Search

Biomethane recovery from paper waste (PW) was achieved by mesophilic co-digestion with food waste. The feeding material containing 0%, 20%, 40% and 50% of PW in total solids (TS) were investigated in the long-term continuous operation. The results showed that the biogas production, pH, alkalinity and biodegradation of volatile solids (79.8 ± 3.6%) were stable for PW contents no more than 50%. The PW = 50% condition was considered the critical limit for the reasons of pump clogging, sufficient alkalinity (2.0 ± 0.3 g-CaCO 3 /L) and depletion of ammonia. Prokaryotic diversity indices decreased with the increased PW contents. Great shifts were observed in the prokaryotic communities before and after the PW contents reaches 50% as TS (18.4% as total weights). Biomethane recovery yields were deceasing from 445 to 350 NL-CH 4 /kg-fed-volatile-solids. The PW contents as 40% as TS (13.1% as total weights) obtained the optimal performance among all the feeding conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) are two of biodegradable plastics with the highest production capacities in 2021. Bioplastic waste management can be easily integrated with organic waste management, especially when bioplastics are used as food packaging material, since they are potentially biodegradable. The aim of this study was to assess the biodegradability of biodegradable polymer-coated paper (BPCP) and bioplastic bags made from PBAT/PLA blend during mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion (AD) and to reveal the changes in the physicochemical properties of the bioplastics. BPCP obtained 155 NmL-CH 4 /g VS and 307.3 NmL-CH 4 /g VS under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, respectively, but left bioplastic film residues. The bioplastic bags did not exhibit significant biodegradation during the AD processes. 1 H NMR results indicated that the ratio of PLA to PBAT decreased significantly after AD of the BPCP film and that PLA monomers were formed from the bioplastic bags, leading to a decrease in the hydrophobicity on the surfaces of the materials. Methanoculleus was found to be enriched on the bioplastic surface after mesophilic AD. From the perspective of coupling bioplastic waste management with the food waste management, the incorporation of BPCP into the AD reactor not only enhances system stability and methane production to a greater extent than biodegradable plastic bags but also raises concerns regarding the residual biofilm when utilizing the digestate for direct land applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of a web-based 7-day food-record using METADIETA-web link (Meteda s.r.l.) - a professional software used in nutritional practice and research - compared with the traditional paper format. Twenty-six healthy adults of both sexes were recruited in this cross-over study based on the number coming from the sample size calculation, and randomly assigned to start with METADIETA-web or traditional 7-Day Food-Diary. All the 7-day food-diaries were recorded in the Metadieta-software. The System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire was administered to evaluate the participants' preferences in terms of usability, acceptability, and feasibility. Differences in energy intake, nutrient composition, and SUS between the digital and traditional modalities were evaluated. Energy and nutrients were not significantly different between the two methods with a variation <15%, with alcohol intake showing the strongest relation (0.1% variation). The Interclass Correlation Coefficient showed a grade of consistency between the two methods excellent for alcohol, good for proteins, carbohydrates, and fibre, moderate for energy and saturated fat, and poor for total fat and cholesterol. SUS suggested that the web-based platform was in general well accepted, but highlighted some inconsistencies and complexity compared to the written food diary. The web-based 7-day food-record may allow an accurate and quicker analysis of food timing than conventional approaches, seeming reliable for energy and macronutrient composition, making it a potentially attractive tool for nutritional research. However, the reported inconsistencies and complexity must be considered and addressed.

