• Energy Research

The most important challenges of food policy and public health in the 21st Century include fighting high levels of obesity and food waste. Both issues are linked to the necessity of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and inhibiting climate change. Diet modification towards a more sustainable and healthy model, based in greater extent on plant-derived (vegetal) food and not animal products is seen as a chance to improve this situation. Taking these aspects into consideration, an analysis of consumption trends (1991-2011) of 6 food groups, known as markers of sustainable diet, was carried out in 7 EU countries. The study was based on FAO Food Balance Sheet statistical data. The current consumption structures in the selected countries was compared to recommended, sustainable and healthy diets. It was shown that in general homogenization of food consumption, a decrease of pulses and increase of fruit consumption had taken place. In each country the share of cereals & potatoes, fruit & vegetables, milk & dairy products, and meat did not meet the recommendations. The consumption of the first two groups was too low, the remaining two – too high.

This study aimed to analyze the conditions and specificity of family firms (FFs) providing accommodation services in Poland 30 years after the beginning of economic changes. The research was carried out between 2017 and 2018 using the Computer-Assisted Website Interview (CAWI) method. In two stages of research, a total of 1300 questionnaires were sent to FFs providing accommodation services, and we received 83 fully completed questionnaires. This response rate indicates that there is still a lack of trust among FFs as a result of the activities of the socialist economy, which was negative towards private property. The respondents were generally business owners, but several questionnaires were completed by other members of the families running an accommodation service business. All companies participating in the survey provided their services in small towns or rural areas. In the structure of the surveyed FFs by type, guesthouses and lodgings had the largest share, and, in terms of location, FFs from the southern part of the country dominated. We found out that familiarity is an important feature of the Polish FFs providing accommodation services. The majority of FF representatives agreed that focusing on the specifics of family business allows them to compete with companies providing accommodation services. They also pointed out the long-term perspective of business and development and the provision of high-quality services. Such an approach is now possible because the period of a centrally planned economy had to be followed by a change in the way of thinking related to business activity in Poland.

This study aimed to examine the drivers and types of sustainable product innovations undertaken in bakeries with a particular focus on fibre-enriched bread. This type of bread contributes to a healthy diet due to its increased content of dietary fibre, which is an essential but deficient component of the diet, especially in modern consumption patterns in affluent countries. The study was carried out using the Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) method on a sample of 402 companies operating in the Polish baking industry. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) using Burt tables was used to analyse the results. Four groups of companies were identified according to the number of new products introduced to the market: non-innovative, poorly innovative, moderately innovative, and sustainable innovative companies. The results show that the development of a “new formula” was the most frequently mentioned type of innovation in all groups of companies. Other types of product innovation were also identified among the highly innovative companies: a new product for the company, a new product for the consumer, and new packaging. The basic motivation for launching innovative products on the market was to follow new trends and meet consumer expectations. Therefore, the results indicate that a consumer approach to innovation prevailed. The surveyed bakeries perceived fibre-enriched bread as a product with high nutritional value and environmental benefits. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the drivers of sustainable innovation in the food industry and have some practical implications for bakery companies seeking competitive drivers based on sustainable innovation. The study showed that capturing the voice of the customer is important in developing product innovations in bakeries. A consumer-oriented strategy is a win-win strategy, as it will result in an increased range of products suitable for a healthy sustainable diet and environmental benefits using fibre waste from food processing.

The aim of our study was to analyse vegetables, potatoes and their products as sources of energy and nutrients in the average diet in Poland. Representative data of the 2016 Household Budget Survey from 36,886 households were used. This is the largest study sample in Poland, so we generalized the conclusions to the whole population using the statement ‘average diet’. We analysed three main product groups: vegetables, vegetable products, and potatoes and potatoes products, dividing them into 14 subgroups (e.g., tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, other vegetables, and mushrooms). The percentages of energy, protein, carbohydrates, total fat, nine vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E), seven minerals (calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, iron, magnesium and zinc), and fibre from the analysed food subgroups are presented. Additionally, the influence of household characteristics on the supply of energy and nutrients from each subgroup of vegetables, potatoes, and their products was evaluated using cluster analysis. In the analysis, R programme and Kohonen neural networks were applied. Our study showed that vegetables, potatoes, and their products provide 7.3% of daily dietary energy supply. Vegetables contribute more than 20% of the supply of six nutrients: vitamin C (51.8%), potassium (32.5%), folate (31.0%), vitamin A (30.6%), vitamin B6 (27.8%), and magnesium (20.2%), as well as fibre (31.8%). Cluster analysis distinguished three clusters that differed in nutritional supply from vegetables, potatoes, and their products. Educational level, income measured by quintile groups, village size, socio-economic characteristics, urbanization degree, and land use were the most important factors determining differences between clusters.