Food Delivery Research Articles

An Updated Review on Nanoemulsion: Factory for Food and Drug Delivery.

A nanoemulsion is a colloidal system of small droplets dispersed in another liquid. It has attracted considerable attention due to its unique properties and various applications. Throughout this review, we provide an overview of nanoemulsions and how they can be applied to various applications such as drug delivery, food applications, and pesticide formulations. This updated review aims to comprehensively overview nanoemulsions and their applications as a versatile platform for drug delivery, food applications, and pesticide formulations. Research relevant scientific literature across various databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Suitable keywords for this purpose include "nanoemulsion," "drug delivery," and "food applications." Ensure the search criteria include recent publications to ensure current knowledge is included. Several benefits have been demonstrated in the delivery of drugs using nanoemulsions, including improved solubility, increased bioavailability, and controlled delivery. Nanoemulsions have improved some bioactive compounds in food applications, including vitamins and antioxidants. At the same time, pesticide formulations based on nanoemulsions have also improved solubility, shelf life, and effectiveness. The versatility of nanoemulsions makes them ideal for drug delivery, food, and pesticide formulation applications. These products are highly soluble, bioavailable, and targeted, providing significant advantages. More research and development are required to implement nanoemulsion-based products on a commercial scale.

Nanoplastic Release from Disposable Plastics: Correlation with Maximum Service Temperature

The potential for bioaccumulation of nanoplastics (NPs, <1µm) increases as the particle size decreases. Since several disposable plastic products used daily may release NPs, their intake may be unavoidable. Therefore, it is crucial to examine the release patterns of NPs from these products. This study investigates the relationship between NP release and the Maximum Service Temperature (MST) of five plastic types, confirming the correlation under real-world conditions. The releasing tendencies of NPs were investigated using plastic pellets. We simulated the packaging of hot food in plastic containers, considering the physical dynamics of food delivery, and replicated cooking in an oven and microwave. We observed that the mass of NPs released tended to reach its maximum at the material's MST. In real-life conditions, the release of NP was found to increase with higher container content temperatures and longer packaging or cooking durations. Physical impacts were confirmed to be the most significant contributors to NP release. Moreover, Higher microwave power levels lead to greater NP release, with polar materials releasing more NPs compared to non-polar materials. Consequently, to minimize NP ingestion, it is recommended to use containers made from non-polar materials with a high MST.

Offline to online: a systematic mapping review of evidence to inform nutrition-related policies applicable to online food delivery platforms

Offline to online: a systematic mapping review of evidence to inform nutrition-related policies applicable to online food delivery platforms

The rise and contestation of platform capitalism: Evidence from two food delivery blackouts in Malaysia

The vulnerability and inequality of on-demand gig workers around the world are epitomised by the insecure rights that arise from the legal implications of their status. They are the biggest victims of capital accumulation under platform capitalism, which has skilfully exploited this worker–employer relationship. The resistance of gig workers is essential to counter the powerful structural control structures of platform capitalism. However, theoretical developments in the ideology and resistance of the industrial relations processes that overshadow platform capitalism and empirical studies of them in non-Western contexts are underdeveloped. This study develops an analytical framework in the process of platform capitalism versus gig worker resistance and examines longitudinal resistance and changes and challenges to platform capitalism. A longitudinal analysis of food delivery boycotts for Malaysian p-hailing gig workers in 2022 and 2024 produced different results and complexities in terms of the robustness and continuity of this resistance. The study finds theoretical fluidity in the robustness of workers’ commodification processes under platform capitalism, the focus on organising motives and demands of resistance, and two routes of resistance to the powerful platform balance of power.

Riders driving at the limit of AI: geographies of two-wheeled food delivery and traffic safety in Seoul, South Korea

ABSTRACT Food delivery has become a leading cause of industrial accidents in Korea, with platforms’ AI features acting as “the boss” to riders. Our analysis of 175 articles from the Korean press (2014–2022) examines how AI intersects with the commercial use of motorcycles and traffic safety. With particular attention to riders’ interview quotes and opinion pieces, we show how AI constrains riders’ mobile experiences and subjectivities, by taking over their autonomy to choose their task and drive responsibly. This creates an algorithmic loop where data on “fast and successful” deliveries is generated by time-pressured rides, often involving unsafe riding and traffic violations. Our findings contribute to platform urbanism literature, by highlighting the mobile and embodied implications of profit-driven mobilities. We further broaden the AI urbanism debate by showing how traffic safety and public space are reconfigured by the AI-driven speed and volume of food delivery.

