Search Results (9,918)

Seafood processing environments represent some of the most demanding hygienic settings in the global food sector. High humidity, variable temperatures, and heavy organic residues promote the persistence of Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio spp., and Salmonella spp., making sanitation both critical and inherently complex. This review synthesizes recent advances in hygienic design, sanitation technologies, and workforce safety as interconnected elements of a single “hygiene continuum.” Building upon Codex, FDA, and European hygiene frameworks (2020–2024), the review examines how engineering design, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) systems, and occupational hygiene jointly determine microbial control, sustainability, and workforce well-being. Particular focus is given to biofilm dynamics, emerging disinfection technologies, and automation through cleaning-in-place (CIP) and cleaning-out-of-place (COP) systems. Recent trends—including digital monitoring, eco-efficient cleaning, and human-centered facility design—are discussed as drivers of next-generation hygiene management. Collectively, these insights demonstrate that hygienic performance in seafood processing is not a fixed endpoint but a living system linking design, management, and human behavior toward safe, sustainable, and resilient seafood production. Full article

This study analyzes the valorization of oil palm biomass residues within the framework of industrial symbiosis (IS), emphasizing their role in circular economy strategies and sustainable industrial development. Through a systematic literature review and snowball sampling, 156 articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science were examined, classifying evidence by country, type of residue, derived products, economic sector (ISIC Rev. 4), and technological approach. The results show a strong geographical concentration of IS experiences in Asia, particularly Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, where residues such as empty fruit bunches (EFB), palm kernel shells (PKS), oil palm mesocarp fibers, palm oil mill effluent (POME), and oil palm trunks (OPT) are integrated into processes for bioenergy, biochemicals, composite materials, construction products, biochar, and bioplastics. In contrast, applications in Latin America and Africa remain incipient, with high potential but limited industrial implementation due to infrastructural and regulatory gaps. Technological trends point toward thermo-chemical and biological conversion routes (pyrolysis, gasification, hydrothermal carbonization, anaerobic digestion), development of advanced materials and catalysts, and the emergence of integrated biorefinery models supported by computational optimization tools. The analysis highlights that palm biomass residues, far from being an environmental liability, constitute strategic resources for low-carbon value chains. However, scaling IS initiatives requires clear public policies, economic incentives, and stronger coordination between industry, government, and academia. The study provides a structured overview of current knowledge, identifies research gaps, and outlines future directions for leveraging oil palm residues as a key input for sustainable IS. Full article

With the rapid expansion of the Internet, it is crucial to be aware of the different aspects of privacy, especially in light of rising global cybersecurity threats and data breaches. While previous research has identified various factors when studying privacy awareness, these studies often remain fragmented or examine key factors in isolation from one another, limiting their ability to provide a holistic view. To address this gap, this study proposes the Comprehensive Privacy Awareness Framework (CPAF), which is a theoretically grounded model that conceptualizes privacy awareness across four dimensions: individual, technological, organizational, and social. The framework is empirically validated through a case study of Saudi e-commerce users, a context chosen due to the sector’s rapid digital transformation under Vision 2030 and limited comprehensive privacy research. A CPAF-based survey was administered to 400 active e-commerce users. The quantitative results demonstrate that privacy awareness is a multidimensional construct, where each dimension is significantly associated with the others. Privacy awareness cannot be captured through a single and uniform measure. The findings further reveal notable gaps in users’ knowledge, behaviors, and perceptions of privacy risks, indicating insufficient preparedness when navigating e-commerce environments. These insights highlight the urgent need for targeted awareness initiatives and policy interventions to strengthen user protection and foster responsible digital participation. Full article

The food processing industry is undergoing a profound transformation with the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), evolving from traditional automation to intelligent, adaptive systems aligned with Industry 5.0 principles. This review examines AI’s role across the food value chain, including supply chain management, quality control, process optimization in key unit operations, and emerging areas. Recent advancements in machine learning (ML), computer vision, and predictive analytics have significantly improved detection in food processing, achieving accuracy exceeding 98%. These technologies have also contributed to energy savings of 15–20% and reduced waste through real-time process optimization and predictive maintenance. The integration of blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies further strengthens traceability and sustainability across the supply chain, while generative AI accelerates the development of novel food products. Despite these benefits, several challenges persist, including substantial implementation costs, heterogeneous data sources, ethical considerations related to workforce displacement, and the opaque, “black box” nature of many AI models. Moreover, the effectiveness of AI solutions remains context-dependent; some studies report only marginal improvements in dynamic or data-poor environments. Looking ahead, the sector is expected to embrace autonomous manufacturing, edge computing, and bio-computing, with projections indicating that the AI market in food processing could approach $90 billion by 2030. Full article

