Creation of shared value in cooperatives: informal institutions’ perspective of small-sized banana growers from Colombia

Purpose: This study aims to identify informal institutions for bottom-of-the-pyramid (BoP) business models in the agricultural sector through the case study of banana growers’ cooperatives. Design/methodology/approach: A case study of six banana cooperatives from Colombia was conducted. The research followed a mixed design, using both qualitative and quantitative data and the application of structural equations. Findings: This study shows that social capital, networking and alliances are essential in BoP businesses. Originality/value: Authors defined a model of informal institutional factors for the generation of economic and social value in inclusive business, using the new institutional theory and the conceptual development of BoP in agri-business.Objetivo: Este estudio tiene como objetivo identificar instituciones informales para modelos de negocios de la base de la pirámide (BoP) en el sector agrícola a través del estudio de caso de las cooperativas de productores de banano. Diseño/metodología/enfoque: Se realizó un estudio de caso de seis cooperativas bananeras de Colombia. La investigación siguió un diseño mixto, utilizando datos tanto cualitativos como cuantitativos y la aplicación de ecuaciones estructurales. Hallazgos: Este estudio muestra que el capital social, las redes y las alianzas son esenciales en los negocios de la BdP. Originalidad/valor: Los autores definieron un modelo de factores institucionales informales para la generación de valor económico y social en negocios inclusivos, utilizando la nueva teoría institucional y el desarrollo conceptual de la balanza de pagos en los agronegocios

Nutritional profiling, fiber content and in vitro bioactivities of wheat-based biscuits formulated with novel ingredients

This study evaluated the nutritional profile and fiber content of innovative formulations of wheat-based biscuits enriched with chia seeds, carob flour and coconut sugar. The in vitro antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities were also investigated to understand the potential health advantages of the incorporation of these new ingredients. The novel biscuits demonstrated significant improvements in protein and mineral content, with increases of 50% and 100% in chia biscuits, and up to 20% and 40% in carob biscuits, respectively. Fiber also notably increased, particularly in samples containing 10% carob flour, which increased four times as compared to wheat-based samples. The new ingredients exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activity, particularly against Yersinia enterocolitica (minimum inhibitory concentration 1.25 mg mL(-1) in coconut sugar) and Aspergillus fumigatus (minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum fungicidal concentrations 2.5/5 mg mL(-1) in chia seeds). However, the final biscuits only displayed antifungal properties. Carob flour and chia seeds had a remarkably high capacity to inhibit the formation of TBARS and promoted greater antioxidant activity in biscuit formulations, with EC50 values decreasing from 23.25 mg mL(-1) (control) to 4.54 mg mL(-1) (15% defatted ground chia seeds) and 1.19 mg mL(-1) (10% carob flour). Only chia seeds exhibited cellular antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity, attributes that were lost when seeds were added into the biscuits. These findings highlight the potential health benefits of these ingredients, particularly when incorporated in new wheat-based formulations.This work was supported by the Community of Madrid and European funding from FSE and FEDER programs (project S2018/BAA-4393, AVANSECAL-II-CM). The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020 and UIDP/00690/2020) and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2020); national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros and R. Calhelha contracts, through the individual scientific employment program-contract for E. Pereira (2021.03908.CEECIND). C. Caleja are grateful to the VIIAFOOD-Plataforma de Valorizac & atilde;o, Industrializac & atilde;o e Inovac & atilde;o comercial para o AgroAlimentar project for her contract (No. C644929456-00000040), a project supported under the PRR (https://www.recuperarportugal.gov.pt; accessed in 22 July 2023), and financed by the European Union/Next Generation EU. project for her contract.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Determinación de precursores de acrilamida en patata por NIRS

Según la Autoridad Europea de Seguridad Alimentaria (EFSA), la presencia de acrilamida en los alimentos incrementa el riesgo de desarrollar determinados tipos de cáncer. Las patatas fritas son una de las principales fuentes de exposición a este contaminante, formado debido a los altos niveles de precursores (azúcares reductores y asparagina) en la patata y a las elevadas temperaturas aplicadas durante la fritura. El objetivo del trabajo es utilizar la tecnología NIRS como método rápido de muestreo y control de los niveles de azúcares reductores en las patatas destinadas para fritura. Se han analizado 494 muestras liofilizadas de patatas obtenidas tanto de diferentes variedades de patatas frescas, como de patatas prefritas congeladas. Se ha empleado como método analítico de referencia el descrito por el Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA) que emplea ácido dinitrosalicílico (DNS) pero utilizando un espectrofotómetro de placas (Synergy HT, BioTek Instruments, Inc., USA). Las medidas en el infrarrojo se han realizado con un espectrofotómetro NIR, Luminar 5030 de Brimrose. El análisis estadístico consiste en la realización de modelos de regresión por mínimos cuadrados parciales (PLSR). Se observó que los errores obtenidos en los modelos de predicción estaban alrededor de 15 mg/g y 22 mg/g, para azúcares reductores y totales (Glucosa, Fructosa y Sacarosa). La técnica se presenta como una herramienta útil para realizar el análisis rápido de muestras de patata liofilizada

Consumer Assessment of Sustainability Traits in Meat Production. A Choice Experiment Study in Spain

