Ciências da Vida / Life Sciences
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- Circular economy in the agri-food sector: Insights into Portuguese companies’ practicesPublication . Scandurra, Federica; Salomone, Roberta; Caeiro, Sandra; Moura, Ana Pinto deRelevant cultural and financial factors hamper circularity in Portuguese agri-food sector companies. To capture so, an empirical analysis of circular practices in agri-food companies was carried out. Being the agri-food sector central to the Portuguese economy and the numerous circular economy initiatives in the Country, the study aims to comprehend how circularity is achieved from an environmental, social, and financial perspective in Portuguese companies of the sector. Therefore, a survey of a selected sample of companies identified 9 examples of organisations involved in circularity to interview. Results evidence: (I) strong cultural and financial barriers in implementation and evaluation; (ii) generation of social value through community-centred initiatives and collaborations with local companies; (iii) urgency to valorise and communicate financial impact to conquer new funding opportunities. The analysis contributed with new knowledge on the social value-creating capacity of circularity and the impact on companies’ financial performance in the agri-food sector, providing interesting future insights into academia and policymaking.
- Evaluation of the trade-off between variety, processing, and low-GI claim in ready-to-eat ricePublication . Cabral, Diva; Fonseca, Susana C.; Rocha, C.; Moura, Ana Pinto de; Oliveira, J. C.; Cunha, Luís Miguel; Moura, Ana Pinto deAn increasing number of consumers demand healthier, more convenient, and sustainable food products, including rice, a staple worldwide. Food manufacturers have responded to this trend by considering food’s intrinsic and extrinsic aspects. This study evaluated the importance of variety, processing, and claims on willingness to try ready-to-eat rice (RTE-rice). It also analyses the influence of consumer attitudes on the importance of attributes and willingness to try. The results showed that processing significantly influenced willingness to try RTE-rice, revealing consumers’ greater preference for whole grain than milled rice with added bran. Claims had the least relevant importance. However, low glycaemic index had a positive impact, indicating its potential to influence consumer purchasing attitudes and promote healthier rice consumption. Additionally, three groups were created based on attitudinal factors. Naturalness-oriented and convenienceoriented groups were more likely to try RTE-rice. However, the reasons that motivate them may be different; this latter could be the ease of the service offered, while for the group focused on naturalness, they may have perceived through the ingredients and claimed that the product, despite being convenient, can bring benefits, thus perceiving them as natural.
- Exploring rice consumption habits and determinants of choice, aiming for the development and promotion of rice products with a low glycaemic indexPublication . Cabral, Diva; Moura, Ana Pinto de; Fonseca, Susana C.; Oliveira, Jorge C.; Cunha, Luís MiguelCurrent consumption drivers, particularly those related to health and wellbeing, have been influencing trends for the lower consumption of cereals, particularly rice, due to their typical high glycaemic index (GIs) and consequent impacts on obesity. To satisfy this consumer concern, more food innovations that promote healthy eating habits are required. Such innovations must be consumer-oriented to succeed, understanding the dynamics of consumer habits and responding to consumer expectations. This study explored these habits, from acquisition to consumption practices, and the expectations of the European market from the perspective of the major European consumer, Portugal, to obtain insights that support the development of low glycaemic index (GI) rice products. A mixed-methods approach was applied. For the first quantitative questionnaire, 256 Portuguese rice consumers aged 18–73 years were recruited. Twenty-four individuals were selected according to their gender and rice consumption profiles for in-depth interviews. The results confirmed that rice was the main side dish for the participants and was mainly consumed at home, cooked from raw milled rice. The drivers of consumption differ according to the provisioning process stage. In the acquisition stage, participants reported benefits from the rice’s dynamic market by comparing products on price, brand, and rice types. In the preparation stage, participants reported the adequacy of the recipe and occasion, while in the consumption stage, participants enhanced their sensory preferences, depending on the rice dish. Although the GI concept was unknown to half of the participants, it was perceived as interesting and positive for healthy eating. Consumers showed concern about the taste and naturalness of the product, preferring it to be as close to a homemade dish as possible. The negative perceptions we verified were interpreted to be due to a lack of knowledge about the GI concept. Therefore, awareness actions and informative campaigns are recommended to promote low-GI rice products.
- Food fraud conceptualization: an exploratory study with Portuguese consumersPublication . Costa, Maria João; Sousa, Isabel; Moura, Ana Pinto de; Teixeira, José A.; Cunha, Luís MiguelFood fraud refers to deceptive practices conducted for economic gain, and incidents of such fraud are often reported in the media and scientific literature. However, little is known about how European consumers perceive food fraud. To address this gap, a study explored Portuguese consumers' knowledge and perceptions of food fraud using qualitative methods such as free word association and semi‐structured interviews. For this research, 340 participants were recruited, providing 911 valid words, classified into categories, major categories, and dimensions. Differences between consumers' previous exposure to food fraud and sociodemographic characteristics were explored. Additionally, other thirty‐six participants were selected and interviewed, following a semi‐structured guide. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a thematic analysis procedure. The results suggest that Portuguese consumers view food fraud as a morally reprehensible deception and are aware of its causes and impacts. However, not all consumers know the different forms of food fraud or the types of products vulnerable to fraud. Among the most repeated words were “deception”, “expiration date”, and “falsification”. Despite this food fraud awareness, most consumers believed they were not exposed to food fraud and stated that they do not conduct daily practices to reduce exposure to it. Following the chi‐square and Mann‐Whitney tests, significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were identified between participants exposed and not exposed to food fraud. The study also found that consumers with higher education and self‐reported exposure to food fraud had a better understanding of the issue. This study provides insights for quantitative research on consumer perceptions and beliefs about food fraud to explore further vulnerable food categories and types of food fraud in real‐world scenarios.