Sustainable Food Supply Research Articles

Revolutionizing animal sciences: Multifaceted solutions and transformative impact of AI technologies

Abstract In recent years, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has markedly bolstered productivity, especially in agriculture, mitigating environmental impacts like greenhouse gas emissions. This shift employs a range of tech, like IT, sensors, robotics, and AI, boosting output while curbing negative effects. Challenges persist, notably food scarcity and climate threats for a growing global population. By 2050, two billion more people will need sustenance, necessitating urgent agricultural innovation. This article reviewed databases from 1985 to 2023 (Google Scholar, Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge), analyzing AI’s role in agriculture. Keywords like AI, precision feeding, welfare, animal husbandry, and management were used for systematic literature review. Findings highlight AI’s pivotal role in addressing global food shortages. Investment in emerging tech, especially AI, is crucial for a sustainable food supply.

The current status and prospects of growing plant-based food products in the present conditions of the Ukrainian agricultural sector

The agricultural sector in Ukraine plays a key role in the national economy, providing high-quality and sustainable food supply for the population. However, even with favourable natural and climatic conditions and extensive land area, the industry faces numerous challenges, such as war, economic instability, and loss of control over land resources. The purpose of the study is to analyse the current state of growing plant-based food products in Ukraine to identify key challenges and opportunities. To achieve this goal, the gross harvest, yield, and acreage of the main agricultural crops, the share of agricultural value added in the gross domestic product in Ukraine, and the value of agricultural exports to the European Union for the period 2015-2022 were analysed. The results show that sales volumes in agriculture increased by 75.9%, indicating a positive development of the industry. However, this positive development is accompanied by an increase in product prices, which can lead to inflationary pressures. The instability of the agricultural sector is confirmed by a sharp increase in the share of value added in 2021 and a decline in 2022. However, an important positive aspect is a significant increase in the yield and value of exports, which indicates the successful influence of the Ukrainian agricultural sector on international markets. The study shows that despite the existing challenges, the agricultural sector has demonstrated flexibility and adaptability, especially in the context of changes in acreage and crop production volumes. Measures aimed at introducing modern technologies, stimulating innovation, improving the level of education and developing export opportunities can become a catalyst for the sustainable development of the agricultural sector. The results obtained are necessary for the development of specific measures and strategies aimed at improving the situation in the agricultural sector of Ukraine and ensuring its sustainable development

Sustainable Food Supply Chains Through Artificial Intelligence – Conceptual visualization using the example of turkeys to promote animal welfare and food quality

Sustainable Food Supply Chains Through Artificial Intelligence – Conceptual visualization using the example of turkeys to promote animal welfare and food quality

Cultivating sustainable global food supply chains: A multifaceted approach to mitigating food loss and waste for climate resilience

In the current global landscape, food loss and waste (FLW) persist as a significant challenge, accounting for one-third of global food production and directly impacting 700 million individuals. Beyond its social ramifications, FLW incurs substantial economic costs and raises environmental and ethical concerns. To address this issue, our paper presents a comprehensive systematic overview within operations management, offering a framework that delineates diverse supply chain types, defines FLW, examines its multifaceted impacts, and outlines reduction strategies. Emphasizing a holistic perspective, we utilize various case study approaches to shed light on the global implications of FLW, aiming to contribute to ongoing research endeavors. In exploring the depth of FLW, we build upon two foundational premises: the actions taken by rational actors towards FLW reduction hinge on the balance between benefits and costs, guiding policy formulation. Effective policies necessitate a thorough understanding of synergies, potential unintended consequences and trade-offs. The absence of comprehensive information on FLW leads to both excessive and insufficient rates of FLW. Justifying public intervention lies in its potential to enhance food security, efficiency, and environmental sustainability, albeit quantifying these effects poses challenges. Our overview paper identifies key challenges in FLW policies, encompassing measurement, quantification, interdependencies within the and trade-offs, and value chain in food policy objectives. Despite these challenges, the paper guides the enhancement of loss measurement for targeted interventions, emphasizing investments in policies that foster a conducive business environment and government-led initiatives in awareness and incentive modification. The study also sheds light on crucial gaps in knowledge, including data deficiencies and variability in estimates, calling for standardized data collection methodologies and targeted research initiatives. By addressing these gaps and emphasizing collaborative efforts, this research contributes to a nuanced understanding of FLW, advocating for improved strategies to tackle this multifaceted issue.

A Comprehensive Review of Physical Techniques for Food Preservation

Food preservation is a crucial aspect of the food industry aimed at extending the shelf life of perishable products while maintaining their nutritional value, safety, and sensory qualities. This research paper provides a comprehensive review of various physical food preservation techniques, which are essential in ensuring the availability of safe and high-quality food for consumers. The paper discusses traditional methods like drying, salting, smoking, fermentation, and canning, as well as modern approaches such as refrigeration, freezing, pasteurization, and high-pressure processing. It also explores emerging technologies, including pulsed electric field and irradiation, and their impact on food safety and quality. The paper emphasizes the significance of these preservation methods in enhancing food security, reducing food waste, and supporting sustainable food supply chains in a rapidly changing global food landscape.

The potential of future foods for a sustainable future

AbstractFuture foods have attracted widespread attention due to the view of a sustainable supply of food and nutritional health. At present, the food industry still faces high energy consumption and pollution, which have caused enormous pressure on the ecological environment, and raised new requirements for future foods. Food synthetic biology converts raw materials into important food ingredients, functional food additives, and nutritional chemicals through cell factories to solve the unsustainable problem in food processing. As an important component of the food industry, food 3D printing has many advantages including customized food design, personalized and digital nutrition customization, simplifying the food supply chain, and broadening the source of food ingredients, which will make up for the deficiency of traditional food processing technology. The promotion of the research and application of future foods will help to improve the natural environment, alleviate the resource and energy crisis, and achieve sustainable social development.

New Implications of Metabolites and Free Fatty Acids in Quality Control of Crossbred Wagyu Beef during Wet Aging Cold Storage.

Efficient cold-chain delivery is essential for maintaining a sustainable global food supply. This study used metabolomic analysis to examine meat quality changes during the "wet aging" of crossbred Wagyu beef during cold storage. The longissimus thoracic (Loin) and adductor muscles (Round) of hybrid Wagyu beef, a cross between the Japanese Black and Holstein-Friesian breeds, were packaged in vacuum film and refrigerated for up to 40 days. Sensory evaluation indicated an increase in the umami and kokumi taste owing to wet aging. Comprehensive analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified metabolite changes during wet aging. In the Loin, 94 metabolites increased, and 24 decreased; in the Round, 91 increased and 18 decreased. Metabolites contributing to the umami taste of the meat showed different profiles during wet aging. Glutamic acid increased in a cold storage-dependent manner, whereas creatinine and inosinic acid degraded rapidly even during cold storage. In terms of lipids, wet aging led to an increase in free fatty acids. In particular, linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, increased significantly among the free fatty acids. These results provide new insight into the effects of wet aging on Wagyu-type beef, emphasizing the role of free amino acids, organic acids, and free fatty acids generated during cold storage.

Impact of Urbanization on the Sustainable Production of Regional Specialty Food: Evidence from China’s Potato Production

The rapid urbanization process has gradually deepened its role in the sustainable development of agriculture, especially in the sustainable supply of food in poor areas, and has attracted more attention from international academic circles. However, the impact mechanism of different dimensions of urbanization on food sustainability in poor areas has not yet been fully unpacked. Therefore, this study focuses on potatoes as a specialty food mainly grown in poor areas of China, explores the impact mechanism of urbanization on the carbon emission intensity of potato production (CEIPP) with the spatial Durbin model, and compares with the carbon emission intensity of staple grain (CEISG) results. The main conclusions are as follows: the urbanization of main potato-producing areas developed rapidly from 2002 to 2020, which is in line with the decrease in CEIPP. The decrease in CEIPP has a significant impact on slowing down the growth of total carbon emissions and has greater potential for reduction, especially in Central and Western China, which has a large poverty-stricken population. Compared with traditional staple grain, urbanization has become a key factor influencing CEIPP. The results indicate that different dimensions of urbanization have varying degrees of impact on the sustainable production of regional specialty foods in China. The improvement of comprehensive urbanization, population urbanization, and economic urbanization reduces CEIPP, while land urbanization increases CEIPP. Therefore, to reduce CEIPP and promote its sustainable development, it is necessary to improve population urbanization and economic urbanization, properly avoid the disorderly expansion of land urbanization, and improve the quality and level of comprehensive urbanization.

The Influence of Different Sustainable Substrates on the Nutritional Value of Tenebrio molitor Larvae

Every year, over 30% of food production is wasted. However, promoting a sustainable food supply not only fosters economic stability in agriculture and the food industry, but also safeguards precious natural resources and ensures universal food access and safety. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine how specific growth conditions (utilizing by-products: sprouted potatoes (1), wheat bran (2), brewers’ spent grain (3), and a control sample with agar-agar gels (4)) affect the larvae of yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor). This includes their nutritional and energy value, consumer sensory profiling, and technological parameters of processing. The results have indicated that larvae reared on the substrate with wheat bran had the highest energy value, at 708.26 kcal. In larvae, the difference in protein content was not significant when changing the rearing conditions, and ranged between 48.54 and 59.18%. The larvae contained a significant content of fibers, with the highest amount detected in samples with brewers’ spent grain. The data indicate that glucose and arabinose were distinctive to larvae. Our study has also revealed a statistical difference in ash content between larvae and the substrate, with higher levels of nitrogen, copper, and zinc detected in the larvae compared to the substrate. We have found that the salt was naturally occurring in the substrates, with the brewers’ spent grain sample having the highest amount, at 1.83%. However, the control sample yielded the highest ratings, achieving a score of 7.30 for general smell acceptability. These findings emphasize the potential of utilizing various industrial and farm by-products as substrates for mealworms, transforming them into a sustainable and nutrient-rich food source. This contribution adds to the broader discourse on nutritional value and resource efficiency.

Assessing and selecting sustainable refrigerated road vehicles in food logistics using a novel multi-criteria group decision-making model

In recent years, food loss and waste (FLW) have become an essential issue at the top of the international community's agenda. Since more people are afflicted by this problem every day, the global population would be forced into poverty and starvation without finding an immediate solution. Therefore, in order to decrease FLW, well-designed and sustainable food and cold supply chains (FCSCs) are needed. Additionally, refrigerated transportation systems can be crucial in developing sustainable supply chains. According to some empirical research, the technological capabilities of reefer vehicles or trailers differ significantly. Thus, selecting the reefer vehicle is a complex decision-making problem and selecting appropriate reefer vehicles may have a critical role in constructing successful supply chain systems and reducing food waste and loss. The current research proposes an efficient, robust and practical decision-making framework that can overcome uncertainties to tackle this decision-making problem. The managerial and strategic implications of the study also aid in decreasing FLW and restructuring FSC for industrial context and support to the UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs). Later, an exhaustive sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the developed model's validity and application, confirming the model's robustness and dependability.

Locked into a permanent position of vulnerability? Farmers’ trust and social capital with the government from Critical Disaster Studies perspectives

AbstractIn disaster scholarship, there is limited understanding about how vulnerability is socially constructed by a convergence of varying social structural and historical processes that predispose certain vulnerable groups to disasters even before a hazard event occurs. This article aims to fill this void by using Critical Disaster Studies perspectives to explore the root causes of why crop farmers in the coastal region of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta have been locked in a permanent position of vulnerability. In order to develop more sustainable food supply chains, this exploration aims to shed light on the socio-cultural interpretations, experiences, and needs of disaster-affected farmers—the most important but vulnerable actors in the crop production hierarchy in Vietnam. Following a historic disaster between late 2015 and early 2016, local governments deliberately organised farmers into an agricultural cooperative in an attempt to support farmers in enhancing economic resilience and disaster preparedness. However, this intervention has failed since farmers refused to participate in the organisation’s activities. While this reaction may seem irrational, it reflects farmers’ distrust in the government, which was largely a result of their collective trauma from the state’s agricultural collectivisation policy implemented between 1976 and 1985. Farmers chose to cling to their individual working routines out of concern about government supervision, forcing them to take bigger risks and pay for the food supply chains’ catastrophic damage. Our findings show that a strained relationship between farmers and the government can jeopardise disaster recovery and resilience building. Our paper adds to the Critical Disaster Studies literature by revisiting the concepts of vulnerability and resilience, emphasising the importance of addressing socio-cultural vulnerability before improving disaster resilience.

