Miranda Mirosa

University of Otago · Department of Food Science

Food waste is a significant problem in Aotearoa New Zealand. It puts unnecessary pressure on our environment, it creates emissions, it contributes to food poverty, and it is a lost economic opportunity. What we need to do is to stop accepting waste generation as a necessary ingrained part of our production and consumption systems. Rather we need to...

One of the aims of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is to end hunger and ensure access by all people to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round. An obvious synergy exists between the second SDG “Zero Hunger” and SDG target 12.3 which focuses on halving food waste and reducing food losses. In addition to helping im...

Organizations can invest significant time, energy, and resources initiating food waste reduction practices. Addressing the critical success factors for a new initiative or change in practice is vital. This research aimed to identify the overarching critical success factors for food waste reduction practices across the food supply chain. Semi-struct...

Purpose The study analyses the resilience of food rescue organisations’ operating as “essential services” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020) in Aotearoa New Zealand. It explores the impact of COVID-19 on the organisations’ operation, preparedness, and potential positive impacts. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a quali...

Globally, a recent phenomenon in complementary feeding is the use of squeezable baby food pouches. However, some health agencies have raised concerns about their possible long-term health effects. The aim of this study was to describe parental perceptions of the use of baby food pouches during complementary feeding (i.e., the transition from an ent...

The fatty acid (FA) profile, nutritional index, and thermal properties of lipids from Tenebrio molitor and Hermetia illucens larvae were studied. T. molitor and H. illucens larvae had high lipid contents (respectively 28.8% and 42.6%), saturated (25.0% and 55.8%), monounsaturated (MUFA) (39.2% and 28.3%), and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids (35....

Upcycled food is a new way of communicating to consumers the age-old process of creating new foods from by-products or unmarketable produce. Consumers are open to the idea of purchasing upcycled foods yet the availability of these products in supermarkets is limited. Securing shelf space will help to ensure the growth of this trend. Therefore, this...

Chinese consumers (n = 604) were asked three times to rate their acceptance of traditional thermal processing and several newer technologies (high pressure processing, irradiation, bacteriophages, antimicrobial packaging, pulsed electric fields, and rinsing meat carcasses with antimicrobial solutions) designed to control foodborne bacteria in food...

Biocides, in the form of sanitisers and disinfectants, are used extensively to reduce the risk of microbial contamination to beverage products and to ensure the safety of potable water used in processing. To better understand consumers’ perceptions of biocide use and to explore messaging strategies regarding their importance to ensure product safet...

Reducing food loss and waste (FLW) is one strategy to limit the environmental impact of the food supply chain. Australian data suggest that primary production accounts for 31% of national FLW, but there are no comparable data in New Zealand. This study aimed to measure food loss and explore food loss drivers for one of New Zealand’s largest tomato...

Food insecurity in advanced capitalist nations has persisted over decades despite excess food production, welfare systems, and charitable responses. This research examines the perspectives of practitioners who engage with food insecurity in Aotearoa New Zealand using a Q methodology study to synthesise and characterise three typical subjective posi...

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate consumers' post–purchase experience when buying fresh food online. It examines the key dimensions of post–purchase online customer experience (post–purchase OCE) that impact customer satisfaction and repurchase intention. It also explores the role of corporate image as a moderator. Design/methodo...

Purpose Audits are an essential part of supply chain management, whether they be of a single supplier's facilities or the whole supply chain. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, auditors mainly conducted supplier audits in-person and on-site. Subsequent travel restrictions have meant that auditors have had to perform these audits remotely. The purpose of...

Although food loss and waste (FL&W) is high on China's national policy agenda, there is still little scientific information published about how much FL&W exists in China, what its impacts are, and what needs to be done to reduce it. Furthermore, what is known about FL&W across the various hotspots of China's food supply chain is not accessible in o...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to facilitate the successful adoption of traceability technologies, such as blockchain, into food supply chains and facilitate the understanding of the barriers and enablers to their uptake by channel members' needs so that appropriate enabling strategy can be put in place. Design/methodology/approach In this p...

This study assessed if Chinese consumer attitudes towards a range of lamb attributes (such as origin, food safety, appearance, taste, price), and their opinions of New Zealand lamb (9- and 7-point Likert scales, respectively), had changed since the outbreak COVID-19. The same survey was carried out in Shanghai and Beijing pre (December 2018) and po...

Food waste is a problem that manifests throughout the food supply chain. A promising solution that can mitigate the food waste problem across various stages of the food supply chain is upcycling food ingredients that would otherwise be wasted by converting them into new upcycled food products. This research explores perception of upcycled foods fro...