Consumers are increasingly concerned about the way their food is produced. This is particularly relevant in the case of meat, due to the impacts that its production methods can have on greenhouse gas emissions and its role in climate change. In relation to this issue, the purpose of our research is to obtain more information on the consumer decision-making process for beef, in order to determine the relative importance of sustainability claims and traditional attributes, and identify consumer profiles with similar perceptions and intentions. A choice experiment was used to assess the influence of these attributes on consumers’ purchasing decisions. The results reveal that the best purchase choice for the consumer would be organic beef, produced in Spain, with an animal welfare label and eco-labelled. Later on, a cluster analysis was carried out using consumer beliefs and attitudes towards meat consumption as inputs, together with purchasing behaviour variables. A solution was obtained with three well-defined consumer segments showing different preference patterns: Cluster 1 (Male millennials indifferent towards environment or sustainability), Cluster 2 (Sustainability-concerned mature women) and Cluster 3 (Middle-aged meat eaters with established families). The results of this study are relevant to develop more appropriate strategies that may be adapted to the behaviour and expectations of eco-friendly food consumers

Consumers’ Perspectives on Alternative Short Food Supply Chains Based on Social Media: A Focus Group Study in Spain

Nowadays, an increasing number of consumers are demanding more information and more direct contact with food producers in order to avoid the various intermediaries in the supply chain, thus improving food traceability and price transfer. This has led to the development of more direct (short) food supply chains (SFSCs). Although consumer preferences to use SFSCs rather than traditional (long) supply chains have been widely researched in the literature, this study brings a new approach with the use of social media sites to build online SFSCs. A focus group approach with a total of 32 participants was used in this study with the main objective to understand consumers’ awareness and acceptance of SFSCs. Special attention was given to the use of social media and electronic word of mouth (eWOM) as new approaches to support the creation of such alternative channels

Use of Coffee Silverskin and Stevia to Improve the Formulation of Biscuits

Decreasing the amount of sugar added to biscuits is a good strategy to obtain a healthy product. However, a reduction in the quantity of sugar may affect its nutritional value and quality. The feasibility of the combined use of stevia and coffee silverskin for achieving healthier, nutritious and good quality biscuits has been investigated. Ten wheat four biscuit formulations were designed. Sucrose, maltitol and stevia were used as sweeteners and coffee silverskin was used as a natural colouring and as a source of dietary fbre. The quality of the biscuits was evaluated by measuring their moisture, thickness, breaking force and colour. Acrylamide (ACR) and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) contents were also determined in the interest of food safety. The quality and safety of the innovative biscuits was obtained by an analysis of the sugars, proteins, free amino acids, chlorogenic acid, overall antioxidant capacity and acrylamide after in vitro digestion. Only the stevia biscuits and those added with coffee silverskin extract and the solid residue recovered from the extraction process, were selected for that study. A comparison of the stevia formulated biscuits, with the stevia formula added with silverskin, showed that the added biscuits had a good nutritional quality and improved texture and colour

Risk benefits of new ingredients added to novel cereal-based formulations

The cereal-based food formulations has evolved in the last decades with the inclusion of alternative cereals, pseudocereals and other ingredients in traditional recipes, which allows current consumers’ needs to be met. The incorporation of ingredients such as seeds, legume flours or different type of sugars in the innovative formulation of biscuits may be particularly desirable from a nutritional and healthy point of view. However, the dough composition, low moisture and thermal treatment applied during baking can promote the formation of chemical process contaminants, such as acrylamide, which is classified as “probably carcinogenic for humans” [1]. The effect of addition of chia seeds, carob flour and coconut sugar on the nutritional and bioactive properties and the formation of acrylamide in wheat flour-based biscuits was investigated. Different biscuits were formulated replacing wheat flour by chia seeds (percentages in the final weight: 5, 10 and 15%) and carob flour (percentages in the final weight: 1, 5 and 10%) and white sugar by coconut sugar. Biscuit were prepared under controlled conditions and baked for 23 minutes at 180 ºC. Nutritional composition (AOAC methods), in vitro bioactivity (antioxidant capacity (TBARs), antibacterial and antifungal activity) and acrylamide content (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) were determined in both ingredients and biscuits. Results were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 26 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA) assuming a level of significance of p < 0.05. Higher percentages of chia seeds, carob flour and coconut sugar in the formula exhibited similar antibacterial and antifungal activity to the control biscuit (100% wheat flour, 100% white sugar) but increased the antioxidant capacity, protein, fiber and, in the case of chia seeds, the polyunsaturated fatty acids content, then resulting in a nutritionally enhanced product. However, levels of acrylamide were also increased, from 113 to 236 μg/kg, when chia seeds were added in a range of 5-15% of the total weight and reaching values up to 351 μg/kg when carob flour was incorporated in a 10% or even to 1030 μg/kg when biscuit containing 10% carob flour were also formulated with coconut sugar. In these cases, acrylamide concentrations exceeded the benchmark levels (350 μg/kg) established for biscuits in the European Regulation 2158/2017 [2]. This study suggests that the reformulation of traditional recipes with innovative ingredients should be carefully considered, not only looking for nutritionally improved recipes but also taking into account possible changes in the toxicological aspects. To this end, it should be recommended to include a risk/benefit evaluation of the control of process contaminants when designing novel biscuit formulas.This work is part of the R&D project ACRINTAKE (RTI2018–094402-B-I00), financed by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and "FEDER, A way to make Europe", and partially financed by the Community of Madrid and European funding from the FSE and FEDER programs (project S2018/BAA-4393, AVANSECAL-II-CM). The authors are also grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and to FEDER-Interreg Espa a-Portugal programme for financial support through the Project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio