A greater share of the stomach? Role of provenance and ethical standards on consumers’ food choices and purchasing intentions

Purpose Provenance and ethical standards reflect foods that traceable and are supportive of the environment, sustainability and justice in the food supply chain. The aim of this study was to understand higher education consumers’ food choices and to examine the predictors of purchasing intention of food with provenance and ethical standards. Design/methodology/approach An online questionnaire was completed by 296 students and staff members of University of Central Lancashire. The questionnaire collected information on sociodemographic profiles; food choices, provenance and ethical standards; ethical purchasing and sourcing requirements and purchasing intention of food products with provenance and ethical standards. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequency of distribution of all sociodemographic characteristics. Multiple regression was used to examine if attitude, perceived behavioural control and subjective norms of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) significantly predict the consumers’ purchasing intention (step 1). Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the behavioural items using principal components estimation and varimax rotation. Multiple regression on the expanded TPB (step 2) using the obtained factor scores were conducted to determine if the factors were significant predictors of purchasing intention of food with provenance and ethical standards. Findings Multiple regression on the expanded TPB model revealed that only attitude and perceived behavioural control were significant predictors of purchasing intention of food with provenance and ethical standards. The regression model explained about 50% of the variance of the intent to purchase food with provenance and ethical standards where R2 = 0.50, (Adjusted R2 = 0.47). This was significantly different from zero F (5, 89) = 17.77, p < 0.001. The incorporation of ‘Preference for ethically sourced food and ‘Perceived knowledge and status of provenance standards’ did not increase the prediction of purchasing behaviour. Originality/value Two broad themes were identified from the factor analysis where the first factor prioritises ‘Preference for ethically sourced food’ and the second factor conceptualises ‘Perceived knowledge and status of provenance standards’. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was expanded to incorporate both factors but did not increase the prediction of purchasing intention. The authors recommend that other potential predictors e.g. moral concerns or perceived value of food with provenance and/or ethical standards to be tested using an extended TPB framework. The study is of value to higher and further education catering services to encourage more sustainable and local food consumption

Application of theory of planned behaviour in purchasing intention and consumption of Halal food

Purpose Food businesses provide halal food to cater to the dietary requirements of Muslims, especially in communities with a growing number of the ethnic minority and at public institutions such as higher education establishments. A large and growing body of literature has investigated the purchasing and consumption behaviour of halal food there are also studies that revealed consumers do not support halal food products on the grounds of animal welfare where animals were slaughtered without stunning. Thus the aim of this study was to examine the predictors of purchasing intention of halal food products and perceptions of animal welfare among Muslims and non-Muslim consumers of a public higher education institution. Design/methodology/approach An online questionnaire collected information on sociodemographic profiles and importance of halal food. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the frequency of distribution of all sociodemographic characteristics. Multiple regression analyses were used to describe the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) relationship and purchasing intention. Findings The regression model for all the respondents explained about 73% of the variance of the intent to purchase halal foods where R2 = 0.724, (Adjusted R2 = 0.72). This was significantly different from zero F(3, 185) = 162.130, p < 0.001. Both Muslim and non-Muslim consumers’ attitudes were significant predictors of their purchasing intention of halal foods (β = 0.87, p < 0.001). The implications of subjective norms and perceived behavioural control and the lack of influence from these predictors are discussed. Originality/value This study revealed that both Muslim and non-Muslim consumers agreed on the importance of animal welfare, but there exist differences in perceptions of animal welfare in halal meat production. This research is of value to those working in regulatory and food service settings in understanding the differences and needs of consumers and it contributes to a better understanding of the customers within a university setting

Positioning Food Safety in Halal Assurance

Muslims follow the religion of Islam and the food they eat should be Halal, meaning lawful or permissible. Muslims are allowed to eat halal and wholesome food that has been provided for them. However, some of the main prohibitions are swine flesh, blood, carrion, animals not slaughtered according to Islamic laws and alcoholic drinks. At present Halal assurance is in a complicated state, with various Halal standards differing from each other without gaining mutual acceptance. The world is starting to understand the need for an influential globally accepted standard that would open doors to global markets and gain consumer confidence. This paper discusses issues mainly related to food safety in Halal assurance. The aim was to discover and describe the approach to food safety requirements in Halal food provision and how this is incorporated in the Halal assurance systems. The position of food safety regulation within Halal requirements or Halal standards’ requirements for food safety is still unclear. This review also considers whether current Halal standards include criteria in common with internationally accepted food hygiene standards and emphasizes the potential of using the HACCP system for Halal assurance

Regulated mitochondrial DNA replication during oocyte maturation is essential for successful porcine embryonic development.

Cellular ATP is mainly generated through mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, which is dependent on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We have previously demonstrated the importance of oocyte mtDNA for porcine and human fertilization. However, the role of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial replication factors during oocyte and embryo development is not yet understood. We have analyzed two key factors, mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and polymerase gamma (POLG), to determine their role in oocyte and early embryo development. Competent and incompetent oocytes, as determined by brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) dye, were assessed intermittently during the maturation process for TFAM and POLG mRNA using real-time RT-PCR, for TFAM and POLG protein using immunocytochemistry, and for mtDNA copy number using real-time PCR. Analysis was also carried out following treatment of maturing oocytes with the mtDNA replication inhibitor, 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC). Following in vitro fertilization, preimplantation embryos were also analyzed. Despite increased levels of TFAM and POLG mRNA and protein at the four-cell stage, no increase in mtDNA copy number was observed in early preimplantation development. To compensate for this, mtDNA appeared to be replicated during oocyte maturation. However, significant differences in nuclear-encoded regulatory protein expression were observed between BCB(+) and BCB(-) oocytes and between untreated oocytes and those treated with ddC. These changes resulted in delayed mtDNA replication, which correlated to reduced fertilization and embryonic development. We therefore conclude that adherence to the regulation of the timing of mtDNA replication during oocyte maturation is essential for successful embryonic development

