Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Security and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 17686

Special Issue Editor

School of Business, Jiangnan University,Wuxi,China
Interests: food safety risk management; food industry structural transformation; international food trade; food safety cross boundary governance; food safety societal co-governance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed our way of life, including the way we interact with food. As we adopt to the new normal of the pandemic, the food industry is also experiencing profound structural transformation. Food security concerns such as food price fluctuation, household and restaurant food waste pattern changes, health risks introduced by take-out orders, etc., also arise. Food security researchers have collected data to investigate issues surrounding food security. As a result, we feel it is the right time to organize a Special Issue on food security and the structural transformation of the food industry. We are looking for papers that investigate food security issues related, but not limited to, impact from the pandemic, while also offering critical reflection and providing a forward-looking discussion on future expectations in the realm of food security.

Prof. Dr. Linhai Wu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • green/sustainable development
  • food consumption
  • coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  • food security
  • international food trade
  • food-related E-commerce
  • global food industry
  • carbon emissions and eco-friendly development
  • take-out food industry
  • dietary habits and health

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1773 KiB  
Article
Study on Key Factors Influencing Coordination Effectiveness of Food Safety Coordinating Body: Lessons from the Chinese Context
by Liangyun Niu and Linhai Wu
Foods 2024, 13(2), 289; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13020289 - 16 Jan 2024
Viewed by 685
Abstract
Many countries have established food safety coordination agencies to strengthen cooperation between government agencies. Due to different national conditions, there are differences in the coordination agencies of different countries, but there are also many similarities. This article studies the key factors influencing the [...] Read more.
Many countries have established food safety coordination agencies to strengthen cooperation between government agencies. Due to different national conditions, there are differences in the coordination agencies of different countries, but there are also many similarities. This article studies the key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness of China’s food safety coordinating body, so as to enhance interagency collaboration. The results show that the coordination ability of the coordinating body’s head, the authority degree of the coordinating body, the clarity degree of the agency’s legal responsibility, and the clarity degree of the coordination goal are key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness. The conclusions indicate that the key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness of China’s food safety commissions are similar to the key factors in Western countries, without evident differences due to national situations, social systems, and cultures. This article will be useful to policymakers and public sector managers in terms of understanding which key factors influence the coordination effectiveness of coordinating agencies. Moreover, this study provides a perspective for the academic circle from which to understand the main problems faced in the interagency collaborative governance of food safety risks in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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15 pages, 473 KiB  
Article
Research on the Impact of Consumer Experience Satisfaction on Green Food Repurchase Intention
by Jing Wang, Shiwei Xu, Siyuan Zhang, Chen Sun and Linhai Wu
Foods 2023, 12(24), 4510; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12244510 - 18 Dec 2023
Viewed by 964
Abstract
With the continuous improvement in people’s living standards and the change in consumption concept, green food is favored by more and more consumers. Consumer repurchase behavior is a necessary condition to activate the market, expand the consumption scale and stabilize the continuous growth [...] Read more.
With the continuous improvement in people’s living standards and the change in consumption concept, green food is favored by more and more consumers. Consumer repurchase behavior is a necessary condition to activate the market, expand the consumption scale and stabilize the continuous growth of the market. Repurchase intention is the most direct factor affecting consumers’ green food repurchase intention. Therefore, it is necessary to study consumers green food repurchase intentions. This study collects data from 303 consumer surveys on green food consumption to explore the impact of consumer satisfaction with consumption experience on green food repurchase intention and further explore the mechanisms and influence boundaries. The results show that (1) consumer experience satisfaction positively affects green food repurchase intention; (2) consumer experience satisfaction can improve consumers’ green food repurchase intention through consumer perceptions of social value, green self-efficacy and warm glow; (3) the higher the degree of consumer inertia, the stronger the influence of green self-efficacy and warm glow on consumers’ green food repurchase intention; and (4) the higher the degree of consumer subjective norms, the stronger the influence of consumer perceived social value, green self-efficacy and warm glow on the consumer’s green food repurchase intention. This study provides a new perspective and theoretical framework for promoting consumers’ green food repurchase intention, and it may have certain theoretical significance and practical impact on green food market growth, sustainable carrying of the ecological environment and high-quality development of agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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17 pages, 751 KiB  
Article
Economic Growth, Income Inequality and Food Safety Risk
by Yong-Qi Chen and You-Hua Chen
Foods 2023, 12(16), 3066; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12163066 - 15 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1293
Abstract
Food safety risk, as an implicit cost of social and economic development, endangers the health of global residents, including China. To systematically understand the impact of socioeconomic development on food safety risk and to establish a sound modern governance system of food safety [...] Read more.
