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Food waste is a global issue, and Macau is no exception. Throughout this study, it was found that most local bakeries in Macau employed promotional strategies to reduce surplus bread waste; however, a significant amount of unsold bread was still discarded. Meanwhile, as consumer behavior shifts toward environmental consciousness, technologies such as augmented reality (AR) are reshaping market dynamics. Many apps now incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to raise consumer awareness. Within this context, this study recorded unsold bread types in real-time for four bakeries in Macau and integrated this information into an app system featuring interactive AR scanning technology to engage users and facilitate operations. Applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study surveyed 163 local participants in Macau. Users expressed interest in immersive AR experiences that incorporated entertainment elements, allowing them to quickly search for and purchase surplus bread products, thereby reducing bread waste. However, excessive entertainment features were found to distract users from their purchasing goals, causing operational difficulties. Therefore, integrating AR into a well-structured shopping information system with streamlined operations would be more effective than adding excessive entertainment features. Future enhancements could include the addition of a comment section to facilitate discussion of the role of various virtual interactive systems in explaining surplus food concepts through experience. Emphasis should be placed on integrating sustainable practices into emerging technologies to increase users’ environmental awareness and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

One of the ingredients used for brewing is barley, which should be malted; it is considered the most polluting agricultural input. On the other hand, food wastage is today a widespread problem that causes significant environmental damage and also generates large economic losses worldwide. One of the most wasted food products is bread; it is estimated that hundreds of tons of bread are wasted every day worldwide. In this study, the brewing of ale beers with bread was carried out. For this purpose, up to 50% of the malt weight was replaced by different types of bread: wheat bread, whole wheat bread, rye bread, and corn bread. A physicochemical and sensory comparison was made with 100% malt ale beer. All beers brewed with bread had an alcoholic strength similar to that of the control beer, except the corn beer. Beers brewed with whole grain bread showed a higher antioxidant capacity and a higher total polyphenol content. The sensory analysis presented different profiles depending on the type of bread; in general, the addition of bread created a greater olfactory intensity in nose. Thus, it was found that it is possible to brew beer with bread substituting up to 50% of the malt. In addition, it was also shown that the beer brewed with whole wheat bread had similar characteristics to the control beer, even improving some beneficial health properties, representing a great advantage for the brewing industry all over the world.

This study explores how mixed reality (MR) game environments, enabled by sensor-based motion tracking and interactive visualization technologies, can be effectively integrated into blended learning to promote sustainability education. Using eight Macau bakeries as empirical cases, field investigations collected and categorized surplus bread samples, while carbon emission frameworks informed pedagogical design. Employing a multidimensional research methodology combining questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, the study delved into the intrinsic link between bread waste and carbon emissions. Through perceptual interaction design and task-oriented challenge modes within the MR environment, users were immersed in experiencing the pathway of sustainable behavioral impact. Post-instructional engagement with the MR game revealed that >90% of participants expressed strong affinity for the system design, and >85% perceived it as intuitively operable. Analysis of user feedback and performance data demonstrates the system’s potential to deliver solutions for reducing bread waste and carbon emissions. By establishing a replicable MR game framework and technical mechanisms, this research offers novel perspectives for future sustainability education studies in the field of behavioral mixed reality design.

Food waste is a major challenge for society as it causes economic, environmental and social problems. Many food-waste-reduction measures aim to prevent food waste at the source or by redistributing surplus food via donation. However, it would also be useful to evaluate surplus-food redistribution, where surplus food can be made available for human consumption by valorization (recycling). This paper evaluates food-waste-reduction measures, where surplus food is converted into processed food products for human consumption, which are then sold in a German retail store. The objective is to assess whether this kind of recycling of surplus food is effective in reducing food waste and how sustainable it is considering the economic, environmental and social impacts. The results of this pilot study show a total reduction of 19 kg of food waste within 17 weeks. Furthermore, all products were economically profitable, with a per product net revenue of sold upcycled products between EUR 0.42 and 0.70. The results of the environmental assessment varied from savings of 1.55 kg of CO2 equivalents/kg of product to the addition of 1.88 kg of CO2 equivalents/kg of product in product carbon footprint and the addition of between 0.42 and 0.70 mPt/kg of product in product environmental footprint. The social indicators could only be qualitatively described. The results, therefore, can only recommend this recycling option as an effective and efficient food-waste-reduction measure under optimal conditions. More research is needed to describe different recycling situations and to therefore improve the sustainability of the food supply chain.

