Plant-based meat analogues (i.e., plant-based meat alternatives or substitutes, or vegan meats) are becoming more and more popular. The quality of the available products is constantly increasing therefore their consumption is also increasing. The primary role of meat analogues is to replace the meat component in meals while appropriate nutrient content and hedonic value will be provided as well. The food safety aspects of these newly emerging food products are less investigated. The aim of this study is to compare the microbial spoilage of identical meals prepared with meat and meat analogues to evaluate the food safety risk of meat analogues. In this work, raw protein materials were tested. Moreover, three pairs of meals prepared with or without meat were microbiologically examined during a storage experiment. Microbial contaminants were low in raw protein sources. In the case of hot meals, the microbial proliferation was faster in samples containing meat analogue, especially if the meals were not cooled. The food safety risk of meals prepared with meat analogues is slightly higher than their meat-containing counterparts, therefore more attention needs to be paid to the preparation, processing, and storage of these foods.

Since it is an important human need and many organizations are involved in the value chain, the agricultural food supply chain is exposed to various risks that arise naturally or through human actions. This study aims to develop the application of a quality function deployment approach to increase the resilience of the food supply chain by understanding customer needs and logistical risks in the food supply chain. In-depth studies with empirical analysis were conducted to determine the importance of customer needs, food supply chain risks, and actions to improve supply chain resilience of SMEs in the agri-food industry. The result shows that the top three customer needs are "attractive, bright color", "firm texture" and "fresh smell". The top three risks in the agri-food supply chain are "improper storage," "Harvest Failure" and "Human Resource Risks" and the top three resilience actions are "continuous training," "preventive maintenance," and "supply chain forecasting." The implications of this study are to propose an idea that broadens the perspective of supply chain resilience in the agri-food industry by incorporating the needs of customers in considering how to mitigate the existing risks to the satisfaction of customers, and it also highlights the relatively low skill and coordination of the workforce in agri-food supply chains.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of reverse logistics in the recycling of used plastic bottles and waste management in Ethiopia. To achieve the study’s goal, the authors used a descriptive research design where a combination of primary and secondary data sources was employed. Primary data was collected from 258 respondents, while secondary data was taken from office manuals, yearly reports, and brochures. The findings of our analysis show that incineration, landfilling, and dumping of used plastic bottles on the side of the road are all apparent in the environment, making the city and its environs filthy and unpleasant to live in. This study also discovered that reuse and remanufacturing have become less common and are rarely practiced. Even though plastic waste disposal guidelines have been created, our investigation revealed that there is a lack of community understanding regarding solid waste management, and some stakeholders actively disregard waste management proclamations. Thus, it is recommended that all stakeholders, including the government, business owners, plastic bottled water makers, and the public, pay close attention to waste disposal, particularly of non-biodegradable pollutants in Ethiopia’s urban and rural areas.

Inadequate catering facilities in Kenyan public universities compel students to handle and prepare their own food, in environments not designated for food preparation such as rooms in hostels. This study investigated the level of food safety and sanitation knowledge, attitude, and practice, among students in an effort to prevent food‐borne diseases. A cross‐sectional study was conducted among 535 students from two public universities in Kenya. Data were obtained through a piloted, structured questionnaire in line with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) guidelines, administered to students from seven different departments. Eighty percent of the students had adequate levels of food safety and hygiene knowledge, while 70% had a positive attitude toward food safety and sanitation. An average of 74% engaged in inadequate food safety and hygiene practices, with majority citing lack of equipment as a major contributor. ANOVA results revealed significant correlation between the gender and knowledge and practice of food safety and sanitation (F = 30.328, ρ = 0.000) and (F = 18.177,ρ = 0.000), respectively. Binary logistic regression showed that knowledge (β = 3.677, p < .000) fostered the practice of food safety and sanitation more in comparison with attitude (β = 2.244, p < .000). Kenyan universities should consider introducing food safety courses that emphasize Food Safety Management System (FSMS) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) practices and procedures especially to non‐science‐based courses, in addition to providing students with proper cooking and food handling facilities.

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, the scientific journal of the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic