Environmental and Health Impacts of Agro-Food Production and Consumption

The purpose of this study was to determine the origin, presence, and fate of the endocrine disruptor di-ethylhexil phthalate (DEHP) during tequila production. For this, three tequila factories (small, medium, and large) were monitored. DEHP concentrations in water, agave, additives, lubricating greases, neoprene seals, and materials of each stage process were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. DEHP mass balances were performed to identify the processes with significant changes in the inputs/outputs. DEHP was detected in agave at up to 0.08 ± 0.03 mg kg⁻¹, water 0.02 ± 0.01 mg kg⁻¹, lubricant greases 131.05 ± 2.80 mg kg⁻¹, and neoprene seals 369.11 ± 22.52 mg kg⁻¹. Whereas, tequila produced in the large, medium, and small factories contained 0.05 ± 0.01, 0.24 ± 0.04, and 1.43 ± 0.48 mg kg⁻¹ DEHP, respectively. Furthermore, in waste materials (vinasses and bagasse) released, 534.26 ± 349.02, 947.18 ± 65.84, and 5222.60 ± 2836.94 mg of DEHP was detected for every 1000 L of tequila produced. The most significant increase in DEHP occurred during the sugar extraction and distillation stages. Results demonstrate that main raw materials, such as agave and water, contain DEHP, but lubricant greases and neoprene seals are the major sources of DEHP contamination. Identification of the contamination sources can help the tequila industry to take actions to reduce it, protect consumer health and the environment, and prevent circular contamination. Full article

The biogenic synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles was explored using the Myriophyllum spicatum plant through a process involving co-precipitation and was utilized as an effective photocatalyst for the reduction of Cr(VI) and Pb(II) ions in an aqueous solution. The plant-mediated CuO nanoparticles were characterized using microscopic techniques (TEM and SEM), FT-IR, and XRD analyses. The amount of the reduced metal ions was determined by UV–visible and Atomic Absorption (AA) spectrophotometers. The analyses of the functional group present in the leaf extract revealed the type of bioactive molecules that were involved in the formation of copper oxide nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were used in the photo-enhanced reduction of hexavalent Cr and divalent Pb ions, and the impact of solution pH, initial metal concentrations, and photocatalyst dosage was investigated to establish the optimal performance of the CuO nanoparticles. Results revealed a direct association between the reduction of metal ions and catalyst dosage in both cases. A maximum percentage reduction of 89.2% and 79.1% was achieved for Cr(VI) and Pb(II), respectively, using 3 g of the CuO nanoparticles. This confirms that the CuO nanoparticles exhibited higher efficiency for Cr(VI) reduction as compared to Pb(II) reduction and indicates that CuO nanoparticles are a promising photocatalyst that is capable of reducing these metal ions into less toxic products. Full article

The main objective of this review was to determine the main risks that agricultural workers are exposed to during pesticide application, which may have a harmful effect on their health and on public health. This systematic review was based on the PRISMA guidelines. A search for articles was conducted in the Medline/PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases. Fifteen articles were selected considering their assessment of agricultural workers’ knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, practices, and behaviours, identifying the main risks and risk factors for disease associated with the unsafe handling of pesticides. The main risk factors identified were age, education, pesticide safety training, farming experience, and contact with other farmers/intermediaries resulting in pesticide access. The most frequent risk behaviour was an application of pesticides without personal protective equipment (PPE), incorrect disposal of empty packaging and waste, and undervaluation of label information, as well as other unsafe practices. Multidisciplinary and more effective training must be delivered to enhance pesticide-safe usage. This will empower workers to adopt more conscious and safer behaviours while using pesticides. Full article

Understanding the effects of genotype, environment and their interactions on rice quality is of great importance for rice breeding and cultivation. In this study, six rice varieties with two indica, two japonica and two indica–japonica types of rice were selected and planted at ten locations in Zhejiang Province to investigate the genotype (G) × environment (E) on physicochemical and sensory properties and the differences of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) among the three types of rice. Analysis of variances showed that apparent amylose content (AC), total protein content (PC), alkali spreading value (ASV), RVA profiles, and appearance (ACR), palatability (PCR), and sensory evaluation value (SEV) of cooked rice and texture of cooled cooked rice (TCCR) were mainly affected by genotypic variation, whereas the smell of cooked rice (SCR) was mainly affected by environment (p < 0.05). The G × E effect was significant for most parameters. The weather in the middle and late periods of filling had important effects on the formation of rice quality, especially on setback (SB) and pasting temperature (PT) (p < 0.01). They were negatively correlated with the texture of cooked rice (TCR) and SEV (p < 0.05). Peak viscosity (PV) and breakdown (BD) were positively related to the sensory evaluation parameters (p < 0.01) and could be used to predict cooked rice quality. A total of 59 VOCs were detected, and indica, japonica and indica–japonica had 9, 6 and 19 characteristic compounds, respectively. The principal component analysis showed that the physicochemical and sensory properties and VOCs of indica–japonica rice were more stable than those of indica and japonica rice at ten locations in Zhejiang Province. It is helpful for rice breeders to understand how the environment affects the physicochemical, sensory properties and VOCs of the three rice types, and it is also important for food enterprises to provide rice products with stable quality. Full article