This study aims to identify and map the factors that can influence sustainable organizational performance. This study aims to identify the factors that directly and indirectly influence sustainable organizational performance. This study also categorizes its findings based on research themes, theories employed, and the organizational sectors under examination, thereby providing a comprehensive, up-to-date, and structured overview as a foundation for theoretical development and strategic guidance for organizations seeking to enhance their sustainable performance. This study employs the systematic literature review (SLR) method following the PRISMA guidelines. The Scopus database was used to search for articles. The study analyzed 44 selected articles based on predetermined criteria. The results suggest that sustainable organizational performance can be influenced by several key factors, including knowledge, innovation, leadership, organizational learning, human resource management, organizational culture, technology, and market orientation. This study also reveals the theories used in research related to sustainable organizational performance. The Resource-Based View emerged as the most dominant theory, followed by Dynamic Capabilities, Social Exchange, and Knowledge-Based View. Several mediating and moderating variables were identified as playing a significant role in strengthening or weakening the relationship between factors, although some findings yielded inconsistent results. These findings underscore the need for further research to clarify the role of these factors in supporting sustainable organizational performance. Full article

Background: Digital transformation has become a vital driver of competitiveness in the hospitality industry. This study investigates the role of digital agility in enhancing competitive advantage in Egypt’s luxury hotel sector, focusing on the parallel mediating effects of supply chain agility and supply chain resilience. Grounded in the Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT), the research explores how digital capabilities promote flexibility, responsiveness, and strategic performance. Methods: Data were collected from 325 senior managers in supply chain, procurement, operations, logistics, and digital transformation across luxury hotels in Egypt. The conceptual framework was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via WarpPLS software. Results: Findings reveal that digital agility significantly enhances competitive advantage, as well as supply chain agility and resilience. Both supply chain agility and resilience positively influence competitive advantage and partially mediate the relationship between digital agility and competitiveness. Conclusions: The study highlights the strategic importance of digital agility in fostering agile and resilient supply chains, which serve as key mechanisms for achieving sustained competitive advantage in the luxury hotel industry. Investing in digital technologies and adaptive capabilities is essential for long-term success in a dynamic market environment. Full article

Microbial biosurfactants have emerged as natural and sustainable alternatives to synthetic surfactants used in the food industry, due to the growing demand for biodegradable and safe ingredients. Produced by bacteria, fungi, and yeasts, these compounds exhibit important physicochemical properties, such as emulsifying capacity, surface tension reduction, foam stabilization, and favorable interaction with different food matrices. In addition to their technological function, they exhibit relevant biological activities, including antioxidant and antimicrobial action, which contribute to the control of lipid oxidation and microbiological deterioration. These characteristics make biosurfactants attractive for applications in emulsions, fermented beverages, aerated products, probiotic systems, and bioactive packaging. The objective of this work is to provide a narrative literature review that integrates recent advances in the production, functionality, safety, sustainability, and application perspectives of biosurfactants in the food sector. In the field of production, biotechnological advances have made it possible to overcome historical limitations such as high cost and low yield. Strategies such as the use of agro-industrial waste, metabolic engineering, microbial co-cultures, continuous fermentations, and in situ removal techniques have increased efficiency and reduced environmental impacts. Despite the advances, significant challenges remain. Future prospects and advances tend to facilitate industrial adoption and consolidate biosurfactants as strategic ingredients for the development of more sustainable, functional, and technologically advanced foods. Full article

This review examines the status, challenges, and future trajectories of global mussel aquaculture within the blue food system. Despite steady production growth, mussels’ relative contribution to total bivalve output has significantly declined over recent decades due to disproportionate expansion of oyster, clam, and scallop sectors. A major geographical production shift has occurred, with Asia, spearheaded by China, emerging as the dominant region, supplanting traditional European producers while the Americas rapidly ascend. China’s overwhelming dominance in overall bivalve production starkly contrasts with its underdeveloped mussel sector, where growth lags behind other bivalves despite substantial absolute increases, reflecting a fundamental restructuring of species composition. The industry faces interconnected sustainability constraints: persistent vulnerabilities in spat supply stemming from environmental variability, hatchery limitations, and disease transmission risks; escalating environmental stressors including climate change impacts, harmful algal blooms, pollution, and pathogens; structural flaws in value chains characterized by fragmented production, market volatility, and underutilized byproducts; and governance challenges related to spatial access and licensing inefficiencies. This review advocates for a comprehensive strategy to boost the mussel aquaculture. These encompass advancing hatchery technology and genetic breeding programs, implementing ecosystem-based management such as multi-trophic systems and AI-enhanced environmental monitoring, restructuring value chains through producer cooperation and high value product diversification, and establishing science-based spatial planning frameworks with streamlined governance. Addressing these challenges holistically is critical to position mussel farming as a resilient pillar of sustainable blue food production capable of reconciling ecological integrity with economic viability and social equity. Full article

