• Energy Research

The literature highlights the importance of insect consumption for nutritional health habits. The increasingly clear legislation, the developed studies demonstrating their nutritional value, and the prospect of overcoming some barriers that have prevented consumers from consuming insects are among the reasons supporting the advantages of consuming insects. The leading determinants of consumption are culture and individual and social beliefs, accessibility to a particular nutritional resource, and individual behavior. The barriers to neophobia were analyzed by evaluating factors of influence and their respective relationship and meaning through quantitative research to measure the significance of the results. To develop a conceptual model that aims to change eating behavior and recognize structural aspects that can be barriers in the process of changing eating behavior, a methodological framework was developed. The methodological framework aimed to identify the characteristics that can be associated with the profile of opinion leaders, and it included a questionnaire which was applied to 213 young people. Moreover, the structural equation model was the statistical technique used. Given the projected population growth and increasing life expectancy, nutrition is a challenge in terms of health, but also in economic, social, and environmental respects. Aiming for sustainability, it is crucial to identify nutritional alternatives within the circular economy.

The negative impact that animal protein sources have on the environment is a critical world problem. Finding new acceptable alternatives is crucial. Nevertheless, numerous factors influence the decision to try an unknown food. By adopting a consumer behavior perspective as well as approaching the possibility of overcoming neophobia, this research examined the influence of sensory perception on consumer behavior with regard to the experimentation with new foods, focusing on entomophagy. A theoretical model was developed, and path analysis and factor influence were based on the structural equation model (PLS-SEM), designed in SmartPLS, to test the model relationships. Despite the low level of awareness concerning the benefits of entomophagy, this study considered that many aspects influence experimentation with new food, specifically our sensorial system. Sensory perception is founded on the senses, such as the tactile, olfactory, visual, and gustatory senses, which can influence perception. In line with these assumptions, this research identified the three most important and decisive factors that can influence individuals’ sensory perceptions: preparation, visual and related aspects, and the presentation of the shape of food have an influence on sensory perception regarding entomophagy consumer behavior. People like to know the method of preparation as well as the ingredients and the color of the food. These findings are crucial to food business practitioners, policymakers, and marketers, who can adopt some food process strategies following sensory perception, that will contribute to changing the habits of consumers.

Nowadays, collaborative learning is proving to offer solutions to new inclusivity research challenges, and most importantly, can help ensure sustainable education. Collaborative learning can strengthen positive attitudes towards learning, improve performance in academic results, and enhance self-esteem, by promoting interaction and mutual support among young people. Extended reality (XR), associated with collaborative learning, offers a further advantage by facilitating deep comprehensive learning. An online survey was conducted to investigate respondents’ views on the impact and influence of virtual technologies on work, study, and social life. Respondents (n = 1032) were recruited from Serbia, Romania, and Hungary, from five public and private universities. The study reveals students’ perceptions of e-learning and XR immersion. The data were analyzed by using a combination of descriptive techniques from PSPP (GNU open source SPSS—Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Free Software Foundation, Boston, MA, USA), and by designing a regression model to evaluate the work-life balance. This regression model shows that the work-life balance is positively influenced by the inclusion of XR facilities in the e-learning process, along with an increased level of culture and living standard. The higher living standard of a student is associated with higher digital competence and more financial resources available to invest in technology.

The study addresses health-associated risks and health indicators required for the framing of Social-Ecological System Health (SESH) in aquaculture food-producing systems. The advantages of using a healthy Social-Ecological System (SES) are highlighted, to aid in the development of a new ecological system fostering the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. The study used statistic modelling of some human infections with Cryptosporidium spp. and Cyclospora spp., used to obtain an estimate of the costs of zoonoses to health systems, and the outcomes of an epidemiological study involving the Eustrongylides spp. in fish. The study indicated that parasitic zoonoses have an important economic impact on health systems, environment and society at large. Holistic approaches to health, addressing all relevant actors are required to mitigate these impacts. To address the risk of eustrongylides and other fish-, and water-borne zoonoses, the development of new social-ecological system health should be constructed. For aquaculture production, such systems must include a biosecurity plan co-developed and negotiated by all relevant stakeholders. While the system’s feasibility is yet to be validated, regular revision of such systems’ functioning and outputs is an important premise to make them operational.

The study makes, under a new configuration of the circular economy, a cross-country analysis based on the Competitiveness and Innovation Indicators in the E.U., i.e., two sub-criteria: private investments, jobs, and gross value added; and patents related to recycling and secondary raw materials as a proxy for innovation. The analysis proved that investments influence the number of patents, and participate in societal transformation. A further cluster analysis classified countries on the level of innovation. The cluster analysis in SPSS centres on significant potential, weaknesses, impact, and waste management control through blockchain technology. It is found that the factors that influence innovation, according to the Global Competitiveness Report, link the business dynamism and innovation capability with the capacity to sustain resilient ideas, such as competitive intelligence and social entrepreneurship. The discussions aim to prove that the efforts to rethink the circular economy principles contribute to its conceptual and societal transformation role through the implementation of innovative processes, inventive solutions, and blockchain technologies, and their social consequences to solve environmental problems. Once understood and accepted, CE will drive sustainable behaviour.

Green Public Procurement (GPP) became an efficient instrument to achieve the objectives of environmental policy expressed by the European Commission in its Communications. At the same time, it must be addressed by the public authorities as a complex process, in which all purchased goods and services must integrate perfectly into an entire puzzle-like system of legislation, the construction field, innovation, healthcare, food, and education. Scientific references published in the Web of Science (WoS) mainly between 2017 and 2020 were investigated, and they analyze the implications of green public procurement in various fields, as presented by scientific communities. This article brings as a novelty in this context the identification of some barriers in the adoption of these processes, so that they can be overcome. Based on good practices and international standards and trends, the article shows how aspects related to the implementation of green procurement in society can be taken into account. In the second stage, we added a case study on Romanian green agriculture and discussions regarding inter-correlation between different fields and GPP.

Agroecology is a sustainable alternative to agricultural science, aiming at balancing the environment-plant-animal-man complex in an equitable way. Different players in the food system across the world are engaging in the practice and promotion of agroecology. Their experience serves as input for agroecology innovation hubs, thus assisting and accelerating the adoption of agroecological practices. Based on existing experience in implementation of innovation ecosystems and living labs in Romania, the study discusses critical factors required for a successful transformation of agriculture, with the aim to fill existing research gaps on agroecological techniques. The authors are also emphasizing the role of new business models in this area. The study used an anonymous survey with Likert scale ratings, and structural equation modeling, PLS. The study results were indicative of a certain degree of enthusiasm for agroecological practice adoption, particularly among organic farmers and business owners. The chances that these practices are adopted by farmers can be enhanced provided there is a systematic exchange of knowledge among the farmers. Clusters of farmers based on community of practice could create innovation ecosystems providing this accelerates its adoption. Correlation with the economic and political processes of the country is necessary, as emphasized by the farmers interviewed during the study. Through innovation hubs, agroecology must move from the currently smaller scale to larger scale practices such as agroecosystems and agri-food systems. These forms of organization should also take due account of relevant socio-economic, cultural, and political factors.