Background: Despite the potential benefits of increased dairy consumption for a sustainable diet among Iranians, low levels of dairy consumption and its decreasing trend have raised serious concerns. This study used the food systems approach to identify macro-level factors contributing to low dairy consumption in Iran. Materials and methods: In-depth interviews with 39 key informants and stakeholders from various sub-systems of the dairy food system were conducted from December 2021 to November 2022. The data analysis was conducted simultaneously with data collection, using a deductive–inductive content analysis approach. Results: The main challenges identified in the production and processing subsystems included the unsustainable development of a milk and dairy production system, high production and distribution costs, and an inconsistent quality of products. In the consumption subsystem, challenges were a reduced purchasing power of consumers, doubts about the necessity of dairy consumption, and concerns about safety risks. These challenges were further compounded by some other challenges in the dairy food system and contextual challenges such as economic instability, government sectoral policies, and Iran’s hot and semi-arid climate. Conclusion: Policy makers must revise the dairy industry’s structure, policies, and activities, and consider utilizing local livestock and feed production systems. Pricing policies should be reformed, subsidies provided for low-income groups, and promotion programs developed to enhance the public awareness of dairy’s nutritional value and safety. Independent quality control agencies should be established, and a comprehensive approach to promote good governance and improve the policy-making process should be adopted. Full article

The conditions of social distancing and home confinement imposed to contain the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) pandemic have changed the dietary patterns and lifestyle of society. These changes have had significant consequences not only for our personal well-being but also for the health of the planet. In this context, the aim of this study was to describe the effect of household containment during the COVID-19 pandemic on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to food and water consumption. In addition, the dietary pattern of the Spanish population during home confinement was compared with the usual dietary pattern of consumption for the immediately preceding reference year (2019) to elucidate in depth the environmental consequences derived from food consumption due to COVID-19 restrictions. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Water Footprint Assessment (WFA) methodologies were used to assess carbon footprint and water footprint. The functional unit of reference was the average daily food intake per capita. The results showed that COVID-19 home confinement had a negative impact on the carbon footprint (CF) and water footprint (WF) of the Spanish dietary pattern mainly due to the increase in the amount of food consumed during 2020. The monthly analysis revealed two peaks in April and October for both environmental indicators in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, which was mainly due to the increase in food consumption in Spanish households during the weeks of confinement as well as to the new COVID-19 wave in October. On the other hand, an upward trend in GHG emissions and water consumption could be observed in the last months of both years, which is attributed to increased consumption during the Christmas holidays. These findings indicate that people should be more aware than ever of the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and dietary pattern, in line with health guidelines and the Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

With the continuous improvement of living quality, food safety and healthy consumption awareness of urban residents have increased significantly. Green agricultural products marked as healthy, safe, and nutritious have become popular. At present, green agro-food is boosted by markets and policies in China, but consumers’ trust is not optimistic. Based on the theory of perceived risk and planned behavior, this research constructs a model to analyze the decision-making of urban residents’ green agricultural product consumption from the aspects of personal attitude, perceived risk, and subjective norm. Through a questionnaire survey of 329 residents in Tianjin, the empirical results show that: (1) Personal attitude and subjective norm positively affect residents’ willingness to consume. (2) Perceived risk negatively affects residents’ willingness to consume. (3) Functional risk has the highest impact, followed by time risk, financial risk, and psychological risk. In this regard, urban residents’ consumption of green agro-food could be continuously explored and promoted from the aspects of traceability supervision, circulation efficiency, and product brand and publicity. Full article