In the context of the growing urgency of sustainable industrial transformation under global climate goals, this study examines how digitalization enables and amplifies industrial low-carbon transition through the synergistic interaction of policy tools, technological pathways, and financial innovation. Addressing the challenge of reconciling emissions reduction with industrial efficiency, the study employs a mixed-method approach that combines panel econometric analysis of manufacturing enterprises in China’s Yangtze River Delta with representative case studies. The empirical results demonstrate significant synergistic effects among policy, technology, and finance under digital enablement. Coordinated policy instruments, including emissions trading and green credit, reduce decarbonization costs by 18–23%, while digitally enabled mechanisms such as Zhejiang’s “Carbon Efficiency Code” lower carbon intensity by over 15% for nearly half of participating firms. Technological pathways exhibit sectoral heterogeneity: digital twin optimization reduces emissions by 12% in the steel industry, whereas IoT-based monitoring cuts energy consumption by 9.7% in textiles. Financial innovations further reinforce these outcomes by increasing green R&D intensity and enhancing firms’ climate risk resilience. From a sustainability perspective, the study shows that digitalization strengthens real-time carbon measurement, monitoring, and verification (MRV), thereby improving sustainability performance assessment and governance effectiveness. By integrating digital tools with policy and financial incentives, the findings provide actionable guidance for supporting sustainable industrial operations and designing more precise, scalable, and data-driven sustainability-oriented policy instruments. Full article

The research examines organisational leadership styles in the transition to the circular water economy using explanatory quantitative methods, combining semantic normalisation of structured survey responses and latent class analysis. One hundred and fifty organisations from the water sector in Lima, Trujillo, and Cajamarca participated and received a previously validated 30-item Likert-type questionnaire (α = 0.97). The nine analytical domains were developed resources, leadership, culture, technological capabilities, rivalry, suppliers, regulatory framework/support, implementation, and results to discover different organisational configurations. The ideal model identified eight latent classes that are grouped into four organisational archetypes: established leaders, aspirants with regulatory deficits, environment-focused with medium execution, and structural laggards. The findings reveal that circular implementation and results depend more on the articulation between organisational culture, strategic leadership, and regulatory framework than on the availability of technical or financial resources. In addition, great interorganizational heterogeneity was found, which challenged homogeneous public policies and requires differentiated strategies according to the level of circularity in which each organisation finds itself. The research provides empirical evidence to operationalise water transition indicators within the framework of SDG 6 and SDG 12, developing a robust taxonomy to track institutional progress toward water sustainability. Full article

The rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence across educational, professional, and societal domains has intensified the need for a clear understanding of generative artificial intelligence literacy. Although scholarly interest in this topic has grown substantially in recent years, existing research remains dispersed across disciplines, limiting both theoretical consolidation and practical guidance. This study maps the scientific literature on generative artificial intelligence literacy by identifying its underlying thematic structure. A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We retrieved 40 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2023 and 2025 from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Topic modeling using Latent Dirichlet Allocation was applied to the full texts, with inter-rater reliability validation achieving substantial agreement (Cohen’s kappa = 0.78). The analysis revealed four interrelated thematic areas: ethical foundations (40%), educational use (32.5%), adoption and interaction (12.5%), and evaluation (15%). Geographic analysis showed notable concentration in Asia (50%) and educational settings (47.5%), with limited representation in healthcare, government, and industry sectors. Two critical gaps emerged: the scarcity of validated measurement instruments and a persistent disconnect between expert ethical frameworks and users’ ethical awareness. These findings provide a structured foundation for researchers, educators, and policymakers to develop evidence-based interventions and support the sustainable adoption of generative artificial intelligence technologies. Full article

