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Research on modern agri-food chains aims to enhance flexibility by analyzing supply chain aspects to identify improvement opportunities. A SWOT analysis of 39 agri-food sector organizations using a SWOT analysis organized using the PESTEL and MEETHS categories was conducted to evaluate the stakeholders' needs in this sector of activity in Northern Portugal. Logistic regressions were used to compute inferential statistics, which were complemented with a qualitative analysis. Cooperatives and primary sector companies often claim superior product quality without clear evidence, while corporations integrated into competitive national markets, like those with smoked products, adapt better to dietary trends. Small- and medium-sized enterprises struggle with competitive wages, leading to high turnover and difficulty retaining skilled workers. High costs hinder many organizations, particularly cooperatives, from adopting modern communication technologies affecting competitiveness. Challenges include identifying market opportunities and managing global competition for raw materials, like wild fish. Fishing and meat sectors depend heavily on modern distribution and are dominated by large retailers. Low labor costs boost competitiveness but reflect the struggle to add value. Larger organizations are more optimistic though many face challenges with the cost and volatility of key products, like pork and milk. This study offers the following key recommendations: invest in technology and innovation while balancing short-term gains with long-term sustainability; strengthen strategic planning and collaboration among corporations, cooperatives, associations, and academic institutions; and adapt to regulatory changes, invest in market and technological capabilities, and address resource limitations. Research and collaboration with policymakers and academic institutions will support tailored solutions, enabling the sector to anticipate challenges and capitalize on opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The determining role that goat dairying can play in addressing the economic, social and environmental challenges that attack the world's population, mainly in developing countries, is internationally recognized. In Cuba, it has been evident that the benefits of these productions are not taken advantage of. Aim. Characterize the goat milk agri-food chain in the municipality of Jimaguayú for its contribution to local development, based on the use of endogenous potential. Materials and methods: The study has a descriptive-explanatory nature. It is evident that the goat dairy has the potential to positively impact the social, economic and environmental dimensions of local development in Jimaguayú, for which management with a chain approach is required based on a methodology adjusted to the Cuban context. Results: The world herd of dairy goats registered in 2019 was 215 316.93 animals with a milk production equivalent to 19 910 379 tons in the year. The Asian continent with 50.82% of the world's dairy goat stock contributed with the highest milk production (58.67%). Conclusions: They offer information to contribute to decision-making on duly reasoned bases; in relation to the organization of production with a territorial focus and for the improvement of the Municipal Strategic Diagnosis as the base moment of the Municipal Strategic Planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Przeglad Prawa Rolnego is the property of Adam Mickiewicz University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article aims to communicate sustainability dimensions and attributes for poultry production throughout a supply chain by developing a Nature Farming (NF) system standard. Poultry production is relevant for food security and job creation, an important economic activity and a significant export item in Brazil. The NF poultry production system was implemented in the 90s as a pioneering initiative, opening space for differentiated products. However, certification of NF poultry products has yet to be established and implemented to reach consumers. The NF products are identified as organic on labels, which does not distinguish the method’s sustainability, and communication of specificities needs to be more efficient. We studied the process of establishing a private food standard with a sustainable approach, considering perceptions of the supply chain's agents. The method was a case study of a poultry company that applies NF system. The qualitative research involved interviews with 27 company managers, 23 poultry producers, seven farm assistance technicians, 11 auditors, and 12 commercial managers. The results showed innovation by introducing a Nature Farming poultry standard comprising product attributes and sustainability criteria in the dimensions: environmental, economic, and social in conjunction with two significant dimensions, which are ethical and health. Our findings indicated that Nature Farming is a specific style of agriculture that is diverse from other currents of alternative agriculture. We proposed expressions and claims about the system’s quality attributes, aiming at the clarity of communication with consumers. We concluded that the developed standard might be the basis for certification of products. This work contributes to improving food supply chain management with differentiated and sustainable processes.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major global commodity and the primary source for baked products in agri-food supply chains. Consumers are increasingly demanding more nutritious food products with less environmental degradation, particularly related to water and fertilizer nitrogen (N) inputs. While triticale (× Triticosecale) is often referenced as having superior abiotic stress tolerance compared to wheat, few studies have compared crop productivity and resource use efficiencies under a range of N-and water-limited conditions. Because previous work has shown that blending wheat with triticale in a 40:60 ratio can yield acceptable and more nutritious baked products, we tested the hypothesis that increasing the use of triticale grain in the baking supply chain would reduce the environmental footprint for water and N fertilizer use. Using a dataset comprised of 37 site-years encompassing normal and stress-induced environments in California, we assessed yield, yield stability, and the efficiency of water and fertilizer N use for 67 and 17 commercial varieties of wheat and triticale, respectively. By identifying environments that favor one crop type over the other, we then quantified the sustainability implications of producing a mixed triticale-wheat flour at the regional scale. Results indicate that triticale outyielded wheat by 11% (p