Seleniferous red soils cover a large area in the southern part of China. These agricultural soils are enriched in selenium (Se), heavy metals, and rare earth elements and have been cultivated for more than 1000 years for rice production without any consideration of the effects of selenium, heavy metals, and rare earth element bioaccumulation in the food plants produced. To address this knowledge gap, this study focuses on the investigation of Se, heavy metals, and rare earth elements within soils and plants in the region. The rice (Oryza spp.) plants studied were grown in the Gutian (GT), Gechuan (GC), and Pengkou (PK) villages in Lianchen (LC) County, Fujian Province. The surface soils and harvested rice tissues were collected to determine the Se, Cd, Zn, Pb, La, Ce, and Nd concentrations in the soils and plant tissues. Different rice cultivars possessed various potentials for elemental accumulation. Generally, rice plant tissues accumulated certain amounts of these elements; however, the elemental concentrations found in rice grain were within the acceptable ranges stipulated by the National Security Standard of Food. The Hongbaoshi (HBS) Indica red rice produced in the PK village accumulated more selenium, heavy metals, and rare earth elements than those in the plant tissues of the Xinyinzhan (XYZ) and Wushansimiao (WSSM) rice cultivars because HBS had more root hairs and finer root distribution. Thus, in the interest of food safety, increased attention needs to be given to the careful selection of the optimum crop species planted in these types of seleniferous red soils. Full article

Agriculture has the dual effects of serving as a carbon source and uptaking carbon. Studying the carbon effects of agriculture has great theoretical and practical importance. Based on China’s provincial panel data from 2007 to 2020, using the life cycle method, this paper studied the carbon effects of farmland in China from the perspective of carbon sources and uptake. The spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of carbon effects were analysed, and the carbon-emission reduction potential was calculated. The results displayed that the carbon emissions from farmland in China had a fluctuating downwards trend from 2007 to 2020, with the highest carbon emissions in 2013. The carbon-emission intensity generally displayed a downwards trend, exhibiting a “cold north and hot south” spatial pattern. Furthermore, carbon uptake displayed an overall upwards trend during the study period, increasing by 27.73% compared to that in 2007. Rice, maize, and wheat were the main sources of carbon uptake, and high-carbon-uptake areas were mainly distributed in eastern China; conversely, low-carbon-uptake areas were mainly distributed in southwestern China. Chinese farmland mainly served as net carbon-uptake areas, increasing from 522.81 × 10⁶ t in 2007 to 734.50 × 10⁶ t in 2020. Notably, there were significant differences in net carbon uptake among 31 provinces in China, with a prominent polarization phenomenon. China has great potential for reducing carbon emissions from farmland. Finally, based on the results of clustering carbon-emissions reduction potential, differentiated agricultural management strategies were developed to provide a reference and solutions for decision making related to agricultural “dual-carbon” strategies. Full article

The sugarcane industry has a high environmental impact. In countries such as Mexico, cultivation and harvesting practices consume and pollute many ecological resources. However, quantifying these impacts is difficult due to their diverse nature and different units of measurement. In this study, an approach with two focuses was taken to assess the environmental costs of the sugarcane industry in San Luis Potosí, México. The first focus is human health costs related to air pollution (black carbon) and the second one is a lifecycle assessment applied to the production phase. In the first case, four scenarios, with different concentrations and populations, were projected. Costs of 516.8 thousand USD were estimated for a scenario in which black carbon concentrations exceeded the WHO reference by one unit for the total population. In the second case, costs of 642 million USD were estimated for the impairment of seven ecosystem-based services. These estimates may vary due to the source and specificity of the information provided, but nevertheless are considered an appropriate approximation of the cost of environmental damage. It is recommended that first-hand information be collected and systematized to improve the certainty of the estimates and that changes to sugarcane agrifood systems be considered to reduce environmental costs. Full article

Waste generated from the agro-food industry represents a concerning environmental, social and economic issue. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations defines food waste as all food that decreases in quantity or quality to the extent that it is thrown out by food service providers and consumers. The FAO reports that 17% of worldwide food production may be wasted. Food waste may include fresh products, food close to the expiration date discarded by retailers and food products from household kitchens and eating establishments. However, food waste offers different possibilities to extract functional ingredients from different sources, such as dairy, cereals, fruits, vegetables, fibers, oils, dye and bioactive compounds. The optimization of agro-food waste as an ingredient will help in the development and innovation of food products to generate functional food and beverages to prevent and treat several diseases in consumers. Full article