The current food system contributes strongly to environmental pressure, with bread, a staple product in many countries, being consumed and wasted in substantial quantities. This study assessed the environmental impact of rye bread produced in Sweden using life cycle assessment (LCA), with the aim of identifying ways to reduce this impact. A unique aspect of this work was the independent collaboration between research and industry, which provided a highly representative description of the Swedish rye bread production and distribution system. The climate impact of rye bread was found to be 0.81 kg CO 2 eq per kg, with production of ingredients being the main hotspot for all impact categories assessed. In simulations of impact reduction pathways, the highest climate savings were found for prevention of surplus generated at bakery and retail, which reduced the climate impact by 8%. Using the standardised ReCiPe method, accounting for 18 midpoint impact categories and three damage indicators at endpoint, yielded vital insights into otherwise often overlooked environmental aspects of food production. By using data provided by an industry actor, the results from this study enabled in-depth mapping of the resources required to produce rye bread at industrial level in Sweden, providing unique insights into production. These results can act as an essential cornerstone for future research and development of sustainable food systems.

Plant remains were recovered from an Urartian settlement, Yoncatepe, situated in the Van province of eastern Turkey and dating to the Iron Age period (first millennium B.C.E.). Large quantities of hulled barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and of bread/macaroni wheat (free-threshing wheat) (Triticum aestivum L./T. durum Desf.), both mixed with small quantities of domesticated emmer wheat (T. dicoccum Schübl.), were found in the storerooms of the Yoncatepe palace, indicating the storage of agricultural surplus. Rye (Secale cereale L.) grains occur very occasionally, while pulses include lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), and bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia [L.] Willd.). Grape seeds unearthed in a tomb at Yoncatepe provide physical evidence supporting written records of vineyards. Numerous seeds of gold of pleasure (Camelina sativa [L.] Crantz), found in a storage vessel, provide evidence of the cultivation of this plant. It is likely that the Urartians used the seeds for oil extraction.

La figure 2 donne la variation d'une année à l'autre des prix à la consommation pour ces grandes catégories en avril 2008. En premier lieu, il convient de noter que les prix de la viande et du poisson sont restés stables, tandis que ceux des produits de la catégorie « autres » ont chuté, ainsi soulignant les deux plus importantes composantes de la consommation alimentaire. Les prix des produits laitiers, qui représentent par ordre décroissant d'importance la troisième catégorie de dépenses, ont augmenté de 3,4 %. Les prix des légumes ont baissé de 13 %, tandis que les prix des fruits ont diminué de 4 %, en grande partie grâce au cours plus élevé du dollar canadien (aux États-Unis, par contre, les prix des fruits et des légumes ont augmenté de 4,1 %). Le pain et les produits à base de céréales (qui comprennent les pâtes alimentaires et le riz) forment la seule catégorie où la hausse des prix, de 10 %, a été importante. Antérieurement, la mesure dans laquelle les consommateurs remplaçaient par d'autres les aliments dont le prix était élevé s'est avérée considérable. Bien que de nombreuses études3 révèlent une faible élasticité de la demande d'aliments quand les prix changent, même les faibles élasticités sont amplifiées lorsque les fluctuations des prix sont importantes. Quand a doublé le prix du buf de 1977 à 1979 ou celui du café de 1975 à 1977, la consommation de ces produits de base a chuté (de presque 20 % dans le cas du café)4. Même les accroissements relativement faibles des prix d'environ 25 % pour les produits laitiers (de 1980 à 1982) et le poisson (1986 à 1988) ont déclenché une baisse de la demande, alors qu'une augmentation de 7 % des prix des céréales de 1988 à 1991 a causé une baisse de 4,6 % dans la consommation. [Dans] la conjoncture actuelle des prix, il y a tout lieu de s'attendre à ce que les consommateurs maintiennent cette tendance à remplacer les aliments dont le prix est élevé par des substituts moins chers. 1. Au Vietnam, l'IPC a bondi de 25% en mai, en raison de la hausse des prix suivant des récoltes tempérées par un gel précoce. Pour un aperçu, se référer à « Food Prices and Inflation in Developing Asia », the Asian Development Bank, avril 2008. La montée en flèche du prix du riz tôt en 2008 s'explique par quelques caractéristiques explicites du marché du riz. La majeure partie du riz est cultivée localement, et moins de 10 % en circule sur les marchés internationaux (NY Times, le 28 avril 2008). Par conséquent, lorsque des pays comme le Cambodge, l'Indonésie, le Vietnam, l'Inde, l'Egypte et le Kazakhstan ont diminué leurs exportations, ceci a gravement limité l'offre sur les marchés mondiaux. De plus, l'[Asie] préfère le riz rond, tandis que les É.-U. cultivent le riz long. En tant que membre de l'Uruguay Round sur les ententes commerciales, le Japon achète le riz des États-Unis, mais il ne le vend pas aux consommateurs, et donc accumule de grandes réserves de stocks (tiré de « Japan considers sharing wealth of rice », Globe and Mail, Ie 21 mai 2008). Plusieurs grands pays, notamment la Chine, font preuve d'autosuffisance et ne sont pas touchés par les fluctuations courantes dans les prix. Se référer à « World rice price hikes will not hurt supply », China Daily, Ie 1 er avril 2008.