Resisting technological inevitability: Google Wing's delivery drones and the fight for our skies.

Efforts to realize on-demand delivery drone networks present a stark example of how the technology industry seeks to dominate new markets, regardless of societal consequences. Analyzing the most advanced of these efforts-Google Wing's operations in Australia since 2017-we identify the instrumental role of narratives of technological inevitability (of tech expansion, and societal adaptation) in catalyzing new sky-based commerce. Yet the interest of this case study lies in a twist. Google Wing's rollout in Australia's capital, Canberra, initially proceeded as a textbook example of tech expansion. However, citizen engagement and public governance dramatically intervened and, we argue, disrupted the logic of technological inevitability. This article is the first to analyze these dynamics, many of which originated with Bonython Against Drones (BAD), a community action group forged from those who first lived under Google's food delivery drones. The article exposes the flawed logic of technological inevitability as the enabling force of tech expansion; characterizes the governance failures that help install corporate visions for public goods; animates the potentialities of communities living with new technologies; and identifies the sky itself, as both a public commons and a vital, living habitat, as a key future locus for participatory governance. This article is part of the theme issue 'Co-creating the future: participatory cities and digital governance'.

Exploring the Factors Influencing Car Drivers' Perception and Crash Probability with Food Delivery Riders

Motorcycle food delivery riders (MFDR) face significant crash risks and some of these crashes are attributed to other vehicle drivers. This paper assesses drivers’ perceptions and observed riding behaviors of MFDRs, through a survey, and analyses driver factors that increase MFDR crash risk. Drivers indicated that MFDRs exhibited reckless riding (tailgating, filtering, and weaving), and drivers’ demographics, driving characteristics, and personality traits anger affected these observations. Personality trait anger influenced fault identified in a crash and motorcycle riding perception while driver demographics had a minor effect on the perceptions. Drivers’ motorcycle riding experience affected the understanding of MFDR behaviors and perception. Driver’s age, employment, motorcycle riding experience, violations, emotional state while driving (hurry), observed MFDR violations factor score, and motorcycle riding perception affected crash probability. The results could be used to develop strategies to promote traffic safety in mixed environments by providing motorcycle riding behavior awareness and improving driver training.

The potential of autonomous delivery services to increase fast food consumption.

Technological innovations in the online food delivery sector include the use of autonomous delivery vehicles. The aim of the present study was to investigate consumers' intentions to use these services once they are widely available and their motivations for using them to access unhealthy food. Online survey including a vignette describing a future world where autonomous food deliveries are in common use in both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Australia. 1078 Australians aged 18 years and older, nationally representative by sex, age, and location (metropolitan versus non-metropolitan residence). Around half of the sample reported intending to use an autonomous food delivery service at least once per week for fast food (53%) and/or healthy pre-prepared food (50%). Almost two-thirds (60%) intended using autonomous vehicle deliveries to receive groceries. Around one in five (17%) anticipated an increase in their fast food intake as a result of access to autonomous delivery services compared to one in two (46%) expecting others' total fast food intake to increase. The most common reason provided for using autonomous food deliveries was increased convenience. More frequent current fast food ordering, higher socioeconomic status, younger age, and regional location were significantly associated with an anticipated increase in fast food consumption. The emergence of autonomous food delivery systems may bring both benefits and adverse consequences that in combination are likely to constitute a substantial regulatory challenge. Proactive efforts will be required to avoid negative public health nutrition outcomes of this transport evolution.

