The olive oil supply chain, faces persistent challenges related to fraud, counterfeiting and lack of transparency, undermining consumer trust and product authenticity. Blockchain technology has emerged as a promising solution to enhance traceability, transparency, and quality assurance. This study examines the adoption of blockchain technology in the olive oil supply chain, organizing the existing literature into four thematic clusters (traceability and consumer trust; quality management; transparency; technological integration). The findings highlight blockchain's potential to improve supply chain integrity, especially when combined with internet of things sensors and smart contracts, while identifying technological, financial and organizational barriers to widespread adoption.

Procambarus clarkii (red swamp crayfish) exhibits physiological plasticity that enables adaptation to variable freshwater conditions, such as those in Lake Trasimeno. This study examined whether fluctuations in hydrometric level and associated physicochemical parameters affect oxidative stress responses in the hepatopancreas and abdominal muscle of male and female individuals. Superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and metallothionein reveal tissue, sex, and season-specific differences that indicate adaptive physiological adjustments. Temporal trends were evaluated, and multivariate analyses summarised environmental and metal gradients. Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) were used to explore relationships between oxidative responses and these gradients, with sex as a categorical factor. Associations were identified with hydrometric level, temperature, conductivity, transparency, pH, dissolved oxygen, and metals of biological relevance. These results highlight the remarkable physiological plasticity of P. clarkii, which underpins its success as an invasive species in fluctuating freshwater ecosystems.

Genetic engineering techniques are emerging as crucial tools for addressing global food challenges. Consumer resistance however remains a major barrier to their adoption. This study explores whether framing genetical engineered foods around specific food values can increase consumers’ acceptance and willingness to pay. Using a random effects interval regression model to analyze data from 1,000 Italian consumers across five staple foods, we find that food value-based messaging significantly influences attitudes and willingness to pay. This study presents an innovative approach to reducing resistance to genetic engineering techniques, highlighting the strategic role of food values in science communication and policy-making.

The concept of country-of-origin (COO) has at least five dimensions: country-of design, of assembly, of parts, of manufacturing, and of brand. This complexity reflects the different ways in which the COO can influence consumers' product evaluations. This study investigated consumers' evaluation for the importance of the country-of-manufacture (COM) by proposing the country-of-cuisine (COC) concept, which is the new COO dimension, to distinguish from other dimensions and identified COM. This study employed Best-Worst-Scaling to evaluate the food values of Japanese-cuisine in Shanghai, China. In addition, using latent-class-logit analysis, we classified respondents and compared the attributes characterizing their consumption behaviors to evaluate the COM. The main findings indicate that origin-conceptualized as COM as a food value - was generally not considered important by residents of Shanghai, but it played a more significant role for older and more frequent consumers of Japanese cuisine. These findings have implications for Japanese-restaurant owners and policymakers promoting Japanese-cuisine and agricultural products internationally. This study, as an initial exploration utilizing the COC concept, will also serve as a reference for future researchers.

Increasing environmental pressure and the transition to a circular economy are redefining the priorities of the agri-food sector, particularly in the development of sustainable food packaging solutions. This study estimates consumers' willingness to pay for an innovative biodegradable material, made from citrus pectin and glycerol, tested on a real product (a 30g pack of shelled almonds). By means of a non-hypothetical Random Nth-Price auction conducted on 100 participants, the effects of environmental information, visual/tactile sensory exposure and individual characteristics on economic evaluation are analyzed. The experimental design, consisting of two treatments and nine auction rounds, varied the sequence of exposure and communication. The results show a "sustainability penalty": unfamiliar aesthetic features reduce willingness to pay, even in the presence of detailed environmental information. The order of exposure proves decisive, with first impressions prevailing over cognitive reformulations. Multivariate analysis shows that attributes such as naturalness and practicality positively moderate willingness to pay, while generic environmental attitudes are not significant. The study highlights the importance of integrating sensory design, technological innovation and narrative communication to foster the adoption of high-potential sustainable pre-commercial materials.