Factors Influencing Purchase Decision of Jackfruit Products in Thiruvananthapuram District

Aim: Jackfruit is popularly known as a poor man's fruit in the eastern and southern parts of India. In India, Kerala is the largest jackfruit-producing state. Beyond its nutritional benefits, jackfruit has received attention for its significant environmental and economic benefits, which arise from its numerous culinary applications and potential as a sustainable food supply. Understanding the factors influencing consumer purchase decisions for jackfruit products is becoming increasingly important as the global perspective on food choices moves towards healthier and more sustainable options. Considering this, the study aimed to analyse different factors influencing the purchase decision of jackfruit products in the Thiruvananthapuram district.
 Methodology: Primary data were collected from the consumers residing in urban centres of Thiruvananthapuram district who had consumed at least one selected product. A purposive sampling method was employed to select 30 consumers for each product category, namely jackfruit chips, jackfruit ice cream, jackfruit flour, and jackfruit varatty. Secondary data were gathered from government reports publications, and journals. Statistical tools like the Index method, Kruskal Wallis, test and Mann-Whitney test were used for the analysis. The study was conducted from August to September 2023.
 Results: The taste and quality of the product emerged as common variables significantly influencing the four consumer groups in their purchase decisions. Factors like brand availability, quality certification, brand image, and social media were the factors not influencing consumers, except for jackfruit ice cream, which stands out due to additional promotional activities compared to other products. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney test highlight significant differences among consumer groups regarding variables such as taste, convenience to use, convenience to cook, and convenience to travel.
 Conclusion: The influence of each variable on selected products showed different levels of influence. The taste and quality of the product emerge as common variables significantly influencing consumers in their purchase decisions. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney test showed that the effects of these factors on each consumer group were not consistent.

Supply Chain Complexity and Its Impact on Knowledge Transfer: Incorporating Sustainable Supply Chain Practices in Food Supply Chain Networks

Background: The dynamics of supply chain networks have changed due to increasing complexities. Global expansions and knowledge transfer in supply chain networks bring efficiency and effectiveness to companies. However, the probability of supply chain complexity has also been seen increasing. The barriers to sustainable supply chain networks need to be tackled in an effective manner as they impact business operations. Therefore, it is essential to eliminate and reduce the supply chain complexities, as it will facilitate the process of knowledge transfer and increase the implementation of sustainable practises in supply chain networks. In the previous research, four supply chain complexity drivers were identified. Previous research identified four supply chain complexity drivers by conducting a systematic review. This study investigates which of the four complexity drivers impacts knowledge transfer in the context of the food supply chain sector. Methods: In this research, knowledge transfer is therefore examined from the perspective of sustainable food supply chains. Thirty exploratory qualitative interviews were conducted in this study and analysed using Nvivo (v12) software. This study utilised thematic analysis techniques for the evaluation of the interviews to gather results. Results: The results illustrated six main factors classified under broad categories: integration of Knowledge Transfer, incorporation of technological advancements in supply chain networks, supply chain complexity solutions, supply chain complexity drivers, sustainable supply chain networks, and capability to reduce supply chain complexity. The findings of this study highlight that process complexity significantly influences the process of knowledge transfer in food supply chain networks. The research findings contribute to both academic and practical domains. This study contributes to the aggregation of supply chain complexity and its impact on Knowledge Transfer. Additionally, the findings support supply chain networks, which strive to achieve efficient Knowledge Transfer to attain sustainable value in business operations. Conclusion: This study has proven that robust knowledge transfer reduces supply chain complexity as it makes supply chain systems more resilient and well-coordinated in many potential ways.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY IN A GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT

The purpose of the research is to study the characteristics of food supply in the global competitive environment and to determine the directions of its formation. The methodology of the research - comparative analysis, generalization, factor analysis methods were used in the research work. The practical importance of the research - food supply is a combination of economic and social availability and reflects a continuous supply system. In this regard, the mentioned article emphasizes the necessity of sustainable food supply, its characteristics and the importance of implementing the necessary measures in terms of the impact of the global competitive environment on food supply. The results of the research - proposals and recommendations regarding the formation of sustainable food supply in the global competitive environment were made. The originality and scientific novelty of the research - different aspects of free competition and global competition environment, factors affecting sustainable food supply in global competition environment are defined.

A risk-averse sustainable perishable food supply chain considering production and delivery times with real-world application.

In recent years, a relatively novel paradigm known as sustainable development has been introduced in response to concerns regarding the adverse impact of industrial activities on the environment and society. Managers in the food sector have been attempting to incorporate the principle of sustainable development in their supply chains owing to the paramount importance of social and environmental considerations in creating a competitive advantage for food products. To this end, we propose a multi-objective linear mathematical model considering the three dimensions of sustainability, i.e. economic, environmental, and social, to design a sustainable food supply chain. Given today's volatile business environment, we employ a robust optimization model by incorporating Conditional Value-at-Risk into the configuration of two-stage stochastic programming to tackle uncertainty and take up a risk-averse strategy in supply chain design. The model aims to identify the optimal production and delivery times of the products, investigate the effects of their perishability characteristic on inventory decisions, and assess the financial and environmental advantages of transportation decisions to improve the sustainability of logistics operations. A novel version of fuzzy goal programming approach is applied to solve the proposed model. Next, the applicability of the proposed model and its solution method is verified based on computational experiments on a real-world case study of a processed food company. Lastly, conflicts between the sustainability aspects are examined, and several sensitivity analyses on risk-aversion parameters are performed to provide managerial insights for industry executives seeking to optimize their network concerning sustainability issues and well-performance under worst-case scenarios.

Effect of Asparagus Chitosan-Rutin Coating on Losses and Waste Reduction During Storage

Abstract Storage is a crucial component of a sustainable and efficient food supply system. Reduction of postharvest losses and waste is a vital strategy to improve efficiency, ensure product availability, and reduce environmental impact. Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) boasts a high nutritional value and complex of phytonutrients. Yet, the storage period for fresh asparagus is quite short, leading to rapid quality deterioration. An effective method to extend storage periods involves postharvest treatments using the natural biopolymer chitosan. The aim of the research was to assess the effectiveness of applying sustainable postharvest treatments based on chitosan and rutin, with a focus on losses and waste reduction during asparagus storage. The impact of the applied storage technology on the visual appeal and sensory attributes of asparagus, along with its effects on respiratory metabolism, weight loss, soluble solids, soluble carbohydrates, chlorophylls, and carotenoids, was systematically assessed. The findings indicate that the post-harvest treatment using chitosan and rutin effectively preserves the visual characteristics of asparaguswhen the storage period is prolonged to a week. A major advantage of this technology is a substantial reduction in waste, achieving the levels of 1.0-1.5%. The proportion of standard products post-storage ranged from 94.4% to 96.0%. The treatment with chitosan and rutin efficiently reduces weight loss by half and suppresses the respiration rate, leading to decreased losses in soluble solids, carbohydrates, chlorophylls, and carotenoids during storage. These outcomes underscore the effectiveness of the applied coating in impeding metabolic processes, resulting in minimized quantitative and qualitative losses in the product quality during a prolonged storage.

The Usage of Fikr (Facet, Insight, Knowledge and Resilience) Personality Testing to Select the Best Agribusiness Executives: A Personnel Management in Agribusiness

This short note proposed employing FIKR (facet, insight, knowledge and resilience) personality traits (PTs) testing to select the best agribusiness executives for a sustainable agricultural food supply production for the farmers. The FIKR testing would identify the best personnel manager to execute the best agricultural practices and solve food supply shortages. Using the FIRK testing, the selected best agribusiness executive may reform to improve food security and production for future generations by addressing the factors of governmental regulations, resource availability, infrastructure, and market dynamics. Therefore, we foresee that the selected best agribusiness executive can help solve the projected food supply insufficiency in the coming decades.

