Perspectives on the trends, challenges and benefits of green, smart and organic (GSO) foods

Rapid rate of industrialization has turned our planet around in favor of fast foods, food fraud, food terrorism, food waste, food adulteration, food poisoning, food contamination and food injustice, paving the path for green, smart and organic products. Green foods are grown and harvested in the absence of any form of environmental pollution or harmful conditions. Smart foods are termed to be good for the consumers, farmers and the planet. Organic foods are regarded as “credence goods” because some of the attributes that consumers may consider are neither obvious nor easily verified. Therefore, these three terms are interconnected as they forge a substantive common denominator - healthfulness. The concepts of green, smart and organic (GSO) foods are herein recounted together with their interdependence and relationship to health and sustainability. The processes, policies and global trends of GSO foods were discussed, whilst not undermining the benefits and challenges associated with them.

The roles of pollution concerns and environmental knowledge in making green food choices: Evidence from Chinese consumers

In the face of growing environmental concerns among Chinese consumers over food contamination, this study investigates the determinants of Chinese consumers' purchase intentions and willingness to pay for rice with environmental attributes (green rice). The analysis focused especially on latent consumer traits of environmental pollution concerns and subjective environmental knowledge. The data was collected through survey questionnaires administered in three Chinese cities: Guangzhou, Wuhan and Lanzhou (n = 622). A structural equation model was estimated to generate direct and indirect effect estimates of latent and observables factors that determine consumer purchase intentions and willingness to pay for green rice. This study finds significant effects of subjective environmental knowledge on purchase intentions as well as pollution concerns on willingness to pay for green rice. While food quality concerns mediate purchase intentions and willingness to pay; individuals' socio-demographic characteristics including age, education, health status and income influence consumer choice for green rice. A relevant policy finding is that respondents who regard the government as the main agent in protecting the environment were less likely to choose green rice. Overall, the results suggest that strengthening environmental education and targeted market segmentation are necessary conditions for successfully establishing food products with labelled environmental credentials in the Chinese market.

Green consumerism: the influence of antioxidant parameters and socio-economic values on Tarhana consumption patterns

This study aimed to examine the production and consumption patterns of the tarhana as a green food product and its content in terms of health value in the socio-economic framework by comparing urban and rural households. To be able to assess the tarhana's health value, the addition of antioxidative parameters was analysed. We obtained the data as a result of a two-part study. The first part of the research included a structured survey conducted between September and December 2015. In the second part, three types of tarhana samples evaluated in terms of their antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content as extractable, hydrolysable, and bioaccessible phenolics to support the claim that homemade tarhana offers higher nutritional potential and healthier content than commercially produced tarhana. Organic and additive-free homemade tarhana samples have great antioxidative potential, also depending on the content and the production pattern. The results of the antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content analyses, and their bioaccessibility revealed that non-fermented homemade tarhana and cranberry-added tarhana stand out, according to production process and content. Our findings showed that participants mostly produced the tarhana at home. In cases where they could not produce it themselves, they supplied it from their family and friends. This result showed us that participants preferred homemade tarhana over industrial tarhana sold in markets. Rural areas mostly consumed tarhana for its economic value. However, tarhana consumption did not decrease in cities. Only the consumption mode and the times have changed.