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 caused extensive impact on household income and foods consumption. However, little attention has been paid to the immediate impact of income loss on animal-source foods consumption in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims to narrow this gap, and a total of 1301 valid samples of household food consumption surveys in Wuhan and Nanjing were obtained through specially designed online questionnaires. The surveys show that there were 69.6% (Wuhan) and 42.2% (Nanjing) of surveyed households whose animal-source foods consumption were affected, and there were 47.4% (Wuhan) and 18.9% (Nanjing) of surveyed households who suffered income loss. Furthermore, this paper makes an empirical study on the linkage between income loss and animal-source foods consumption. The results show that the pandemic affected household income, resulting in an immediate impact on animal-source foods consumption. This immediate impact may have been due to the combination of price increases, income loss and insufficient savings, which led to a “perfect storm” for animal-source foods consumption. Moreover, household income loss affected various animal-source foods consumption differently. For households suffering income losses, the odds of pork, beef and mutton, poultry, aquatic products, eggs and dairy products consumption being affected were increased by a factor of 1.894, 2.140, 2.773, 2.345, 1.802, 2.835, respectively, holding other variables constant. The results may be related to residents’ consumption habits and food prices. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the reduction of animal-source foods consumption may have led to a state of tension concerning an increase in the development of nutrition intake and health, which may have led to increased food security risks. Full article

Agricultural non-point source pollution has become a matter of increasing public concern, and modern agriculture is gradually transforming into agglomeration, so it is important to study the influence of agricultural agglomeration on agricultural non-point source pollution to coordinate the relationship between resources, environment, and agricultural economic growth for guidance. With a focus on 89 prefecture-level cities in the main agricultural production areas of the Yangtze River basin in China, the authors analyzed the spatial and temporal evolution trends of agricultural agglomeration and agricultural non-point source pollution from 2000 to 2020 and then empirically tested the spatial spillover effects of agricultural agglomeration on agricultural non-point source pollution based on the spatial Durbin model (SDM). The results show that: (1) Between 2000 and 2020, agricultural agglomeration, in general, decreased from 0.364 to 0.342, and cities with agglomeration values in the third and fourth ranks are mainly located in the area north of the Yangtze River and have a tendency to extend southward over time. Agricultural non-point source pollution shows a general trend of increasing and then decreasing; its emissions rose from 404.319 × 10⁴ tons in 2000 to 464.341 × 10⁴ tons in 2015, and then fell to 373.338 × 10⁴ tons in 2020, emissions in the third and fourth class of cities are mainly located in the middle and lower basin of the Yangtze River; High-value hots-pot areas of agricultural agglomeration, that is, areas with high spatial correlation, are mainly located in the upper and lower Yangtze River basin, and the areas with the higher spatial correlation of agricultural non-point source pollution are distributed in the upper, middle and lower basin of the Yangtze River. (2) The whole basin and upper basin exhibit positive and negative spatial spillover effects of agricultural non-point source pollution, Spillover effects values are 0.300 and −1.086, respectively; Agricultural agglomeration of the Whole Basin has a positive direct effect and a negative spatial spillover effect on agricultural non-point source pollution, the effect values are 0.846 and −0.520, respectively. (3) In addition to the core explanatory variable, agricultural production conditions and the share of livestock and poultry industry have a positive direct effect (the effect values are 0.109 and 0.048, respectively) and a negative spatial spillover effect (the effect values are −0.520 and −0.910, respectively) on agricultural non-point source pollution, while agricultural population size has a positive direct effect and spatial spillover effect, the effect values 0.099 and 0.452 respectively; The urbanization rate exacerbates the emission of agricultural non-point source pollution, the effect value is 0.110. while the industrial structure reduces the emission of agricultural non-point source pollution, the effect value is −0.438, but neither has a spatial spillover effect. The results imply that some effective policy measures, such as strengthening research on nutrient requirements and fertilization techniques for major crops, improving farmland infrastructure, scientifically planning and monitoring the scale of livestock farms, and strengthening inter-regional coordination and cooperation in the fight against pollution, should be taken to achieve ecological and sustainable objectives. Full article

Infectious diseases are rooted in unsustainable and unjust human–animal relationships. Zoonoses are facilitated by human proximity to animals, epidemiological risk embedded within factory farms, and exploitation of animals and humans in these intensive livestock production systems. The five major categories of epidemiological risk that factory farms propel include: intensification of production for which homogenous populations are congregated, creation of multi-species farms for which different animals are held within the same farm, long and intensive animal transport increases the likelihood of interaction with other wildlife, ecological characteristics of the pathogen lead to altered pathogen dynamics and antibiotic resistance within a human population through the overuse of antibiotics. Layer and broiler operations in the North American context illustrate these linkages. One Health is offered as a concluding conceptual and aspirational frame for pursuing a more sustainable and just world. This article offers two main messages. First, our relationships with animals directly impact the health of human populations through the transmission and creation of Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs). Second, adopting One Health offers a means forward for more just and sustainable human–animal relations and reduction of zoonoses transmission. Full article