Research on modern agri-food chains aims to enhance flexibility by analyzing supply chain aspects to identify improvement opportunities. A SWOT analysis of 39 agri-food sector organizations using a SWOT analysis organized using the PESTEL and MEETHS categories was conducted to evaluate the stakeholders’ needs in this sector of activity in Northern Portugal. Logistic regressions were used to compute inferential statistics, which were complemented with a qualitative analysis. Cooperatives and primary sector companies often claim superior product quality without clear evidence, while corporations integrated into competitive national markets, like those with smoked products, adapt better to dietary trends. Small- and medium-sized enterprises struggle with competitive wages, leading to high turnover and difficulty retaining skilled workers. High costs hinder many organizations, particularly cooperatives, from adopting modern communication technologies affecting competitiveness. Challenges include identifying market opportunities and managing global competition for raw materials, like wild fish. Fishing and meat sectors depend heavily on modern distribution and are dominated by large retailers. Low labor costs boost competitiveness but reflect the struggle to add value. Larger organizations are more optimistic though many face challenges with the cost and volatility of key products, like pork and milk. This study offers the following key recommendations: invest in technology and innovation while balancing short-term gains with long-term sustainability; strengthen strategic planning and collaboration among corporations, cooperatives, associations, and academic institutions; and adapt to regulatory changes, invest in market and technological capabilities, and address resource limitations. Research and collaboration with policymakers and academic institutions will support tailored solutions, enabling the sector to anticipate challenges and capitalize on opportunities.

The article argues that, in order to study, experiment and implement models useful for the repression and, in any case, the prevention of caporalato, a dialogue between labour law and competition law is indispensable. After an analysis of the causes of labour exploitation in the agricultural sector, tracing it back in particular to the weak position of production companies in the market, the author notes the bias of the responses so far experimented by the legislator on this issue, in so far as they are limited to a perspective of merely individual protection of workers. Instead, he proposes that labour exploitation should also be combated by means of corrective action on pricing practices in the business-to-business relationship, capable of freeing the producer's income (in)stability from the power imbalances inherent in the supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of the meat chain is well-known, beginning with the Pre-harvest (feed, farm biosecurity, herd/flock health status, animal welfare, transportation, livestock market/abattoir lairage), followed by Harvest (slaughter, dressing, chilling) and Post-harvest (deboning, meat processing, packaging, distribution, retail, consumer) modules. Over the previous decade, consumer awareness increased globally towards animal health, animal welfare and food safety issues, including food quality, food fraud, sustainability and climate change impact on meat production. Therefore, consumers demand proper and accurate information on the aforementioned issues in real time for making informed choices when buying their preferred meat/meat products. The transformation of traditional meat value chains towards sustainability needs reliable and affordable tools to optimize such transformation and achieve higher levels of food safety. Sensing systems (biosensors) and their regular use within an integrated meat production chain, from farm-to-fork, can play an important role and be a part of the solution for climate-smart and sustainable agri-food chain considering biosensor function in early and accurate detection of food(meat)-borne pathogens and other food contaminants (residues). The application of biosensors can provide accurate and concentrated data on animal health and welfare, including food borne hazards, to support food safety risk assessment in both, 'traditional' and 'novel' (cell-based meat) meat value chains for the benefit of the global population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria due to the overuse or inappropriate use of antibiotics has become a significant public health concern. The agri‐food chain, which serves as a vital link between the environment, food, and human, contributes to the large‐scale dissemination of antibiotic resistance, posing a concern to both food safety and human health. Identification and evaluation of antibiotic resistance of foodborne bacteria is a crucial priority to avoid antibiotic abuse and ensure food safety. However, the conventional approach for detecting antibiotic resistance heavily relies on culture‐based methods, which are laborious and time‐consuming. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop accurate and rapid tools for diagnosing antibiotic resistance in foodborne pathogens. This review aims to provide an overview of the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance at both phenotypic and genetic levels, with a focus on identifying potential biomarkers for diagnosing antibiotic resistance in foodborne pathogens. Furthermore, an overview of advances in the strategies based on the potential biomarkers (antibiotic resistance genes, antibiotic resistance‐associated mutations, antibiotic resistance phenotypes) for antibiotic resistance analysis of foodborne pathogens is systematically exhibited. This work aims to provide guidance for the advancement of efficient and accurate diagnostic techniques for antibiotic resistance analysis in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent policy of Green Deal aims to a transition towards ‘healthy, equitable and sustainable communities’. One of the key sectors analysed within the Green Deal is the agri-food chain, with the strategy ‘From Farm to Fork’, aiming to design a sustainable food system from production to consumption, passing through industry processing, distribution, and all the related activities. For the agricultural sector, the objectives are in line with those presented in the United Nations 2030 Agenda, from technologies and digitalization, to organic farming. Concerning the transformation and distribution phases, the Commission is promoting the technological and technical innovation, the restructuring of companies and the improvement of the quality of work. The aim of this study is to perform a Life Cycle Assessment related to one of the main products of a company in the agri-food sector in central Italy. The product analysed was durum wheat pasta. A cradle-to-gate analysis was performed, starting from the cultivation of the wheat, arriving at the final pasta product. Different transformation steps were evaluated (e.g., cleaning, grinding, compression, extrusion). The analysis was aimed to identify the most critical phases along the chain, to plan improvements in terms of efficiency of the production process, with consequent enhancement of the environmental performance.

