Search Results (1,984)

Animal protein production represents a complex system of lives transformed into nutrition, with profound ethical and environmental implications. This study provides a quantitative analysis of animal lives required to produce human-consumable protein across major food production systems. Categorizing animal lives based on cognitive complexity and accounting for all lives involved in production, including direct harvests, reproductive animals, and feed species, reveals dramatic variations in protein efficiency. The analysis considers two categories of animal life: complex-cognitive lives (e.g., mammals, birds, cephalopods) and pain-capable lives (e.g., fish, crustaceans). Calculating protein yield per life demonstrates efficiency differences spanning more than five orders of magnitude, from 2 g per complex-cognitive life for baby octopus to 390,000 g per life for bovine dairy systems. Key findings expose disparities between terrestrial and marine protein production. Terrestrial systems involving mammals and birds show higher protein yields and exclusively involve complex-cognitive lives, while marine systems rely predominantly on pain-capable lives across complex food chains. Dairy production emerges as the most efficient system. Aquaculture systems reveal complex dynamics, with farmed carnivorous fish requiring hundreds of feed fish lives to produce protein, compared to omnivorous species that demonstrate improved efficiency. Beyond quantitative analysis, this research provides a framework for understanding the ethical and ecological dimensions of protein production, offering insights for potential systemic innovations. Full article

Social media platforms like Instagram significantly shape destination images and influence tourist behavior. Understanding how different cities are represented and perceived on these platforms is crucial for effective tourism marketing. This study provides a comparative analysis of Instagram content and engagement patterns in Seoul and Tokyo, two major Asian metropolises, to derive actionable marketing insights. We collected and analyzed 59,944 public Instagram posts geotagged or location-tagged within Seoul (n = 29,985) and Tokyo (n = 29,959). We employed a mixed-methods approach involving content categorization using a fine-tuned convolutional neural network (CNN) model, engagement metric analysis (likes, comments), Valence Aware Dictionary and sEntiment Reasoner (VADER) sentiment analysis and thematic classification of comments, geospatial analysis (Kernel Density Estimation [KDE], Moran’s I), and predictive modeling (Gradient Boosting with SHapley Additive exPlanations [SHAP] value analysis). A validation analysis using balanced samples (n = 2000 each) was conducted to address Tokyo’s lower geotagged data proportion. While both cities showed ‘Person’ as the dominant content category, notable differences emerged. Tokyo exhibited higher like-based engagement across categories, particularly for ‘Animal’ and ‘Food’ content, while Seoul generated slightly more comments, often expressing stronger sentiment. Qualitative comment analysis revealed Seoul comments focused more on emotional reactions, whereas Tokyo comments were often shorter, appreciative remarks. Geospatial analysis identified distinct hotspots. The validation analysis confirmed these spatial patterns despite Tokyo’s data limitations. Predictive modeling highlighted hashtag counts as the key engagement driver in Seoul and the presence of people in Tokyo. Seoul and Tokyo project distinct visual narratives and elicit different engagement patterns on Instagram. These findings offer practical implications for destination marketers, suggesting tailored content strategies and location-based campaigns targeting identified hotspots and specific content themes. This study underscores the value of integrating quantitative and qualitative analyses of social media data for nuanced destination marketing insights. Full article

‘Mushy halibut syndrome’ (MHS) is associated with inferior fillet quality in Greenland halibut and is reported to occur in commercial catches across the North Atlantic. MHS constitutes a quality issue in fisheries and leads to economic losses and food wastage. Despite the known challenges associated with MHS, quantitative data on product properties are lacking, and yet they are crucial to assess actual losses and value-adding processing potential. As part of a larger effort to document and characterize MHS in Greenland halibut, we investigated how thaw drip loss (TDL), cooked drip loss (CDL), cooked yield, and tissue compressibility and elasticity differ between normal and ‘mushy’ halibut fillets. The fillets were sorted into three categories: normal, intermediate MHS, and severe MHS. The mean TDL and CDL increased more than three-fold in both MHS categories compared to normal fillets, while cooked yield decreased by approximately 20%. Fillets severely affected by MHS demonstrated high tissue compressibility (56%) and poor elasticity (46%), while the elasticity of the fillets belonging to the intermediate MHS category did not differ significantly from that of normal ones. These findings provide new insights into the product attributes of fillets affected by MHS, which are important for developing utilization and valorization strategies. Full article

