Journal Articles
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7915
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Item Valorization of Sacha Inchi press cake: Technological advances, market, and regulatory considerations for sustainable food applications(Elsevier B.V., 2025-12) Njoroge JW; Phonphimai P; Khatmorn P; Ketnawa S; Tonkla P; Vong V; Singh J; Kaur L; Donlao NSacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) press cake (SP), the nutrient-dense by-product of oil extraction, is rich in high quality proteins, essential fatty acids, and bioactive compounds. However, its use remains constrained by processing, regulatory and market acceptance barriers. This review summarizes recent advances in processing strategies to improve SP's nutritional, functional, and sensory qualities. Physical treatments (dry/wet fractionation, steaming, autoclaving, roasting and extrusion) increase protein digestibility and solubility while reducing heat-stable antinutrients. Emerging methods, including high-pressure processing, high-pressure homogenization, ultrasonication, microwave treatment, electroconductivity (Ohmic/PEF), and cold plasma technologies enhance extractability and bioactivity while preserving sensitive compounds. Chemical and chemo-enzymatic approaches (e.g., alkaline soaking, cyclodextrin complexation) suppress flavor precursors, whereas enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation improve bioactive peptide release, digestibility, and functionality. Functional additives (sweeteners, salts, polysaccharides, flavor enhancers) help mask bitterness, while paired with consumer-preferred flavors increase acceptance. Beyond processing, safety approvals (e.g., Thai FDA, EU novel food approval) and consumer perception on sensory, nutritional, and sustainability factors shape its market potential. Currently, SP shows potential across a wide range of food applications and its valorization supports sustainable protein supply chains. Future opportunities depend on integrating processing, safety, and regulatory strategies with consumer-driven innovation.Item Multi-scalar policy uptake of the six-dimensional food security framework(Elsevier Ltd, 2025-11-01) Clapp J; Moseley WG; Termine P; Burlingame BIn 2022, along with colleagues, we proposed a six-dimensional food security framework in a Food Policy viewpoint article that argued for the need to expand the commonly cited four pillar approach (availability, access, utilization and stability) by adding two additional dimensions: agency and sustainability. The proposal was not just for a new conceptual framework for scholarly analysis, but also for its application in policy settings. Over three years later, we are humbled to see widespread uptake of our call to embrace agency and sustainability as dimensions of food security in multiple tyles of policy settings at different scales. This brief policy comment outlines the growing recognition and application of the six-dimensional framework for food security in policy contexts from the global to the local level. We are hopeful that the growing application of this idea will help to make improvements in the global quest to end hunger.Item Shadow economy and energy efficiency: utilising goal programming for sustainability assessment(Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 2025-08-07) Alharbi SS; Boubaker S; Ngo T; Yuen MKThis paper combined different methods of operations research, goal programming, and unsupervised machine learning into a single framework to examine energy efficiency across the globe. Using the latest data from 131 countries in 2017, our empirical findings reveal different patterns of energy efficiency among countries and country groups under both the meta-frontier and group-frontiers. We found an inequality in production technology for many countries, which made it difficult for them to improve their energy efficiency. Importantly, our analysis also reveals that the size of the shadow economy has a small but negative impact on energy efficiency. Consequently, we suggest that governments should (i) pay more attention to the shadow economy, (ii) increase investments in education and human capital, and (iii) strengthen their institutions.Item The Wheel of Work and the Sustainable Livelihoods Index (SL-I)(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2025-07-09) Carr S; Hopner V; Meyer I; Di Fabio A; Scott J; Matuschek I; Blake D; Saxena M; Saner R; Saner-Yiu L; Massola G; Atkins SG; Reichman W; Saltzman J; McWha-Hermann I; Tchagneno C; Searle R; Mukerjee J; Blustein D; Bansal S; Covington IK; Godbout J; Haar J; Rosen MAThe concept of a sustainable livelihood affords protection from crises and protects people, including future generations. Conceptually, this paper serves as a study protocol that extends the premises of decent work to include and integrate criteria that benefit people, planet, and prosperity. Existing measures of sustainability principally serve organisations and governments, not individual workers who are increasingly looking for ‘just transitions’ into sustainable livelihoods. Incorporating extant measurement standards from systems theory, vocational psychology, psychometrics, labour and management studies, we con ceptualise a classification of livelihoods, criteria for their sustainability, forming a study protocol for indexing these livelihoods, a set of theory-based propositions, and a pilot test of this context-sensitive model.Item CirDEF: Standardised information framework to address the information needs of circularity indicators(Elsevier Ltd, 2025-06-10) Kahandawa R; Jayasinghe RS; Gomis K; Baiocchi GCircularity indicators are widely used to assess progress toward sustainability through circular economic practices. However, the diverse data requirements for these indicators often result in inconsistencies, overlaps and misinterpretations when evaluating circularity. This study addresses the absence of a unified, standardised approach to defining and applying circularity indicators, by developing a framework, named “CirDEF”. This standardised and holistic information framework supports the varied information needs of circularity indicators across system scales, indicator types, and stakeholder contexts. A systematic literature review was conducted, analysing 75 resources to identify existing circularity indicators. The resulting standardised information framework structured around input, process, and output model incorporated with key attributes such as business, time, dimensional, impact, and performance. This allows for the creation of a holistic platform that can redefine existing circularity indicators and improve decision-making. The framework was validated through expert interviews using face, content, and construct validation methods, to ensure theoretical and practical relevance. CirDEF enables dynamic, context-specific circularity assessments by allowing users to apply any relevant circularity indicators instead of relying on fixed indicators. This adaptability supports real-time decision-making, traceability, and proactive implementation of the circular economy. By resolving ambiguities, overlaps, and the static measurement limitations, CirDEF serves as a comprehensive system that facilitates data-driven decisions and aligns with SDGs. This is the first study of its kind to provide a thorough resource for academics, industry practitioners, and policymakers, enabling a holistic evaluation of circularity indicators through a standardised information framework across various processes and life cycles on a global scale.Item ‘I feel the weather and you just know’. Narrating the dynamics of commuter mobility choices(Elsevier B.V., 2022-07-18) Barr S; Lampkin S; Dawkins L; Williamson DEfforts to promote travel behaviour change have frequently deployed social marketing strategies that are based on characterising populations into discrete target groups through quantitative segmentation techniques. Such techniques provide an important basis for understanding behavioural choices and motivations, frequently using psychological constructs that can be used for planning interventions. However, there are limitations to what a solely quantitative approach can offer practitioners in terms of understanding the dynamics of travel behaviour and the meanings associated with personal mobility that can be used to design appropriate interventions. In this paper we provide evidence to argue for a mixed-methods approach, where insights from quantitative segmentation and qualitative data can be used to reveal the experiential nature of factors that influence travel decision making. To pursue this argument we present findings from research with commuters in the city of Exeter, South West England. Using data from five workshops, we illustrate the ways in which participants articulated and gave meaning to a series of travel mode influences identified using quantitative segmentation techniques for specific commuter groups (private car, public transport, walking, cycling and a combination of modes). We demonstrate how both understanding the dynamism of travel behaviour and revealing its meanings can present opportunities for designing interventions, offering pathways to promote shifts away from carbon intensive transport.Item Combating Greenwashing of Construction Products in New Zealand and Australia: A Critical Analysis of Environmental Product Declarations(MDPI AG, 2024-11-06) Moshood TD; Rotimi JOB; Rotimi FEThe construction industry’s increasing environmental impact has led to the widespread adoption of sustainability claims, yet the prevalence of greenwashing—where organizations make misleading environmental claims—threatens genuine sustainable development efforts. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have emerged as a potential solution, particularly in the New Zealand and Australia construction sectors, where recent government climate regulations have accelerated their adoption. However, the effectiveness of EPDs in combating greenwashing and their practical implementation remain understudied. This research addresses this gap through a comprehensive analysis of EPDs in construction, employing a systematic literature review of 82 articles from 2010 to 2024 across major databases. Using ATLAS.ti 9 software, this study makes three key contributions: (1) develops a novel framework for evaluating EPD programs and their effectiveness in preventing greenwashing, (2) establishes a standardized methodology for assessing the completeness and accuracy of life cycle assessment information in EPDs, and (3) provides evidence-based recommendations for improving EPD implementation in the construction industry. The findings reveal critical shortcomings in current EPD practices, including inconsistent assessment methodologies and incomplete life cycle data. This study proposes specific reforms to enhance EPD reliability and transparency, offering practical guidelines