Facing the huge output of food waste (FW) and paper waste (PW), long-term semi-continuous experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of the substrate organic composition on mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic co-digestions (Co-ADs) of their mixtures. The experimental results showed that the organic composition of the substrate affected the biogas and methane production and yield of the two Co-ADs of the FW and PW mixtures, and its effect on thermophilic Co-AD (Co-TAD) was lower than that on mesophilic Co-AD (Co-MAD). The two Co-ADs had similar biogas (2.158 ± 0.136 L/L/d and 2.183 ± 0.142 L/L/d) and methane production (1.245 ± 0.082 L/L/d and 1.279 ± 0.088 L/L/d), and organic matter degradation (81.79 ± 1.07% and 83.81 ± 1.09%) when the substrate organic composition was carbohydrates:proteins:lipids = 6.8:1.8:1 (low carbohydrate composition, FW:PW = 4:1). When the substrate organic composition was carbohydrates:proteins:lipids = 13.5:2:1 (high carbohydrate composition, FW:PW = 1:1), the thermophilic temperature was more favorable than the mesophilic temperature for the Co-AD of FW and PW mixtures. The characteristics (pH, total ammonia, total volatile fatty acids, and total alkalinity) of the Co-TAD digestate were more sensitive to changes in the organic composition of the substrate than those of the Co-MAD digestate. Increasing the carbohydrate content of the FW:PW mixture lowered the production of biogas and methane, and degradation of organic matter in both Co-ADs., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the realm of food waste recycling, industrial suberoligneous by‐products like cork and peels, pose a challenge for value‐added conversion, primarily due to their intricate structures. This study introduces an innovative approach by utilizing recycled cork as a prime example of repurposing food waste to create a reusable and durable packaging paper. Notably, the manufacturing process of this cork‐based paper avoids the generation of waste liquids from lignin removal, effectively alleviating concerns related to liquid waste pollution. The resulting packaging paper demonstrates remarkable printability, readability, and erasability while offering reusability. Its performance can be fine‐tuned through pH value adjustments. Moreover, this packaging paper exhibits outstanding antioxidative properties and barrier properties, seamlessly integrating superb UV‐blocking proficiency and heightened visible transparency, rendering it highly appealing for sustainable food packaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to explore high school students' critical consciousness development in the context of youth participatory action research (YPAR) focused on food security at an alternative school in Alabama. The YPAR project took place in an elective agriscience class with 10 students (Seven Black, two white, one Latino) who were in the 10th to 12th grades. Utilizing data from researcher notes, classroom observations, and archival classroom documents, we present students' YPAR project outcomes to share their research-driven solutions to food insecurity in their community. Vignettes of classroom dialogue are also constructed to illustrate moments of reflection in the YPAR context about food security. We present three "critical moments," or instances of social analysis, to illustrate how students' individual-level attributions occurred alongside teacher dialogue and student-led investigation of structural inequities in the community. Findings illustrate how students' nonlinear critical consciousness development consisted of reliance on individual-level attributions in classroom dialogue co-occurring with systems-thinking activities and other YPAR project outcomes. This paper has implications for research on the imperfect and wavering nature of adolescent critical consciousness development in YPAR.

This paper presents ethnographic work conducted to investigate how notions of culinary capital have the potential to shape the everyday experiences of children during mealtime in school. Children's early experiences with mealtimes and food are critical determinants for eating behaviour over the life course. The paper presents an account of conceptual debates based on longstanding ethnographic work on school food with a particular focus on a case study of Maple Field Academy to frame the research. Research methods used included semi-structured interviews, fieldnotes and photographs with the aim of capturing a rich picture of the school. This paper introduces Laird's sensory theory to frame the discussion. This research calls for the need to recognise the social good that can be realised from participating in mealtimes and school is a microcosm of society, which means it can function as a driver for social change. The paper calls for more engagement with social theorising on studies which focus on researching food in school.

Background: Local food procurement by hospitals is gaining traction as governments and advocacy groups seek to influence food systems and strengthen local communities, but there is little empirical evidence as to its practical application or efficacy. The aims of this review were to describe the extent, range and nature of local food procurement models in healthcare foodservices, and to understand the barriers and enablers to implementation, including from the perspective of stakeholders across the supply chain., Method: A scoping review was conducted following the protocol published in the Open Science Framework Registration (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/T3AX2). Five electronic databases were searched for the following concepts: 'hospital foodservice', 'local food procurement practices', 'the extent, range and nature' and/or 'the barriers and enablers of procurement'. Eligible peer-reviewed original research published in English from the year 2000 was included following a two-step selection process., Results: The final library included nine studies. Most studies (7 of 9) were from the United States. Three studies used survey methods and reported high rates (58%-91%) of US hospital participation in local food procurement. Studies offered minimal description of local procurement models, but two models, conventional ('on-contract') or off-contract, were typically used. Barriers to local food procurement included restricted access to suitable local food supply, limited kitchen resources and inadequate technology to trace local food purchase thereby limiting evaluation capabilities. Enablers included organisational support, passionate champions and opportunistic, incremental change., Conclusion: There is a paucity of peer-reviewed studies describing local food procurement by hospitals. Details of local food procurement models were generally lacking: categorisable as either purchases made 'on-contract' via conventional means or 'off-contract'. If hospital foodservices are to increase their local food procurement, they require access to a suitable, reliable and traceable supply, that acknowledges their complexity and budgetary constraints., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Dietetic Association.)

