{"title":"The beauty in imperfection: how naturalness cues drive consumer preferences for ugly produce and reduce food waste","authors":"Meizhen Xiao, Yi Jiang, Binbin Cao","doi":"10.3389/fsufs.2023.1313814","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1313814","url":null,"abstract":"An important reason for food waste is the rejection of ugly produce by consumers. Most previous research has examined the absolute negative impacts of ugly produce on consumers’ preferences, no research has examined the conditions in which consumers prefer ugly (vs. typical) produce instead.This research investigates the circumstances under which these aesthetic imperfections become advantageous.We conducted two between-subject design randomized experiments featuring two produce categories to examine when and why consumers prefer ugly produce.We found that naturalness cues boost and even reverse consumers’ preferences for ugly produce when combining ugly appearance with naturalness cues. The subtyping effect mediates the interaction of appearance (typical vs. ugly) of produce and naturalness cues (present vs. absent) on produce’s evaluations.Our findings provide more cost-effective strategies for retailers to reduce food waste. This paper fills in the research gaps on taping into the novel condition in which consumers prefer ugly (vs. typical) produce and the psychological mechanism behind this process. Based on schema incongruity theory, we argue that naturalness cues, as an enabler corresponding to the incongruous features of ugly produce, facilitate consumers to resolve the schema incongruity triggered by the ugly appearance and, in turn, boost consumers’ preferences for ugly produce.","PeriodicalId":36666,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2023-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139212444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gabriela Valeria Villavicencio-Valdez, J. Jacobi, M. Schneider, M. A. Altieri, H. Suzán-Azpiri
{"title":"Urban agroecology enhances agrobiodiversity and resilient, biocultural food systems. The case of the semi-dryland and medium-sized Querétaro City, Mexico","authors":"Gabriela Valeria Villavicencio-Valdez, J. Jacobi, M. Schneider, M. A. Altieri, H. Suzán-Azpiri","doi":"10.3389/fsufs.2023.1066428","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1066428","url":null,"abstract":"Small-scale agroecological practices in the urban areas of Querétaro, México, as in other mid-sized cities, could maintain agrobiodiversity pools and sufficient productivity for a food sovereignty baseline. The application of agroecological principles fosters agrobiodiversity and socio-ecological resilience in urban food production. Emerging urban gardens result from an immediate necessity for food that does not appear in local statistics, nor is there any account of them in any cadastral source or land register of Querétaro City. Based on studies of 28 urban gardens, we survey and analyze farming practices using socio-ecological resilience methodologies and the Diagnostic Survey of Agroecological Practices. We find that the agroecological management of urban gardens results in significantly more species richness than in conventionally managed plots, likely due to the multifunctional purposes associated with biocultural memory. The number of social actors participating in agroecological management is increasing. It represents an urban strategy of resilience that contributes to enhancing the microclimate and nutrient cycling, as well as to improving water management and biodiversity. Results also indicate that gardens of approximately 200 m2 harbor the highest levels of agrobiodiversity. This area size for home vegetable production appears optimal for user-friendly management practices in urban settings and could represent the minimum benchmark for a family and a goal for urban planning and policy recommendations. Urban gardens contribute to the adaptive capacities of city dwellers to enhance their food security and sovereignty. Therefore, given that 70% of the national population face some level of food insecurity, we argue that, along with the protection of land-use rights, the promotion of a diverse urban landscape could improve long-term socio-ecological and food supply resilience. Additionally, urban gardens promote neighborhood social inclusion and affordable access to food. The empirical results and insights from this study in Querétaro can inform land-use policies for urban agriculture more broadly, especially in Latin American metropolitan areas.","PeriodicalId":36666,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2023-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139211209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rishabh Mukerjee, N. F. Faye, Malamine J. Badji, Miguel Gomez, Deborah Rubin, H. Tufan, Martina Occelli