This study investigates how quality labels influence consumer perceptions and preferences for citrus products, using the Arancia Rossa di Sicilia PGI as a case study. Based on data collected from a representative sample of Italian consumers, the analysis combines exploratory factor analysis and analysis of variance. Results identify three latent constructs explaining the total variance: “authenticity and origin”, “trust and certification” and “tangible features”. The analysis of variance revealed significant associations between knowledge of quality labels and willingness to pay more for quality-labeled products. Surprisingly, origin did not emerge as a significant factor. Overall, this study contributes original insights of the complex dynamics influencing consumer behavior in the orange market and provides actionable recommendations for producers, consortia, and policymakers seeking to enhance the effectiveness of labeling schemes and communication strategies in the fresh produce sector.

This study investigates consumer acceptance of eco-sustainable and bio-based packaging as an innovation within the agri-food system, focusing on the multidimensional factors shaping market adoption and willingness to pay. A survey on 1054 consumers was carried out from 2023 to 2025 in four Italian metropolitan cities. Exploratory Factor Analysis was applied to identify the main factors driving consumer’s behavior toward sustainable packaging, Simple Correspondence Analysis was used to explore associations between consumers’ stated willingness to pay a premium for eco-friendly food packaging and their level of education, net household income, and sources of information. The findings reveal that consumer acceptance of eco-sustainable packaging is shaped by the interaction between environmental values, functional expectations, informational credibility, and economic constraints. Although willingness to pay a premium price remains moderate, acceptance increases when environmental and technological benefits are perceived credible and are clearly communicated. The results also highlight heterogeneous consumer responses and non-linear adoption dynamics, reflecting the complexity of sustainable consumption behaviors. Overall, the study suggests that the diffusion of eco-sustainable packaging depends not only on technological performance, but also on the ability of firms and institutions to reduce information asymmetries, foster trust, and support processes of value co-creation. From a managerial perspective, innovative bio-based packaging represents a strategic opportunity for product differentiation and sustainability-oriented market positioning within circular agri-food systems.

Addressing the overuse of natural resources is crucial, and the circular economy (CE) offers a solution by turning waste into value to meet societal needs. CE may support business development without increasing resource exploitation. However, transitioning to CE models presents socio-technical challenges across the value chain, and the adoption of circular practices into established systems requires to overcome several system lock-ins. This study focuses on the agri-food sector, particularly the olive oil supply chain, chosen for its economic significance and potential for upcycling by-products. Through semi-structured interviews with 17 key informants, using the multi-level perspective (MLP) framework as conceptual background, this study explores how niche-level innovations can challenge and reconfigure existing regimes, leading to systemic change. The findings suggest potential CE transition pathways and highlight the complex socio-technical interactions necessary for sustainable transformation.

The adoption of Precision Livestock Farming devices represents a strategic investment for enhancing competitiveness and sustainability of livestocks. However, widespread adoption faces challenges, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, due to high initial and maintenance costs and technical complexities. This study applies an experimental economics approach to elicit dairy cattle farmers' willingness to pay for an innovative, low-cost, stand-alone pedometer, through an experimental auction. The findings show that farmers are not a priori opposed to the adoption of digital devices and traditional barriers to the adoption of digital devices can be overcome if such devices are economically affordable and user-friendly.

The intrinsic relationship between food and health has led to growing interest in functional foods, particularly among athletes seeking to optimize performance and recovery. This study investigates the impact of product information and sensory attributes on athletes’ willingness to pay for an innovative high-protein bread. Utilizing a two-treatment experimental design, athletes were exposed to sensory evaluations either before or after receiving information. A combination of hedonic sensory analysis and economic evaluation assessed preferences through a non-hypothetical auction. Findings show that both sensory attributes—especially taste and aroma—and product information significantly influenced willingness to pay. The order of presentation played a crucial role: providing information first enhanced perceived value more strongly. While sensory evaluation moderately increased willingness to pay, product information had a stronger impact. A key contribution of this study is its novel evidence on how athletes balance sensory and informational cues in food evaluation—an aspect rarely explored. Contrary to assumptions that athletes ignore sensory quality due to their focus on nutrition, they did value sensory aspects, though they prioritized product information. These findings suggest that developing functional foods for athletes should integrate nutritional benefits and sensory appeal, as both elements contribute to acceptance and potential market success.