Due to recurring food quality and safety issues, growing segments of consumers, especially in developed markets, and regulators in agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) require a fast and trustworthy system to retrieve necessary information on their food products. With the existing centralized traceability systems used in AFSCs, it is difficult to acquire full traceability information, and there are risks of information loss and data tampering. To address these challenges, research on the application of blockchain technology (BCT) for traceability systems in the agri-food sector is increasing, and startup companies have emerged in recent years. However, there have been only a limited number of reviews on the application of BCT in the agriculture sector, especially those that focus on the BCT-based traceability of agricultural goods. To bridge this knowledge gap, we reviewed 78 studies that integrated BCT into traceability systems in AFSCs and additional relevant papers, mapping out the main types of food traceability information. The findings indicated that the existing BCT-based traceability systems focus more on fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, and milk. A BCT-based traceability system enables one to develop and implement a decentralized, immutable, transparent, and reliable system in which process automation facilitates the monitoring of real-time data and decision-making activities. We also mapped out the main traceability information, key information providers, and challenges and benefits of the BCT-based traceability systems in AFSCs. These helped to design, develop, and implement BCT-based traceability systems, which, in turn, will contribute to the transition to smart AFSC systems. This study comprehensively illustrated that implementing BCT-based traceability systems also has important, positive implications for improving AFSC management, e.g., reductions in food loss and food recall incidents and the achievement of the United Nations SDGs (1, 3, 5, 9, 12). This will contribute to existing knowledge and be useful for academicians, managers, and practitioners in AFSCs, as well as policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on food loss and waste (FLW) is quite limited in emerging countries, such as Romania, as the phenomenon, its consequences, and implications are not yet properly understood by both policy makers and consumers. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to conduct representative research in Romania to identify the main clusters of consumers depending on their food waste behaviour. By means of cluster analysis, we highlight the main consumer typologies in Romania, regarding their food waste behaviour. The main findings reveal the presence of three distinct segments of consumer typologies based on their food waste behaviour, including low-income young wasters, conscious middle-age wasters, and well-educated mature non-wasters. This study highlights the need for targeted interventions that consider the unique characteristics and behaviours of each segment to effectively reduce FLW at the household level. Overall, this paper provides important insights for academia and for policymakers in the field of FLW management. The food loss and waste behaviour has significant economic, social, and environmental impacts, and reducing it requires a common effort from all stakeholders. Reducing food waste presents challenges, but also presents an opportunity to improve economic, social, and environmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomatoes are one of the major productions in Italy. One of the main cultivation areas is the southern plain of Capitanata (Puglia, Southern Italy). However, a series of impacts from cultivation to distribution are connected to this production. Different methodologies have been proposed to evaluate and quantify these impacts from the single product to the supply chain. This work proposes a methodology for assessing environmental sustainability, using the agri-food chain of industrial tomatoes in a specific area of Italy (Puglia) as a case study. The theoretical approach adopted refers to the paradigm of ecological economics, recalling the concept of strong sustainability through the conservation of natural capital and its non-replacement with economic capital. This condition can be assessed through the ecological balance tool by comparing the availability and use of natural capital in economic activities. The aim of this study was to understand the extent of the load generated on the environment, thus evaluating whether the carrying capacity of the agricultural system was able to support the environmental load of the entire supply chain. The results show an overall unsustainability of the entire supply chain with a value of EB = −1911.49 gha. The agricultural phase is the only one to present a positive value EB = +62.99 gha, which fails to compensate for the impacts of the transport (EB = −349.13) and industrial (EB = −1630.96) phases. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the sustainability of the tomato food chain using the ecological footprint method. In the agricultural sector, there is a constant search for tools capable of combining economic efficiency and environmental sustainability. In this sense, the ecological footprint methodology provides essential information that can be used by policymakers of different levels to define sustainable development strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses a long-standing discussion on what are the major sources of power asymmetry among the suppliers and the buyers in the agri-food chain, and thus, a primary cause of pursuing various kinds of so-called unfair trading practices. Basically, three theoretical frameworks stay beyond combating against these practices: market power, economic dependence, and bargaining power approach. The setting of personal scope in the new EU Directive 2019/633 profoundly prefers the lastly mentioned theoretical framework. But does such a preference signify the true triumph of the bargaining power conception? The paper intends to scrutinize it using an evaluation of the major traits of the frameworks, stressing that some of them may allow for the protection of those entrepreneurs who are not in need of it. The analysis of the ways how the Directive has been implemented in the Member States then indicates that such giant suppliers continuously enjoy protection in several countries. A special attention is devoted to Czech legislation whose development may serve as a kind of a natural experiment of how these competing conceptions function in the practice.

For a value-chain to be sustainable, the main challenge is sometimes its durability. When stakeholders are lost in the shifting maze of economic, social and environmental issues, participatory foresight methods help them consider the options and choose a strategy to follow. The aim is to create several scenarios of evolution of the value-chain and select desirable scenarios. Because of the global context in 2020 and 2021, implementing methodological and organizational adaptations in the classic “scenario method” from Michel Godet was necessary. These adaptations are exemplified by the case study of the prospective for the French pork value-chain in the next 5 years. Indeed, this value-chain touches particularly on certain contemporary concerns, with much discussion about its environmental footprint, its human resource challenge and its social acceptability, as is the case for most food value-chains in developed countries.

Copyright of Przeglad Prawa Rolnego is the property of Adam Mickiewicz University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major global commodity and the primary source for baked products in agri-food supply chains. Consumers are increasingly demanding more nutritious food products with less environmental degradation, particularly related to water and fertilizer nitrogen (N) inputs. While triticale (× Triticosecale) is often referenced as having superior abiotic stress tolerance compared to wheat, few studies have compared crop productivity and resource use efficiencies under a range of N-and water-limited conditions. Because previous work has shown that blending wheat with triticale in a 40:60 ratio can yield acceptable and more nutritious baked products, we tested the hypothesis that increasing the use of triticale grain in the baking supply chain would reduce the environmental footprint for water and N fertilizer use. Using a dataset comprised of 37 site-years encompassing normal and stress-induced environments in California, we assessed yield, yield stability, and the efficiency of water and fertilizer N use for 67 and 17 commercial varieties of wheat and triticale, respectively. By identifying environments that favor one crop type over the other, we then quantified the sustainability implications of producing a mixed triticale-wheat flour at the regional scale. Results indicate that triticale outyielded wheat by 11% (p