In recent decades, the rapid expansion of the food processing industry has led to significant losses and waste, with the fruit and vegetable sector among the most affected. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), losses in this category can reach up to 60%. Vegetable waste includes edible parts discarded during processing, packaging, distribution, and consumption, often comprising by-products rich in bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, dietary fibers, vitamins, and enzymes. The underutilization of these resources constitutes both an economic drawback and an environmental and ethical concern. Current recovery practices, including their use in animal feed or bioenergy production, contribute to a circular economy but are often limited by high operational costs. In this context, fermentation has emerged as a promising, sustainable approach for converting vegetable by-products into value-added food ingredients. This process improves digestibility, reduces undesirable compounds, and introduces probiotics beneficial to human health. The present review examines how fermentation can improve the nutritional, sensory, and functional properties of plant-based foods. By presenting several case studies, it illustrates how fermentation can effectively valorize vegetable processing by-products, supporting the development of novel, health-promoting food products with improved technological qualities. Full article

Exploring the interactions between compulsive buying and dietary practices is crucial in terms of understanding these behaviors from a behavioral standpoint. This paper investigates the relationships between compulsive buying (CB) and non-compulsive buying (non-CB), focusing on the influence of dietary habits (TFEQ), body mass index (BMI), and emotional valence. The study involved a representative sample of 707 Polish adults and employed tools such as the Compulsive Buying Scale, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), and the Emotional Appetite Questionnaire (EMAQ). The results revealed that compulsive buyers (CBs) had higher levels of cognitive restraint, emotional eating, and uncontrolled eating than non-compulsive buyers (non-CBs). Importantly, emotional valence—which includes both positive and negative emotions—significantly influenced dietary behaviors, illustrating the complex role emotions play in food consumption. Additionally, the results highlighted that the BMI significantly affects these relationships, suggesting different eating patterns across BMI categories. This study underscores the need for targeted interventions focusing on psychological and nutritional aspects to address these interconnected compulsive behaviors. Full article

Urban agriculture (UA) is emerging as a promising strategy for sustainable food production in response to growing environmental pressures. Indoor vertical farming (IVF), combining Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) with Building-Integrated Agriculture (BIA), enables efficient resource use and year-round crop cultivation in urban settings. This study assesses the environmental performance of a prospective IVF system located on a university campus in Portugal, focusing on the integration of photovoltaic (PV) energy as an alternative to the conventional electricity grid (GM). A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted using the Environmental Footprint (EF) method and the LANCA model to account for land use and soil-related impacts. The PV-powered system demonstrated lower overall environmental impacts, with notable reductions across most impact categories, but important trade-offs with decreased soil quality. The LANCA results highlighted cultivation and packaging as key contributors to land occupation and transformation, while also revealing trade-offs associated with upstream material demands. By combining EF and LANCA, the study shows that IVF systems that are not soil-based can still impact soil quality indirectly. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of sustainability in urban farming and underscore the importance of multi-dimensional assessment approaches when evaluating emerging agricultural technologies. Full article

Consumer perceptions of upcycled foods, as well as the determinants of food choices, are still not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of psychological and personal traits on purchase intention (PI) towards upcycled foods of Italian consumers. Additionally, willingness to try (WTT), willingness to buy (WTB), and willingness to pay (WTP) for yogurt, bread, and biscuits made with by-products, namely, hazelnut skin and grape pomace powder, were collected. A web-based survey involving 505 consumers was conducted, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to evaluate the model. It resulted that food neophobia and attitude towards upcycled foods had a significant impact on PI. In turn, attitude was affected by food neophobia as well as by objective knowledge about food by-products. Unexpectedly, frugality and environmental concern did not affect PI. WTP was product-specific; when WTP was compared to a reference price, it was higher for the yogurt prototype, followed by the bread and biscuits prototypes. Food neophobia affected WTT, WTB, and WTP. This study contributes to providing new insights into the determinants of consumers’ purchase intention for upcycled foods, which are an emerging category of products. Full article