Rivers' sediments can be classified as dissolved (ions transported in solution), suspended (small particles like clay and silt transported by the fluid's flow) and bedload (largest particles like sand, gravels and pebbles transported along the river bed). It is well known by the literature that chemical weathering of carbonate and silicate minerals consumes atmospheric CO2, enriching the dissolved load. In the “short-term” (

Chemical weathering of carbonates and silicates is an important sink of carbon as it consumes atmospheric CO2 increasing river dissolved load. While both carbonate and silicate weathering contribute to short-term CO2 uptake, only silicate weathering drives long-term CO2 consumption. The influence of lithologies with a non-dominant carbonate component on atmospheric CO2 consumption has been explored in the literature. However, further research is needed to quantify the contribution of carbonate minerals within silicate rocks to weathering rates in comparison to those of pure carbonate rocks. Furthermore, the interactions that hydrological (e.g. streamflow variation) and geomorphological (e.g. erosion) processes have with chemical weathering remain controversial. We measured at different streamflow conditions the dissolved and suspended loads (proxies of chemical weathering and erosion) in the Niccone watershed (Central Italy) composed mainly of siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. The dissolved load was estimated by measuring stream water alkalinity and electrical conductivity, and the suspended load was measured by using the DH-59 sediment sampler. The aim of this work is to investigate and quantify how the small percentages of carbonate minerals, included in the mixed sedimentary rocks (i.e. non- pure carbonate) outcropping in the Niccone watershed, influence the atmospheric CO2 consumption rates over short timescales and to evaluate the influence of hydrological and geomorphological factors, such as runoff and erosion, on these rates. To achieve this, we also estimated the percentage of carbonate minerals present in the outcropping rocks within the stream watershed. We found a chemostatic behavior in the ionic concentration, with much less variation compared to the flow rate. Chemical weathering and erosion exhibit a linear scaling at lower erosion rates given the relatively larger quantity of material for reactions exposed by erosion. At higher erosion rates, a gradual increase in weathering products is observed, as minerals are provided in excess relative to the rate at which they undergo reactions. We also estimated the variation with runoff of the atmospheric CO2 consumed by chemical weathering. Data enabled us to quantify a non-negligible carbonate component (less than 20%) in the Niccone watershed, significant from a CO2 consumption perspective, despite siliciclastic rocks predominating across most of the study area. This finding may challenge some large-scale estimates of atmospheric CO2 consumption based solely on lithological information.

The management of municipal solid waste presents a significant challenge for cities. Facilities dedicated to sorting, treating, and recycling waste (including plastic, glass, metals, aluminium, and wood) play a crucial environmental role in urban areas, contributing to sustainable development. Since combustion processes are not involved, any potential chemical impact of the facility on the surrounding area are likely to result from the emissions of metals and metalloids. In this study, the bioaccumulation of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn in the tissues of honeybees (Apis mellifera ligustica) was employed as a reference to assess the environmental quality of the area near a municipal waste sorting and storage facility located in Ponte Rio, Perugia (Umbria, Central Italy), which serves as the case study here. No higher contamination levels were found in the facility area compared to the suburban territory of Perugia, where the bioaccumulation levels of these elements in honeybees frequently exhibited higher values. The application of the Honeybee Contamination Index (HCI) confirmed these results. Therefore, the operation of this waste sorting facility is sustainable concerning environmental contamination by chemicals.

The growing number of athletes in the population leads to an increasing demand for high-protein functional foods to which food industries are trying to respond with new products and strategies that can meet the needs of athletes. An experimental auction was performed to elicit athletes’ willingness to pay for an innovative high-protein bread, correlating it to specific food values. For a deeper understanding of the determinants of respondents' choices for high-protein bread and preferences regarding food values, the combination of Best-Worst Scaling and Cluster Analysis was used. The Cluster Analysis identified five different groups of athletes, each characterised by specific preferences and willingness to pay. Participants with high attention for the nutritional aspect and needs related to sports activity, are willing to pay more than the other ones. The investigated issue is crucial for customizing marketing strategies and meeting the needs of different athlete segments.

Society's awareness of livestock production conditions has increased interest in animal welfare (AW), prompting farmers to consider it in their strategies. However, the adoption of digital devices and sensors to ensure AW is still relatively low. The aim of this study was to assess simultaneously the stated behaviour and intention of dairy farmers towards adopting technological tools for AW. The extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (e-TPB) was selected as theoretical base. It is “extended” since new predictors are integrated in the standard framework of the TPB. The research questions were addressed using a partial least squares structural equation modelling. The findings suggest the existence of a gap between farmers' intentions and behaviour. Perceived Behavioural Control plays a significant role in behaviour, indicating the predominant influence of self-confidence in farmers' choices. Operating margin and technological specialization of the farms are significant predictors of farmers' behavior.

