Food Supply System Research Articles

Organizational and economic mechanism of balanced development of the vegetable market in the Republic of Belarus

Formation of a competitive national economy in the Republic of Belarus in conditions of international economic relations should be based on a stably functioning and well-developed system of commodity markets, with food market taking a key place in their structure. One of the most important segments of the latter is the vegetable market, which is developing dynamically at the present stage, providing population with valuable food products, and industry - with raw materials for processing. At the same time, specificity of domestic vegetable market of the Republic of Belarus in the context of ensuring national food security is determined by new tasks, objectively generated by the development of modern trends in domestic and global agricultural economy. The paper substantiates theoretical foundations of the mechanism of its balanced development in the food supply system, which contain scientific approaches, conditions and factors of the internal and external market environments, as well as modern trends in the vegetable market and its main segments in foreign countries. In the context of national food security, new directions of organizational and economic mechanism for the vegetable market functioning, effective measures of economic regulation of production and sale of products based on international rules, a mechanism of marketing support for domestic producers have been developed. Scientific novelty of this development lies in application of an integrated approach to balancing the vegetable market, increasing efficiency of the subjects functioning in the value chain and ensuring competitiveness of these products in the domestic and foreign markets. These developments can be used to substantiate the priority directions for development of food markets, as well as to fulfill medium- and longterm forecasts of provision level of the population of the republic with vegetable products. Acknowledgments. The research was carried out within the framework of the State Research Program “Agricultural Technologies and Food Security” for 2021-2025, subprogram 9.7 “Economy of agro-industrial complex”.

On Food Security of the Northern and Arctic Regions of Russia (Using the Example of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

The food security of a country or region is the main focus of agrarian policy and the specific characteristics of agricultural production explain the increased attention of most countries to the agrarian sector of the economy. From the perspective of the northern and Arctic regions with complex climatic conditions, food security is a complex multifactorial problem and consists of domestic opportunities for agricultural production and the import of food from other regions and even countries.Regions with low agricultural potential are characterized by problems such as small volumes of local food production and the lack of a competitive market, the high cost of goods sold and non-compliance with medical nutrition standards. Most such regions are characterized by long distances, the complexity of the terrain (lakes, rivers) and the lack of transport infrastructure. In this regard, vital food is imported using the so-called “northern delivery” system.The purpose of the study was to identify the problems of the food supply system of the northern and Arctic regions and to develop proposals for changing the negative situation.The object of the study was economic and organizational approaches to the food supply of the population of hard-to-reach regions.Research methods: comparative and economic analysis, statistical.The following tasks are solved:- characterize key indicators of regional food security;- analyse the state of food security in the northern and Arctic regions;- identify problems and propose solutions at the national (state) and local levels. The purpose of the study was to identify the problems of the food supply system of the northern and Arctic regions and to develop proposals for changing the negative situation. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the proposals developed by the author on the main directions of state policy in the field of food supply in the northern and Arctic regions.

Transformation in culinary behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic: In-depth interviews with food gatekeepers in urban India

COVID-19 and its associated regulatory measures including lockdowns, curfews, and physical distancing norms have significantly affected individual's dietary and culinary behaviours. Although there is ample empirical evidence available on dietary changes within the Indian context, very limited evidence exists about the factors influencing these dietary modifications and changes in culinary behaviours during COVID-19 lockdown. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to explore the views of Indian household food gatekeepers towards meal planning, food purchasing, and meal preparation during the pandemic and its associated lockdowns. A convenience sample of 34 female gatekeepers from the Mumbai metropolis participated in online interviews. Interviews were conducted in English and Hindi (then translated in English), audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Underpinned by Template Analysis technique, transcribed data were analysed manually and using the NVivo software program. The interview structure guided the development of themes. The emerging themes included were: Increased household cooking; Involvement of children and male members in food-related activities; Experimentation in the kitchen; Adoption of meal planning skills; Increase in online food shopping; Bulk buying; Shortage of food items; Reduced consumption of outside home food; Increased variety of home-cooked meals; Increase in snacking and overall food intake; Determinants of food choices; and Family meals-a new norm. In the light of these findings, developing family-focussed, web-based nutrition programs to enhance gatekeepers' and their families' food literacy including declarative and procedural nutritional knowledge would be beneficial. The importance of organisational culinary behaviours such as planning meals in advance, shopping with a food list should be promoted to prevent hoarding and subsequently reduce strain on the food supply system. With a surge in domestic cooking, low cost nutritious recipes with the use of local and seasonal produce should be emphasized promoting healthy eating among the gatekeepers and their family members. The inclusion of food studies in the school curriculum will facilitate the development of culinary skills among children and youth. Also, there is a need for further research and surveillance to strengthen understanding of sustainability of healthy culinary behaviours practiced during the pandemic.

Circular Characteristics of Organic Food Consumption, New Consumption Trends in Hungary

Consumers have an important role to play in the transition to a circular economy by making more sustainable decisions and further supporting the functioning of value groups through their consumer choices. To this end, it is necessary to promote circular and sustainable policies and practices that can lead to the emergence of demonstration initiatives. From the theory of the circular economy and the sustainability literature, 10 groups of factors can be identified that can influence the acceptance of circular products and services for consumers. None of the aspects were specifically related to the consumption and recycling of organic food. Food supply systems are identified as a potential area for the implementation of circular concepts; however, these concepts focus mainly on food production and the recycling of surplus food. Current circular solutions place less emphasis on food-related consumption, separating it from production or waste streams. In the next study, we would like to demonstrate that consumption trends have surprisingly overlapped in recent years (during Covid), resulting in a generational change in the consumption of organic food. And the clear driving force of this change is circular thinking and gaining preferences.

Japanese Regulatory Framework and Approach for Genome-edited Foods Based on Latest Scientific Findings.

The food supply system is facing important challenges and its sustainability has to be considered. Genome-editing technology, which accelerates the development of new variety, could be used to achieve sustainable development goals, thereby protecting the environment and ensuring the stable production of food for an increasing global population. The most widely used genome-editing tool, CRISPR/Cas9, is easy to use, affordable, and versatile. Foods produced by genome-editing technologies have been developed worldwide to create novel traits. In the first half of the review, the latest scientific findings on genome-editing technologies are summarized, and the technical challenge in genome sequence analysis are clarified. CRISPR/Cas9 has versatile alternative techniques, such as base editor and prime editor. Genome sequencing technology has developed rapidly in recent years. However, it is still difficult to detect large deletions and structural variations. Long-read sequencing technology would solve this challenge. In the second part, regulatory framework and approach for genome-edited foods is introduced. The four government ministries, including the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), started to discuss how the regulation should be implemented in 2019. The SDN-1 technique is excluded from the current genetically modified organism (GMO) regulation. The Japanese regulatory framework includes pre-submission consultation and submission of notification form. In the last part of this review, transparency of regulatory framework and consumer confidence were described. Since maintaining consumer trust is vital, transparency of regulatory framework is a key to consumers. The information of notification process on approved genome-edited foods is made public immediately. This review will help regulators build regulatory frameworks, and lead to harmonization of the framework between the countries.

Water resources and food supply systems

Water resources and food supply systems

ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ПІСЛЯВОЄННОГО ВІДНОВЛЕННЯ ГОТЕЛЬНО-РЕСТОРАННОЇ ГАЛУЗІ В УКРАЇНІ

The article reveals the main trends, development problems, and provides prospects for the post-war recovery of the hotel and restaurant business of Ukraine in wartime conditions. It was determined that many hotel and restaurant enterprises found themselves in active combat zones and were forced to evacuate to safer regions, and today they suffer from logistical problems and a lack of raw materials. It was found that today the crisis of the hotel and restaurant business, connected with the war, forces the hospitality industry to leave the comfort zone and look for innovative ways of development and operations. It was established that as of June 2022, the restaurant business of Ukraine operates at 65-70% of the pre-war turnover. It was determined that relocation in the field of catering is theoretically possible, but this practice is rather an exception. Restaurants are tied to their original locations by food supply systems, logistics and repeat customers. The measures that need to be taken into account in the action plan for the post-war recovery of the hotel and restaurant industry of Ukraine are highlighted, in particular: this is the support of the state and international organizations through the development and implementation of various programs and projects; introduction of innovations (in particular, production of special robotics); elimination of disruptions in supply chains; orientation to a healthy lifestyle; orientation to the provision of budgetary services. It has been established that in the development of a plan for the post-war recovery of the hotel and restaurant industry, it is also necessary to take into account aspects that were implemented by other countries that also suffered losses due to hostilities, in particular war, or crisis situations, and in the near term achieved effective development of the hotel and restaurant business. It has been proven that the post-war recovery of the hotel and restaurant business should be one of the points of Ukraine's recovery plan, because this type of business has been particularly affected and needs an immediate response to problems disrupting its development and functioning.