Research on human–animal relationships suggests that close bonds with animals can enhance empathy, reduce speciesism, and improve human physical and psychological health. This study investigated whether pet ownership—particularly attachment to a companion animal during childhood—is associated with differences in moral concerns toward all animals in adulthood. It also aimed to explore the potential effects of empathy and speciesism on overall moral concerns toward animals. Using self-report questionnaires among 72 participants recruited online, the analyses revealed a significant effect of animal categories on moral concerns, F(1, 1.98) = 59.37, p < 0.001. Mean moral concern scores were significantly higher for companion animals (M = 6.04, SD = 1.15) than for food animals (M = 4.90, SD = 1.44), unappealing wild animals (M = 4.20, SD = 1.87), and appealing wild animals (M = 5.73, SD = 1.32), p < 0.05. Additionally, childhood pet owners reported greater moral concerns for all animals, F(1, 1.98) = 4.87, η² = 0.065, p < 0.05. Attachment to a companion animal in childhood was positively correlated with moral concerns for all animal categories. Finally, although attachment and empathy were both positively related to moral concern, only attachment was a significant predictor (p < 0.05). Further research is needed to understand the psychological mechanisms influencing views on animal rights and welfare. Full article

Foodborne pathogenic bacteria critically threaten public health and food industry sustainability, serving as a predominant trigger of food contamination incidents. To mitigate these risks, the development of rapid, sensitive, and highly specific detection technologies is essential for early warning and effective control of foodborne diseases. In recent years, biosensors have gained prominence as a cutting-edge tool for detecting foodborne pathogens, owing to their operational simplicity, rapid response, high sensitivity, and suitability for on-site applications. This review provides a comprehensive evaluation of critical biorecognition elements, such as antibodies, aptamers, nucleic acids, enzymes, cell receptors, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), and bacteriophages. We highlight their design strategies, recent advancements, and pivotal contributions to improving detection specificity and sensitivity. Additionally, we systematically examine mainstream biosensor-based detection technologies, with a focus on three dominant types: electrochemical biosensors, optical biosensors, and piezoelectric biosensors. For each category, we analyze its fundamental principles, structural features, and practical applications in food safety monitoring. Finally, this review identifies future research priorities, including multiplex target detection, enhanced processing of complex samples, commercialization, and scalable deployment of biosensors. These advancements are expected to bridge the gap between laboratory research and real-world food safety surveillance, fostering more robust and practical solutions. Full article

This study presents a computational analysis of industry-specific advertising message strategies through the theoretical lens of the FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) grid framework. Leveraging the AiSAC (AI Analysis System for Ad Creation) system developed by the Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation (KOBACO), we analyzed 27,000 Korean advertisements across five major industries using advanced machine learning techniques. Through Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic modeling with a coherence score of 0.78, we identified five distinct message strategies: emotional appeal, product features, visual techniques, setting and objects, and entertainment and promotion. Our computational analysis revealed that each industry exhibits a unique “message strategy fingerprint” that significantly discriminates between categories, with discriminant analysis achieving 62.7% classification accuracy. Time-series analysis using recurrent neural networks demonstrated a significant evolution in strategy preferences, with emotional appeal increasing by 44.3% over the study period (2015–2024). By mapping these empirical findings onto the FCB grid, the present study validated that industry positioning within the grid’s quadrants aligns with theoretical expectations: high-involvement/think (IT and Telecom), high-involvement/feel (Public Institutions), low-involvement/think (Food and Household Goods), and low-involvement/feel (Services). This study contributes to media science by demonstrating how computational methods can empirically validate the established theoretical frameworks in advertising, providing a data-driven approach to understanding message strategy patterns across industries. Full article

Alternative proteins denote non-traditional, high-protein foods. These innovative sources aim to compete with conventional animal products by providing protein-rich, sustainable, nutritious, and flavorful options. Currently, five main categories of alternative proteins are being developed: plant-based proteins, cultured meat, single-cell proteins, edible insects, and seaweed. Nonetheless, several chemical and microbiological food safety hazards are associated with these alternatives Incorporating novel protein sources into food products may heighten the prevalence of existing food allergies. This could arise from extracting proteins from their natural matrices and utilizing them at significantly higher concentrations. Additionally, the introduction of new proteins may lead to the development of novel food allergies. Proteins that are currently seldom or never consumed may cause primary sensitisation or trigger cross-reactivity with known allergens. To date, alternative proteins have not been thoroughly studied for their allergenic potential, and there is no standardised method for assessing this risk. This review aims to explore non-traditional protein sources, discussing their nutritional and functional properties, as well as their potential allergenicity based on available research. We conducted a literature search in PubMed and Embase databases. We used specific keywords and MESH terms. A total of 157 studies were included in the review. The studies reviewed in our analysis reveal significant limitations, such as inconsistent methodologies, limited participant numbers, and a lack of long-term data, which hinder the ability to make clear conclusions regarding the safety of these new proteins for individuals with allergies. To address current challenge, future research should integrate food science, regulatory perspectives and advanced technologies. Full article

