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Insect-based food is not common in Europe, because most people do not consider insects to be edible, but rather a threat and a health risk. Fear and refusal to eat a new food product introduced into a culture is called food neophobia, which results in a hesitation to trying and experimenting with new foods. Although there is significant interest in this novel sector, there is a lack of research on the link between rejection, the level of food neophobia, and consumer behavior related to the introduction of insects into the diet. In this study, through 420 questionnaires, a specific experimental scale of insects was introduced which, together with a neophobia scale, analyzed the probability and the intention of respondents to consume insects. Another issue tested has been their intention to eat food containing insects. We observed that the analyses of the two scales produced different results, confirming the need for a specific scale to measure “insect phobia”. This is important, since knowledge about consumer preferences for and barriers to using insects as human food sources is limited but necessary in order to set up commercialization strategies. The development of insect-based food offers physical health benefits and also improves the sustainability of the food industry.

Over the last few years, the concept of Circular Economy (CE) has received a lot of attention due to its potential contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially by reconciling economic growth with the protection of the environment through its grow-make-use-restore approach. The use of insects in circular production systems has been a good example of this concept as insects can transform a wide range of organic waste and by-products into nutritious feedstuffs, which then go back into the production cycle. This paper explores the potential of mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) in circular production systems by reviewing their use and applicability in several industries such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food, etc. Despite the high versatility of this insect and its potential as a substitute source of nutrients and other valuable components, there are still many legislative and behavioural challenges that hinder its adoption and acceptance.

Digital transition is increasingly affecting the food industry production processes as well as the food safety management tools; among this latter, the auditing system, where digitalization means making use of digital technology to support its preparation, execution, data management, and communication with stakeholders. In this context, this study investigates the use of digitalization in internal audits and evaluates the impact on auditors' working times and minor and major observed non-conformities (NCs). The survey was carried out from 2014 to 2019 within 27 stores of an important large-scale retail trade in the Tuscany Region (Italy), comparing a digitalized system with the traditional paper-based method. Results indicate a reduction of audit's front office time by an average of 70% and back-office time by an average of 62%; the number of minor NCs has reduced by an average of 39% and major NCs has reduced by an average of 30%. The adoption of digital technologies in auditing can lead to significant improvement of audit procedures as its scheduling and reporting system. However, it should be noted that significant tecno-managerial investments may be required to fully realize these benefits, which represent challenges to implementation.

There is growing interest in research and policy to provide alternatives for developing and supporting sustainable business models in the agricultural sector. Agri-environment–climate measures (AECMs) were devised with the intention of compensating land users for potential income losses generated from the uptake of more appropriate, less intensive management practices in areas considered environmentally sensitive. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of these public initiatives is influenced by farmers’ decision to participate, which in turn is influenced by the level of transaction costs (TC) they must bear when engaging in these programs. Most studies have approached this topic from a quantitative perspective, trying to measure and estimate transaction costs; however, there is a lack of qualitative studies exploring the perceptions of farmers around these costs and analyzing how such perceptions influence their attitude toward AECM participation. This study presents the results of thirty semi-structured interviews conducted among farmers involved in different AECMs across seven European countries, in which their perceptions about transaction costs were explored through the assessment of the time required to perform certain activities. The objective was to gain deeper insights into the way in which the perceived level of TC can affect farmers’ attitudes and decisions toward the implementation of environment-friendly management practices through AECMs. Results showed that such perceptions are influenced by several factors, such as the presence or absence of intermediaries helping farmers to carry out some of the most time-consuming activities, the organizational structure of the contract, and the experience farmers acquire through repeated participation.