Planning and organising protection of critical infrastructure

The article is devoted to planning and organizing critical infrastructure protection. The planning method was indicated there, and the layout of the critical infrastructure protection plan was presented. The most important thing is to protect critical infrastructure components that citizens use on a daily basis. So in the article I am talking about energy supply systems, energy resources and fuels, food and water supply system. And above all about financial systems, healthcare and ICT.

A Study on Food Supply during the Great Plague of London in 1665

In 1665, the Great Plague swept through London, killing nearly 100,000 people. The London municipal government issued a decree to control the development of the epidemic. Its primary task was to ensure adequate food supply for residents, in order to stabilize social order. If a large number of deaths were caused by food shortage, it was likely to lead to riots and insurrections. Therefore, the government had established a relatively mature food supply system by regulating the market to stabilize prices, ensuring various food supply channels and arranging food delivery persons to deliver food. Merchants and people also took various measures to help each other to ensure food supplies, so that fewer people died of famine in the Great Plague of London in 1665. The epidemic prevention measures taken by the London government and residents at both the food supply and consumption end have effectively solved the food shortage caused by the outbreak of the epidemic and quickly stabilized the public sentiment, which provides a reference for countries under the epidemic to further improve their national governance mechanism and response mechanism to large public health emergencies.

Study on livelihood of street food vendors

The street food being an informal food supply system provided livelihood and substantial amount of household income to the middle and low income urban population, who would otherwise be unemployed or under employed. Street foods play an important role in achieving food and nutritional security of the poor income groups, who would otherwise be insecure owing to the cost, accessibility and affordability of food. The present study was carried out with a view to analyze the overall performance of street food vendors in Coimbatore city of Tamil Nadu. The study was undertaken to analyze both the positive and negative effects of street food vending. The conventional and percentage analysis were carried out to draw meaningful inferences. The multiple linear regression was used to analyse the sales revenue of street food vendor.

ОЦЕНКА РАЗВИТИЯ ПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННОГО РЫНКА РЕГИОНОВ ДАЛЬНЕВОСТОЧНОГО ОКРУГА В УСЛОВИЯХ ЦИФРОВОЙ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИИ

The relevance of the research topic is due, first of all, to the implementation of an important strategic task - ensuring the stability of the economic development of the countries of the world in the face of uncertainty and the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic crisis. Under these conditions, it is necessary to study the features of the digital transformation process development in the agri-food sector and assess its impact on the food market. Ensuring global strategic stability is a paramount task for the modern development of many countries. The development of the global digital transformation of the Russian economy in the context of fierce hypercompetition involves the creation of new adaptive mechanisms for the interaction of economic entities and institutions, taking into account the current unstable epidemiological situation in the country and in the world within a single information space. Global instability caused by the uncertainty of economic development requires the development of constructive strategic solutions aimed at stabilization. The development of the digitalization process covers many types and areas of activity and requires additional support and attraction of foreign investment. The food market is one of the important elements of the food supply system for the population with basic foodstuffs. In the context of the development of the digital transformation process, it is necessary to study the influence of a number of factors on the development of the food market. In particular, the state of the market situation, the level of effective demand of the population for the development of the food market in the regions of the Far Eastern District. The development of the digital transformation process has an inadequate impact on the development of the food supply system. This is due not only to the introduction of modern innovative technologies, the creation of new digital ecosystems. Digitalization involves minimizing human participation in the implementation of economic processes based on the use of modern digital technologies is quite remote. In a pandemic crisis, the digital transformation process development becomes a necessary condition for the functioning of business structures in the agri-food sector. Social paratroopers, remote work, training have capitalized on the trend towards the merging of digital and physical reality. Digital channels and services have enabled consumers to get a wider range of services, in particular, in 2021, e-commerce grew by 25 %, online food delivery by 27 %

Формирование национальной экспортной политики в аграрной сфере экономики как один из основных факторов ее развития

The necessity of forming a national export policy in the agricultural sector of the economy is revealed. At this historical stage, a sharp tightening of economic, political and financial sanctions against our country will lead to significant changes in the conditions for the development of its agricultural sector of the economy and export potential, for reliable food security. In such a situation, not only will a number of additional difficulties of an internal and external nature arise, but also new opportunities will appear to overcome or mitigate them. The development of exports of food products and agricultural raw materials should not undermine the domestic agro-food market, disrupt the food supply system of the country and its individual regions, the formation of insurance funds and state reserves. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the effective demand and improvement of the nutrition structure of the population, the most likely fluctuations in agricultural production in the country and the conjuncture of the world agro-food market, the improvement of export operations with agricultural and food products. The national export policy in the agricultural sector of the economy should not only rely on the modern state agrarian policy, but also specify its individual positions related to foreign economic activity. Such an approach will have a significant positive impact on the agricultural sector and the country’s economy, its economic and geopolitical situation, and will make a worthy contribution to solving the world food problem, which will only worsen in the near future.