Tenebrio molitor (mealworms) and Hermetia illucens (Black soldier fly) larvae were analysed for the effect of feed composition on the fatty acid profiles. The larvae were raised on various feeds to which the basal diet had been supplemented to various levels with seed meals (flax seed, chia seed, hemp seed, and rapeseed). Fatty acid classes and com...

Fruits and vegetables that fail to conform to an aesthetic standard are labelled suboptimal and are often devalued and ultimately discarded. Although consumers perceive suboptimal produce negatively, little is known about how these perceptions are formed and indeed the socialisation process behind them. Using 11 focus group discussions with New Zea...

Approximately 12% of total food waste is generated at the hospitality and food service level. Previous research has focused on kitchen and storeroom operations; however, 34% of food waste in the sector is uneaten food on consumers’ plates, known as “plate waste”. The effect of situational dining factors and motivational factors on plate waste was a...

Purpose Food safety is an issue of key concern for Chinese consumers. This study identifies intrinsic and extrinsic cues on product labels or websites that Chinese consumers use to assess a product's perceived safety. Design/methodology/approach Five structured focus groups (total participants n = 41) were run in Suzhou China, in Chinese, to gathe...

During the global 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, the advantages of online food delivery (FD) were obvious, as it facilitated consumer access to prepared meals and enabled food providers to keep operating. However, online FD is not without its critics, with reports of consumer and restaurant boycotts. It is, therefore, time to take stock and consider the b...

This study quantified the acceptability of smart food packaging technologies and determined their associations with sociodemographic, attitudinal, and behavioral characteristics of consumers in China. Two quantitative surveys were conducted using an intercept method in Beijing with one for intelligent food packaging and the other for active food pa...

This paper investigated Vietnamese consumers’ preferences for functional milk powder products to determine if there were differences in market segments. A Qualtrics survey and a 1000minds choice-based conjoint survey were completed by 272 participants, predominantly 18-30-year-old males with high education levels and above average incomes. Firstly,...

This study investigated how Chinese consumers prioritize cues when assessing the safety of imported milk powder. A choice-based conjoint survey was completed by 307 participants in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Nanjing, using the internet-based software 1000minds. Important cues for consumers were “government certification logo shown on the produ...

Smart packaging, an emerging technology in the food packaging industry incorporates both active and intelligent technologies. Consumer demand for natural products and increasingly extended and diverse supply chains required to feed the growing global population, mean that traditional packaging is becoming less capable of meeting the functional dema...

Air pollution is becoming an increasing problem in many developing economies with China being one of the countries most effected. Four Consumer Idealized Design (CID) workshops were conducted in Suzhou to explore the ideal product attributes consumers require in functional foods designed to combat the adverse impact of air pollution. A tablet was t...

Functional beverages have gained increasing market share over the last decade. As the Asia Pacific region is one of the largest and most important markets for functional foods, it is critical when developing and promoting new products that food manufacturers/marketers have a good understanding of the Asia Pacific market, including the legislative r...

Little is known about the amount of food wasted in the retail sector. This study aimed to quantify retail food waste in New Zealand (NZ) and identify key drivers for food waste reduction, using a mixed-methods, observational study design that consisted of three parts: onsite food waste audits undertaken in 16 selected stores (complete data from 11...

The deterioration of air quality in China has resulted in many people looking for remedies to counteract the impact that air pollution is perceived to be having on their health. As the importance of diet on immune health is becoming increasingly well recognised, a narrative literature review was undertaken to elucidate Chinese consumers’ acceptance...

To facilitate the successful design of functional foods designed to boost immunity and to guide the successful promotion of such products, to Chinese consumers, fundamental knowledge is required on how consumers perceive the concept of immunity, the steps they take to improve their immunity and what their general attitudes are toward new functional...

This chapter reviews the existing food waste research in Australia and New Zealand. It then examines the history and development of food waste policy in Australia and New Zealand, the drivers and composition of food waste in New Zealand, along with the economic and social impacts and what potential interventions might be helpful. This includes high...

Children's perceptions of suboptimal fruits and vegetables have not been studied in the suboptimal foods domain. Using two qualitative research methods, this study investigates children's (N = 97) edibility perceptions of suboptimal produce with varied appearance defects. The results show that unlike adult samples previously studied, children are m...

In China, persistent and severe episodes of poor air quality have raised the population’s awareness of the deleterious impact that air pollution can have on their health and lead many people to explore physical means to limit their exposure to air pollution and therapies to help their immune system cope with this stress. Using a netnographic approa...

Research on eating behaviour has confirmed that portion size can substantially influence intake, a phenomenon known as the Portion-Size-Effect (PSE). Despite extensive research interest, there is limited understanding about the PSE on intended consumption (often measured by Expected Intake). It also remains unclear whether the presentation of food...

Background: An estimated one-third of the [...]

Industry Report - http://www.wasteminz.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/New-Zealand-cafe-and-resturant-food-waste-WasteMINZ-2018.pdf

Background: In this study, qualitative research methods were used to explore the behavioral, normative, and control beliefs underpinning parents’ decisions to purchase functional weaning food products. Methods: Seven focus groups were conducted with 44 parents in two locations in Malaysia (Sabah and Selangor). Based on the Theory of Planned Behavio...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to gain insight on parental attitudes towards weaning practices and weaning foods for health in Malaysia using Q-methodology. Design/methodology/approach The study population was parents that had a child aged three years or less. A total of 47 parents were recruited to partake in a one-on-one activity which i...

Purpose Insects can be sustainably produced and are nutrient rich. However, adoption of insects in western culture, including New Zealand (NZ) is slow. The purpose of this paper is to explore consumer attitudes, drivers and barriers towards entomophagy and uncover consumer expectations surrounding what their ideal insect product attributes are. D...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the inter-relationships between peoples’ perceptions of the attributes of leftover food and how they lead to higher-order values in relation to food waste. Design/methodology/approach The method involved an online, text-based, qualitative survey of 112 panel members from a market research firm....

At the beginning of 2013, a Beijing non-profit group launched a ‘Clean Your Plate Campaign’ on Sina Weibo, a Chinese Twitter-like microblogging site, with aims to reduce food waste. This paper examines social media users’ reactions during two periods of the first three years of the campaign. Upon examination of topic content, supporting participati...

This study identifies barriers and benefits of consumers’ current doggy bag behaviors and provides the information required to run an effective community-based social marketing campaign encouraging consumers to take their uneaten restaurant and café food home. This is done by applying a two-stage methodology, including quantitatively analyzing exis...

The present study focused on adding to the understanding of meat consumption and potential drivers for its reduction in New Zealand. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the recently developed Meat-Attachment Questionnaire (MAQ), this study investigated New Zealand consumers' attitudes, motivations and behaviours in regards to meat consu...

Although locusts can be sustainably produced and are nutrient rich, the thought of eating them can be hard to swallow for many consumers. This paper aims to investigate the nutritional composition of Locusta migratoria, including the properties of extracted locust protein, contributing to limited literature and product development opportunities for...

Food allergies present numerous challenges to coping in everyday life. Even simple things like planning a lunch with a friend can be stressful for people with food allergies. But are some people more adversely impacted by having a food allergy than other people? This paper addressed this question by investigating whether individual differences in t...

The article explores how Māori women in Aotearoa (New Zealand) are defining their own food system and the values of the women at the heart of their community food initiatives. Using a blend of participatory and kaupapa Māori (Māori principles) research methodologies, the study took place over the course of 3 years, involving four women or case stud...

We investigate the environmental attitudes (EA) of New Zealand’s land surveying students and how they change during a four-year programme. We implemented a multi-cohort survey and developed a longitudinal statistical model of change. Findings suggest that although the EA scores of groups of students vary at different times within and between cohort...

This work evaluates consumers' perception of apple juice processed by high pressure processing (HPP) and pulsed electric field (PEF) compared with thermal processing. As a case study, young Chinese immigrants living in New Zealand were selected. Targeting a broad understanding of process impact, three industrially relevant apple cultivars (New Zeal...

Background The number of individuals with food allergies or intolerances attending catered university residential colleges is increasing, and safe dining options are required to minimize the risk of allergic reactions and food-induced death. Objective This qualitative research study sought to advance professional knowledge of the factors affecting...

Research with Indigenous Peoples has a history associated with colonialism, oppression, and power and control dynamics. In order to work with Indigenous communities within a research context, unique methodologies encompassing Indigenous values, participatory approaches, and horizontal collaboration and/or knowledge exchange is required. The reflect...

Aims: University foodservices are potentially well placed to foster environmental education in a non-classroom setting and so could have the power to benefit communities through producing environmentally literate graduates. Buy-in from foodservice staff is critical for realising this potential, so understanding what foodservice staff think about t...

