Search

Copyright of Packaging & Food Machinery is the property of Packaging & Food Machinery Magazine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The rapid emergence of e-commerce in Vietnam has resulted in significant pressure on freight traffic and the environment, particularly in urban areas. Automated delivery stations (ADSs), also known as smart lockers or parcel lockers, offer a promising solution to improve the sustainability of last-mile delivery systems. However, the adoption of such a sustainable alternative by Vietnamese customers is inadequately understudied. This study primarily aims to investigate factors impacting Vietnamese customers' acceptance of these automated delivery points. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM), a survey following convenience sampling was carried out in Vietnam to assess recent experiences at automated delivery stations. The results showed that innovativeness and location convenience positively influenced consumer intention to use ADS, while perceived time pressure had no impact on consumer intention to use automatic delivery systems. This study provides valuable insights to e-commerce companies to customize their services to match customer preferences, which will optimize last-mile delivery options and thereby promote sustainable practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Men experiencing infertility encounter numerous problems at the individual, family, and social levels as well as quality of life (QOL). This study was designed to investigate the QOL of men experiencing infertility through a systematic review. Materials and methods: This systematic review was conducted without any time limitation (Retrieval date: July 1, 2023) in international databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar. The search was performed by two reviewers separately using keywords such as QOL, infertility, and men. Studies were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the articles were evaluated based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. In the initial search, 308 studies were reviewed, and after removing duplicates and checking the title and abstract, the full text of 87 studies were evaluated. Results: Finally, 24 studies were included in the final review based on the research objectives. Based on the results, men's QOL scores in different studies varied from 55.15 ± 13.52 to 91.45 ± 13.66%. Of the total reviewed articles, the lowest and highest scores were related to mental health problems and physical dimensions, respectively. Conclusion: The reported findings vary across various studies conducted in different countries. Analysis of the factors affecting these differences is necessary, and it is recommended to design a standard tool for assessing the quality of life of infertile men. Given the importance of the QOL in men experiencing infertility, it is crucial to consider it in the health system. Moreover, a plan should be designed, implemented and evaluated according to each country's contex to improve the quality of life of infertile men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food fortification is one strategy for addressing micronutrient deficiencies among the population groups at risk. Non-compliance with fortification standards hinders the success of fortification programs. This is due to a lack of techniques to rapidly check the amounts of the added fortificants. Fourier transform - near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy is a fast and reliable technique that would be used to ensure adherence to requirements. This study aimed to investigate the potential of using FT-NIR spectroscopy to predict the amount of retinol in fortified maize flour. 150 fortified maize flour samples were used in this study. Partial least squares regression (PLS-R) was used to build calibration models based on the retinol reference values obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and fortified maize flour NIR spectra acquired from the FT-NIR spectrophotometer. Two calibration models were developed to predict retinol above and below 1.0 mg/kg. The performance metrics of model one developed to predict retinol < 1.0 mg/kg were: R²c = 0.81, RMSEE = 0.08, RPD = 2.29 and R²v = 0.82, RMSEP = 0.09, RPD = 2.07 for the calibration and validation, respectively. The second model developed to predict retinol ≥ 1.0 mg/kg had the following performance metrics: R²c = 0.93, RMSEE = 0.16, RPD = 3.58 and R²v = 0.81, RMSEP = 0.22, RPD = 2.43 for the calibration and validation, respectively. Overall, the findings demonstrated that FT-NIR spectroscopy can be utilised to reliably predict retinol levels in fortified maize flour samples. FT-NIR spectroscopy, by replacing time-consuming and laborious wet chemistry laboratory procedures, has the potential to be used for rapid regulatory monitoring of fortification compliance for a large number of samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: An increasing number of last mile deliveries (LMDs) pose many sustainability challenges that retailers and logistics service providers (LSPs) can address. Using cognitive frames (CFs) as a lens, this study explored how retail and LSP managers make sense of sustainable LMDs. Design/methodology/approach: The methodological approach used is a multiple embedded case study. The data were obtained from interviews with retailers and LSPs, supplemented with secondary data for triangulation. Findings: The findings present the operational aspects of LMDs that managers associate with sustainability and indicate that retail and LSP managers frame sustainability primarily as emission reduction. Managers indicate an externalization of responsibility and a compartmentalization of the supply chain, in which social sustainability is not associated with the last mile. Most managers indicate hierarchical CFs regarding sustainability, in which sustainability is an important topic but is subordinate to economic interests. Practical implications: Collaboration between retailers, LSPs and other stakeholders is viewed as challenging but could alleviate some of the sustainability shortcomings and aid in the paradoxical framing and inclusion of social issues. Originality/value: A conceptualization of managerial CFs for sustainable LMDs, together with empirical frame indicators and three propositions, is presented, providing novel insights into how paradoxical CFs could make LMDs more sustainable. This approach illuminates the possibilities for how to untangle the operational manifestations of managerial framing and adds to the empirical exploration of CFs in supply chain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]