{"title":"Intra-household discrete choice experiment for trait preferences: a new method","authors":"Rishabh Mukerjee, N. F. Faye, Malamine J. Badji, Miguel Gomez, Deborah Rubin, H. Tufan, Martina Occelli","doi":"10.3389/fsufs.2023.1257076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1257076","url":null,"abstract":"Crop trait and varietal preferences are socially shaped, varying by gender, experience, and on-farm roles. This drives preference heterogeneity, between households but also within households. Adhering to the common practice of only interviewing the household head as a representative of households, leads to breeding programs collecting trait preferences that do not represent the experiences of other members within that household. This dearth of data on trait preferences of multiple household members could be hindered by the lack of robust and agile methods to collect this data. Here we present a method that explores intra-household differences between husbands and wives in trait preferences through choice experimentation, coupled with questions that capture decision-making, experience and time spent on farm to explore how these drive preferences. Dissecting crop management into three dimensions, we explore what drives intra-household heterogeneity in varietal preferences between husbands and wives, as well as, decision-making, crop experience and time spent working on the crop. We present preliminary results from testing this combined protocol with 270 cowpea growing households (540 respondents) in Senegal. The findings from this work hold promise to inform crop breeding programs on the value of intra-household analysis for trait priority setting, while offering a new method which is applicable by National Agricultural Research Organizations globally.","PeriodicalId":36666,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems","volume":"46 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2023-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139217233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luis M. Isidro-Requejo, E. Márquez‐Ríos, C. L. Del Toro-Sánchez, S. Ruiz-Cruz, Daniel Valero-Garrido, G. Suárez-Jiménez
{"title":"Tomato plant extract (Lycopersicon esculentum) obtained from agroindustrial byproducts and its antifungal activity against Fusarium spp.","authors":"Luis M. Isidro-Requejo, E. Márquez‐Ríos, C. L. Del Toro-Sánchez, S. Ruiz-Cruz, Daniel Valero-Garrido, G. Suárez-Jiménez","doi":"10.3389/fsufs.2023.1323489","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1323489","url":null,"abstract":"Phytopathogenic fungi are a constant danger in the production of different crops around the world, especially in melons, since they can cause significant economic losses during the harvest, affecting the quality and shelf life. In recent years, producers have increasingly used chemical pesticides indiscriminately, causing environmental problems and damage to public health. For this reason, phytopathogenic fungi become more resistant. However, it is essential to guarantee the safety, quality, and shelf life of food after harvest, during transportation, storage and marketing. The presence of fungi in food can cause diseases transmitted through the production of toxins. Most producers depend on the discriminated use of chemical pesticides, which is a great challenge to guarantee food safety and sustainable agricultural production. To solve this problem, some extracts derived from tomato plants after harvest containing bioactive compounds have been implemented. These compounds can be natural antifungal agents as they contain phenols, flavonoids, and vitamins. Bioactive compounds emerge as a sustainable and safe opportunity in the search for new antifungal and antimicrobial agents. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the in vitro antifungal activity of whole tomato plant extracts on three phytopathogenic fungi. The research findings indicated that a concentration of 74.7 μg/mL of TPE resulted in a complete inhibition of mycelial growth in Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium graminearum, and Fusarium verticillioides. Additionally, TPE exhibited both fungistatic and fungicidal effects on these Fusarium species, with a MIC50 of 30.7, 31.5, and 29.5, and a MFC of 82.4, 78.6, and 75.8 μg/mL, respectively. As a result, this study suggests that TPE can be considered as an environmentally friendly solution for extracting tomato plants, which can be applied to the surface of whole fruits or incorporated into semi-processed foods.","PeriodicalId":36666,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2023-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139222515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lupakisyo Mwakyusa, Shalabh Dixit, Max Herzog, Maria Cristina Heredia, R. Madege, N. Kilasi
{"title":"Flood-tolerant rice for enhanced production and livelihood of smallholder farmers of Africa","authors":"Lupakisyo Mwakyusa, Shalabh Dixit, Max Herzog, Maria Cristina Heredia, R. Madege, N. Kilasi","doi":"10.3389/fsufs.2023.1244460","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1244460","url":null,"abstract":"Climate change has intensified food security challenges, especially in Africa, where a significant portion of produce is reliant on smallholder farmers in rainfed conditions. Prolonged flooding and droughts, driven by erratic weather patterns, have significantly elevated the risk of food scarcity. Floods, in particular, have been responsible for severe crop losses, raising concerns about increasing import costs if this issue is not mitigated. Africa is actively working to mitigate the impacts of flooding and enhance food security, although progress has been gradual. Developing flood-resilient varieties is a promising strategy to address this challenge. We explored various flood types common in the region and observed a scarcity of research on flood-resilient varieties, particularly those adapted for anaerobic germination and stagnant flooding. Conversely, varieties bred for flash flooding, such as FARO 66 and FARO 67, have seen limited distribution, primarily confined to a few West African countries, falling