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Purpose: This study attempts to encapsulate the idea of influencer marketing in the food sector and the vital role played by food influencers in shaping the dietary preferences, tastes and decisions of their social media followers and turning them into brand advocates. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey of 383 social media users, utilizing a self-administered questionnaire, was undertaken to validate the proposed research design. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology was used to analyze the data and test the relationships between the constructs. Findings: The results confirm the validity and reliability of the research model. The research revealed the positive influence of influencer–follower demographics and attitude congruence on followers' food choices, which in turn leads to followers' delight and significantly impacts their brand advocacy. It also depicts how followers' perceived trust in an influencer mediates the relationship between their similarity with the influencers, their food choices and brand advocacy. Originality/value: The study proposes a new theoretical framework and empirically tests the effectiveness of influencer marketing in influencing social media users' food choice behavior and brand advocacy through the medium of followers' congruence with social media influencers. The findings offer noteworthy theoretical and managerial implications for academicians as well as marketing practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scarcity of water poses a significant challenge to China's sustainable economic and social progress. Despite its pivotal role, the impact of the food industry's final demand on water consumption across regions and sectors through supply chains has been largely overlooked, particularly at the city level. This study establishes an environmentally extended multiregional input–output model to assess the water consumption of the food sector in 313 Chinese cities across 2012, 2015, and 2017. Our findings reveal a distinct distribution pattern of the food sector's water consumption, characterized by higher levels in the east and lower levels in the west, with developed cities generally exhibiting higher consumption. Notably, we observe that the food sector's virtual water predominantly flows to neighboring and developed cities, with the agricultural and wholesale and retail sectors being the primary beneficiaries of final demand. We also pinpoint hotspots and offer policy recommendations aimed at fostering the sustainable development of water resources at both the sectoral and city levels. These findings contribute to understanding the water scarcity driven by the food sector at the city level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron is one of the essential nutrients for almost all microorganisms. Under iron-limited conditions, bacteria can secrete siderophores to the outside world to absorb iron for survival. This process requires the coordinated action of energy-transducing proteins, transporters, and receptors. The spoilage factors of some spoilage bacteria and the pathogenic mechanism of pathogenic bacteria are also closely related to siderophores. Meanwhile, some siderophores have also gradually evolved toward beneficial aspects. First, a variety of siderophores are classified into three aspects. In addition, representative iron uptake systems of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria are described in detail to understand the common and specific pathways of iron uptake by various bacteria. In particular, the causes of siderophore-induced bacterial pathogenicity and the methods and mechanisms of inhibiting bacterial iron absorption under the involvement of siderophores are presented. Then, the application of siderophores in the food sector is mainly discussed, such as improving the food quality of dairy products and meat, inhibiting the attack of pathogenic bacteria on food, improving the plant growth environment, and promoting plant growth. Finally, this review highlights the unresolved fate of siderophores in the iron uptake system and emphasizes further development of siderophore-based substitutes for traditional drugs, new antibiotic-resistance drugs, and vaccines in the food and health sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Contaduría y Administración is the property of Facultad de Contaduria y Administracion-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico 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.)

This paper explores the effectiveness of regional intervention strategies aimed at enhancing 'low-tech' SMEs' sustainable competitive advantage and innovation activities, employing the food sector in Wales (UK) as a case study. It utilizes the triple helix model to analyse these interventions, emphasising collaboration between government, academia, and industry to stimulate knowledge-based economic development. The food sector represents an ideal subject for innovation-focused regional development policies because of its global importance, sustainability concerns, health impact and economic outcomes. A mixed-methods longitudinal case study approach was taken, evaluating a series of intervention programmes over an extended period (12 years in total), all funded by the European Union via the Welsh Government. Data sources included program reports, management committee reports, interviews, and case study testimonials. Frequent intervention activities included quality systems development, technical support, and skills training. They notably improved product and processing innovation for SMEs, key performance indicators revealing over 1,800 new products, safeguarding around 2,300 food sector jobs, and supporting 64 new business start-ups. Findings emphasized the value of consistent policies over an extended time period, albeit with the potential for lock-in effects. Future programme goals should be adapted for broader sustainable development outcomes – these are not uniquely Welsh challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper aims to study how firms must be agile to overcome risks and manage cost repercussions. Specifically, it focuses on promoting digitalization in Indian food SMEs for greater competitiveness. The main purpose is to design a model for implementing robust interventions in a rational manner. To achieve this, a mixed approach, including a literature review and the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method, was chosen. This approach is recommended for addressing barriers to digital transformation in SMEs. The results suggest that the absence of internet connectivity and problems related to organization impede the efficiency of operations in small and medium-sized Indian food businesses. By overcoming these obstacles and allocating resources to enhance their digital capacities, stakeholders can effectively shape their future business operations. In addition, it is imperative for the stakeholders to actively adopt and utilize a range of digital tools such as blockchain, IoT, Big Data, and cloud computing. To implement and sustain digital transformation effectively, three foundational elements are crucial: internet availability, financial resources, and employee training. This research offers an innovative approach to the practiceners and mangers to adopt digital transformation of Indian food SMEs.

Microalgae are an evolving field to produce sustainable nutritious food with low environmental impact. To shape the emerging European value chain in a sustainable way, all actors and processes need to be considered. This article builds on the results of multi-stakeholder scenario workshops organised within the EC-H2020-funded project ProFuture. It investigates the roles different actors along the microalgae value chain hold to shape it. A qualitative analysis identified three actor groups: (1) microalgae producers and processors, and researchers who work with microalgae and their development, (2) policy makers, and large industrial players, who influence the political and economic possibilities of the microalgae value chain and (3) consumers, who play a key role in order to root sustainable microalgae food products in the market. The paper shows how these groups interlink and draws conclusions about their roles for shaping the European microalgae value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic literature review aims to examine the impact of back-of-pack (BOP) labels on food manufacturers' practices in the field of consumer behaviour research. The review comprehensively analyses a wide range of articles spanning over two decades to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of the subject matter. It focuses specifically on how BOP labels affect consumers, food manufacturers' behaviors and practices. The findings highlight that BOP labels conveying intuitive information effectively prompt product reformulation, particularly in reducing unhealthy nutrients such as sodium, sugar, and calories. Voluntary BOP labeling has limited uptake and is often applied to already healthier products. Consumers and food producers' response varies based on label design and enforcement type, suggesting strategic labeling of healthier choices. The review provides valuable insights for future public health research and policymaking efforts, emphasizing the importance of mandatory policies and specific guidance in BOP labels. This research brings novelty by comprehensively examining the impact of back-of-pack (BOP) labeling on consumers and food manufacturers' practices. The findings contribute to the literature by highlighting the differential effects of mandatory and voluntary BOP labeling approaches and offering insights into label design and enforcement types. As per the researcher knowledge there is no available systematic literature review (SLR) specifically focusing on BOP labeling in recent years. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of mandatory versus voluntary BOP labeling on consumer dietary habits and food manufacturers' product reformulation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of the circular economy (CE) has become increasingly evident in recent years. The objective of this study is to analyse the contributions in CE in the food sector over the last two decades. A bibliometric analysis of 768 scientific investigations from the Web of Science was carried out, from 2009 to the present. The study identifies areas of opportunity, strategic orientations, and advances in knowledge for food sustainability. The results show exponential growth. This corroborates the fact that CE is a topic of current debate and interest to researchers and expert technicians around the world, becoming a crucial point in the budgets of various countries and companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecuador is engaged in the semi-processed and processed natural food sector, therefore, daily its translates into a large number of commercial transactions. Large companies in this sector are obliged to keep accounts under the accounting rules and guidelines of the Superintendence of Companies, which compromise the presentation of figures or accounting data that reflect a poor financial situation. In this sense, creative accounting emerges as an alternative to this situation. It is a methodology that meets the standards of the legal accounting framework taking advantage of certain information gaps to transform figures into positive and encouraging results for interest groups of Ecuadorian food companies. In this context, the present investigation applied the MScore-Beneish Model to determine whether there is the application of creative accounting in 24 large companies in the food sector in Ecuador to affect their profitability, under a descriptive study and quantitative approach. Research findings show that 58.33% of companies manipulate accounting information especially with the alteration of the SGI ratio with the presentation of inflated sales by including the value of accounts and receivables from year to year. In conclusion, creative accounting did not have a significant impact on the generation of profitability despite manipulating figures, since the results do not present significant differences between manipulative and non-manipulative companies of accounting information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of GeSec: Revista de Gestao e Secretariado is the property of Sindicato das Secretarias e Secretarios do Estado de Sao Paulo (SINSESP) 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.)