The article examines the issues of intersectoral price relations in agri-food chains in Ukraine. It is proved that the imbalance of relations between different spheres of the agro-industrial complex due to price disparity causes the withdrawal of financial resources from one industry to another, without creating conditions for expanded reproduction. The factors influencing prices in agri-food chains are systematized: inflation, disparity, currency fluctuations, sales channels, etc. It is confirmed that the subjects of entrepreneurial activity of the agricultural sector of economy operated in conditions of price disparity during 2000–2019, which led to a relatively low value of their profitability. At the level of a participant in the chain of food industry entities, the price index for food industry products has been exceeded over the agricultural level, but there is a very low level of profitability – 1.4% in 2019. Analytically proved existence of a disparity between retail prices for food and agricultural products provides a profitability of wholesale and retail trade at 15.8–23.3%. Violation of the equivalence of exchange in supply chains at the level of wholesale and retail trade leads to the entry of agricultural enterprises into vertically integrated associations of the holding type. It is substantiated that ensuring the equivalence of exchange in agri-food chains requires the introduction of a set of value-added tools in the agricultural sector of antitrust regulation, market infrastructure development, rural cooperation and integration, and support for the development of small producers.

Due to recurring food quality and safety issues, growing segments of consumers, especially in developed markets, and regulators in agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) require a fast and trustworthy system to retrieve necessary information on their food products. With the existing centralized traceability systems used in AFSCs, it is difficult to acquire full traceability information, and there are risks of information loss and data tampering. To address these challenges, research on the application of blockchain technology (BCT) for traceability systems in the agri-food sector is increasing, and startup companies have emerged in recent years. However, there have been only a limited number of reviews on the application of BCT in the agriculture sector, especially those that focus on the BCT-based traceability of agricultural goods. To bridge this knowledge gap, we reviewed 78 studies that integrated BCT into traceability systems in AFSCs and additional relevant papers, mapping out the main types of food traceability information. The findings indicated that the existing BCT-based traceability systems focus more on fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, and milk. A BCT-based traceability system enables one to develop and implement a decentralized, immutable, transparent, and reliable system in which process automation facilitates the monitoring of real-time data and decision-making activities. We also mapped out the main traceability information, key information providers, and challenges and benefits of the BCT-based traceability systems in AFSCs. These helped to design, develop, and implement BCT-based traceability systems, which, in turn, will contribute to the transition to smart AFSC systems. This study comprehensively illustrated that implementing BCT-based traceability systems also has important, positive implications for improving AFSC management, e.g., reductions in food loss and food recall incidents and the achievement of the United Nations SDGs (1, 3, 5, 9, 12). This will contribute to existing knowledge and be useful for academicians, managers, and practitioners in AFSCs, as well as policymakers.

Research on food loss and waste (FLW) is quite limited in emerging countries, such as Romania, as the phenomenon, its consequences, and implications are not yet properly understood by both policy makers and consumers. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to conduct representative research in Romania to identify the main clusters of consumers depending on their food waste behaviour. By means of cluster analysis, we highlight the main consumer typologies in Romania, regarding their food waste behaviour. The main findings reveal the presence of three distinct segments of consumer typologies based on their food waste behaviour, including low-income young wasters, conscious middle-age wasters, and well-educated mature non-wasters. This study highlights the need for targeted interventions that consider the unique characteristics and behaviours of each segment to effectively reduce FLW at the household level. Overall, this paper provides important insights for academia and for policymakers in the field of FLW management. The food loss and waste behaviour has significant economic, social, and environmental impacts, and reducing it requires a common effort from all stakeholders. Reducing food waste presents challenges, but also presents an opportunity to improve economic, social, and environmental outcomes.