for industry stakeholders to verify environmental claims. These contributions advance both the theoretical understanding of environmental certification systems and practical implementation of sustainable construction practices by developing regulatory frameworks.Item Global nutrient content embedded in food losses and waste: Identifying the sources and magnitude along the food supply chain(Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Institution of Chemical Engineers, 2024-11) Beuving M; McNabb WC; Smith NW; Teodosiu CReducing food losses and waste (FLW) can contribute to improving nutrient availability to meet the nutritional needs of the global population. Identifying foods that contribute most to nutrient content in FLW is crucial for developing effective strategies to reduce FLW. Here, we assessed the current literature for quality and consistency of FLW data, and then evaluated the quantity of nutrients that are wasted as a consequence of FLW, identifying the primary food sources contributing to this on a global scale. Several FLW definitions and quantification methods were identified in the literature, making it difficult to compare FLW data and estimates of nutrient content in FLW between existing studies. The nutrient content in global FLW was determined for 29 nutrients from 99 food commodities with the DELTA Model®, after which the contribution of each food group to the nutrient content of FLW was calculated. An indicator was developed to assess the potential impact of resolving FLW on global nutrient availability. Nutrient content in FLW was highest for phosphorus (69 % of global requirement), tryptophan (62 %), thiamine (61 %), methionine (58 %) and histidine (54 %). For 17 out of 29 nutrients, >40 % of the global requirement was embedded in FLW. Cereals contributed most to nutrient losses, followed by fruits and vegetables. According to the indicator, rice, wheat, vegetables, maize, and milk provided the greatest opportunity for increasing nutrient supply via reduction of FLW, due to the combination of waste rates and nutrient density. Our findings highlight the importance of broadening FLW research beyond food mass to incorporate nutritional aspects as important indicators, and to identify key food items to reduce FLW for the improvement of nutrient availability.Item Preliminary examination of the perceptions of sustainable horse feeding practices in the Netherlands.(Elsevier B.V., 2024-01-01) Karasu GK; Krabbenborg R; Westerduin F; Rogers CWThe purpose of this study was to determine the perception of sustainability among horse owners in the Netherlands and their willingness to switch to more sustainable feeding practices. A survey was distributed to a target group of horse owners in the Netherlands via social media channels. Data (n = 338 valid responses) were stratified based on yard type and size (small (<20), medium (20-50), and large (>50 horses). Most of the yards were livery yards (68 %) and they were small in size (66 %). The term most commonly associated with sustainability was low environmental impact (61.8 %). All participants (338/338) indicated that they were willing to switch to more sustainable feeding practices. Of the six options offered, the most popular was the use of plastic-free packaging products (60.5 %). This study identified that numerically the greatest change in behavior for the Dutch equestrian community would be achieved by small livery yards (P < 0.001). The potential to modify certain practices might be limited by the size of the equestrian operation, such as the available land for altering pasture management, and the financial aspects of the enterprise. Future research should investigate how the scale and economic considerations of the equestrian business influence its capacity and willingness to adopt more sustainable feeding practices.Item Analysis of current equine feeding practices in the Netherlands and identification of potential nutrient leaching and environmental contamination factors.(Elsevier B.V., 2024-06-01) Karasu GK; Rogers CWThe aim of this study was to estimate the potential for nutrient leaching based on current feeding practices of horses in the Netherlands. An online survey of horse owners collected data on the demographics of the horses (n = 274) and feeding practices. The median age was 8 years, the majority being warmblood and geldings with a mean bodyweight of 542.4 ± 101.9 kg. Most horses (85 %) had access to a limited area of pasture (<200m2 per horse), with a median grazing time of 10 hours. Grass hay was the predominant conserved forage offered (77 %) within diets. Concentrate feeds were provided to most horses (93.8 %) as well as the dietary supplements (80 %). The majority of the horses were offered high levels of metabolizable energy (ME) (90 %), starch (mean 2.4 ± 0.8 g/kg bw) and sugar intake (mean 1.4 ± 1.2 g/kg bw) compared to NRC recommendations. The estimated potential nitrogen excretion per horse per day was 228 ± 134 g, or 8.47 kg of nitrogen per ton of manure. Consequently, the estimated daily fecal excretion rates of microminerals for each horse were as follows: Copper (Cu) at 141.0 ± 151.3 mg, Zinc (Zn) at 593.1 ± 504.4 mg, Manganese (Mn) at 957 ± 541.2 mg, and Cobalt (Co) at 2.3 ± 3.5 mg. The analysis indicated that many equine diets in the Netherlands offered excess ME, CP and the minerals Cu, Zn, Mn and Co. To mitigate these concerns, it is crucial to promote sustainable feeding practices and better educate horse owners.