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Sustainable Food Systems and Food Market
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Sustainable Food Systems and Food Market

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Security and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 19278

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Charles Okpala

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
2. Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: food quality; consumer safety in food markets; agro-food processing; quality management of agro-food products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food markets around the globe need to sustainably attract consumers to buy food products, dependent on such factors as availability, quality, quantity, type of food product, affordability, (degree/level of) consumer need, convenience, and logistics, among others. Most likely, consumers arrive at food markets with specific food products in mind to purchase and target quality, but might end up with a different decision as driven by other (above-mentioned) factors. To make the food market sustainable, whereas the farmers are there to produce the food products, and the supply chain would ensure the products reached the consumer end in a timely fashion with assured quality, the consumer plays the role to sustain the (food supply chain) cycle’s existence. Therefore, the consumer remains embedded in the food market as a progressive force on (food) produce, production, processing, retail /wholesale, quality (and its management) as well as standards. It will be useful for food and (food)related researchers around the globe to brainstorm on what brings sustainable food systems together with the food market, and this is what this Special Issue aims to achieve, to assemble scholarly contributions (field/data-driven, as well as literature synthesis) not limited to such highlights as:

  • Challenges of food product storage in various food markets;
  • Problem-solving strategies to curb/tackle quality deterioration of food products at market shelves;
  • Processing of food products from various (food)market standpoints;
  • Making food markets serve better (food) quality products across communities;
  • Managing quality in the marketplace from various food technological perspectives;
  • Achieving cleaner food production within a given market retail space;
  • Position and role of the local and global food market, food retail in sustainable food systems.

Dr. Charles Okpala
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • food markets
  • food products
  • problem-solving strategies
  • cleaner food production
  • food retail
  • sustainable food systems
  • food technology
  • farmers and farms

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

3 pages, 169 KiB  
Editorial
Sustainable Food Systems and Food Market
by Charles Odilichukwu R. Okpala
Foods 2024, 13(13), 1962; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13131962 - 21 Jun 2024
Viewed by 307
Abstract
Within the realms of sustainability, it is well-established that food systems increasingly appear through the components of consumption, production, and processing of (food) products [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food Systems and Food Market)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

24 pages, 683 KiB  
Article
National School Feeding Program (PNAE): A Public Policy That Promotes a Learning Framework and a More Sustainable Food System in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
by Eliane Alves da Silva, Eugenio Avila Pedrozo and Tania Nunes da Silva
Foods 2023, 12(19), 3622; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12193622 - 29 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1803
Abstract
Food systems drive change, which can accelerate the process of ending hunger, improving diets and protecting the environment. This is the attribution given to the Brazilian National School Feeding Program (Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar—PNAE), which was created to supply 15% of the [...] Read more.
Food systems drive change, which can accelerate the process of ending hunger, improving diets and protecting the environment. This is the attribution given to the Brazilian National School Feeding Program (Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar—PNAE), which was created to supply 15% of the food needs of millions of children in Brazilian schools. Therefore, the purpose of this article was to create a framework to analyze learnings in the PNAE that contribute to the development of a sustainable food system in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. For this, a qualitative descriptive survey with abductive logic was chosen through a study of multiple cases and semistructured interviews as its strategy. It was noticed that individuals tended to group themselves in accordance with their learning level. A group in which instrumental learning was prevailing would tend to strictly follow the rules. Groups that already had communicative learning would be more proactive and look for improvements. However, when they would reach emancipatory learning, they would become more willing to disrupt initiatives to create new perspectives to solve problems. From that, decisions became political, and the more organized the groups became, the more power they had to allow their ideas to prevail. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food Systems and Food Market)
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27 pages, 2813 KiB  
Article
Research on the Influencing Factors of Sustainable Supply Chain Development of Agri-Food Products Based on Cross-Border Live-Streaming E-Commerce in China
by Gaofeng Wang, Zihao Zhang, Shuai Li and Changhoon Shin
Foods 2023, 12(17), 3323; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12173323 - 4 Sep 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4568
Abstract
The organization and coordination of cross-border e-commerce platforms in agricultural product trading are continuously increasing, and the involvement of digital platforms has driven the integration and development of cross-border agricultural product supply chains with live-streaming e-commerce, effectively facilitating the comprehensive development of producers, [...] Read more.
The organization and coordination of cross-border e-commerce platforms in agricultural product trading are continuously increasing, and the involvement of digital platforms has driven the integration and development of cross-border agricultural product supply chains with live-streaming e-commerce, effectively facilitating the comprehensive development of producers, sellers, and professional service providers within the ecosystem. However, despite the growing importance of this integration model in the market, there are still numerous unresolved issues from a supply chain perspective, and existing research provides relatively limited guidance on the effective operation of this integrated supply chain model. To address this gap in theoretical research, this study first delves into the essence and fundamental characteristics of sustainable cross-border agricultural product supply chains in the context of live streaming. Secondly, employing grounded theory as the primary research method and combining platform theory and ecosystem theory, an influencing factor system and an impact model for the development of sustainable cross-border agricultural product supply chains in the context of live streaming are constructed to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the complexity of this integrated supply chain model. Finally, from the perspectives of government agencies and practitioners, development pathways for sustainable cross-border agricultural product supply chains in the context of live-streaming e-commerce are proposed, aiming to enhance existing research and provide decision-making support for relevant stakeholders in formulating development strategies. The findings of this study contribute to expanding the research perspective on the ecosystem of live-streaming e-commerce and sustainable cross-border agricultural product supply chains, providing theoretical support for the establishment and operation of sustainable cross-border agricultural product supply chains in the context of live streaming. Additionally, it offers important references for promoting the sustainable development of live-streaming e-commerce and cross-border agricultural product supply chains, facilitating industry upgrading, global agricultural trade, and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food Systems and Food Market)
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14 pages, 1403 KiB  
Article
Tourists’ Fascination with Urban Food Markets: The Successful Case of Time Out Market Lisbon
by Arlindo Madeira, Rosa Rodrigues, Teresa Palrão and Alexandra Sofia Mendes
Foods 2023, 12(9), 1795; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12091795 - 26 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2277
Abstract
This research was designed to analyze tourists’ perception of food markets in an urban context, specifically in the case of Time Out Market Lisbon. The sample included participants who visited and experienced the market food court. The data were collected using a questionnaire [...] Read more.
This research was designed to analyze tourists’ perception of food markets in an urban context, specifically in the case of Time Out Market Lisbon. The sample included participants who visited and experienced the market food court. The data were collected using a questionnaire assessing the respondents’ perceptions of the location, food quality, food neophilia, market engagement, and the cultural attractiveness of the locale. The purpose was also to analyze how these factors contribute to visitor satisfaction and their intention to revisit the local area. The findings showed that food neophilia was the characteristic of Time Out Market Lisbon that had the highest impact on visitors’ satisfaction which, accordingly, positively influenced their intention to revisit the market. Visitors’ perception of the place as a cultural attraction was also found to moderate the relationship between visitors’ satisfaction and intention to revisit Time Out Market Lisbon. The findings provide an important contribution to the scientific community regarding the important role of modern food markets in urban city regeneration and more specifically as a tourist attraction. This research has significant management implications regarding the emotions of tourists’ food experience and can be used for stakeholders engaged in the tourism development process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food Systems and Food Market)
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11 pages, 1328 KiB  
Article
Distribution of Cadmium in Fresh Vegetables Marketed in Southeast China and Its Dietary Exposure Assessment
by Xiao-Dong Pan and Jian-Long Han
Foods 2023, 12(6), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12061204 - 12 Mar 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2203
Abstract
This study investigated concentrations of cadmium (Cd) in 2465 vegetable samples (52 species) from 2018 to 2022 and estimated the associated health risk for local consumers. The average concentration of Cd was 0.035 mg kg−1, and the percentage of samples exceeding [...] Read more.
This study investigated concentrations of cadmium (Cd) in 2465 vegetable samples (52 species) from 2018 to 2022 and estimated the associated health risk for local consumers. The average concentration of Cd was 0.035 mg kg−1, and the percentage of samples exceeding the Chinese maximum allowed concentration was 3.89% (96/2465). The top five species with highest Cd levels were Lilium brownii F (0.182 mg kg−1), Allium chinense G (0.117 mg kg−1), Allium macrostemon Bunge (0.105 mg kg−1), Colocasia esculenta (0.064 mg kg−1), and Amaranthus tricolor L (0.054 mg kg−1). Bulb vegetables had a higher relative accumulation of Cd compared to other vegetables. The levels of Cd in vegetables varied significantly across sampling areas and years. The mean estimated daily intake (EDI) of cadmium through consumption of vegetables was 0.519 μg kg−1 bw per day for adults and 0.217 μg kg−1 bw per day for children. The target hazard quotients (THQs) were all less than the threshold of 1 for both adults and children. This indicates that there is low health risk for Cd through vegetable consumption. However, routine monitoring of Cd levels in food is still crucial to ensure food safety and protect public health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food Systems and Food Market)
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17 pages, 1932 KiB  
Article
Perceptions and Attitudes of Argentine Zoomers towards Sustainable Food Production
by Andrea Beatriz Damico, Yari Vecchio, Margherita Masi and Jorgelina Di Pasquale
Foods 2023, 12(5), 1019; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12051019 - 27 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1922
Abstract
Young people are concerned about climate change. Their activism has attracted the attention of the media and politicians. Some of them are entering the market as consumers for the first time and can express their preferences without parental guidance: they are the Zoomers. [...] Read more.
Young people are concerned about climate change. Their activism has attracted the attention of the media and politicians. Some of them are entering the market as consumers for the first time and can express their preferences without parental guidance: they are the Zoomers. Do these new consumers have enough knowledge about sustainability to be able to make choices in line with their concerns? Are they able to push the market towards change? A sample of 537 young Zoomer consumers were interviewed face-to-face in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires. They were asked to indicate their level of concern for the planet and the first word they associated with sustainability, to rank in order of importance sustainability-related concepts and to indicate their willingness to buy sustainable products. The results of this study underline a high concern for the health of the planet (87.9%) and for unsustainable production methods (88.8%). However, the respondents perceived sustainability as consisting of a single main pillar, the environmental dimension (with 47% of the terms referring to sustainability), and two accessory pillars, the social (10.7%) and economic (5.2%) dimensions of sustainability. Respondents also showed a high interest in products obtained through sustainable agriculture, with a high percentage of them willing to pay for these products (74.1%). However, a substantial correlation was found between the ability to comprehend the notion of sustainability and the determination to purchase sustainable items, and vice versa, between those who reported difficulty comprehending the concept and their determination not to purchase these products. Zoomers believe that the market must support sustainable agriculture through consumer choices without paying a premium price. Clarifying the concept of sustainability, enhancing knowledge and assisting consumers in identifying sustainable products, as well as marketing them at reasonable prices, are essential actions for fostering a more ethical agricultural system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food Systems and Food Market)
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26 pages, 1871 KiB  
Article
Deliver Smart, Not More! Building Economically Sustainable Competitiveness on the Ground of High Agri-Food Trade Specialization in the EU
by Marius Constantin, Juan Sapena, Andreea Apetrei and Simona Roxana Pătărlăgeanu
Foods 2023, 12(2), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12020232 - 4 Jan 2023
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5113
Abstract
Competitiveness has always been a multifaceted illusive concept, which has made it a real challenge for scholars and practitioners to find the most suitable measurement tools to completely encapsulate all the complex nuances of competitiveness. This becomes even more of a challenge when [...] Read more.
Competitiveness has always been a multifaceted illusive concept, which has made it a real challenge for scholars and practitioners to find the most suitable measurement tools to completely encapsulate all the complex nuances of competitiveness. This becomes even more of a challenge when approached in relation to particular economic sectors. The agri-food sector is no exception, especially when considering all its interconnections with the other sectors: water, energy, transport, waste. All of them impact the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Similarly, scholars have been debating the meaning of sustainability for decades, some even arguing that it is a political, subjective, and, in some cases, self-contradictory concept. As far as the sustainability of agricultural competitiveness is concerned, the literature is still developing. It is much more focused on fostering environmental competitiveness, and less attention was paid to the strategies designed to capitalize on sustainable economic competitiveness—a concept that has attracted divergent opinions in the literature, mainly due to ambiguity. Thus, instead of falling into the pitfall of vagueness, this paper was aimed at bringing its contribution to this field by undertaking the research objective of exploring a single facet of sustainable agricultural competitiveness: the economic facet. Hence, this paper proposes the construction of the sustainable economic competitiveness index (SECI) with direct application for agri-food value chains. It consists of three attributes: (a) factor endowments, resource independence; (b) agricultural chain performance; and (c) national agricultural chain strategies and policies. In this study, SECI was tested against the cereal chain for a selection of EU countries, based on the data taken over from FAOSTAT and INTRACEN Trade Map, in the case of the 2011–2020 period. Various statistical and econometric methods were used to test the robustness of SECI. Results stand as proof that building sustainable agricultural economic competitiveness relies on a mix of strategic actions. The key vector in this mix is that trade flow patterns and policies must be calibrated in accordance with national factor endowments in order to achieve high levels of SECI. To add more managerial implications, this paper argues for the smart delivery of agri-food products with high added value instead of focusing on exporting big volumes of raw agricultural materials with little added value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Food Systems and Food Market)
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