Meaningful app-work? Exploring meaningful work experiences of food delivery couriers in Poland

PurposeThe rise of app-based work in the gig economy, particularly within the food delivery sector, challenges traditional employment paradigms and raises questions about the potential for achieving meaningful work experiences. This study explores whether such work can be considered meaningful for food delivery couriers in Poland.Design/methodology/approachThis research adopts a qualitative, case-study approach, conducting 30 in-depth interviews with food delivery couriers in Poland. The study investigates how these workers perceive the meaningfulness of their work, focusing on the interplay between subjective and organisational aspects of their work.FindingsThe findings reveal that despite the precarious nature of app-based work, couriers often find meaningful experiences through perceived autonomy, gamified control and the physical demands of their job. The study highlights the dual nature of app work, where the same elements that contribute to worker engagement and a sense of independence also perpetuate exploitation and job insecurity.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s reliance on a convenience sample of 30 interviews conducted via social media may not represent the broader population of food delivery couriers. Future research should expand the sample size and include a more diverse range of participants to improve generalisability.Practical implicationsThe insights from this study can inform platform designers and policymakers to create more supportive environments for gig workers. Enhancing algorithmic transparency, providing better social protections and implementing fair gamification strategies can help mitigate the negative aspects of gig work and improve job satisfaction.Social implicationsThe study underscores the need for regulatory changes to ensure minimum guaranteed earnings and health and safety provisions for gig workers. By fostering a supportive and transparent work environment, the gig economy can better contribute to worker well-being and social equity.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the limited body of literature on meaningful work within the gig economy, particularly focusing on food delivery couriers in Poland. It provides new insights into how workers create and perceive meaningful work in a highly digitised and algorithmically managed environment.

Social movements boosted online orders for US Black-owned restaurants after the murder of George Floyd.

We use the rise of Black Lives Matter and the sentiment of racial sympathy to examine the interplay between the social movement and citizens' sympathetic actions in supporting Black people. Using detailed food order flow information from one of the largest online food delivery platforms in the USA, we find that the total number of food orders from Black-owned restaurants increased by 39% relative to nearby non-Black-owned restaurants in the 140 days following the murder of George Floyd on the basis of a difference-in-difference model. The platform company's strategic traffic allocation acted as an accelerator, enhancing the sympathetic responses of individuals, but it did not drive the entire surge in food orders. Protests resulting in severe injuries and those linked to demands for defunding the police diminished the positive sympathetic responses, highlighting a potential risk associated with protests. Our study provides large-scale, micro-level evidence that social movements and increased sympathy can foster collective actions to support marginalized communities.

Exploring the Implications of Working Conditions for Corporate Sustainability in Last-Mile Delivery Platform Companies

AbstractLast-mile delivery platforms have recently emerged as effective business models to match supply and demand, even though they have been criticized for potentially exploiting their workers. This paper investigates the corporate sustainability and socio-economic trade-offs of platform companies in relation to working conditions (i.e., work relationships, social subsystems, and technical subsystem). A survey of 392 paid-per-order workers from six food delivery platforms across Spain was conducted to validate our research framework. Our findings provide a nuanced understanding of the impact of working conditions on corporate sustainability in platform companies. On the one hand, there are positive implications for both social and economic sustainability in the presence of higher earnings, rights and protections, and empowerment for workers. Conversely, prolonged work relationships between workers and platform companies are negatively related to workers’ perceived stress and individual performance. Based on these insights, we advance our understanding of how platform companies can deal with conflicting objectives regarding working conditions by adopting an instrumental approach in the case of short-term workers and an integrative approach with long-term workers.

Algorithmic management, wellbeing and platform work: understanding the psychosocial risks and experiences of food couriers in Finland

ABSTRACT Digitalisation has made algorithmic management a defining feature of platform work. This study explores the psychosocial stresses and risks associated with different algorithmic management practices and analyses the applicability of Job Demand-Control-Support model in examining food delivery platform work. Our findings draw from 30 semi-structured interviews with platform food couriers in Finland. We applied Job Demand-Control-Support framework as the analysis matrix to inductive qualitative content analysis and compared the algorithmic management practices of the two dominant food delivery platforms in Finland. This study established that algorithmic management had direct and indirect intertwined negative psychosocial influence on couriers. These impacts were varied and were related to how algorithmic management was employed by the platforms. We also found that algorithmic management can increase work demands, decrease couriers’ control over their work, and limit workplace support. The study demonstrated that Job Demand-Control-Support model is suitable for analysing stress related to algorithmic management and platform work. This supports its application in future quantitative analyses. Our study deepens the understanding of psychosocial issues associated with the emerging trend of algorithmic management in workplaces, which is a fundamental dimension of the future of work. It highlights the need for regulatory measures relevant in ensuring healthy work environments.

Home Food Delivery to Address Food Insecurity Following Hospital Discharge.

Nearly 1 in 5 families with children in the United States are food insecure. Hospitalization of a child can exacerbate food insecurity, both during the hospitalization and after discharge. Although some hospitals provide free or subsidized meals during hospitalization, few address food insecurity in the immediate posthospitalization period. To address this gap, we developed an innovative Inpatient Food Pharmacy program. This program offers families of hospitalized children experiencing food insecurity a choice of 1 week of prepared meals, 6 months of monthly produce delivery, or both, after discharge. Our goals were to assess program enrollment, understand family preferences, and evaluate the program’s feasibility and acceptability. Among 120 eligible families, 71 (59%) enrolled. Fifty-five families (77%) chose both prepared meals and produce delivery, 13 (18%) chose prepared meals only, and 3 (4%) chose produce delivery only. The program successfully delivered 6972 prepared meals and 348 boxes of produce over 10 months. Follow-up calls reached 41 (58%) of enrolled families, all of whom reported that the program met their acute food needs. Feedback from families and resource navigators suggested the program was acceptable. We aim to advocate for sustainable funding for food delivery for children and families experiencing food insecurity at 3 levels (1) institutionally, through our hospital's community benefit spending, (2) statewide, through a proposed Medicaid Section 1115 waiver providing grocery delivery to Medicaid-insured pregnant and postpartum individuals and their families, and (3) federally, through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Association Between Frequency of Away-From-Home Meals and Prevalence of Inflammatory Sinonasal Diseases: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, people had to stay at home due to quarantine, and the food delivery industry grew significantly. Concerns have been raised regarding the popularity of away-from-home (AFH) meals and their impact on health. In this study, we evaluated the association between the frequency of AFH meals and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). In this cross-sectional study, the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was reviewed from 2010 to 2019. The frequency of AFH meals was assessed as how often the respondents ate AFH meals in an average week. Those who ate AFH meals less than once per week were designated as group 1, one to four times as group 2, and five times or more as group 3. The diagnoses of AR and CRS were evaluated, and symptoms, endoscopic findings, and serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were assessed. Logistic regression analyses were performed. A total of 48,515 participants were eligible. In multivariate logistic regression analysis for AR, when compared to group 1, the odds ratios (ORs) for AR in participants of group 2 (OR = 1.226, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.136–1.324) and group 3 (OR = 1.227, 95% CI = 1.126–1.337) were significantly higher (p &lt; 0.0001). For CRS, group 2 (OR = 1.139, 95% CI = 1.029–1.260) and group 3 (OR = 1.210, 95% CI = 1.078–1.358) showed a significantly higher risk than group 1 (p = 0.0044). Individuals who consume AFH meals frequently might suffer less from AR or CRS if they change their dietary habits and prepare meals more often at home.

The effect of COVID-19: to what extent does food delivery substitute eating out trips in Yogyakarta, Indonesia?

AbstractThe study aims to assess the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on travel and out-of-home activity by analyzing primary data collected from ride-hailing app users in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia. The data was analyzed using a random effect ordered logistic panel model. The results indicate a complementary relationship between food delivery and eating out. Individuals who frequently use food delivery services are more likely to also engage in eating out activities, and vice versa. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on these behaviors. Eating out experienced a substantial decrease during the pandemic, while food delivery remained stable. The findings highlight that food delivery cannot easily replace the experience of eating out, even under lockdown conditions. Overall, this study provides insights into the dynamics between food delivery and eating out, emphasizing the complexities and limitations of substituting one with the other.

Exploring food delivery app adoption: Corporate social responsibility and perceived product risk's influence

Exploring food delivery app adoption: Corporate social responsibility and perceived product risk's influence

How food delivery service can be sustainable: some evidence from the Giusta delivery case