The agri-food system plays a critical role in meeting global food demand, with traceability and food safety becoming key priorities for producers and consumers. Consumer trust, influenced by perceptions of food safety, quality and origin, has been declining due to the complexity of the food supply chain. Blockchain technology (BCT) has emerged as a promising solution to increase transparency, ensure data immutability, and improve food safety and quality. This study employs a systematic literature review methodology to analyze consumer perceptions of BCT in the agri-food sector. Using the PRISMA method, articles from Scopus®, Web of Science®, and PubMed® were reviewed, focusing on publications from 2019 to 2023. A total of 34 relevant studies were identified and examined to determine the key factors influencing consumer acceptance of BCT-tracked foods. Results indicate that trust, ngness to pay, perception of traceability, perceived risk and perceived safety are critical variables influencing consumer perceptions of BCT. Trust in BCT is supported by its ability to ensure data integrity and transparency, which significantly influences consumer behavior and adoption intentions. Consumers' willingness to pay for BCT-tracked products is influenced by their awareness and understanding of the benefits of BCT in improving food safety. In addition, BCT's potential to reduce perceived risk and improve supply chain transparency further enhances consumer trust. In conclusion, promoting consumer confidence through transparent information provided by BCT is essential for its widespread adoption in the agri-food sector. In order to educate consumers about the benefits of BCT and promote greater acceptance, the study recommends targeted communication strategies. Future research should focus on real-world applications and consumer education to further validate the impact of BCT on improving food safety and trust.

Misinformation can have a significant impact on consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for foods. This study conducted in Italy aims to investigate the effects of misinformation and two types of refutation (tentative and enhanced) on consumers’ WTP using a non-hypothetical experimental auction for ‘blood orange’ [known as Arancia Rossa di Sicilia PGI (Protected Geographical Indication)]. Our findings represent an interesting novelty compared to the past studies since we used for the first time a non-hypothetical approach to reveal difference in WTP values. We found that misinformation significantly affects WTP, but only enhanced refutation was found to be effective in countering this effect.

A quantitative analytical method for PFAS determination in airborne particulate matter (PM) has been developed using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS), allowing for the determination of 33 compounds. The procedure was applied to ambient PM10 with limits of quantification for PFAS in the fg m−3 range. PM10 samples collected during a year-long campaign conducted in an urban site in Umbria (Central Italy) have been characterized for their PFAS content. Among the seven detected PFASs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were the most abundant compounds. Furthermore, this work allowed us to obtain the first seasonal trend of airborne PFASs in Central Italy. Seasonal trend analysis shows that PFAS concentration in the atmosphere peaks in summertime. A comparison with trends of other relevant primary and secondary air pollutants determined at the sampling site suggests a secondary nature of the observed PFAS, which are formed in the atmosphere directly from gaseous precursors and can contribute to worsen the urban air quality in summertime.

The positive phototaxis showed by adults of some pestiferous chironomid species, annoying to waterfront residents and businesses, was investigated at Lake Trasimeno (Italy) to develop a strategy against their massive swarms. Two experimental devices (ChiroTraps), located at Passignano sul Trasimeno (PA) and at Sant’Arcangelo (SA), were employed in 2019 and 2020. The total biomass attracted by the traps amounted to 6498.78 g at PA and to 8597.05 g at SA. Chironomids biomass constituted 99.66% and 96.59% of the biomass in these sites, respectively. Only a few specimens of other fauna except chironomids were found at PA. In contrast, the values at SA were considerable, being 91- and 35-fold (number of taxa and weight, respectively) higher than in PA. These results demonstrated that exploiting the light attraction behaviour of adult chironomids is an efficient method for managing their pestiferous populations, thereby reducing the necessity of using insecticides. By comparing the biodiversity in the two sites, it was evident that the differences were linked primarily to the environmental conditions. Finally, it is suggested that light trapping systems should be located in urban centres or floated on the lake surface to maximise the efficiency of trapping chironomids and minimising the impact on biodiversity.