short of the intended impact. In contrast, deepwater tolerance research dates back to the early 1900s, but commercialization of the varieties remains limited, with scarce information regarding their cultivation, coverage, and performance. Newly developed varieties, such as Kolondieba 2 and Kadia 24, have received less attention, leaving many farmers dependent on locally adapted cultivars specific to particular areas. Remarkably, despite the limited information, both released and local stress-tolerant cultivars exhibit substantial survival rates and yield advantages. For instance, FARO 66 and FARO 67 have demonstrated 1–3 t/ha yield advantages over recurrent parents under flooding stress. Nonetheless, further efforts are required to address various forms of flooding. To this end, AfricaRice collaborates with National Rice Development Strategies, IRRI, and other partners to promote research and development. While improved flood-tolerant varieties remain limited in scope across Africa, the financial gains for farmers are significant when compared to susceptible cultivars. As the continent’s population continues to grow rapidly, there is untapped potential in African germplasms, making ongoing research and breeding strategies essential. Therefore, this review highlights the importance of intensifying efforts in screening and identifying flood-tolerant rice. Furthermore, it underscores the value of utilizing traditional flood-resilient cultivars in breeding to enhance the productivity of widely distributed and cultivated varieties.","PeriodicalId":36666,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems","volume":"87 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2023-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139224702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
E. Viglizzo, Federico E. Bert, Miguel Angel Taboada, Bruno José Rodrígues Alves
{"title":"Editorial: Finding paths to net-zero carbon in climate-smart food systems","authors":"E. Viglizzo, Federico E. Bert, Miguel Angel Taboada, Bruno José Rodrígues Alves","doi":"10.3389/fsufs.2023.1322803","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1322803","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36666,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2023-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139218610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. McKune, A. Galiè, B. A. Miller, S. A. Bukachi, W. Bikaako, R. Pyburn
{"title":"Studying a gender responsive vaccine system: retrospective analysis of best methods","authors":"S. McKune, A. Galiè, B. A. Miller, S. A. Bukachi, W. Bikaako, R. Pyburn","doi":"10.3389/fsufs.2023.1176101","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1176101","url":null,"abstract":"This methodological paper introduces four projects, all of which aimed to increase women’s engagement in and benefit from the livestock vaccine value chains of small ruminants and poultry by improving women’s empowerment and supporting women’s access to animal health services. All four projects used a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods to understand the livestock vaccine system. Despite these shared aims, selected value chains, and research methods, the projects took different approaches to understanding the technical barriers for women’s engagement and benefit, women’s empowerment in the areas where they work, the policy landscape and implications, and gender norms of the societies where they work. The goal of this paper is to introduce the four projects, describe each project’s distinct research approach, and compare across projects how various qualitative and quantitative research methods contributed to understanding four elements which we identified as necessary for a fully functioning, gender responsive vaccine system: technical aspects (acumen/flow/effectiveness), women’s empowerment, policy environment, and gender norms.","PeriodicalId":36666,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2023-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139231724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Wiset, N. Poomsa-ad, Hathairut Jindamol, Akira Thongtip, K. Mosaleeyanon, T. Toojinda, C. Darwell, T. B. Saputro, Panita Chutimanukul
{"title":"Quality and bioactive compound accumulation in two holy basil cultivars as affected by microwave-assisted hot air drying at an industrial scale","authors":"L. Wiset, N. Poomsa-ad, Hathairut Jindamol, Akira Thongtip, K. Mosaleeyanon, T. Toojinda, C. Darwell, T. B. Saputro, Panita Chutimanukul","doi":"10.3389/fsufs.2023.1219540","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1219540","url":null,"abstract":"Holy basil (Ocimum Tenuiflorum L.) contains several bioactive compounds useful to the pharmaceutical and food industries. Microwave drying (MD) is a powerful technique for rapid drying of food or plant materials while preserving bioactive compounds during the process. However, little is known about the optimal combination of MD power with hot air drying (HAD) that can preserve the quality and yet only consume reasonable energy when drying holy basils. For that purpose, the effects of drying methods using MD combined with HAD at 45°C were examined to prevent losses in quality, antioxidant activities, and volatile flavor compounds in two holy basil cultivars (green and red cultivars). Holy basil leaves were dried at different MD powers of 200, 400, and 600 W combined with HAD and compared with a traditional tray drying (TD) at 