PurposeThe study explores the drivers of the intention to continue using sustainable food delivery services, considering the influence of value, satisfaction and the combined effects of utilitarian and hedonic motives. We employ a comprehensive framework that integrates the norm activation model (NAM) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), with satisfaction, utilitarian motives and hedonic motives. This approach facilitates a deeper understanding of the factors motivating users to remain loyal to the service.Design/methodology/approachThe study examines the data using a quantitative approach based on the partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe findings suggest that the intention to continue using sustainable food delivery services, such as the Giusta app, is significantly influenced by user satisfaction and attitudes. Attitudes not only influence the intention but also user satisfaction and are shaped by utilitarian motivations associated with sustainable food delivery. Beyond personal expectations and perceived benefits, the study reveals that behavior is also driven by altruistic values and moral convictions. Specifically, attitudes and satisfaction are positively affected by personal norms, which are influenced by ascribed responsibility. This ascribed responsibility is, in turn, shaped by awareness of both environmental and social issues.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the current debate on consumers' ethical behavior in food delivery. Only a few studies have integrated the NAM and TPB models in this context. This article highlights the factors useful in predicting people’s choice of food delivery services, showing the key role of personal norms, attitude, satisfaction and utilitarian motives.

Ethnic Food Truck Consumers’ Satisfaction: A Combination of PLS-SEM and fsQCA Analysis

Food trucks represent a unique dining option that encompasses elements such as culinary innovation, small business entrepreneurship, and cultural diversity. Grounded in the self-determination theory, this research aimed to examine a framework of ethnic food truck visitors’ satisfaction using symmetric and asymmetric approaches. Drawing from a sample of 416 online respondents, the symmetric analysis revealed that brand image mediated the relationship between the quality concepts (food quality and delivery quality) and satisfaction. In addition, destination image mediated the relationship between authenticity concepts (food authenticity and atmosphere authenticity) and satisfaction. Cuisine type partially moderated the structural model consisting of quality, image, and satisfaction. Through an asymmetric approach, the study identified configurations predicting high and low satisfaction, highlighting the combined effects of multiple ingredients. These insights provide valuable theoretical and managerial implications for understanding customer satisfaction within the food truck industry.

Consumer self-protection behavior of online meal safety during the COVID-19 pandemic: the impact of risk perception and effect of satisfaction with management safety performance

PurposeThis study aims to assess the effects of risk perception and management subject satisfaction on consumers' online meal food safety self-protection behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses 742 questionnaires collected via a two-stage online survey conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, between December 2021 and January 2022. The entropy method, descriptive statistics, ordered logit model, stepwise regression models, interaction terms and decentralization method were used in the quantitative analysis. Respondents’ written responses to self-protection behavior were categorized into five groups.FindingsLess than half of consumers were aware that online food products carry the risk of SARS-COV-2 (44.48%). Between 30 and 40% of consumers took insufficient or no self-protection measures. Risk perception significantly and positively affected self-protection behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers' management subject satisfaction has a positive moderating effect on risk perception, with the moderating effect of the satisfaction of online retailers being significant at the 5% level. Risk perception significantly and positively influences consumer self-protection behavior in provinces not affected by the pandemic.Originality/valueThe findings stress the benefits of synergistic interventions by consumers and management subject to food safety measures and the inclusion of tailored interventions during events threatening public health to effectively address food safety. The study offers valuable insights contributing to the improvement of public health outcomes, customer trust and service quality within the online food delivery industry.

A two-echelon multi-trip vehicle routing problem with synchronization for an integrated water- and land-based transportation system

This study focuses on two-echelon synchronized logistics problems in the context of integrated water- and land-based transportation (IWLT) systems. The aim is to meet the increasing demand in city logistics as a result of the growth in transport activities, including parcel delivery, food delivery, and waste collection. We propose two models, a novel mixed integer linear joint model, and a logic-based Benders’ decomposition (LBBD) model, for a two-echelon problem under realistic settings such as multi-trips, time windows, and synchronization at the satellites with no storage and limited resource capacities. The objective is to optimize transfers and satellite assignments, thereby reducing overall logistics costs for street vehicles and vessels. Computational experiments demonstrate that the LBBD model is more robust in terms of solution quality and solution time on average while the added value of the LBBD is more evident when solving large-scale instances with 100 customers, reducing the overall costs by 10.6% on average and significantly reducing the fleet costs on both networks. Furthermore, we assess the effect of changing cost parameters and satellite locations in the proposed IWLT system–analyzing system behavior and suggesting potential improvements–and evaluate several system alternatives in city logistics–consisting of different transportation network designs (single- and two-echelon), vehicle types, and operational constraints. On average, the proposed two-echelon IWLT system reduces the number of kilometers traveled by vehicles at street level by ranging from 20% to 30% compared to a typical single-echelon service design that relies solely on trucks.