Critical international relations and the impact agenda

How should critical International Relations (IR) scholars approach the ‘impact agenda’? While most have been quite resistant to it, I argue in this essay that critical IR should instead embrace the challenge of impact – and that both IR as a field and the impact agenda more broadly would gain greatly from it doing so. I make this case through three steps. I show, firstly, that critical IR has till now been very much at the impact agenda’s margins, and that this situation contrasts strikingly with its well-established importance within IR teaching and research. I argue, secondly, that critical IR scholars both could and should do more impact work – that the current political conjuncture demands it, that many of the standard objections to doing so are misplaced, and indeed that ‘critical’ modes of research are in some regards better suited than ‘problem-solving’ ones to generating meaningful change – and offer a series of recommended principles for undertaking critically-oriented impact and engagement work. But I also argue, thirdly, that critical social science holds important lessons for the impact agenda, and that future impact assessments need to take these lessons on board – especially if critical IR scholarship is to embrace impact more fully. Critical IR, I submit, should embrace impact; but at the same time, research councils and assessments could do with modifying their approach to it, including by embracing a more critical and political understanding of what impact is and how it is achieved

Thiocarbonyl complexes of iron

Reaction of CpFe(CO)(,2)(CS)(\u27+) with NaH gives cis- andtrans-CpFe(CO)(CS)(,2). The isomers can be separated bychromatography and fractional crystallization to give pure cis-;CpFe(CO)(CS)(,2) and pure trans-CpFe(CO)(CS)(,2). The transisomer has been shown to slowly isomerize in xylene at 50(DEGREES)C. AnX-ray crystal structure of cis-CpFe(CO)(CS)(,2) shows the CSligands to be in the bridging positions, but otherwise, its structureis nearly identical to that of cis-CpFe(CO)(,2)(,2). Reaction ofCpFe(CO)(CS)(,2) with the Lewis acid, HgCl(,2), gives;Cp(,2)Fe(,2)(CO)(,2)(CS)(CS-HgCl(,2)), where one of the bridging CSligands is coordinated to the Hg. The compound cis-Cp(,2)Fe(,2)(CO)(,2)(CS)(CSCH(,3))(\u27+), containing a methylated bridgingthiocarbonyl ligand, is formed by reaction of cis-CpFe(CO)(CS)(,2)with CH(,3)OSO(,2)F or by reaction of cis- or trans-CpFe(CO)(CS)(,2)with CH(,3)I. Oxidation of CpFe(CO)(CS)(,2) by Br(,2) yieldsCpFe(CO)(CS)Br; this reaction apparently proceeds throughthe intermediate CpFe(CO)(CS)(,2)Br(\u27+);Photolysis of CpFe(CO)(,2)(CS)X in (1) CH(,2)Cl(,2) yieldsCpFe(CO)(CS)CF(,3)SO(,3) (X = CF(,3)SO(,3)), (2) acetone yieldsCpFe(CO)(CS)(acetone)PF(,6) (X = PF(,6)), and (3) CH(,3)CNyields CpFe(CS)(CH(,3)CN)(,2)X (X = PF(,2), CF(,3)SO(,3)). Thecomplexes CpFe(CO)(CS)CF(,3)SO(,3) and CpFe(CS)(CH(,3)CN)(,2)X;are useful in the synthesis of other thiocarbonyl complexes.Reactions of CpFe(CO)(CS)CF(,3)SO(,3) with halide ions or GroupVA or VIA ligands yield complexes of the form CpFe(CO)(CS)X(X = Cl, Br, I) or CpFe(CO)(CS)(L)CF(,3)SO(,3) (L = PPh(,3), py,CH(,3)CN) and mixtures of CpFe(CO)(CS)(L)CF(,3)SO(,3) and;CpFe(CS)(L)(,2)CF(,3)SO(,3) (L = P(OMe)(,3), P(OPh)(,3), n-Bu(,2)S). Reactionof CpFe(CS)(CH(,3)CN)(,2)PF(,6) with Group VA ligands yieldsCpFe(CS)(L)(,2)PF(,6) when (L)(,2) = bipy, phen or L = PPh(,3) andCpFe(CS)(CH(,3)CN)(L)PF(,6) when L = P(OMe)(,3) or P(OPh)(,3).Three complexes--CpFe(CS)(PEt(,3))Cl, CpFe(CS)(PEt(,3))(,2)PF(,6)and CpFe(CS)(CH(,3)CN)(PEt(,3))PF(,6)--are formed when;CpFe(CS)(CH(,3)CN)(,2)PF(,6) reacts with PEt(,3). The novel dithiocarbonylcomplexes, CpFe(CS)(,2)X (X = I, Br) are formed by reaction ofCpFe(CS)(CH(,3)CN)(,2)PF(,6) with halide ions. Thermal reaction ofCpFe(CO)(CS)I with Group VA ligands yields CpFe(CO)(CS)(L)Iand CpFe(CS)(L)I when L = PEt(,3) and only CpFe(CS)(L)I whenL = PPh(,3), AsPh(,3), SbPh(,3), P(OMe)(,3), and P(OPh)(,3).(,