45°C. Drying using MD at 600 W with HAD displayed significantly high levels of color retention, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content in both cultivars. The green cultivar showed a greater accumulation of total phenolic compounds (TPC), terpenoids, and DPPH free radical scavenging at 400 W with HAD. However, the red cultivar had the highest TPC, flavonoid, and terpenoid content at 600 W with HAD. The accumulation of major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was also affected, and treatment at 600 W exhibited the highest methyl eugenol and β-caryophyllene content in both cultivars. The use of the highest power of MD (600 W) with HAD for leaf drying reduced the effective drying time and energy consumption among both cultivars. Taking into consideration the dried quality of antioxidant accumulation and energy consumed for drying, we recommend using MD at 400 or 600 W with HAD for the green cultivar and 600 W for the red.","PeriodicalId":36666,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2023-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139229677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Susan Lee, Muir Freer, Ruth Wood, O. Edelenbosch, Maria Sharmina, Jonathan Doelman, Detlef van Vuuren, Charlie Wilson
{"title":"From future diets to dishes: communicating dietary shift associated with a 1.5°C scenario for Brazil, China, Sweden and the United Kingdom","authors":"Susan Lee, Muir Freer, Ruth Wood, O. Edelenbosch, Maria Sharmina, Jonathan Doelman, Detlef van Vuuren, Charlie Wilson","doi":"10.3389/fsufs.2023.1266708","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1266708","url":null,"abstract":"With the pressing need to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, this study aims to simplify complex data from Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs). It focuses on identifying dietary shifts that align with the 1.5°C global warming limit as stipulated by the Paris Agreement.The research utilises the IMAGE Integrated Assessment Model and applies the Diets, Dishes, Dish Ingredients (DDDI) communication framework. This methodology enables the visualisation of potential dietary and dish composition changes, thereby making the data more comprehensible to a broader audience.The study effectively translates traditional IAM outputs into accessible visualisations. These visual tools provide a nuanced understanding of a low greenhouse gas diet, extending its relevance beyond academia to include professionals in diet and nutrition.This research stands as a significant advancement in the field, lowering the barrier to understanding sustainable diets for the future. It enriches the existing dialogue on dietary change and climate goals and serves as a catalyst for further research and practical applications in diverse contexts.","PeriodicalId":36666,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2023-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139230674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
W. Awoyale, B. Maziya-Dixon, H. Oyedele, M. Adesokan, E. Alamu
{"title":"Biophysical and textural attributes as selection indices for replacing the adopted cassava variety with the improved genotype to produce fufu","authors":"W. Awoyale, B. Maziya-Dixon, H. Oyedele, M. Adesokan, E. Alamu","doi":"10.3389/fsufs.2023.1272724","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1272724","url":null,"abstract":"The use of the biophysical and textural qualities of fufu to choose the possible substitution of an adopted cassava variety (TMEB419-V1) with improved genotypes from the breeding program was assessed in this study. Standard methods were used for the biophysical and textural attributes of the fufu produced from different cassava roots. The outcomes portray that the means of the biophysical attributes of the fufu flour from different cassava genotypes are swelling power (SWP) of 13.59%, solubility index (SI) of 3.41%, dispersibility of 26.77%, bulk density (BD) of 54.46%, water absorption capacity (WAC) of 149.44%, peak viscosity of 693.97 RVU, trough viscosity of 319.76 RVU, breakdown viscosity of 374.21 RVU, final viscosity of 433.84 RVU, setback viscosity of 114.08 RVU, peak time of 4.49 min, and pasting temperature of 78.52°C, as well as moisture content of 4.92%, ash content of 0.52%, sugar content of 2.85%, starch content of 76.24%, amylose content of 31.68%, and cyanogenic potential content (CNP) of 3.03 mg HCN/kg. The sensory texture attributes depict that the cooked fufu dough was stretchable, slightly hard, sticky, and mouldable. The instrumental texture attribute of the cooked fufu dough is hardness 27.18 N/m2, adhesiveness −62.04 N/m2, moldability 0.93, stretchability 0.89, and gumminess 25.26 N/m2. Similar functional (BD) and pasting (peak and breakdown viscosities) properties and chemical composition (amylose content) to that of the control sample (V1 variety) were produced from the V6 genotype. However, the cooked fufu dough prepared from the V7 and V8 genotypes was comparable to that of the V1 variety in terms of the sensory (stretchability) and instrumental (moldability) texture attributes; therefore, most of the genotypes may be suitable for producing fufu flour like the control sample (V1 variety) based on attributes preferred by the consumers.","PeriodicalId":36666,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2023-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139231058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}