Food security is defined as a state in which all people at all times have both physical and economic access to sufficient food to meet their dietary needs for a productive and healthy life. The general objective of this work was to assess the situation of food insecurity and its impact on the quantity and quality of food consumption during lockdown in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the determinants associated with the different food insecurity (FI) categories on a sample of 2227 people (1168 people from Spain and 1059 people from Morocco). Food insecurity (FI) assessed by the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) were compared in both countries, controlling for the effect of sociodemographic variables, age, gender, marital status, and education level. The mean HFIAS was 0.53 in the Spanish and 3.55 in the Moroccan samples (p < 0.001). Only 2.1% of the Spanish sample were in a situation of severe insecurity against 15.5% in Morocco (p < 0.001). Moroccans with moderate and severe food insecurity decreased their consumption of meat, fish, eggs, nuts, legumes, and fruits. The risk of food insecurity was higher in men than in women, in separated or divorced people, in people with secondary and middle education, and in younger people. Full article

The prosperity of enzyme-mimicking catalysis has promoted the development of nanozymes with diversified activities, mainly including catalase-like, oxidase-like, peroxidase-like, and superoxide dismutase-like characteristics. Thus far, the reported nanozymes can be roughly divided into five categories, comprising noble metals, metal oxides, carbon-based nanostructures, metal–organic frameworks, and covalent organic frameworks. This review systematically summarizes the research progress of nanozymes for improving catalytic activity toward sensing applications in food safety monitoring. Specifically, we highlight the unique advantages of nanozymes in enhancing the performance of colorimetric, fluorescence, and electrochemical sensors, which are crucial for detecting various food contaminants. Moreover, this review addresses the challenges faced in food safety detection, such as the need for high sensitivity, selectivity, and stability under complex food matrices. Nanozymes offer promising solutions by providing robust catalytic activity, adjustable enzyme-like properties, and excellent stability, even in harsh environments. However, practical implementation challenges remain, including the need for a deeper understanding of nanozyme catalytic mechanisms, improving substrate selectivity, and ensuring long-term stability and large-scale production. By focusing on these aspects, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of nanozyme-based sensors for food safety detection and to inspire future research directions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used indicator of children’s nutritional status and helps identify risks of being underweight and overweight during development. Understanding how BMI classifications evolve over time is crucial for early intervention and public health planning. This study aimed to determine the scope and direction of changes in BMI classification among children between the ages of 6 and 10. Methods: This longitudinal study included 1026 children (497 boys and 529 girls) from Gdansk, Poland. Standardized anthropometric measurements were collected at ages 6 and 10. BMI was calculated and classified using international reference systems (IOTF and OLAF). BMI classification changes were analyzed using rank transformations and Pearson correlation coefficients (p < 0.05) to explore relationships between body measurements. Results: Most children (76.51%) retained their BMI classifications over the four-year period. However, 23.49% experienced changes, with boys more often moving to a higher BMI category (15.29%) and girls more frequently shifting to a lower category (14.03%). The prevalence of children classified as living with obesity declined between ages 6 and 10, while both overweight and underweight classifications slightly increased. Strong correlations were observed between somatic features and BMI at both ages. Conclusions: The stability of BMI classification over time underscores the importance of early identification and sustained monitoring of nutritional status. The sex-specific patterns observed highlight the importance of targeted health promotion strategies. In this context, incorporating dietary interventions—such as promoting balanced meals and reducing unhealthy food intake—could play a significant role in maintaining healthy BMI trajectories and preventing both obesity and undernutrition during childhood. Full article

Choosing a rural destination today often comes down to one thing: how authentic it feels. In countries like Romania, where tradition is still woven into daily life, travelers are looking for something real and sustainable—but what exactly does that mean? And how can we measure it? This study takes a different approach. We created an Authenticity Index using fuzzy logic, a method that makes space for in-between answers and soft boundaries. It helped us capture how people actually perceive things like local food, architecture, and natural scenery—without forcing their opinions into rigid categories. We tested the index with real guest feedback from rural accommodation. The results showed that guests consistently valued sensory experiences—like nature and food—more than activities that required deeper cultural involvement, such as workshops or folk demonstrations. Instead of just producing a number, the index turned out to be a guide. It gives hosts a better idea of what really matters to their guests—even when those preferences are not always easy to define. More than that, it brings together what theory says with what visitors actually feel, supporting more sustainable tourism practices. And in rural tourism, that connection can make all the difference. Full article