Every year, the global food industry produces a significant number of wastes and by-products from a variety of sources. By-products from the food-processing sector are produced in large quantities, and because of their undesirable qualities, they are frequently wasted, losing important resources. In order to pursue a circular economy that refers to waste reduction and effective waste management, by-products valorization recently received increased interest. By-products are rich in bioactive compounds and can be used in various industrial applications for health promotion and nutritional benefits. A novel step in its sustainable application is the use of these inexpensive waste agri-food by-products to create the value-added products. The present review intended to summarize the different types of agro-industrial by-products and their properties and highlight their nutritional composition and potential health benefits. Applications of agri-food by-products in foods as well as the potential health and sustainability implications of by-products in food products were also covered. According to research, agri-food by-products can be added to a variety of food to increase their bioactive profile, fiber content, and antioxidant capacity while maintaining good sensory acceptability. Overall, the sustainability of the agri-food chain and consumer health can both benefit from the use of agri-food by-products in food formulation.

The present paper intends to address the impact of COVID-19 crisis upon the consumer buying behavior of fresh vegetables directly from local producers as observed 30 days later, after enforcing the state of emergency in Romania within a well-defined area, namely, the quarantined area of Suceava. The study relies on the interpretation of answers received from the quarantined area (N = 257) to a questionnaire applied online nationwide. The starting point of this paper is the analysis of the sociodemographic factors on the purchasing decision of fresh vegetables directly from local producers before declaring the state of emergency in Romania (16 March 2020). Further research has been conducted by interpreting the changes triggered by the COVID-19 crisis on the purchasing intention of such products before and after the end of the respective crisis. The aim of this scientific investigation relies on identifying the methods by which these behavioral changes can influence the digital transformation of short food supply chains.

Romanian beekeeping faces a lot of challenges nowadays due to the problems related to climate change, the use of pesticides in agriculture, but also to the pandemic crisis. In this context, organic beekeeping represents an important alternative to traditional apicultural practices. The purpose of the study was to present the current situation of organic beekeeping in Romania, but also to identify some aspects related to sustainability. The research methodology was based on secondary and primary data. An online survey was conducted in 2020 on a sample of 433 Romanian beekeepers. The main findings showed that the majority of participants were aware of organic principles and were familiar with the concept of sustainability in beekeeping. However, only a small percentage of beekeepers were certified in the organic system. The evaluation of the concept of sustainability showed that the most important factor for the surveyed beekeepers was the environmental aspect, followed by the economic and social components. The pandemic crisis has negatively impacted the beekeepers’ activities due to travel restrictions and the limited access to the apiaries. If, in economic terms, they were affected by the sales drop in the first months of the crisis, there were also some positive effects such as the increase in demand for health-related products.

In Romania, there is an emerging market of dairy products delivered through short food supply chains. Although this distribution system has existed since the communist period, and even though more than three decades have passed since then, the market fails to be mature, subject to taxation, or achieve a high diversity in terms of dairy categories, with a consolidated marketing culture that has significant effects on the regional socio-economic environment. The aim of this study was to observe whether the Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) crisis has influenced consumer behavior regarding dairy products delivered directly from producers in Suceava County, Romania. The research is based on a survey conducted between April and May, 2020, and the analysis relies on both quantitative and qualitative methods (namely, anthropological and ethnographic). From the provided responses, it a change was observed in the future buying behavior on short food supply chains, in a positive sense. One of the key findings was that family represents the main environment for passing on the values that influence the buying behavior. Another key finding was that the behavioral changes on the short food supply chains exert pressure on their digital transformations.

In the context of the increase in energy prices and, as a consequence, on other inputs on the global and European market, the study aims to analyze the performance of the European Union’s agriculture through the lens of the correlations and links that are established between different determinants/factors and which provide a much clearer picture of the agricultural sector than the analysis of the result/output and its contribution to GDP. The working methodology consisted in the comparative analysis of the statistical data related to the Member States and the aggregated general data for the EU 27 using the EUROSTAT data by processing them in order to achieve the proposed goal. The results indicate a high level of performance for a number of states that are not considered very important in this area and, in contrast, a lower level of performance for a number of states considered at the top of the pyramid in terms of performance. The derived indicators used and calculated within the research can represent basic elements in the fundamental analysis of the agricultural activity performance of a country and the European Union as a whole.

The Romanian honey market is facing a problem related to traceability, especially when honey is produced in more than one country and its origin is indicated as a blend of EC and non-EC honeys. The increase of honey adulteration has consequences on both consumers and honey producers with considerable negative effects. The aim of the study was to identify the factors that influence honey purchasing behaviour and to evaluate consumers’ awareness related to honey adulteration in Romania among selected age segments. An online survey was conducted between 2020-2021 on a sample of 1,233 respondents. The questionnaire covered aspects related to purchasing behaviour and honey adulteration, complemented with socio-demographic questions. The data were evaluated using descriptive, non-parametric and multivariate statistics. The results showed that the most important factors considered during the purchasing process by Romanian honey consumers were health factor and country of origin followed by producer reputation and ecological aspect, while the least important were discounts, promotion and brand reputation. The older respondents are more aware of honey adulteration and know better that crystallisation is an indicator of quality. This study provides important information for policymakers and the whole beekeeping chain in Romania. Education in terms of honey authenticity and traceability will help consumers to choose local honey of high quality and to avoid adulterated products. This consumption and purchasing behaviour will discourage producers from honey counterfeiting.