ВОЗДЕЛЫВАНИЕ СЕЛЬСКОХОЗЯЙСТВЕННЫХ КУЛЬТУР В УСЛОВИЯХ ПОНИЖЕННЫХ ТЕМПЕРАТУР

Humanity at the present stage of development has already faced the consequences of its economic activities, which has caused global changes in the world around it. Climate change on our planet is observed in all regions. As is known, this period is geologically anthropogenic, which is characterized by alternating glaciations. The main development and implementation of the country's food security program is the creation of a sustainable food supply. And also, the growth of livestock production in line with population growth. Corn is widely distributed in the world due to its high productivity and nutritional value, as well as its ability to adapt to different climatic zones. Corn is a crop sensitive to cold, and it has a serious delay in growth and development when exposed to sudden cold spells in the early period of growth and development. For the successful promotion of this crop to more northern regions, it is necessary to include hybrids with low thermal requirements in agricultural production. It is also equally important to create favorable conditions for plants in new regions. The purpose of the research was to build a dynamic model of corn cultivation at low temperatures due to climate change at the global level. The main area of research was to identify the possibility of normal functioning of corn in conditions of low temperatures. The first experiment (2004-2007) was aimed at a comparative study of various subspecies and varieties of corn to identify morphobiological factors of adaptation process management. In the second experiment (2012-2013), the subject of the study was the effect of various drugs, including derivatives of indolylacetic acid, and the timing of crop sowing on its productivity. Thus, the morphobiological, agrotechnical and microbiological issues of increasing the cold resistance of corn as the main food and feed crop have been studied. The influence of the studied factors on the growth processes and yield of green mass has been determined.

The impact of economic instability on household food security and framework to develop a sustainable food supply chain

This study delved into the repercussions of economic instability on household food security while aiming to construct a robust framework for enhancing the resilience of the food supply chain. It thoroughly analyzed diverse factors, including government policies, economic conditions, environmental variables, and social dynamics, to gauge their reciprocal impact on food security. The research employed a meticulously chosen probability-based sample to ensure the representativeness of findings within the population, specifically focusing on residents in the Tanjung Kupang region of Johor. The study holds paramount significance as it provides novel insights for researchers, academic practitioners, and policymakers, shedding light on the far-reaching consequences of economic uncertainty on household purchasing power and its pivotal role in upholding food security. Moreover, it aspires to devise a tailored and sustainable food supply chain framework for Malaysia's unique context. By employing a quantitative approach enriched with robust statistical analysis and insights gathered through a meticulously designed questionnaire, this study sought to illuminate the intricate dynamics at play. The findings underscore the profound impact of economic instability on diminishing the income of B40 households, thereby curtailing their purchasing power. These findings align with comprehensive literature reviews from authoritative sources, underscoring factors such as inflation, soaring prices of essential commodities, and stagnant incomes contributing to the decline in income among B40 households. The implications of this research extend to policymakers, offering invaluable insights and promoting public awareness of potential challenges, along with plausible solutions.

Assessment of the current state of economic integration of the member-states of the Eurasian economic union under food security

This paper conducts a comprehensive examination of the current state of economic integration among the member-states of the Eurasian Economic Union with a specific focus on its implications for food security. Established in 2015, the EAEU comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia, and endeavors to create a common economic space to foster mutual cooperation. Against the backdrop of global challenges, the nexus between economic integration and food security within the EAEU emerges as a critical aspect warranting careful scrutiny. The study employs a multidimensional approach, analyzing trade patterns, agricultural policies, and collaborative initiatives among member-states to elucidate the existing dynamics of economic integration and their impact on the food security landscape. By examining the interplay between the free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor, the research aims to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in achieving a resilient and sustainable food supply for the union’s populations. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the intricate relationship between economic integration and food security, offering insights that can inform policy decisions within the EAEU. In unraveling the complexities of this multifaceted nexus, the research seeks to guide the union toward a more secure and prosperous future, emphasizing the importance of nuanced strategies to address evolving global challenges. This paper serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders interested in the intersection of economic integration and food security within regional economic unions.