In today's highly competitive global market, companies aim to improve their market position to ensure their competitiveness and survival. The adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies constitutes a good approach to enhancing processes and productivity while maintaining high‐quality standards. This is where Quality 4.0 becomes crucial, as it focuses on boosting the quality of organisational processes through the integration of disruptive technologies from Industry 4.0. Furthermore, companies are prioritising implementing environmentally friendly practices in their processes that support sustainable development. Therefore, it is imperative to evaluate how the application of Quality 4.0 can ease production improvements with minimal environmental impact while also aligning with sustainable development goals. This article analyses how these initiatives can be used within the food industry, specifically those dedicated to the production and sale of a product, evaluating a microenterprise dedicated to the production of artisanal ice cream. A comprehensive framework is proposed for the adoption of Quality 4.0 and its potential to support sustainable development goals. Using the PDCA cycle, the original situation is evaluated to later recommend strategies and tools to create improvements in the enterprise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to ascertain how the food and beverage industry companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) are affected by return on assets, debt-to-equity ratios, and current ratios. The Multiple Linear Regression technique and Purposive Sampling of 23 companies over a 5-year research period are applied to secondary data. The SPSS software, version 29, was used to conduct this investigation. They discovered that stock prices are negatively impacted by ROA and CR but not by DER. Then, stock prices are simultaneously impacted by CR, DER, and ROA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to quantify food waste in Brazilian restaurants and propose alternatives for its management within the framework of the circular economy. Methodology: The research was conducted in the city of Chapecó, Brazil, based on the database of companies registered in municipal archives. Researchers visited these establishments to administer a questionnaire, aiming to quantify food waste during preparation, during, and after meals. A total of 177 valid responses were obtained. Results: The findings reveal that the largest volumes wasted in all three stages of food production consist of vegetables, carbohydrates, meats, and bones. Meat and bones, followed by vegetables and carbohydrates, emerge as the main sources of revenue loss resulting from waste. On average, the analyzed restaurants waste 339 kg of food per month, approximately 13 kg per day, representing an estimated loss of R$ 2,577.85 per month in revenue for each establishment. The results highlight the need for actions aimed at reducing these losses, with circular economy principles proving effective for this purpose. Practical implications: A set of guidelines is proposed, delineating the key elements necessary for an efficient food waste management system that contributes to the circularity of food in the value chain. Optimisation of menus, adjustable portions, demand forecasting technologies, and designs for reuse through recipes incorporating unused food leftovers, donations, or even reintegration of organic waste through composting are examples of the application of the circular economy in this context. Originality/value: The study quantifies food waste in the Brazilian context and relates the topic to the circular economy, elucidating circular premises as instruments for waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the sustainable marketing effectiveness of Poland's fruit and vegetable industry using a seminal approach to analyze the interconnected dynamics among all factors and highlight pivotal elements through a structural model. Methodologically, the research used a sample of 216 companies utilizing a comprehensive survey to gauge various dimensions of sustainable marketing, including the environmental and social aspects of production, pricing, distribution and promotional activities. The findings reveal a nuanced landscape of sustainability practices within the industry. While there is a commendable level of awareness and some positive strides in certain areas such as employee-focused social aspects, other domains lag significantly, particularly consumer-focused social aspects and sustainable promotional activities. The study highlights the need for a more concerted and integrated approach towards sustainability, emphasizing the necessity of balancing economic goals with environmental stewardship and social responsibility. These insights bear significant implications for both research and practice. Practically, the study offers industry stakeholders a detailed understanding of the current state of sustainable practices pinpointing areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. It underlines the originality and value of employing a sophisticated analytical approach in assessing and enhancing the sustainability of marketing practices in the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal utilization of available resources is critical for industrial experimentation. In addition, a structured approach with reliable and reproducible results and robust predictability is paramount to achieving profitability, waste reduction, and improvements in the food industry. The Taguchi design of experiments (DOE) is a practical approach that optimizes the critical characteristics using minimum time and resources – reviewing its application in the food sector assists in determining research gaps that could provide sustainable solutions to academia, industry, and policymakers. This research provides a systematic review of the literature on the Taguchi DOE application for the past two decades in the food industry. The systematic review considered articles published in peer-reviewed journals indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. The research categorized the relevant articles into three core themes and 31 sub-themes. This study identified only 31 relevant articles despite the significant advantages of applying the Taguchi DOE in the food industry. Most applications did not explore the true potential of the Taguchi DOE approach to obtain robust and scalable solutions. Also, the analysis determined that a structured approach is missing in most studies, with a lack of utilization of essential tools during the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the increasing number of new trends in the food sector, specifically animal-origin food and their alternatives, driven by different factors, such as, health considerations, environmental sustainability, evolving taste preferences, etc. The objective of the study is to examine the impact of changes in dietary preferences and motivations on the consumption of new trends in food, animal-origin food, and their alternatives. Our aims are to evaluate the impact of the health considerations in shifting trends of new foods like plant-based diets and alternative protein sources and to investigate the environmental sustainability of these new food trends,’ potential to reduce the carbon footprint of the food industry. Additionally, the study's aims to investigate how technological advancements affect the production and distribution of animal-origin food alternatives and their acceptance by consumers. This examination considers both the benefits and potential challenges associated with these developments. The study includes the quantitative research structured into multiple-choice questions to gather insights and perceptions among the group of respondents regarding current trends in food, animal-origin food, and animal-origin food alternatives. The online survey questionnaire consist of 110 members and the data analysed with the SPSS software. A substantial quantity of data was utilized when researching, comparing, and creating this study. Among these was a questionnaire study of the new trends in food, focusing on animal-origin food alternatives around the world.

The increase in global population has had a tremendous impact on sustainable agri-food practices. With the growth in world population, various modern technologies are being utilized that more often result in the opening of tremendous opportunities in the agriculture and food sectors. Nanotechnology is used in agri-food sectors for a variety of purposes, including enhancing flavor, pest/pathogen diagnosis, production, processing, storage, packaging, and transportation of agricultural products. Plant pathogenic microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and nematodes have a significant impact on the global economy. In particular, advances in nanotechnology, including nanobiosensors, have been used in the detection of plant diseases and pathogens, the evaluation and examination of infections caused by microorganisms, the management of diseases and, thus, the promotion of food security. Apart from the management of plant diseases, nanobiosensors offer better opportunities for sustainable agri-food production by controlling physical, chemical, and biological processes, thus improving food safety and the agricultural economy. This review outlines the application of nano-integrated nanobiosensors for better agricultural and food practices.

Ohmic heating (OH) is one of the promising food processing technologies which generates heat when an electric current passes through the food material directly. There are various key parameters affecting the rate and efficiency of ohmic heating which include the electric conductivity of the material, product size to be treated, heat capacity and heating rate of the system, material of electrodes, and combination of current intensities and voltage applied. All these parameters collectively contribute towards the development of an effective ohmic heating system. Nowadays, ohmic heating presents a wide range of applications in the inactivation of microorganisms, pathogenic bacteria, enzymes as well as in blanching, sterilization, enhancing juice and oil extraction processes. This review briefly describes the basic principles, process parameters, design, and concept of ohmic heating, along with the review of already existing and developed ohmic heating systems. Potential small-scale as well as commercial applications have also been reviewed along with highlighting the novelty and combination of ohmic heating with other processing techniques. Furthermore, the application of the ohmic heating system in the food sector like inactivation of microorganisms, enzymes, blanching, and extraction of juices and oil is described. In nutshell, this review article evaluated ohmic heating as an alternative to conventional heating methods. From the above-cited reviews, a conclusion has been drawn that ohmic heating is a faster method to uniformly heat the food product with a shorter duration/heating time and higher retention of nutritional and quality parameters along with higher energy efficiency. This review will be helpful in designing more effective ohmic heating systems and promoting their advanced applications in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial biosurfactants surpass synthetic alternatives due to their biodegradability, minimal toxicity, selective properties, and efficacy across a wide range of environmental conditions. Owing to their remarkable advantages, biosurfactants employability as effective emulsifiers and stabilizers, antimicrobial and antioxidant attributes, rendering them for integration into food preservation, processing, formulations, and packaging. The biosurfactants can also be derived from various types of food wastes. Biosurfactants are harnessed across multiple sectors within the food industry, ranging from condiments (mayonnaise) to baked goods (bread, muffins, loaves, cookies, and dough), and extending into the dairy industry (cheese, yogurt, and fermented milk). Additionally, their impact reaches the beverage industry, poultry feed, seafood products like tuna, as well as meat processing and instant foods, collectively redefining each sector's landscape. This review thoroughly explores the multifaceted utilization of biosurfactants within the food industry as emulsifiers, antimicrobial, antiadhesive, antibiofilm agents, shelf-life enhancers, texture modifiers, and foaming agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying new designs and business formats to production and consumption patterns as part of the circular economy (CE), an increasingly popular concept within environmental research, ensures sustainable food production practices and fosters environmental sustainability. The CE approach is particularly relevant in arid regions, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), challenged by extremely harsh climates where natural resources are both scarce and excessively exploited. This study thus aims to show how the CE concept can be applied to the food sector in the KSA by identifying relevant issues and related CE strategies through a literature review. The CE framework is presented to explain sectoral challenges at the macro and meso levels and maps the associated circular strategies with specific models and corresponding examples of industrial applications in. Finally, circular strategies from the mapping are compared with the current situation in the country to identify where they are already practiced, identify gaps and priorities, and outline prospects. Effective management of food loss and waste requires a timely, holistic strategy to add value to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) outlined in the Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 and SDG 12.3 target that aims to reduce the rates of food loss and waste by 50% by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines relationship marketing through the views of agri-food enterprises during COVID-19 using the commitment-trust theory as a framework. For this purpose, a primary research was conducted in 266 Greek agri-food enterprises at all stages of the agri-food sector and its activities to investigate relationship marketing in times of crisis. Through a confirmatory structural equation model (SEM), compatible with the commitment-trust theory, the results show that relationship termination costs explain the relationship commitment while communication explains trust. Moreover, there is an indirect effect of shared values on cooperation through trust. It is important to note that despite the COVID-19 crisis, there is no effect of uncertainty on trust. The above outcomes shed light on agri-food enterprises and relationship marketing in periods of crisis. With this knowledge, this paper provides recommendations to agri-food enterprises to focus on cooperation and shared values rather than being dominated by uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project HELIX 2016-2020 was developed and implemented in Wales, to improve technical and safety/science knowledge; and sustainable innovation in food manufacturing small to medium enterprises (SMEs). The paper aims to place Project HELIX within the wider context of regional and food sector development and then examine the project's rationale and delivery methods relative to this. It reflects on the effectiveness of the project (or otherwise) in constructing regional advantage from knowledge transfer and knowledge spillovers. Finally, the paper identifies areas of further research both in terms of the firm level and in relation to other food sector initiatives more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry in Turkey has undergone significant changes in recent years, including the increased use of automation and the adoption of standardized production processes. These changes have had a profound impact on the skills required of those labour in the food industry and have led to the de-skilling of the labour force. De-skilling may be beneficial for firms in the short run, but will adversely affect the long-term competitiveness of the industry and limit opportunities for labour. Potential policy interventions are needed to mitigate the negative effects of de-skilling and to promote a more skilled labour force in the food industry in Turkey. In essence, this study examines the challenges and consequences of deskilling in the food industry in Turkey, including its effects on employment, wages and labour autonomy. This paper essentially examines the challenges and consequences of de-skilling in the food industry in Turkey, including its effects on employment, wages and labour autonomy. Accordingly, as in many other areas, de-skilling affects the basic dynamics of workers in the food industry, such as income, employment, unemployment and indebtedness. In this context, the challenges and consequences of the deskilling of the labour force in the food industry will be discussed based on the data obtained from fieldwork in chain food firms operating in Bolu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019, a staggering 931 million tons of food went to waste, which is equal to about 17% of all the food available in stores. Dealing with this waste and managing wastewater from various industries will be among the world's top challenges soon. This is because the global population is expected to grow to around 9 billion people by 2050. Food processing effluent is characterized by valuable material in considerable concentrations, including proteins and lipids with low concentrations of heavy metals and toxicants. Developing an integrated management system for food-processing wastewater should focus on recovering abundant resources, improving the economic value of the process, and mitigating the organic contaminant in the food-processing effluent. This state-of-the-art will review the wastewater management processes of the food processing industry. The latest wastewater treatment processes in different food processing sectors will be reviewed. This review will encompass various physicochemical treatment and recovery techniques, such as precipitation, membrane technology, solvent extraction, foam fractionation, adsorption, and aqueous two-phase systems. Additionally, it will delve into bio-treatment processes that leverage microorganisms and/or enzymes to utilize nutrients found in food-processing wastewater as cost-effective substrates for the production of valuable products. This includes a detailed examination of microalga biomass production within wastewater treatment systems. Finally, the review will put forward future research directions aimed at integrating the principles of the circular economy and developing comprehensive food-processing wastewater management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate whether technical efficiency is affected by family involvement in management, considering a sample of small and medium sized firms (SMEs) operating in the traditional manufacturing sector. A positive and significant relationship between family management and efficiency is found when adopting one-step procedures based on Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA). Furthermore, according to our results, local social capital seems to moderate the influence of the family involvement on the performance of firms, corroborating the idea that trust and reputational assets associated with family ties can compensate for the lack of cooperative behaviour and social networks characterizing some communities where firms operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of technological tools, in the food industry, has allowed a quick and reliable identification and measurement of the sensory characteristics of food matrices is of great importance, since they emulate the functioning of the five senses (smell, taste, sight, touch, and hearing). Therefore, industry and academia have been conducting research focused on developing and using these instruments which is evidenced in various studies that have been reported in the scientific literature. In this review, several of these technological tools are documented, such as the e-nose, e-tongue, colorimeter, artificial vision systems, and instruments that allow texture measurement (texture analyzer, electromyography, others). These allow us to carry out processes of analysis, review, and evaluation of food to determine essential characteristics such as quality, composition, maturity, authenticity, and origin. The determination of these characteristics allows the standardization of food matrices, achieving the improvement of existing foods and encouraging the development of new products that satisfy the sensory experiences of the consumer, driving growth in the food sector. However, the tools discussed have some limitations such as acquisition cost, calibration and maintenance cost, and in some cases, they are designed to work with a specific food matrix.

The present paper analyses the actual state of implementation of ESG practices in the Romanian food sector. It is aimed at determining the commitment of medium and large enterprises to such practices, as imposed by European law. Environmental, social, and governance factors are assessed through a questionnaire among employees of selected companies. Findings show that there is an increasing ESG commitment in Romanian large companies, but there still are aspects that need significant improvement.

Purpose: This study aims to show how market orientation (MO), brand (BR) and business strategy (cost leadership strategy and differentiation strategy), which play mediating and moderating roles, respectively, can increase competitive advantage (CA). With a focus on brand, market orientation, cost leadership strategy (CS) and differentiation strategy (DS), as well as an analysis of variance control on varying business sizes per business seniority, the current study made a theoretical contribution. Design/methodology/approach: An empirical study was created using a quantitative methodological technique. The surveyed data were collected from 379 managers or owners who participated in a face-to-face survey at different food processing companies in Vietnam. To test the hypotheses, the gathered information was examined utilizing multigroup analysis and partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings: The brand was found to have the greatest positive impact on competitive advantage, followed by a business strategy that positively influenced competitive advantage, and, finally, business strategies that significantly moderated the third strong positive impact between market orientation and competitive advantage. Market orientation has the fourth strong positive impact on competitive advantage, whereas brand has the lowest positive impact on market orientation. Originality/value: This is the first investigation, according to the authors' knowledge, into the role of market orientation as a mediator in the relationship between brand and competitive advantage in addition to the regulatory role of business strategy at two strategic levels: cost leadership and strategic focus as well as the difference between competitive advantage and market orientation in the Vietnamese food sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the past three decades, a variety of life cycle impact assessment methods have been developed and applied to industrial sectors, but the challenge of applying the assessments is still posed. Although former practitioners have attempted to screen impact categories and indicators from the existing methods so as to represent sustainability, the studies have been rarely discussed within the food sector. Therefore, this present study aims to investigate the representativeness and predictability of impact indicators in the food sector, based on a correlation analysis between many indicators. Methods: This study employs nine methods from life cycle impact assessment methods 2.1.1 package belonging to openLCA 1.10.3 software (the open source software updated in 2020, GreenDelta, Berlin). One hundred twenty-nine impact indicators in the methods are calculated by the LCA software for 1008 food products in the French database AGRIBALYSE v3.0.1, which are considered in the correlation analysis between the indicators using the statistical analysis, R 3.6.1. Results: The results indicate that since some of the life cycle impact assessment methods have close correlations with other methods and their indicator combinations do not show dependencies, such methods could represent