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Digital technologies are a promising means to tackle the increasing global challenges (e.g., climate change, water pollution, soil degradation) and revolutionising agricultural production. The current research used a two-stage Delphi study with 34 experts from various domains, including production, advisory and research, to identify the key drivers and barriers, the most promising technologies and possible measures to support technology adoption in Swiss outdoor vegetable production. Combining these experts' views, the method provides realistic scenarios for future development. In Round 1, open-ended questions were used to collect the experts' opinions. These were then transformed into closed-ended questions for Round 2, where controlled feedback was provided to the experts. Twenty-six experts participated in both rounds, resulting in an overall response rate that was comparably high (76%). It was found that economic factors were important drivers and barriers in technology adoption and, consequently, the experts recommended financial measures to support this adoption. The practical relevance of new technologies provided through communication and education holds further potential in terms of their promotion. These findings are valuable beyond the research field. Educators and policy makers can build on the results and optimally align their efforts to target technology adoption and contribute to more sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, personal hygiene behaviours such as proper handwashing have gained significantly more attention and interpersonal contact is performed with great care. Disgust, as a disease-avoidance mechanism, can play an important role in the promotion of hygiene behaviour. We know from previous research that pathogen disgust can be a predictor of an individual's behaviour in the pandemic. Given that the pandemic greatly affects our food and eating behaviour, the current study aims to add to the existing evidence and to complement it by investigating the role of food-specific disgust in the pandemic. For that, we conducted an online survey in Germany in April 2020, while the pandemic was spreading in Europe. A total of 519 participants completed the survey and provided information about their COVID-19-related attitudes and behaviours and about their food disgust sensitivity. The results show that food disgust sensitivity is an important predictor for an individual's feelings, shopping behaviour, and disease-preventive behaviour related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Given that the success of political measures to fight the pandemic critically depends on the population to support and follow the proposed measures, a better understanding of the factors driving individual behaviour is key. Implications for pandemic management are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction For nutrition and behaviour experiments, researchers often desire to change visual properties of food items. However, such changes can lead to unwanted side-effects in textural or sensory properties. With VR technology, research in food science and nutrition can draw from a novel range of possibilities that allow specific changes in visual features without altering other properties. Method Study 1 (99 participants): While wearing VR glasses, participants received two banana juices. In the virtual environment, one was coloured yellow (its real appearance) and one was brownish (indicating aging). All participants viewed both juices, either one or the other first, and the juice they tasted was the same in both cases. Study 2 (100 participants): Participants were divided into a disgust and control condition. Wearing VR glasses, those in the control condition saw chocolate appear on the table and were asked to try it. Those in the disgust condition saw a dog excrete the chocolate as feces before being asked to try it. Study 3 (50 participants): In the virtual environment, participants saw a disgusting buffet containing carrots, pasta, and meat. They were then asked to serve themselves a plate for lunch. Study 4 (100 participants): Building on previous sensory studies, participants saw in the virtual environment two juices and a cake, either in the correct or wrong colour. They were asked to try the product, identify the dominant flavour, and rate it for liking and sweetness. Results and Discussion Study 1: With increasing presence, participants tended to give higher disgust scores to the brown juice (r =.24, p < 0.05). Study 2: Four percent of participants refused consumption in the neutral condition compared to 26% in the disgust condition. With χ2(1) = 9.49, p > 0.01, the chi-square test revealed a significant association between the experimental condition and participants' willingness to eat the chocolate. Study 3: The total quantity of food that participants scooped onto their plates was significantly correlated with their presence (r = -0.37, p < 0.01) and their state disgust (r = -0.35, p < 0.05). Study 4: We were able to replicate previous findings. In summary, our studies assessed a new technology for usability in food research. Our results provided evidence that VR is a promising tool in the study of nutrition and behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction For nutrition and behaviour experiments, researchers often desire to change visual properties of food items. However, such changes can lead to unwanted side-effects in textural or sensory properties. With VR technology, research in food science and nutrition can draw from a novel range of possibilities that allow specific changes in visual features without altering other properties. Method Study 1 (99 participants): While wearing VR glasses, participants received two banana juices. In the virtual environment, one was coloured yellow (its real appearance) and one was brownish (indicating aging). All participants viewed both juices, either one or the other first, and the juice they tasted was the same in both cases. Study 2 (100 participants): Participants were divided into a disgust and control condition. Wearing VR glasses, those in the control condition saw chocolate appear on the table and were asked to try it. Those in the disgust condition saw a dog excrete the chocolate as feces before being asked to try it. Study 3 (50 participants): In the virtual environment, participants saw a disgusting buffet containing carrots, pasta, and meat. They were then asked to serve themselves a plate for lunch. Study 4 (100 participants): Building on previous sensory studies, participants saw in the virtual environment two juices and a cake, either in the correct or wrong colour. They were asked to try the product, identify the dominant flavour, and rate it for liking and sweetness. Results and Discussion Study 1: With increasing presence, participants tended to give higher disgust scores to the brown juice (r =.24, p < 0.05). Study 2: Four percent of participants refused consumption in the neutral condition compared to 26% in the disgust condition. With χ2(1) = 9.49, p > 0.01, the chi-square test revealed a significant association between the experimental condition and participants' willingness to eat the chocolate. Study 3: The total quantity of food that participants scooped onto their plates was significantly correlated with their presence (r = -0.37, p < 0.01) and their state disgust (r = -0.35, p < 0.05). Study 4: We were able to replicate previous findings. In summary, our studies assessed a new technology for usability in food research. Our results provided evidence that VR is a promising tool in the study of nutrition and behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]