СИСТЕМА ПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННОГО СНАБЖЕНИЯ ОРЛОВСКОГО ОКРУГА ВОЙСК ВЧК В 1921–1922 ГГ.

The purpose of the article is to study the food sup-ply system of Orel region of CHEKA troops in 1921–1922. The staff of the Department, which was subordinate to the People's Commissariat of Food, is analyzed. The area of responsibility of the Department extended to the territory of Oryol, Tambov, Voro-nezh and Kursk provinces. Food was produced independently in military state farms and in military vegetable gardens, which were serviced by labor soldiers and freelancers. Also, products were pur-chased on the free market, which unfolded after the start of the New Economic Policy in March 1921. A significant part of the food for the soldiers and commanders of Oryol region of CHEKA troops came centrally according to the orders of the Peo-ple's Commissariat of Food, which were imple-mented by the Management staff on the territory of the district, in neighboring regions, as well as prod-ucts were delivered from Soviet Belarus and Soviet Ukraine. The military food authorities of the Orel district of the Cheka-GPU troops, in addition to performing their direct duties, were additionally engaged in political work in the troops and charity for the disabled.

Can Remote Sensing and Artificial Intelligence Based Technologies Benefit Modern Agriculture and Food Production Systems?

The ever-changing climate coupled with increasing demand for more land and water resources along with the threats of global pandemic have put a lot of pressure on modern agriculture and food production systems. It is critical to maintain environmental and economic sustainability of current and future food supply systems in order to secure enough food to feed and sustain a fast-growing global population. To this end, new innovations in scientific and technological advances are thought to be essential to gain insights into the interaction of various components of the agricultural system ranging from the cell to the field level. There have been advances in genetic tools that have enabled superior food production. However, the large-scale assessment of crop status in the field still remains a formidable challenge. Recent innovations in remote sensing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based agriculture and food production have shown a lot promise in quantifying field scale phenotypic information accurately. In addition, studies have suggested the possibility to integrate the big data into predictive and prescriptive management tools. In this opinion, we have assessed the use of remote sensing and AI technologies that could potentially improve the resilience of agricultural systems and help address the agricultural and human nutrition challenges over the next decades.

COVID-19 affected the food behavior of different age groups in Chinese households.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought profound changes to all corners of society and affected people in every aspect of their lives. This survey-based study investigated how household food related matters such as food sourcing and consumption behaviors of 2,126 Chinese consumers in different age groups changed approximately two months into the COVID-19 quarantine. A new food sourcing mechanism, community-based online group grocery-ordering (CoGGO), was widely adopted by households, particularly among the youngest group studied (18–24 years of age). The same group showed a higher confidence in the food supply system during the quarantine and a greater propensity for weight gain while staying-at-home. The more mature age group (≥35 years of age) showed heightened vigilance and awareness, with fewer grocery-shopping trips, a higher tendency for purchasing extra food, and less tendency to waste food. Survey findings of the new food-sourcing mechanism, attitudes to food, and changes in behavior among different age groups provide valuable insights to guide policies and management interventions to address matters pertaining to food supply and distribution, food access and household food security, and food waste reduction.

Ways to achieve sustainable food supply

The relevance of the topic is due to the need to ensure and maintain the sustainability of food systems. The author's approach to solving this issue is to determine the impact of individual macro- and microeconomic factors on them. The subject of the study is a set of criteria and environmental conditions, in which the food supply system for the population is formed and developed. The goal is to justify the dynamics of its main segments and identify the reasons that restrain their effective functioning. The following methods were applied in the work - general logical, comparison, synthesis, scientific approach. The results of the article are of a scientific and theoretical nature and can be taken as a basis for more in-depth research. The scientific contribution consists in the systematization of indicators affecting the sustainability of food supply chains aimed at maintaining healthy diets. The practical significance of the research lies in the use by government bodies of the proposed recommendations on modernization of the agro-industrial complex aimed to increase the sustainability of food supply. In the future, this direction can be considered as an opportunity to conduct empirical developments on the influence of the factors indicated in the article on the stability of provision of food products. Conclusions – food systems should be based on the principles of sufficient food availability, affordability of high-quality and safe products, and their consumption in accordance with physiological science-based norms. The study of this issue is more focused on global food security, increasing imbalances in the food sector development in different regions.

