160 research outputs found
Impact of organic and “protected designation of origin” labels in the perception of olive oil sensory quality
No full textPURPOSE
Investigate the behaviour and the habits of the consumers from central-southern Italy in relation to extra olive oil consumption, focussing on the impact of protected designation of origin (PDO) and EU–organic certification on purchase intention and quality perception.
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH
A specific questionnaire was submitted to 160 consumers; a subsample of ten experts, ten semi-experts and ten habitual consumers of olive oil tested, through a blind test first and a normal one then, three Italian samples: an extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) without certification, an organic EVOO and a PDO EVOO, which were characterised also from a chemical-physical point of view. The answers provided during the tastings were statistically analysed and compared.
FINDINGS
People interviewed prefer local olive oils; they are positively influenced by PDO/organic certification, while price is not a decisive factor on the purchasing choices. According to tasting panel results: experts gave consistent answers preferring organic olive oil, semi-experts are positively influenced by the PDO brand contrary to what they claimed; non-experts would buy EVOO, although they are positively influenced by the PDO brand and negatively by the organic certification.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
Only knowledge and experience can aid consumers make consistent and aware choices. Information campaigns could help them to distinguish products, correctly identify food attributes and overcome their scepticism towards quality of organic products.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE
Few works investigated the impact of quality and sustainability labelling on perception of olive oils, valuing the consistency between answers provided before and after sensory assessments
The customer’s preference in light cannabis: an Italian perspective
No full textNowadays, the light hemp is promoted by different stakeholders and the customer’s preference due to the different use of crop products. The aim of this chapter was to discuss the Italian perspectives concerning the utilization of light hemp connected to customer’s preferences. It is discussed the sustainability of hemp crop to produce wellness products in Italy. It is applied as a cost model based on empirical data from hemp farmers. Customers’ preferences on light cannabis wellness products are analyzed through an online survey in Italy and other six European countries. A general misunderstanding about the differences between psychoactive hemp and nonpsychoactive hemp (light cannabis) makes the demand unstable. Light hemp business in Italy is new and there are a few studies that help entrepreneurs in assessing the attractiveness of certain investment analyzing the demand for such a product. Demand for CBD-based products indicates interest, but customers’ confusion highlights a lack of regulation and transparency about CBD-cannabis.4n
Determining the authenticity of PDO buffalo mozzarella: an approach based on Fourier transform infrared (MIR-FTIR) spectroscopy and on chemometric tools
No full textThe potential of Mid-infrared spectroscopy coupled with chemometric tools was evaluated for the authentication and discrimination of PDO (Protected Denomination of Origin) buffalo mozzarella produced by traditional and industrial cheese-making processes.
Samples of mozzarella provided by local producers and supermarkets were analysed through both official destructive methods and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR/ATR). In particular, destructive methods allowed to determine the content of fatty substances, proteins, moisture and total nitrogen.
The results show that only the conjunction of MID-infrared spectroscopy with chemometric analysis can provide a satisfying solution to discriminate between the different types of mozzarella
Phytoremediation of a pyrene-contaminated soil by Cannabis sativa L. at different initial pyrene concentrations
No full textThis study proposes the phytoremediation of a pyrene (PYR)-contaminated soil by Cannabis sativa L. The experimental campaign was conducted along a 60 days period using three different initial PYR concentrations (i.e., 50, 100 and 150 mg·kg TS−1 of soil) in 300 mL volume pots under greenhouse conditions (18–25 °C and 45–55% humidity). After 60 days of hemp growth and flourishing, the highest PYR removal reached approximately 95% in planted soil, 35% higher than in the unplanted control. PYR accumulation was observed in both roots and aerial parts of the plant, with a higher PYR uptake at increasing initial PYR concentrations in soil. The initial PYR concentration affected the growth and, thus, the phytoremediation potential of C. sativa L., which was the result of different removal mechanisms. Overall, the lowest initial PYR concentration was the one that resulted in the highest PYR removal. The interaction between the plant roots and microorganisms in rhizosphere was likely associated with PYR removal in this study. The highest DHO activity of 66.26 μg INTF g−1 TS−1 was observed in the soil spiked with 50 mg PYR·kg TS−1
Effects of Soil Tillage and Fertilization on the Arsenic Uptake in Durum Wheat