Food safety risk, as an implicit cost of social and economic development, endangers the health of global residents, including China. To systematically understand the impact of socioeconomic development on food safety risk and to establish a sound modern governance system of food safety in China, this paper uses provincial panel data from 2011 to 2020 to explore the relationship between food safety risk and socio-economic development factors such as economic growth and income inequality by employing a two-way fixed effect model and moderating effect model. The results show that the food safety risk is a Kuznets curve, and the turning point is about RMB 58,104.59 per capita GDP (based on prices in 2011). However, under the moderating effect of income inequality, the turning point of the Kuznets curve of food safety risk will shift to the right, and the curve will be flattened. In other words, income inequality has a negative moderating effect on the “inverted U-shaped” relationship between economic growth and food safety risk. When dealing with food safety problems, the goal of stable and sustained economic growth and common prosperity should be incorporated into policy formulation to enhance the governance effectiveness of food safety risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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19 pages, 1577 KiB  
Article
Consumers’ Preferences for Apple Production Attributes: Results of a Choice Experiment
by Ruopin Qu, Jing Chen, Wenjing Li, Shan Jin, Glyn D. Jones and Lynn J. Frewer
Foods 2023, 12(9), 1917; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12091917 - 08 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2568
Abstract
Various food safety and environmental problems in China have raised consumer awareness of food safety issues and negative environmental impacts in various supply chains. This research assessed consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for food safety and ecosystem delivery attributes associated with [...] Read more.
Various food safety and environmental problems in China have raised consumer awareness of food safety issues and negative environmental impacts in various supply chains. This research assessed consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for food safety and ecosystem delivery attributes associated with apples, demonstrated through the application of different traceability systems. Research participants were recruited in Beijing (N = 384) and Shanghai (N = 320). Choice experiment methodology was applied. The data were analyzed using conditional logit, random parameter logit, and latent class models; the results indicated significant consumer preferences for traceability information, including in relation to lower pesticide usage and application of organic fertilizer during primary production. The results also indicated that participants in this research had a significant willingness-to-pay premium for apple products that had production information traceability, had reduced pesticide use, and were grown with organic fertilizers. The models demonstrated heterogeneous preferences among participants such that consumers could be divided into three classes: non-price-sensitive (53.5%), pesticide-sensitive (21.7%), and price-sensitive (24.8%). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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18 pages, 812 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Cross-Regional Transfer of Food Safety Risks and Its Influencing Factors—An Empirical Study of Five Provinces in East China
by Kai Li, Shijiu Yin and Yuanyan Chen
Foods 2023, 12(8), 1596; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12081596 - 09 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1565
Abstract
The cross-regional transfer of food safety risks has become more prominent, bringing new challenges to food safety regulation. This study used a social network analysis to delve into the nuanced features and determinants of the cross-regional transfer of food safety risks based on [...] Read more.
The cross-regional transfer of food safety risks has become more prominent, bringing new challenges to food safety regulation. This study used a social network analysis to delve into the nuanced features and determinants of the cross-regional transfer of food safety risks based on the food safety inspection data of five provinces in East China from 2016 to 2020, thus contributing to the establishment of effective cross-regional cooperation in food safety regulation. The main findings are as follows: First, the cross-regional transfer of unqualified products accounts for 36.09% of all unqualified products. Second, the food safety risk transfer network presents a typical complex network—a relatively low but increasing network density, heterogeneous nodes, numerous subgroups, and a dynamic structure—bringing more difficulties to food safety cross-regional cooperation. Third, territorial regulation and intelligent supervision both contribute to restricting cross-regional transfers. However, the advantages of intelligent supervision have not yet been brought into play due to low data utilization. Fourth, the development of the food industry helps to mitigate the cross-regional transfer of food safety risks. To achieve effective cross-regional cooperation in food safety risks, it is essential to use food safety big data as a guide and to maintain synchronization between the development of the food industry and the improvement of regulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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11 pages, 575 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Pig Farmers’ Preference and Adoption Behavior for Food Safety Information Labels in China
by Yingqi Zhong
Foods 2023, 12(6), 1260; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12061260 - 16 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1271
Abstract
Food labels are used to reduce the inefficiencies that arise from information asymmetry. Since food certification and traceability labels are commonly food safety information labels used in China, it is of great importance to study producer preference and adoption behavior towards these food [...] Read more.