Copyright of Eutopía: Revista de Desarrollo Económico Territorial is the property of Eutopia: Revista de Desarrollo Economico Territorial and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To characterize the goat producers according to the industrial destinations of the milk, in order to analyze the coordination mechanisms established in the agri-food chain. Design/Methodology/Approach: A survey was applied to 122 randomly selected goat producers. Taking into account two industrial destinations, a socioeconomic, productive, and commercial comparison was carried out, through T-tests for independent means. In order to analyze the coordination mechanisms, the data were complemented interviewing owners of collection centers and businessmen who processed milk. Results: The producers had small herds and a basic level of education. They used family workforce. The lack of organization in the sale limited their participation in the agri-food chain coordination. Milk processing companies coordinate their efforts, organizing the collection, reaching trade agreements, setting prices, and establishing quality rules, usually through informal agreements. Limitations/Implications: State intervention is necessary to regulate relations between the actors of the agri-food chain. Findings/Conclusions: The informality of coordination mechanisms favors agribusiness and turns them into forms of domination that ensure their profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study started from the premise that between the notions of short chain and agrifood chain there is a relationship as part to whole, and this paper aims to identify the differences between the two notions. Also, the concept of "local food system" will be analyzed, as it includes a short chain or a direct sale that meets other features. The study presents the triple end result approach of sustainable agriculture in the context of the creation of short chains or agri-food chains by showing off the benefits of these systems on the social, financial and environmental environment. At the end a study case for Romania high lightens the importance of creating and developing short food supply chains and the importance of support associations.

The article considers the peculiarities of the formation of intersectoral relations in the agro-food complex of the country, taking into account their impact on the creation of value added by type of economic activity. The need to ensure the principle of equivalent intersectoral exchange and components that contribute to the increase of value added has been proved. It is established that during 2010-2018 the value of gross agricultural output in the prices of the reporting year increased 4.6 times, but in comparative prices in 2016 there was an increase of only 1.41 times, which is evidence of the impact of inflation. It is determined that the share of the processing industry in 2010-2018 in the structure of gross domestic product decreased by 5.8%, which is an unfavorable factor in terms of opportunities for value added. There was an increase in the share of agri-food exports in the structure of total exports compared to 2018 by 5 percentage points, the largest increase in supplies of crop products, which occurred due to the imbalance of relations between producers and processors of agricultural products. It is estimated that during 2010-2018 in agricultural enterprises gross value added increased 6 times, in households - 3.4 times. It is substantiated that there is an increase in the volume of unearned gross value added of business entities in the field of agriculture during the study period from the violation of the equivalence of intersectoral relations, which exacerbates the crisis in the industry. It is established that in basic prices the volumes of production of gross value added of the food industry increased for the period of 2000-2018 almost in 1,7 times, and with use of a deflator only by 50%. The growth of the share of GVA in trade in the overall structure of gross value added is proved, which indicates the strengthening of its role in the formation of value added of agri-food. The calculation of the change in the value of airborne forces using the deflator proves a slight increase, which suggests the effect of inflation on the value of the indicator. It is generalized that unfavorable conditions for the formation of gross value added due to inequality of exchange with the food industry and trade have been created for agriculture, which requires the introduction of the process of regulating the formation of gross value added of the agricultural sector.

Agri–food sector is one of the biggest and most supported economic sectors in the EU. It is a key sector for sustainable economic development and food safety and security. The EU Common Agricultural Policy (hereinafter CAP) is its backbone – it helps farmers with income support and market measures on the one hand and, on the other hand, it ensures sustainable rural development in individual EU countries. Despite of the huge support agricultural sectors in Member States are facing serious problems – in Slovakia it is especially the low level of domestic agricultural production, low quality of food products, high unemployment rate especially among young people, ageing of population and abandonment of rural areas. Looking for solutions for these problems mentioned there is a great challenge for relevant public authorities and for the academic sector, as well. Based on these facts the initiative to submit a project proposal has arisen within the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence – which would respond on challenges in this field. The project (Centre of Excellence for European Agri-Food Chain – CEEAG 611446-EPP-1-2019-1-SK-EPPJMO-CoE) has been granted and its main focus will start from important and irreplaceable role of agriculture and food industry in national economies of (not only) Member States via ensuring their food security under conditions given by the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) – one of the most supported policies in the EU.

Population growth and globalization are currently having many negative effects on the agri-food sector's ability to ensure safe and qualitative food. Use of medicines and chemicals in animal husbandry can considerably increases production and animals' resistance to disease and pests. Elevated levels of exposure to food contaminated with chemical residues from the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry and various growth hormones are very dangerous to human health. They contribute to genetic changes at the cellular level and decreased resistance of the body to viruses and bacteria. Frequent use of antibiotics may result in chemical residues in milk, meat, eggs and honey due to large-scale application of drugs in veterinary practice. In addition to its toxicity, antibiotic residues are carcinogenic and ingested in the long term lead to increased tolerance to medication against human diseases caused by deadly bacteria. Continuous monitoring of the production phase of the agri-food chain is absolutely necessary to identify the risks of contamination and reduce the use of illegal antibiotics in animal husbandry. This research aims to determine the main causes of food contamination with chemical residues and to create an overview of the negative effects that antibiotics have on human health.

The term food loss and waste (FLW) refers to discarded food during the different stages of the food chain. Food loss occurs during the initial stages of the food chain, and food waste occurs during the final stages. The relation between FLW and circular economy (CE) is particularly important for countries which are beginning to implement actions or regulations on this topic. These proposals may have an impact in strategic sectors of their economy. The objective of this review document was to analyse the regulations of FLW and CE in some countries located throughout the European Union, Asia, Africa and Latin America. To fulfil this objective, FLW and CE regulations were identified and analysed in 12 countries located in the aforementioned regions. The analysis showed that France, Spain, Japan and Uruguay included objectives related to FLW in their CE legislations focusing on food waste reduction, whereas China, Chile, Argentina and Mexico did not include FLW in their CE legislations. African countries did not have CE legislations in place yet. France and Japan have had more success in the reduction of FLW. In conclusion, CE regulation should include FLW regulation to achieve more efficiency at reducing and reusing these residues., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Even though the problem of resource depletion of our planet is getting increasingly worse, most of the input of agro-food industry is discarded, causing expensive management and disposal issues. According to the Circular Economy principles, these problems can be faced by giving more value to wastage, turning it into inputs to innovative supply chains: the biorefineries. The BIOWAFER project addresses those issues investigating how agri-food by-products consistently produced in Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy) can be assigned to consecutive biorefinery processes integrated in order to obtain high-added value molecules for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Among all food chains considered, tomato, wine and cheese industries were chosen for waste valorisation. In order to overcome the seasonal waste production, a detailed analysis of storage and stabilization of the by-products was performed. Streptococcus zooepidemicus was chosen to obtain hyaluronic acid through waste fermentation process. The biorefinery was integrated with waste bioconversion by Hermetia illucens larvae followed by sustainable chemical extraction processes of potential antioxidants, lipids and peptides. Finally, the residues of all the above-mentioned phases will be used for pyro-gasification, to obtain biochar and syngas for agronomic and energy purposes respectively, allowing the closure of the supply chains in a circular way. Many other circular approaches are presented in literature, but, in our knowledge, no one use fermentation coupled with larvae rearing for waste reduction and conversion. Despite some challenges in scaling-up the proposed biorefinery, the project aims to overcome a linear production system by making the supply chains increasingly circular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important goal across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and globally, is to foster a healthy nutrition. A strengthening of the diversity, sustainability, resilience and connectivity of food systems is increasingly seen as a key leverage point. Governance arrangements play a central role in connecting sustainable, resilient farming with healthy nutrition. In this article, we elaborate a framework for assessing, monitoring and improving the governance of food systems. Our focus is on food chains in six peri-urban and urban regions in SSA. A literature review on food chain governance and a mapping of current agri-food chains in the six regions provide the basis for the elaboration of an indicator-based assessment framework. The framework is adapted to the specific conditions of SSA and related goals. The assessment framework is then used to identify the challenges and opportunities in food chain governance in the six regions. The first testing of the framework indicates that the approach can help to identify disconnects, conflicting goals and tensions in food systems, and to formulate strategies for empowering agri-food chain actors in transitioning toward more efficient, equitable and sustainable agri-food systems. The article is concluded with a brief reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of the framework and suggests further testing and refinement.

Copyright of Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae is the property of Uniwerystet Kardynala Stefana Wyznskiege w Warzawie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study started from the premise that between the notions of short chain and agrifood chain there is a relationship as part to whole, and this paper aims to identify the differences between the two notions. Also, the concept of "local food system" will be analyzed, as it includes a short chain or a direct sale that meets other features. The study presents the triple end result approach of sustainable agriculture in the context of the creation of short chains or agri-food chains by showing off the benefits of these systems on the social, financial and environmental environment. At the end a study case for Romania high lightens the importance of creating and developing short food supply chains and the importance of support associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalization transforms many industries, especially manufacturing, with new concepts such as Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things. However, information technology also has the potential to integrate and connect the various steps in the supply chain. For the food industry, the situation is ambivalent: It has a high level of automatization, but the potential of digitalization is so far not used today. In this review, we discuss current trends in information technology that have the potential to transform the food industry into an integrated food system. We show how this digital transformation can integrate various activities within the agri-food chain and support the idea of integrated food systems. Based on a future-use case, we derive the potential of digitalization to tackle future challenges in the food industry and present a research agenda.