No full textThe increasing heavy metal contamination with concentrations of trace elements, especially arsenic, is a serious problem due to their toxicity and carcinogenicity. Arsenic accumulation in plants is slowly increasing in various parts of the world through anthropogenic activities and the industrial effluents that are released in soil and water. Although Arsenic is not an essential element for plant growth, it can be adsorbed and accumulated in plant tissues, including those of vegetables, fruits and grains, therefore it represents a potential risk to human health due to its toxicity. Worldwide, durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) kernels are used for the production of staple foods, such as pasta and bread, thus, in a wheat-based diet a large amount of Arsenic could enter in the food chain and cause human health issues. It is well known that arsenic accumulation in agricultural plants is related to the availability of Arsenic in the soil, the physiology of plants and several soil factors, mainly pH, moisture, microbial community and nutrient dynamics. Several methods have been adopted to reduce the concentration of Arsenic in the contaminated sites, but generally all these methods are costly and low efficient. A proper use of soils in agricultural cropping systems could represent a suitable way to reduce the risks of food contamination, however few studies have investigated the effects of agronomical practices on Arsenic accumulation in agricultural plants and their products. This study hypothesized that the soil tillage and fertilization practices could affect Arsenic accumulation in durum wheat. The main objective of this study was to evaluate how soil tillage (plowing, ripping and spading) and fertilization source (mineral and organic) affect Arsenic accumulation on durum wheat
Open innovation in the food and beverage industry: Green supply chain and green innovation
No full textMany actors in the market are highlighting larger concern on health and environment. These concerns are pushing companies of the food and beverage (F&B) industry to increase their environmental awareness (Chiou et al., 2011). In this frame, the advent of open innovation (OI) paradigm could represent a key asset in helping firms to maintain or increase their competitive advantage; however, there are not many empirical works on open innovation strategies in food and beverage context (Bigliardi and Galati, 2013). In the light of that, among the green practices, the aim of this exploratory research is to understand the importance and the degree of implementation of open innovation practices in the food and beverage supply chain. To pursue this aim, we used case study analysis taking six examples among food and beverage supply chain small companies and the perspectives of two customers
Arsenic Uptake in Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) as Influenced by Soil Tillage Practices and Fertilization Sources in Mediterranean Environment
No full textNowadays, arsenic (As) accumulation in agricultural soils and its transfer in crop yields is representing a growing concern that threatens food safety and security in the Mediterranean environment. Soil tillage and fertilization may increase the accumulation of As in plant tissues; therefore, there is a need to develop sustainable agronomical practices capable of supporting crop yield while mitigating As accumulation. The current study was carried out through a 7-year experiment with the aim of evaluating the As uptake by different parts of the durum wheat plant. The experimental treatments include the following: (i) three soil tillage practices (plowing, subsoiling, and spading) and (ii) two fertilization methods (mineral and organic). A factorial randomized complete block design with three replications was adopted. The experimental period refers to the 2018/2019, 2019/2020, and 2020/2021 growing seasons. The results suggest that the maximum level of As was found in plant roots and the minimum in wheat kernels. The chemical fertilization as 2020 × Mineral (1.522 mg As kg−1 d.m.) and 2020 × Plowing (1.855 mg As kg−1 d.m.) had the maximum As content in the roots. Conversely, the content of As was at a minimum in the wheat kernels for organic fertilization as 2021 × Organic (0.012 mg As kg−1 d.m.) and subsoiling tillage as 2021 × Subsoiling (0.008 mg As kg−1 d.m.). Moreover, the application of an organic fertilization source as a tool for enhancing the soil organic matter content also significantly decreased the As content. The results suggest that reduced tillage practices and the adoption of organic amendment could be classified as sustainable agronomic practices in agri-food systems, which are able to improve plant quality and assure a safe consumption of wheat kernels
Moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) alleviates the negative effect of methylisothiazolinone on the nitrification-denitrification process
No full textMethylisothiazolinone (MIT) is an emerging contaminant used as a biocide in housecleaning and skin care products. Therefore, MIT can reach civil wastewater treatment plants due to domestic usage, thus potentially inhibiting the biological process. This study aims to investigate, for the first time, the effect of MIT on the nitrification-denitrification process in a moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR). After a preliminary study performed in a fed-batch reactor, two MBBRs were simultaneously operated in semi-continuous mode for 136 days evaluating a concentration of MIT in the influent of 0.1 and 1.0 mg/L. A parallel study was also conducted under anaerobic conditions to evaluate the effect of MIT on methane production and volatile fatty acid accumulation. At a concentration of 0.1 mg MIT/L, the nitrification process experienced an initial complete inhibition. Subsequently, nitrifying bacteria gradually recovered, reaching approximately 49 % oxidation of ammonia nitrogen, a removal improved up to 64 % at 1.0 mg MIT/L. Although denitrification dealt with a temporary inhibition, the process ultimately achieved a 100 % decrease in nitrite and nitrate concentrations when the MIT concentration was increased from 0.1 to 1.0 mg/L. The cumulative methane yield reached approximately 134 mL CH4/g VS for the control group and was similar to the methane production obtained in the presence of MIT. A MIT removal of 100 % was achieved under aerobic, anoxic, and anaerobic conditions
- …