Food labels are used to reduce the inefficiencies that arise from information asymmetry. Since food certification and traceability labels are commonly food safety information labels used in China, it is of great importance to study producer preference and adoption behavior towards these food safety information labels. This study constructs a profile of food labels that includes different levels of four safety information attributes, including place of origin, edible agricultural products conformity certificate, traceability code, and organic/green certification. Based on the primary data of pig farmers in Zhejiang Province and using Random Parameters Logit Model and Latent Class Model, this paper analyzed farmers’ willingness to supply pork with food safety information labels and discussed farmers’ adoption behaviors in the production process. Results indicate that among the four information attributes, farmers were more likely to supply pork with the place of origin and organic/green certification. They had a negative willingness to provide pork with a conformity certificate that is certificated by a third party. The preferences for food safety information labels were heterogeneous among farmers. 13.5% of the farmers belonged to the certification-inclined class, and 37.9% of the farmers were traceability preferred. However, the adoption rate by farmers of pork with traceability labels in production was only 7.69%. Therefore, governments and markets should increase incentives for farmers to participate in the traceability system and encourage farmers to issue certificates, and further strengthen the education and training of farmers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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14 pages, 1019 KiB  
Article
Crisis Management Experience from Social Media: Public Response to the Safety Crisis of Imported Aquatic Products in China during the Pandemic
by Ru Liu, Min Liu, Yufeng Li and Linhai Wu
Foods 2023, 12(5), 1033; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12051033 - 28 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1678
Abstract
China’s outbreak related to cold-chain aquatic product quality and safety in 2020 caused public panic and further led to a crisis in China’s aquatic industry. This paper uses topic clustering and emotion analysis methods to text-mine the comments of netizens on Sina Weibo [...] Read more.
China’s outbreak related to cold-chain aquatic product quality and safety in 2020 caused public panic and further led to a crisis in China’s aquatic industry. This paper uses topic clustering and emotion analysis methods to text-mine the comments of netizens on Sina Weibo to study the main features of the public’s views on the administration’s crisis management measures and to provide experience for future imported food safety management. The findings show that for the imported food safety incident and the risk of virus infection, the public response had four types of characteristics: a higher proportion of negative emotion; a wider range of information demand; attention paid to the whole imported food industry chain; and a differentiated attitude towards control policies. Based on the online public response, countermeasures to further improve the management ability of imported food safety crises are proposed as follows: the government should pay active attention to the development trend of online public opinion; work more on exploring the content of public concern and emotion; strengthen the risk assessment of imported food and establish the classification and management measures of imported food safety events; construct the imported food safety traceability system; build a special recall mechanism for imported food safety; and improve the cooperation between government and media, enhancing the public’s trust in policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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16 pages, 610 KiB  
Article
Perceived Value of Information Attributes: Accounting for Consumer Heterogeneous Preference and Valuation for Traceable Agri-Food
by Ruifeng Liu, Jian Wang, Jiahao Liang, Hengyun Ma and Fei Liang
Foods 2023, 12(4), 711; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040711 - 06 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1393
Abstract
Information attributes characterize traceable agri-food. The perceived value of information attributes influences consumers’ preferences for traceable agri-food, consisting of two dimensions, predictive value and confidence value. We examine heterogeneous preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) in China’s traceable agri-food market. Using the choice [...] Read more.
Information attributes characterize traceable agri-food. The perceived value of information attributes influences consumers’ preferences for traceable agri-food, consisting of two dimensions, predictive value and confidence value. We examine heterogeneous preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) in China’s traceable agri-food market. Using the choice experiments, we explore how the traceability information, certification type, region of origin, and price influence Chinese consumers’ Fuji apple choices. We identify three consumer classes by a latent class model: certification-oriented class (65.8%), price-sensitive and origin-oriented class (15.0%), and no-buy class (19.2%). The results show that consumer sociodemographic characteristics, predictive value, and confidence value are the heterogeneous sources that determine their preferences for Fuji apple information attributes. Specifically, consumers’ age, family income per month, and whether the family has children under 18 significantly impact the membership probability of consumers in both certification-oriented and price-sensitive and origin-oriented classes. Consumers’ predicted value and confidence value significantly impact the membership probability of consumers in the certification-oriented class. In contrast, consumers’ predicted value and confidence value have no significant impact on the membership probability of consumers in price-sensitive and origin-oriented class. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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20 pages, 3393 KiB  
Article
A Novel Blockchain-Enabled Supply-Chain Management Framework for Xinjiang Jujube: Research on Optimized Blockchain Considering Private Transactions
by Hao Song, Wenfei Ge, Pan Gao and Wei Xu
Foods 2023, 12(3), 587; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12030587 - 30 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2098
Abstract
Excellent jujube supply-chain management is of great significance to the development of the Xinjiang jujube industry. However, traditional jujube supply-chain management is faced with the dilemmas of opaque connection of transaction flow and capital flow information, unreliable product traceability information, and jujube farmers’ [...] Read more.
