertilizers to crops, or turn to genetically modified versions that are more efficient at producing gluten and capturing nitrogen.