Archivio istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi di Parma
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Yes, it is Insects: Psychological and Sensory Determinants of Consumer Responses to Insect-Based Pasta
No full textThe ecological issues associated with traditional farming practices underscore the need for creative alternatives that can reliably meet food demand while reducing environmental impact. Currently, insect-based food production offers a sustainable alternative to traditional livestock farming due to their minimal resource requirements and lower greenhouse gas emissions. However, the success of such alternatives depends not only on their sustainability but also on consumer willingness to accept them.
To enrich the existing literature on consumer acceptance of insect-based foods, this study aimed to identify the key psychological and sensory factors influencing consumer attitudes and behaviors, using a structured questionnaire administered to a sample of 755 Italian consumers. The results showed that expected taste is the main driver of desire to eat insect-based products. Perceived healthiness also increases willingness to try, while perceived risk and food neophobia reduce interest in these products.
The results provide useful insights into the factors that drive positive attitudes toward entomophagy and the psychological barriers that influence consumer choice. In particular, presenting insect-based foods in ways that emphasize their taste appeal could be fundamental in promoting their consumption. Moreover, addressing safety concerns and educating consumers on the nutritional and environmental benefits of the product reduces adoption resistance based on food neophobia
An Inclusive Approach to Gardening in Children's Settings: An Observational Study
No full textIn recent years, gardening has spread in European Early Childhood Education and Care centres through projects and specific programs with a developmental, educational and inclusive focus. Despite the extensive literature that has confirmed the impact of gardening on the development of children's skills, and the importance of providing teachers with suggestions for the full implementation of this activity, most studies lack specific guidelines to help them conduct and plan gardening activities with a focus on inclusion. Based on video observations of gardening activities conducted in children's museums (Rome, Italy and Sofia, Bulgaria), kindergartens and primary schools (Italy, Bulgaria, United Kingdom and Spain) and an agro-ecological foundation (Spain), as part of a European Erasmus Plus Project, the study aim was first of all to map how gardening activities are planned and conducted and then to transfer the identified dimensions into a coding grid to be used as an instrument for training teachers to become observers both of themselves and of their colleagues. The data were analysed with reference to three indicators of an Inclusive Approach, that is, the organisation of activities, the children's emotional states and the forms of interaction. In the Discussion, reflections on the potential for inclusion of gardening activities are solicited and implications for the practice are advanced
Ab initio parametrization of a generalized Hubbard model in a molecule displaying chirality-induced spin selectivity
No full textChirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) refers to the interplay between molecule handedness and the electron spin. Despite ample experimental evidence, the mechanism leading to CISS is not fully understood yet. In this work, we present an ab initio study of a chiral molecule that exhibits CISS upon photoinduced electron transfer. Using DFT and TD-DFT we obtain good agreement with experimental absorption spectra, revealing weak electronic coupling between donor, chiral bridge, and acceptor. To accurately capture electronic correlations, we develop a novel approach to derive a multi-orbital Hubbard model describing the chiral bridge, where all parameters are obtained from ab initio CASCI calculations. This offers a versatile framework that can be extended to other molecular systems. Beyond electronic effects, we explore the role of low-energy vibrations, assessing their impact on the inter-site Hubbard parameters and simulating the system’s time evolution via unitary dynamics. Our results indicate that electron-vibration coupling leads to a non-negligible spin polarization, highlighting its potential relevance in the CISS mechanism
Lentil protein isolate suspensions with improved solubility and colloidal stability using high pressure homogenisation treatments
No full textLentil protein has generally good techno-functional properties; however, the limited solubility of lentil protein is a barrier to its wider use in food applications. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of high-pressure homogenisation (HPH), in the range 0-180 MPa, on selected techno-functional properties of lentil protein isolate (LPI) suspensions. The results showed that the low solubility (62.8 %) of LPI is mainly attributed to hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. Treatment with HPH at 180 MPa was effective in increasing this solubility to 95.3 %. The weighted mean volume diameter of particles in the suspensions decreased from 10.7 +/- 1.1 (control) to 0.33 +/- 0.06 mu m (180 MPa), with this reduction in particle size attributed to physical disruptions/breakage of powder particles and of insoluble protein aggregates. Surface hydrophobicity increased from 614 to 1312 on HPH treatment, due to the exposure of previously-buried hydrophobic groups. The physical stability of the suspensions increased with increasing pressure, as evidenced by the separation rate decreasing from 8.55 % to 4.92 %/h for the control and 180 MPa treatments, respectively. These results indicate that HPH is a promising processing strategy to develop colloidally stable lentil protein suspensions with enhanced solubility and improved techno-functional properties for use of lentil protein ingredients in sustainable food products
Il clima dell'informazione. La costruzione di uno spazio pubblico di discussione tra giornalismo ambientale ed ecologia della comunicazione
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Prime riflessioni sul ruolo dei Presidenti delle Corti costituzionali/supreme nel rapporto tra giurisdizioni costituzionali e poteri politici: il caso del Chief Justice of India
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