Excellent jujube supply-chain management is of great significance to the development of the Xinjiang jujube industry. However, traditional jujube supply-chain management is faced with the dilemmas of opaque connection of transaction flow and capital flow information, unreliable product traceability information, and jujube farmers’ lack of bargaining power. In this research, we propose a jujube supply-chain-management framework based on blockchain. Hyperledger fabric is the distributed solution platform of this research. The current blockchain-based traceability framework for agri-food emphasizes the construction process and ignores the performance and characteristics of the framework. This research optimizes the blockchain-network-topology architecture and storage cost of writing data. This not only solves the traceability of jujube, but also fills the gap in previous research on the traceability framework. Moreover, transactions are innovatively divided into common transactions and private transactions. Private transactions have enhanced the bargaining power of jujube farmers. Through the analysis of benchmark tests, the effectiveness and feasibility of the framework are verified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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21 pages, 4782 KiB  
Article
The Chemical Composition Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Cooking Fume Condensates from Residential Kitchens in Different Regions of China
by Qinghong Liu, Xiaofang Zhang, Yan Yang, Qiuxia Tang, Liting Zheng, Hongwei Lou, Huaguo Chen and Qin Yang
Foods 2023, 12(1), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010106 - 25 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1727
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the similarities and differences of volatile organic pollutants (VOCs) in cooking fumes (COF) of residential buildings in different regions of China, as well as to evaluate their potential health risks. COF condensates were collected from [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to explore the similarities and differences of volatile organic pollutants (VOCs) in cooking fumes (COF) of residential buildings in different regions of China, as well as to evaluate their potential health risks. COF condensates were collected from 10 representative cities in China and analyzed by a GC–MS method. Their effects on α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase (AchE), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were then detected to evaluate potential health risks. A total of 174 kinds of VOCs, including aldehydes, esters, hydrocarbons, alcohols, and carboxylic acid, were identified. There were 59 identical compounds in the northern and southern regions, and 56 common compounds in spicy and non-spicy regions. Health risk assessment results showed that COF condensate could inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase to varying degrees (61.73–129.25%), suggesting that it had a potential risk of causing hypoglycemia. Daily and 3 and 6 month intakes of COF in minors, adults, and the elderly had both activated and inhibited effects on AchE. The activated effect in the southern and spicy areas was higher than that in northern and non-spicy areas, revealing that different regions and dietary habits had different effects on the risk of neurological diseases caused by changes in AchE activity. For minors, adults, and the elderly, COF had different degrees of activation of LDH at different exposure times and regions. Activation in the northern and non-spicy areas was higher than that in southern and spicy areas, suggesting that the health risks caused by changes in LDH activity levels were significantly increased. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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17 pages, 2215 KiB  
Systematic Review
Food Retail Resilience Pre-, during, and Post-COVID-19: A Bibliometric Analysis and Research Agenda
by Rebeka-Anna Pop, Dan-Cristian Dabija and Cristina Bianca Pocol
Foods 2024, 13(2), 257; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13020257 - 13 Jan 2024
Viewed by 723
Abstract
This paper aims to conduct a bibliometric mapping and systematic review of the food retail industry’s resilience strategy in the context of COVID-19. Specifically, we aim to identify relevant research gaps in the industry during the pre-, during, and post-pandemic periods and highlight [...] Read more.
This paper aims to conduct a bibliometric mapping and systematic review of the food retail industry’s resilience strategy in the context of COVID-19. Specifically, we aim to identify relevant research gaps in the industry during the pre-, during, and post-pandemic periods and highlight the differences between B2B and B2C sectors. We analyzed articles in the Scopus database from 2019 to 2022 using the PRISMA method for article selection, resulting in a total of 69 articles. We employed a VOS viewer for bibliometric mapping. Our analysis revealed that most studies focused on the impact of COVID-19, with only a few examining the pre- and post-pandemic periods critically. In the B2C context, we identified two major topics: changes in purchasing and consumption behavior, and food waste and safety. In the B2B sector, the two most recurrent subjects were retailers’ strategies and supply chain management. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers by exploring industry trends and for scholars by highlighting future research agendas based on the identified topics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security and Structural Transformation of the Food Industry)
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