China has experienced frequent food safety incidents that have undermined consumer trust in the food supply chain. To overcome this problem, China requalified the legislative framework and adopted a comprehensive food certification system over the years. Here, we investigated the influences of food traceability and Chinese certifications (QS/SC—food quality safety market access/production system, hazard-free, green, and organic) on Chinese consumer trust of food safety for different types of products: fish, meat, milk, eggs, and rice. Data were collected through face-to-face surveys conducted in rural and urban Chinese areas. With a sample of 757 questionnaires, we ran a logit model. The results show consumers’ uncertainty and skepticism of certifications guaranteeing food safety attributes, especially for animal-based products. We found that price is used as a cue of safety by Chinese consumers. Individuals with higher education seem less influenced by certifications and other cues included in the analysis. The findings demonstrate that Chinese policy makers should implement new strategies to enhance consumer food safety trust, and design policies by considering different categories (e.g., vegetables, meat, fish, etc.) of food.

Poplar and willow demonstrate great potential for the phytoextraction of trace elements (TEs) from soils. In most cases, these species are managed as short-rotation coppice, producing high woody biomass yields, which could provide a valuable contribution toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. In the current study, we compared the TE extraction and CO2 sequestration rates in a four-year field trial in Southern Italy of two arboreal species (willow and poplar). The results show that, once established in the study area, willow extracted more Cd and Cu and less Pb than poplar. The two species demonstrated the same average Ni and Zn extraction rates. Greater biomass yields in poplar suggest that this species was able to fix greater amounts of CO2 (28.7 Mg ha−1 yr−1) than willow (24.9 Mg ha−1 yr−1). We argue that the choice of the species to be used in phytoextraction should first be made considering the TE-specific affinity and phytoextraction rates. For TEs whose extraction rates were the same (i.e., Ni and Zn), poplar is to be preferred because of its ability to fix greater amounts of CO2 than willow.

The Basilicata region (South of Italy) is land of truffles where the gastronomic, economic and cultural awareness has developed for this non-timber forest product only in the past decade. Little is known about truffle production and its social, economic and environmental implications. In this article we investigate the Basilicata truffle sector by devoting particular attention to the truffle hunters who gather the truffles from the forests. The data for the analysis were collected through a survey with the aim of describing the gathering activity (people involved, specie and quantities collected, etc.) and assessing its significance as a source of income. Results show that truffles can provide local communities with earning opportunities. However, the truffle sector needs to be protected and enhanced.

Social farming can ameliorate the everyday life of people engaged in farming activities, including perceived changes in mood or behavior. It can also be therapeutic, as it can address a range of public health and service provision issues. This paper presents the findings of an Italian project that explored the impact of social farming on the well-being of the participants and their ability to perform certain tasks linked to agricultural activities. In addition, this paper tries to evaluate how the organization of the network system around the participants helps them to improve their relational capabilities. Participant observations were made in class rooms and farms where the participants carried out their agricultural activities. Such observations focused on the way in which participants and other subjects (i.e., tutors and training staff) inside the network system interacted. A number of in-depth interviews were carried out with tutors and trainers in order to understand if the participants would play a relevant role in social farming activities and what that role would be.

Sustainable development is a priority in EU rural development strategies. Due to the multidimensionality of the sustainability issue, this paper presents a Spatial Decision Support System to assess territorial sustainability and help decision-makers in rural planning process. Four globally valid sustainability dimensions were considered (long-term ecological sustainability, satisfaction of basic human needs, promotion of intragenerational and intergenerational equity), measured by a set of socio-cultural-political-environmental indicators by using the Mazziotta and Pareto method. The results of the S-DSS, implemented and verified in Basilicata region (southern Italy), provide the maps of sustainability values for each dimension at municipalities level, showing the usefulness of the tool to identify and monitor rural areas that require priority interventions and resources, in order to foster sustainable rural development.

The recognition of the multifunctional role of natural areas has resulted in a growing interest in sustainable natural resource management, in order to prevent degradation and depletion, ensuring income-generation activities, sustaining culture and employment, and increasing environmental benefits, such as carbon sequestration, hydrogeological protection, biodiversity enhancement, and many others [...]