the investigated impact categories. In contrast, since some of the methods are not observed close correlations with other methods and their indicator combinations show considerable dependencies, such methods might not represent the investigated impact categories providing an inefficient analysis. The results also show that, on the one hand, strong correlations are observed between the investigated indicators, which reveals the representativeness and predictability between the impact indicators and may reduce the number of the existing indicators, and on the other hand close correlations are not found between the indicators, but it might lead to the emergence of a life cycle impact assessment method from combining the impact indicators in the food sector. Conclusions: The research findings might lead to the representativeness and predictability between the impact indicators in the food sector while screening impact indicators from the existing methods. However, this present study has some limitations of which, firstly, the analysis should be demonstrated by applying more widely for other sectors and additionally a comprehensive investigation needs to be conducted for all of the existing impact assessment methods. Therefore, a further research should focus on performing the statistical analysis in other industrial sectors and needs to consult with all of the existing impact assessment methods to strengthen the robustness of the research findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine third party logistics company selection and evaluation criteria and to help make the most suitable selection among the alternatives in the food sector. Another purpose was to present a mixed model by integrating fuzzy multi criteria decision making methods in third-party logistics company selection process. The combination of fuzzy DEMATEL, fuzzy ANP and fuzzy TOPSIS methods were used in this study. A decision network was created by evaluating the interactions between the criteria determined depending on the decision goal. This study was conducted in a large scale company producing milk and dairy products in food sector. As a result of the analyses made and the findings obtained, technology, delivery performance and quality were found as the criteria having the highest scores in terms of effectiveness. In addition, it was also determined that the most affected criterion among the criteria was the company image. The S2 Company was selected as the best third-party logistics company as a result of the evaluation of alternatives. The integrated fuzzy methods used in this study were used for the first time in the selection and evaluation of third-party logistics companies. And three new criteria; namely, portage price, hygiene and vehicle were added to the related literature which did not exist before.

The aim of the article is to assess the proposed EU regulations on the use of ESG (environment, society and corporate governance) in the food sector in Poland. The source of materials for the analysis were reports on sustainable development of the UN, European Environment Agency, European Commission and information from companies that are already implementing ESG principles. The essence and importance of ESG and the strategies used so far for sustainable production practices are discussed. An attempt was made to determine how companies in the food industry using ESG can improve their financial results. Key legal regulations were presented and the importance of ESG factors in building the value of enterprises in the agri-food sector was indicated. It was pointed out that companies from the food industry play an important role in meeting the needs of the population, both in terms of food and in solving the problem of the climate crisis. The growing importance of ESG issues creates both challenges and opportunities for the Polish food sector. Due to the growing interest of consumers and investors in the issues of evaluating companies according to ESG principles, the pressure to report these activities in company reports is growing. It has been shown that the implementation of environmental, social and corporate governance in enterprises is a necessity in the context of generating value and competitive advantage of enterprises.

Purpose: The study intends to expand the current literature on Italian consumers’ brand preferences between local vs. global alternatives in the specific Italian food sector. Design/methodology/approach: This study draws on concepts largely investigated like cultural identity theory, consumer ethnocentrism, and product category involvement to examine the mechanisms that drive Italian consumers to prefer alternative local or global brands in the food sector. A non-hierarchical cluster analysis represents the core part of the quantitative research that involved 412 participants. Findings: By confirming the validity of existing studies, the present paper contributes to the food consumption literature by testing a conceptual model that integrates previous research concepts, thus deepening the analysis of the factors affecting Italian consumers’ food brand preferences. The cluster analysis allowed for dividing Italian consumers into two distinguished groups with characteristics coherent inside the same group. Research limitations/implications: This study emphasizes the key relevance of the investigated variables in the implementation of positioning and communication strategies aimed at meeting the needs of specific markets in which firms operate, and it highlights the importance of analyzing those variables together. The sample composed of Italian consumers did not allow the generalizability of the results. Furthermore, this study focuses on the narrow category of chocolate bar products. Therefore, this does not permit the results to be generalized to other food products. Originality/value: The novel research is based on signaling theory that contributes to the local and global branding domains from the Italian perspective. This work is also the first to analyze the food sector and the importance that Italians attribute to their food products and traditions through a cluster analysis approach.