Mobile applications to reduce food waste within Canada: A review

Food waste has a devastating effect on the environment, economy, and society. Within Canada, food waste is alarmingly high and on the rise. Technology and mobile applications have been theorized as a potential solution to redistribute food before it becomes waste, raise awareness of food waste, and support behaviours that reduce food waste. This paper critically reviews the literature on mobile applications’ effectiveness in reducing food waste within Canadian society. This review found that mobile applications may assist households and individuals with adequate technology, time, and financial resources to reduce their food waste. However, emphasizing mobile applications alone can place the burden of food waste and inequitable food systems on individuals at the end of the food supply system. Food waste reduction needs to be part of an integrated, multifaced portfolio of interventions at governmental, industry, and individual levels. Mobile applications can serve a role in such a portfolio. Mobile applications alone do not eradicate food waste within Canada and households without adequate awareness, resources, or infrastructure.

Big data, data privacy, and plant and animal disease research using GEMS

AbstractOne of the major challenges in ensuring global food security is the ever‐changing biotic risk affecting the productivity and efficiency of the global food supply system. Biotic risks that threaten food security include pests and diseases that affect pre‐ and postharvest terrestrial agriculture and aquaculture. Strategies to minimize this risk depend heavily on plant and animal disease research. As data collected at high spatial and temporal resolutions become increasingly available, epidemiological models used to assess and predict biotic risks have become more accurate and, thus, more useful. However, with the advent of Big Data opportunities, a number of challenges have arisen that limit researchers’ access to complex, multi‐sourced, multi‐scaled data collected on pathogens, and their associated environments and hosts. Among these challenges, one of the most limiting factors is data privacy concerns from data owners and collectors. While solutions, such as the use of de‐identifying and anonymizing tools that protect sensitive information are recognized as effective practices for use by plant and animal disease researchers, there are comparatively few platforms that include data privacy by design that are accessible to researchers. We describe how the general thinking and design used for data sharing and analysis platforms can intrinsically address a number of these data privacy‐related challenges that are a barrier to researchers wanting to access data. We also describe how some of the data privacy concerns confronting plant and animal disease researchers are addressed by way of the GEMS informatics platform.

Unauthorized Food Manipulation as a Criminal Offense: Food Authenticity, Legal Frameworks, Analytical Tools and Cases.

Food fraud is a criminal intent motivated by economic gain to adulterate or misrepresent food ingredients and packaging. The development of a reliable food supply system is at great risk under globalization, but Food Business Operators (FBOs) have a legal obligation to implement and maintain food traceability and quality at all stages of food production, processing, and distribution. Incidents of food fraud have a strong negative impact on consumer confidence in the food industry. Therefore, local and international regulatory mechanisms are established to prevent or mitigate food fraud. This review brings new perspectives linking EU and US legislation, as well as new definitions and descriptions of the criminal aspect of food fraud incidents. It also describes certain new insights into the application of state-of-the-art methods and techniques that provide valuable tools for geographic, botanical, or other chemical markers of food authenticity. The review also provides an overview of the most common cases of food fraud worldwide from 2010 to 2020. Further research is needed to support the development of predictive models for innovative approaches to adulteration, especially when some valuable nutrients are replaced by toxic ingredients. A possible solution to minimize food fraud incidents is to increase the level of risk-based inspections, establish more productive monitoring and implementation of food protection systems in the supply chain, and implement better ingredient control and certification. National and international (e.g., regional) police offices for food fraud should be introduced, possessing knowledge and skills in food, food safety, food processing, and food products, as initial positive results have emerged in some countries.

Eating Insects: A Christian Ethic of Farmed Insect Life

Proponents of entomophagy have argued that the farming of insects offers many advantages when contrasted with more traditional farming practices. This article explores the place of insect farming within a wider Christian food ethic and argues that insect farming has much to recommend it. However, through exploring the role of animal agriculture within the ideological structures of anthropocentrism, a more ambiguous picture of the ethics of insect farming emerges. This belies a simple endorsement or denunciation of insect farming as an ethical alternative to the farming of larger animals. Moreover, the example of insect farming reveals that Christian food ethics needs to radically reimagine the entire food provisioning system if it is to inculcate substantive change in human relationships with nonhuman animals.