Provision of safe food and food security are the most studied topics of current era. Assurance of food safety in developing countries i.e., India and Pakistan are always compromised due to lack of an appropriate structure and framework. Though there are a lot of legislations and laws in the Constitution of Pakistan, which ensure various aspects of food chain. But their focus is mainly food chain management and marketing. Due to poorly legislative framework, various food borne infectious diseases have been prevailed in Pakistani community. In 2011, a semi government authority was formed in biggest province of Pakistan, which focused on the provision of safe food, but that authority is still in legalization process. Overall, there is deficiency of a legal framework for food safety and food security for indigenous as well as overseas food trade. Current study focuses on the root causes of lack of regulations and implementation of food safety laws in Pakistan, and glimpse on food safety issues including suggestions to solve this problem. A brief description of the pre-existing laws and regulations related to food safety and food quality management for variety of raw and processed foods have been criticized. Reasons for poor implementation of laws are discussed and possibilities to improve this legal framework are suggested. Furthermore, role of citizens and their awareness has been explored to maintain and develop a legal framework to ensure food safety throughout agri-food chain. As the main reason for lack of regulations is unawareness of public about the importance of food safety regulative framework, lack of demand and interest for safe food. This review shows a brief overview of the existing national food safety laws and also it finds out some entry points where citizens can play their role in making these laws more effective. Moreover, role of Food Authority has been discussed and role WTO-SPS agreement for global trade with Pakistan is elaborated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Highlights • The pasta supply chain represents an example of circular economy. • Each kg of pasta produces about 1.98 kg of FLW throughout its entire lifecycle. • Approximately 94% of FLW per kg of produced pasta is reused in alternative sectors. • Aligning to the literature most FLW happen in agricultural and consumption phases. Abstract Food loss and waste (FLW) is one of the most serious social, economic and environmental issues undermining our planet's sustainability, and by reducing it some UN Sustainable Development Goals may be achieved. The European Commission Circular Economy (CE) Package foresees FLW prevention, but to date few studies have adopted the CE perspective for analysing FLW. In 2017 only 20% of the world's 50 largest food companies have established FLW reduction programs. However, reducing FLW is also beneficial for company economic sustainability since it was observed that for every dollar invested in reducing FLW there is a saving of 14 dollars in operating costs. Therefore, main aim of this research is to quantify the main FLW and their causes along the FSC of the pasta production and to understand if these FLW could be reused according to the CE approach. Based on a single case study analysis, for the first time, this study quantifies FLW along the pasta supply chain, emphasizing FLW valorisation from a CE perspective using the global Food Loss and Waste Accounting and Reporting Standard. Our results show that pasta supply chain is a good example of CE as little is lost. Food losses in the field are very limited (less than 2%), while the straw obtained during the harvest is normally used as animal feed and litter. The losses generated during the grinding of the wheat and pasta production amounted to approximately 2%. In line with previous literature, most FLW occurs during the cultivation and consumption, thus demonstrating that further research is required in order to reduce FLW in these two supply chain phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, one in every three produced kilograms is wasted at some point along the entire agri-food chain. Unfortunately, knowledge about losses and waste is not equally distributed along the food chain. In fact, in some stages the primary data required to properly estimate the magnitude of the problem are lacking. This is especially true for agricultural production, for which studies that have used on-site measurements are scarce. The present study analyses the mass losses and unpaid share that occur during the harvest process and persimmon storage in warehouses in the Valencia region, Spain. The study was carried out using on-site measurements and primary data from the harvest and storage phases. Losses were also classified according to their causes. The total mass and economic losses were estimated as either 29.5% for the total produced volume or 38.5% for the number of finally commercialised kilograms. This work aims to highlight the complex problem in primary production with the mass and economic losses that farmers bear and to show the potential of loss reduction measures.