The study analyzes the long-term development prospects of the Latvian dairy sector until 2032, using an integrated modeling approach that combines the AGMEMOD partial equilibrium model with the TOPSIS multi-criteria evaluation method. The study addresses the main challenge facing the sector—how to maintain productivity in the context of structural consolidation and increasing environmental requirements. The AGMEMOD model was recalibrated using updated data for Latvia for 2015–2023. Two scenarios were developed: A1 “Targeted and intensive farm modernization” and A2 “Limited farm modernization”. Scenario A1 is characterized by gradual technological adoption, leading to higher productivity while keeping total milk production almost unchanged relative to the Baseline scenario, whereas scenario A2 reflects slower modernization and reduced productivity growth. The TOPSIS evaluation identified scenario A1 as the most attractive alternative, as it combines productivity gains and greater adaptability to policy and environmental requirements. The results confirm that technological modernization and flexible policy mechanisms are essential to maintain the competitiveness and productivity performance of Latvia’s dairy sector. The integrated AGMEMOD–TOPSIS approach provides a methodological tool for evidence-based policy analysis and strategic planning in agricultural market management. Full article

Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) is an advanced powder bed fusion (PBF) technology widely utilized in the medical device and aerospace sectors for the production of intricate and high-value components. The powdered metal materials used in the DMLS process can be expensive, and it is uncommon for a single build to exhaust an entire batch of powder. As a result, the un-melted powder characterized by differences in particle size and morphology compared to fresh virgin powder is recommended to be recycled for use in subsequent builds. This comprehensive review delves into the essential role that powder quality plays in the realm of DMLS with a particular focus on effective and sustainable powder recycling strategies. In this study, the effects of recycling stainless steel powder, specifically used in the DMLS process, are rigorously investigated in relation to the quality of the finished components. This paper monitors critical powder material characteristics, including particle size, particle morphology, and the overall bulk chemical composition throughout the recycling workflow. Furthermore, this review brings to light significant challenges associated with the recycling of stainless steel powders, such as the need to maintain consistency in particle size and shape, manage contamination risks, and mitigate the degradation effects that can arise from repeated usage, including wear, fragmentation, and oxidation of the particles. In addition, this paper explores a variety of recycling techniques aimed at rejuvenating powder quality. These techniques, including sieving, blending, and plasma spheroidization, are emphasized for their vital role in restoring the integrity of recycled powders and facilitating their reuse in innovative and efficient manufacturing processes. Full article

As a key mechanism for guiding capital flows into green and low-carbon sectors, green finance plays a significant role in supporting China’s “dual carbon” strategy and driving the high-quality development of its energy system. This research investigates the mechanisms and effects through which green finance influences new-quality productivity in the energy sector. Based on Chinese provincial panel data spanning 2012–2022, we apply fixed-effects models, mediation effect tests, and a threshold regression model to empirically analyze the transmission channels, nonlinear features, and regional heterogeneities of this influence. The findings indicate the following: (1) Green finance significantly drives the development of new-quality productivity in the energy sector, and this conclusion holds robust after a series of robustness tests. (2) The primary transmission channels operate by promoting technological innovation and enhancing the level of foreign trade openness. (3) The impact presents nonlinear characteristics: the positive effect of green finance weakens when the level of technological innovation is excessively low or when foreign trade openness is overly high. (4) Significant heterogeneity is observed, with a more pronounced promotional effect in regions with weaker financial endowment, while the effect is relatively limited in regions with stronger financial endowment. Accordingly, this research proposes optimizing the green financial system and formulating differentiated regional policies to synergistically advance the development of new-quality productive forces in energy. Full article

This research examines the influence of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies on corporate financial performance (CFP) in China’s automotive industry, characterized by intense regulatory pressure and fast-paced technological transformation. Using an unbalanced panel dataset of A-share listed automotive firms from 2009 to 2024, this paper combines ESG scores from the Huazheng ESG index with firm-level financial data from CSMAR. CFP is measured through both accounting-based (ROA) and market-based (Tobin’s Q) indicators. Panel regression models are applied to evaluate the influence of overall ESG performance and the three individual pillars, and to assess heterogeneity across ownership types, firm type, and firm age. The results show that ESG performance is significantly and positively associated with ROA, but is insignificantly associated with Tobin’s Q. It is suggested that ESG engagement improves accounting profitability but is not fully reflected in the capital market. Among the three ESG pillars, governance shows the strongest positive link with ROA, while environmental and social performance are weakly associated with ROA. Furthermore, the heterogeneity study shows that the positive relationship between ESG and CFP is more pronounced for non-state-owned firms, vehicle manufacturers, or mature firms. Overall, this paper presents fresh evidence on whether and how ESG initiatives can facilitate sustainable value in China’s automotive sector, offering insights for policymakers and management that may help this industry achieve sustainable growth. Full article