Since the determination of the high toxicity of bisphenol A, alternative structures for bisphenols have been synthesized, resulting in bisphenols C, E, F, S, and Z. These bisphenols have replaced bisphenol A in plastic bottles, toys, and cans used for preserving food. Later, the toxicity and negative effects of all of these bisphenols on people’s health were proven. Therefore, there is a need for a fast ultrasensitive screening method that is able to detect the presence of these bisphenols in any condition directly from food samples. This paper presented a disposable device based on the utilization of a 2D disposable paper stochastic sensor for the fast ultrasensitive screening of food samples for bisphenols A, C, E, F, S, and Z. The 2D disposable sensor was obtained by the deposition of graphene and silver nanolayers on paper using cold plasma. Furthermore, the active side of the sensor was modified using 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-21H,23H Mn porphyrin. The limits of quantification of these bisphenols were 1 fmol L−1 for bisphenols C and E, 10 fmol L−1 for bisphenols A and F, 10 pmol L−1 for bisphenol S, and 1 pmol L−1 for bisphenol Z. The recoveries of these bisphenols in milk, canned fruits, vegetables, and fish were higher than 99.00% with RSD (%) values lower than 1.50%.

This paper analyzes the risks to child development and school readiness among children under age 6 in Pakistan. Drawing on a nationally representative telephone survey conducted in the midst of a global pandemic, between December 2021 and February 2022, we present the first nationally representative estimates of child development for children under 3 years of age and school readiness for children 3-6 years of age, using internationally validated instruments. The paper examines how risk factors that were exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as parental distress, lack of psychosocial stimulation, food insecurity, low maternal education, no enrollment in early childhood education, and living in a rural area, are associated with children's outcomes. The data indicate that more than half (57 percent) of parents with children under age 3 were distressed and that 61 percent of households reported cutting down on the size of or skipping meals since the start of the pandemic. The data reveal that over half of parents fail to engage in adequate psychosocial stimulation with their child and enrollment in early childhood education is very low (39 percent). The paper finds that child development outcomes decline rapidly as the number of risks increase. Specifically, for children under 3 years, lack of psychosocial stimulation at home and higher levels of parental distress were most significantly associated with lower child development levels. For a child aged 3-6 years, early childhood education enrollment and the amount of psychosocial stimulation the child received at home had the strongest association with school readiness scores.

English language education nowadays is not merely about the instruction and acquisition of linguistic knowledge and skills. Instead, it has progressed to the real-life applications of the target language, which further requires a mastery of cultural knowledge and skills. In terms of culture, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners, compared to native speakers of English, own their unique native culture. Yet, since language teachers tend to focus on the delivery of English cultural knowledge, EFL learners' native culture is sometimes shadowed in the mainstream English classrooms worldwide. To this end, this exploratory paper aims to advocate attention to the importance of EFL learners' native culture awareness and share some practical teaching and learning experiences in an English course called "Multimedia and Foreign Language Learning." The paper outlines the pedagogical design of the course in China, providing classroom examples and practical suggestions to course designers, educators and instructors. We expect to give insights into integrating native culture into foreign language education in university settings.

Insect consumption is a traditional practice in many countries. Currently, the urgent need for ensuring food sustainability and the high pressure from degrading environment are urging food scientists to rethink the possibility of introducing edible insects as a promising food type. However, due to the lack of the standardized legislative rules and the adequate scientific data that demonstrate the safety of edible insects, many countries still consider it a grey area to introduce edible insects into food supply chains. In this review, we comprehensively reviewed the legal situation, consumer willingness, acceptance, and the knowledge on edible insect harvesting, processing as well as their safety concerns. We found that, despite the great advantage of introducing edible insects in food supply chains, the legal situation and consumer acceptance for edible insects are still unsatisfactory and vary considerably in different countries, which mostly depend on geographical locations and cultural backgrounds involving psychological, social, religious, and anthropological factors. Besides, the safety concern of edible insect consumption is still a major issue hurdling the promotion of edible insects, which is particularly concerning for countries with no practice in consuming insects. Fortunately, the situation is improving. So far, some commercial insect products like energy bars, burgers, and snack foods have emerged in the market. Furthermore, the European Union has also recently issued a specific item for regulating new foods, which is believed to establish an authorized procedure to promote insect-based foods and should be an important step for marketizing edible insects in the near future., (© 2023 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

Food waste is one of the major sustainability issues that need to be addressed due to its negative impacts on the economy, environment, and food security. To develop food waste reduction policies on regional and global level, it is mandatory to have a clear understanding of the various factors prompting food waste at household level and the extent of the economic losses incurred by food waste. Reducing food waste can decrease household expenditure on food, freeing resources for health, education, and well-being. The current study was aimed to (1) examine the food waste behavior of the respondents and to (2) determine the level of monetary losses from food waste. To address these objectives, a questionnaire survey and sample of food waste generated during 24 h were collected from 51 households in Tehsil Kahror Pakka, District Lodhran, Punjab, Pakistan. The survey focus was on levels of food waste and respondents' knowledge and behaviors about food waste. Economic estimation of food waste was also done. In the survey, respondents from both high- and low-income households revealed that their fruit and vegetables (31%; 32%) and peel and scrap (53%; 48%) losses were higher while egg losses (4%; 4%) were lower among various food waste categories. Wanting to eat fresh food and having no time to save food were the reasons for food waste. Monetary losses from food waste (US$ 12.8/Rs. 3677.01 per capita per annum) were higher in high-income households compared to low-income households., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, the paper draws on conceptions of culinary capital and socialisation to explore children's experiences of mealtime in one academy school. In this paper, the author argues how 'healthy eating' interventions have led to the neglect of the social significance of dining together. The paper highlights how children's culinary capital is reproduced in schools, whilst recognising the rising tensions between how eating spaces designed for children become consumed by adults. The findings from the study outline the growing power relationships in relation to school food spaces.

Indigenous student completion rates remain very low relative to non-Indigenous students. Some universities have higher Indigenous student completion rates than the national average but research-based evidence of these universities as 'success models' is limited. Drawing on findings from interviews with Indigenous university graduates and staff as part of a National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) funded research project, this paper discusses findings relating to one success factor that supports Indigenous student completions: Indigenous centres/units as key places to build a sense of connection and belonging for Indigenous students. The paper discusses the importance of Indigenous centres/units in providing a space where Indigenous students can connect with each other, with staff, and with their own cultural identities. The paper then discusses the development of strategies that can be adopted by all universities across Australia to strengthen and improve the completion rates of Indigenous students.

Objective: Previous research indicates that head teachers in Sweden frequently fail to see school lunch as part of the educational activities of a school. This study contributes to an understanding of how head teachers in Sweden perceive and experience current national policy intentions related to school lunch. Design: Qualitative inquiry. Setting: Ten municipal state schools in Sweden. Method: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 head teachers responsible for the compulsory education of 6- to 15-year-olds in state schools. Data from digitally recorded and transcribed interviews were thematically analysed. Results: Head teachers primarily saw school lunch as a means to ensure pupils were fed and energised. Their focus tended to be on what followed after school lunch in the form of academic performance and mood, rather than the stated intentions of national school meal policy. Head teachers stressed the value of a free and nutritious school lunch for social equality, and the importance of good collaboration with food service managers and school meal personnel, despite the difficulty of achieving this. Conclusion: This paper highlights a gap between head teachers' perspectives with respect to school lunch and official intentions stated in Swedish national school meals policy. The meanings head teachers saw as connected to school lunch were those of social equality and ensuring pupils were fed, rather than the wider potential envisioned by the authorities. This paper identifies factors that affect the possibility of realising national policy intentions for school lunch in Sweden.

Purpose: To advance understanding about the way endogenous knowledge on mangrove swamp rice (MSR) farming is transmitted, reinvented and negotiated between generations and highlight the implications this has for R4D. Design/Methodology/Approach: Long-term qualitative research using an ethnographic approach, technography and biographies of farmers. Findings: The endogenous Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) is dynamic but faces shortcomings owing to socio-environmental changes. This highlights the relevance of knowledge exchanges from multiple sources, eroding the divide between endogenous and exogenous from the farmers' point of view. For positive exogenously induced socio-technical change to occur, external actors must fully understand the conditions under which (a) endogenous knowledge is produced and reinvented and (b) endogenous innovations flow among farmers. This will then allow the co-production of innovations adapted to each specific agro-ecological, cultural and socio-economic context, leaving them to be further transformed and refashioned by smallholders to meet their individual 'dispositions' and generate the roots necessary for a strong AKIS. Practical implications: This paper highlights the importance of locally embedded processes of learning and innovation, the better understanding of which can provide a more solid basis for the co-production of technologies and the establishment of an AKIS. Theoretical implications: This paper improves understanding of socio-technological change in smallholder agriculture by focusing on endogenous processes of learning and innovation. Originality: This paper advances the knowledge on endogenous processes of learning and socio-technical change in smallholder agriculture.

Since the determination of the high toxicity of bisphenol A, alternative structures for bisphenols have been synthesized, resulting in bisphenols C, E, F, S, and Z. These bisphenols have replaced bisphenol A in plastic bottles, toys, and cans used for preserving food. Later, the toxicity and negative effects of all of these bisphenols on people's health were proven. Therefore, there is a need for a fast ultrasensitive screening method that is able to detect the presence of these bisphenols in any condition directly from food samples. This paper presented a disposable device based on the utilization of a 2D disposable paper stochastic sensor for the fast ultrasensitive screening of food samples for bisphenols A, C, E, F, S, and Z. The 2D disposable sensor was obtained by the deposition of graphene and silver nanolayers on paper using cold plasma. Furthermore, the active side of the sensor was modified using 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-21H,23H Mn porphyrin. The limits of quantification of these bisphenols were 1 fmol L−1 for bisphenols C and E, 10 fmol L−1 for bisphenols A and F, 10 pmol L−1 for bisphenol S, and 1 pmol L−1 for bisphenol Z. The recoveries of these bisphenols in milk, canned fruits, vegetables, and fish were higher than 99.00% with RSD (%) values lower than 1.50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the factors driving food security in West African countries. Specifically, it examines the impact of natural resource rents, institutional quality, and climate change on food security while controlling for industrialization and economic growth. Our research is motivated by the urgent need for swift policy action to address the escalating food crisis in the region and prevent any potential catastrophic consequences. Second-generation econometric techniques are utilized for accurate and reliable outcomes based on yearly datasets from West African countries from 2000 to 2020, and the countries are sub-grouped into low-income and lower-middle-income. The findings unveil the panel as heterogeneous and cross-sectionally based, and all the study variables are first differenced stationary and co-integrated in the long run. Hence, the Augmented Mean Group and Common Correlated Effects Mean Group estimators are utilized to explore the relationships between the variables, and the findings reveal that natural resource rents, climate change, and industrialization are detrimental to food security across the sub-groups. However, the outcomes affirm institutional quality and economic growth as beneficial drivers of food security across the sub-groups. Therefore, this study recommends that authorities of both low-income and lower-middle-income countries make substantial investments in sustainable natural resource utilization and also work towards enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of their institutions, as well as investing in environmental research to explore climate change mitigation possibilities that could enhance food security in West Africa., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The construction sector has significant impacts on the environment due to the consumption of resources and the production of waste. The implementation of circular economy strategies can improve the environmental performance of the sector, optimising the current production and consumption patterns, slowing and closing material loops, and using waste as a source of raw materials. Biowaste represents a key waste flow at the European scale. However, research on its application in the construction sector is still limited and product-oriented, with little insights into the processes of valorisation undertaken at the company's level. This study presents eleven case studies of Belgian small and medium-sized enterprises involved in biowaste valorisation in the construction sector in order to tackle this research gap in the Belgian context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify the enterprise's business profile and its current marketing practices, as well as to analyse opportunities and barriers for market expansion and highlight current research interests. Results show that the overall picture is extremely heterogeneous in terms of sourcing, production methods, and products, while the barriers and success factors that have been identified are recurrent. This study contributes to the circular economy research in the construction sector by providing insights into innovative waste-based materials and business models., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Super reconstructed foods (SRFs) have characteristics beyond those of real system in terms of nutrition, texture, appearance, and other properties. As 3D/4D food printing technology continues to be improved in recent years, this layered manufacturing/additive manufacturing preparation technology based on food reconstruction has made it possible to continuously develop large-scale manufacture of SRFs. Compared with the traditional reconstructed foods, SRFs prepared using 3D/4D printing technologies are discussed comprehensively in this review. To meet the requirements of customers in terms of nutrition or other characteristics, multi-processing technologies are being combined with 3D/4D printing. Aspects of printing inks, product quality parameters, and recent progress in SRFs based on 3D/4D printing are assessed systematically and discussed critically. The potential for 3D/4D printed SRFs and the need for further research and developments in this area are presented and discussed critically. In addition to the natural materials which were initially suitable for 3D/4D printing, other derivative components have already been applied, which include hydrogels, polysaccharide-based materials, protein-based materials, and smart materials with distinctive characteristics. SRFs based on 3D/4D printing can retain the characteristics of deconstruction and reconstruction while also exhibiting quality parameters beyond those of the original material systems, such as variable rheological properties, on-demand texture, essential printability, improved microstructure, improved nutrition, and more appealing appearance. SRFs with 3D/4D printing are already widely used in foods such as simulated foods, staple foods, fermented foods, foods for people with special dietary needs, and foods made from food processingbyproducts., (© 2024 Institute of Food Technologists®.)