Davide Menozzi

Towards a sustainable diet combining economic, environmental and nutritional objectives

Foods consumed and dietary patterns are strong determinants of health status. Diet and nutrition have a key role in health promotion and maintenance during the entire lifetime, but what we choose to eat and drink greatly affects the environmental impact on ecosystems as well as monetary resources. Some studies suggest that a healthy diet with a low environmental impact is not necessarily more expensive. This paper aims to identify a healthy, greener and cheaper diet based on current consumption patterns. Dietary information was collected from 104 young adults in the last year of high school in Parma (Italy). Diet was monitored with 7-day dietary records. Subsequently, food items were decoded to obtain nutritional, economic and environmental impact data. An optimization tool based on mathematical programming (Multi-Objective Linear Programming) was used to identify sustainable diet. Three different 7-day diets were identified, based on nutrition recommendations for the healthy Italian adult population, characterized by different targets and optimizing different impacts: first the diet at the lowest cost (Minimum Cost Diet - MCD), then the Environmentally Sustainable Diet (ESD) obtained by minimizing the three environmental indicators (CO2e emissions, H2O consumption and amount of land to regenerate the resources - m(2)). Finally, the Sustainable Diet (SD) was identified by integrating environmental and economic sustainability objectives. Lastly, suggestions and recommendations for communication campaigns and other interventions to achieve sustainable diet are suggested.

Explaining Vegetable Consumption among Young Adults: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Although fruit and vegetable consumption is highly recommended for a healthy and balanced daily diet, several European countries do not meet these recommendations. In Italy, only 45% of young people are consuming at least one portion of vegetables per day. Therefore, this paper aims to understand the main determinants of vegetables consumption among young adults to suggest possible intervention strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a samples of Italian students (n = 751), using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as a conceptual framework. A structural equation model (SEM) was developed to test the TPB predictors for vegetable consumption, and the role of background factors (socio-demographic and personal characteristics) in improving the TPB model’s explaining power. Overall, 81% and 68%, respectively, of intentions and behaviour variance is explained by the TPB model. Socio-demographic and personal characteristics were found to influence intentions and behaviour indirectly by their effects on the theory’s more proximal determinants. Interventions should be targeted to improve perceived behavioural control (PBC), attitudes and subjective norms that significantly affect intentions. Tailored interventions for male students, enrolled in courses other than food science, and doing less physical activity may have a larger effect on behavioural change.

Factors affecting the adoption of genetically modified animals in the food and pharmaceutical chains.

The production of genetically modified (GM) animals is an emerging technique that could potentially impact the livestock and pharmaceutical industries. Currently, food products derived from GM animals have not yet entered the market whilst two pharmaceutical products have. The objective of this paper is twofold: first it aims to explore the socio-economic drivers affecting the use of GM animals and, second, to review the risks and benefits from the point of view of the life sciences. A scoping study was conducted to assess research relevant to understanding the main drivers influencing the adoption of GM applications and their potential risks and benefits. Public and producers’ acceptance, public policies, human health, animal welfare, environmental impact and sustainability are considered as the main factors affecting the application of GM animal techniques in livestock and pharmaceutical chains.

Consumer attitude towards sustainable-labelled wine: an exploratory approach.

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate, using an exploratory approach, how environmental values and beliefs about sustainable labelling shape consumer attitude towards sustainable wine. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected with an online survey from 495 Italian wine drinkers in 2013. The survey was advertised through websites, blogs, social networks and emails. Based on background research and literature review, ten hypotheses were tested. Then a structural equation model was constructed using latent variables to test the causal links specified in the model. Findings – The results show that attitude towards sustainable-labelled wine is shaped by both environmental and quality beliefs about sustainable wine, while it is not affected by the economic dimension of sustainability. In addition, age appears to have a slight effect on attitude because young consumers seem to be more interested in sustainability aspects of food products than older people are. Practical implications – The paper sugge...

Factors driving sustainable choice: the case of wine

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to explore the concept of consumers’ perception of sustainable wine and second, to investigate different clusters based on three factors identified (belief about environmental protection, beliefs about sustainable wine certification and attitude towards sustainable-labelled wine) and willingness to pay (WTP). Then, socio-demographic characteristics have been considered to assess whether group’s composition differ considerably. Design/methodology/approach – After preliminary literature review and qualitative analysis through focus groups, data were collected with a web-based questionnaire from 495 Italian wine drinkers. Factor analysis and cluster analysis were carried out using SPSS (21.0) statistical software packages. Findings – The cluster analysis based on the three factors identified confirms the presence of different segments of consumers. Four groups were identified and named: Well-disposed; Not interested; Skeptical; Adverse. Cluster analysis ...