In this work, we focus on the following research question: "Could fake news extracted on Google be helpful in explaining the production and supply process in the food sector of the US economy?" In order to tackle this research question, we trace the supply chain of the US food sector based on Input–Output (IO) mapping. In fact, IO analysis is an essential tool for engineers, managers and decision makers across the globe, due to its direct link with the supply chain framework. The whole supply chain is perfectly captured based on the IO model. In this context, the paper studies the possibility of the production and supply processes being influenced by fakes news, captured by key phrases of Google searches, such as "collapse + US economy". In this work, we incorporate fake news on the production process and estimate, using a suitably adjusted version of the traditional ARDL model augmented with Neural Network terms, their impact on the production process of the US food sector. We conclude that searches for fake news referring to the collapse of the US economy, could lead to significant improvement in the explanatory capability of the production process in the US food sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper employs an input-output modelling approach to quantify the impact of decreases in coffee exports between 2019 and 2020 resulting from the implementation of various COVID-19 policies in Lao PDR. The analysis was undertaken at two levels in investigating the effects of these policies on (1) the regional economy in the main coffee producing region of Champasak Province in Southern Laos, and (2) the national economy of Lao PDR. Results were rather mixed at both the regional and national levels, for four reasons: (1) reduced production in other countries increased demand for green bean exports, resulting in a 1.8% (US$12 million) increase in the total value of gross outputs of the provincial economy; (2) reduced local demand and declines in processed coffee consumption and export in the food industry sector, resulted in a 1.5% decrease (US$10 million) in gross provincial production; (3) at the national level, more green bean exports increased the gross production output of the economy by 0.2% (US$24 million) while reduced processed coffee in food industry exports led to a reduction in gross production of 0.13% (US$19.6 million); and (4) the overall effects of COVID-19 restrictions are potentially positive for the coffee sector in Lao PDR in the short term but may have longer-term implications for the coffee sector due to shift away from processed coffee exports to green beans. Future policies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 will be instrumental in stimulating investment and enhancing the benefits for the coffee sector in Laos.

The paper focuses on the increasing number of new trends in the food sector, specifically animal-origin food and their alternatives, driven by different factors, such as, health considerations, environmental sustainability, evolving taste preferences, etc. The objective of the study is to examine the impact of changes in dietary preferences and motivations on the consumption of new trends in food, animal-origin food, and their alternatives. Our aims are to evaluate the impact of the health considerations in shifting trends of new foods like plantbased diets and alternative protein sources and to investigate the environmental sustainability of these new food trends,' potential to reduce the carbon footprint of the food industry. Additionally, the study's aims to investigate how technological advancements affect the production and distribution of animalorigin food alternatives and their acceptance by consumers. This examination considers both the benefits and potential challenges associated with these developments. The study includes the quantitative research structured into multiple-choice questions to gather insights and perceptions among the group of respondents regarding current trends in food, animal-origin food, and animalorigin food alternatives. The online survey questionnaire consist of 110 members and the data analysed with the SPSS software. A substantial quantity of data was utilized when researching, comparing, and creating this study. Among these was a questionnaire study of the new trends in food, focusing on animal-origin food alternatives around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs an input-output modelling approach to quantify the impact of decreases in coffee exports between 2019 and 2020 resulting from the implementation of various COVID-19 policies in Lao PDR. The analysis was undertaken at two levels in investigating the effects of these policies on (1) the regional economy in the main coffee producing region of Champasak Province in Southern Laos, and (2) the national economy of Lao PDR. Results were rather mixed at both the regional and national levels, for four reasons: (1) reduced production in other countries increased demand for green bean exports, resulting in a 1.8% (US$12 million) increase in the total value of gross outputs of the provincial economy; (2) reduced local demand and declines in processed coffee consumption and export in the food industry sector, resulted in a 1.5% decrease (US$10 million) in gross provincial production; (3) at the national level, more green bean exports increased the gross production output of the economy by 0.2% (US$24 million) while reduced processed coffee in food industry exports led to a reduction in gross production of 0.13% (US$19.6 million); and (4) the overall effects of COVID-19 restrictions are potentially positive for the coffee sector in Lao PDR in the short term but may have longer-term implications for the coffee sector due to shift away from processed coffee exports to green beans. Future policies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 will be instrumental in stimulating investment and enhancing the benefits for the coffee sector in Laos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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