Farmer’s motivation to adopt sustainable agricultural practices

The 2014-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform defines new rules for farmers including maintenance of the ecological focus area (EFA). Sustainability is also a requirement to meet consumer expectations and a competitive advantage for firms. This paper aims to evaluate the farmers’ intention to implement sustainable practices related to the EFA measure and to the private sustainability schemes proposed by the food industry. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was applied on a sample of durum wheat producers to analyse intentions 1) to maintain 7% of the arable land as an EFA, and 2) to implement the private sustainability scheme. Structural equation modelling was applied to test for the relative importance of intention determinants. The farmers’ attitude and past behaviour positively affect intentions to implement the EFA, while perceived behavioural control and attitudes predict intentions to adopt the private sustainability scheme. These results suggest possible interventions that public authorities and supply chain leaders might implement to stimulate farmers’ sustainable behaviours.

Benefits of traceability in food markets: Consumers’ perception and action

Abstract Food traceability is generally considered as a tool which provides consumers with targeted information and which can facilitate the withdrawal and recall of food and feed products. The aim of this research is to examine Italian consumers’ perception of traceability. Two different products, chicken and honey, were examined in order to evaluate the main drivers of attitude and behaviour towards traceable food. The theory of planned behaviour was used as a theoretical framework to identify main attitude–behavioural relations. Scores on factor analysed and multi-dimensional concepts were used to segment consumers into clusters with different profiles of attitude, perception, trust and habit with regards to food traceability. The resulting segments were investigated for differences in willingness to pay and intention to purchase traceable chicken and honey. The findings could help to design targeted public and private interventions.

Extra-virgin olive oil production sustainability in northern Italy: a preliminary study

Purpose – Sustainability of the origin-based production and promotion system of a geographical indication (GI) depends on the remuneration from the market and the local resources reproduction. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the sustainability and the development of olive growing and extra-virgin olive oil production in the Emilia Provinces (northern Italy) using the origin-based quality virtuous circle as a conceptual framework. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 11 personal interviews and one focus group with six olive producers were conducted to assess the product potential and the willingness to set up rules for value creation and preservation of local resources. A survey of 100 extra-virgin olive oil consumers was performed to examine the product perception and consumers’ willingness to pay. Findings – The origin-based quality virtuous circle was used as a conceptual framework to deal with the different aspects involved in the development and sustainability of the GI system. The results...

Rintracciabilità, qualità e sicurezza alimentare nella percezione dei consumatori

In response to consumers’ increasing concerns about food safety, both supply chain operators and public authorities have developed, in the last decade, labelling schemes to provide markets with more information. Although some level of traceability is necessary to provide consumers with valuable information (such as country-of-origin, production process, ecc.), it is not clear so far if traceability per se is important to consumers. The objective of this paper is to analyse consumers’ perception of food traceability with respect to two food products: chicken and honey. More specifically, it aims to provide more insights for both policy makers and supply chain actors into Italian consumer’s perception and preferences for different attributes connected to traceability. After a preliminary qualitative phase, a choice experiment (ce) was employed on a sample of Italian consumers to analyse preferences for different profiles of chicken and honey. ce methodology allows to weight the relative importance of any given attribute for consumers, providing an estimation of their marginal willingness to pay (wtp). A multinomial logit (ml) and a latent class (lc) model were applied to estimate the parameters associated to each product’s attribute. The lc model, in particular, fitted better the data providing more detailed results able to capture heterogeneity of preferences across the considered products. One of the findings in this study is that traceability perception is a product specific issue: consumers have more preferences for traceability attributes in the case of chicken than for honey. This is probably due to a different level of perceived risk and to the higher market penetration of chicken. Therefore, on the one hand, we suggest supply chain operators to develop traceability-based valorisation strategies per product. On the other hand, the introduction of vertical public regulations on food traceability, i.e. defined per product category, should be preferred by public authority.

How Do Firms Use Consumer Science to Target Consumer Communication? The Case of Animal Welfare

Abstract An increasing awareness of some market segments toward animal welfare has led some agri-food companies of the pork supply chain to consider alternatives to the technique of castration, which is used to prevent boar taint. One alternative is represented by immunocastration, or vaccination against the male hormone GnRH. Some research is available on consumer perception of immunocastration but it rarely involves Italian consumers and does not analyze consumer perception of immunocastration when it is applied to pork meat for traditional products. The research question of this chapter is: what would Italian consumers reaction be if immunocastration was used for pork meat for traditional products? Findings reveal that Italian consumers are reluctant to accept innovation when it is applied to traditional food products. Nevertheless, innovation that improve animal welfare is accepted by consumers of traditional products provided that institutions guarantee their involvement in quality, safety and ethical attributes assurance.