Consumers’ desire to enhance diet and health has become a driver for the development of functional food products. China, with one of the largest markets in the world, offers huge potential for these foods. In the context of functional foods, specifically related to mobility health, this study aimed to understand Chinese consumers’ perceptions of th...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the social value food rescue enterprises can create for both their stakeholders and the wider community “in the meantime” whilst longer term solutions to the problems of insecurity and waste are sought. Design/methodology/approach FoodShare, a New Zealand urban-based social enterprise specialising...

We explored opportunities, advantages and barriers to enabling students to establish student-led learning events at a New Zealand university. We used an action-research approach to explore if students felt empowered to use the infrastructure of this university to realise something that they themselves set out to achieve. We discovered that, in achi...

Purpose Social marketing and other types of targeted behaviour change interventions should appeal to an individual’s personal values in order to improve their effectiveness. However, there is currently little understanding of what these values are in relation to food waste. The purpose of this paper is to identify the values underpinning the specif...

The waste of edible food throughout the food chain is recognised as a global issue and academic research focuses on how to encourage reductions in this waste. At the consumer level, governments are investing in communication campaigns that encourage individuals to reduce the amount of edible food discarded in their home-based activities. The specif...

Freshness is a multidimensional attribute commonly encountered in everyday life and particularly in association with food. It awakens certain expectations from consumers, as it is a critical variable that affects the food quality and acceptability. The aim of this research was to identify sensory and non-sensory factors contributing to young immigr...

We used macro-economic data and aggregated waste data to estimate that, in 2011, New Zealand households generated over 224,000 tonnes of food waste, and New Zealand industry generated over 103,000 tonnes of food waste. We split New Zealand’s food waste into 14 food-waste categories and found that 7% is related to “fresh” produce, and 93% “processed...

Background: College administrative and management leaders, foodservice personnel, and student residents value social, nutritional, financial, and environmental sustainability in their dining expectations. Menu choice reduction looks promising as a strategy to achieve these goals. However, foodservice research about dominant attitudes across these...

Objective: Food allergies are a growing health concern, but their implications for daily psychological functioning are unknown. This micro-longitudinal study investigated the daily frequency of food allergy issues and how this related to experiences of stress, mood, and physical energy. Design: 108 adults with physician-diagnosed food allergies...

Augmented buying power of East Asian consumers has resulted in increased interest in these markets. Wine is a particularly promising sector to target as the number of East Asians choosing to drink wine rises. In order to serve these markets, companies must understand factors influencing consumers’ choices. The objective of this research was to unde...

We used a modified circuit of culture enquiry to explore processes of production, representation and consumption of global perspective at our university, in the context of fostering this perspective as a graduate attribute. We identified four frame packages by which this perspective is understood and communicated. Global perspective is framed withi...

Despite the enormous opportunity that the Chinese market provides for exporting companies in the food and beverage industry, little research has considered Chinese consumer decision making processes surrounding these products. This study provides an empirical investigation into how Chinese consumers prioritize extrinsic product attributes (brand, n...

Chapter in Routledge Handbook of Food Ethics. Hunger is a significant problem in liberal democracies, despite the availability of food. This chapter examines the perspectives which shape the legitimacy of particular responses to hunger. The basis for responses from a neoliberal, a human rights, and a charitable perspective are surveyed, and then se...

This study examined the effects of technology information on Chinese consumers' acceptance of thermal and non-thermal treated apple juices. Apple juice was treated using thermal, high hydrostatic pressure processing and pulsed-electric field processing methods and compared to untreated apple juice. The four juices were evaluated by 118 Chinese cons...

This article shares and extends research-based developments at the University of Otago, New Zealand, that seek to explore how students’ worldviews change as they experience higher education with us. We emphasise that sustainability attributes may be described in terms of knowledge, skills and competencies but that these are underpinned by affective...

Food allergies are a growing issue, yet society’s understanding of how individuals’ lives are affected is limited. We conducted four focus groups with food-allergic adults in New Zealand to gain an in-depth understanding of the issues that impact their quality of life. Key themes identified included allergen-free eating issues, health care system i...

In this paper, agri-food systems are discussed in the context of a set of socio-technical transitions principles, with a focus on energy, materials and practice elements that have the potential to promote sustainable outcomes across the system. This paper aims to develop an integrated approach for regime analysis, informed by emerging knowledge on...

While consumer vulnerability can affect anyone, it is recognized that some groups are at a higher risk. To ensure market and policy responses aimed at at-risk groups facilitate control it is important to understand their experiences and behaviour. In this article, we explore the experiences of food-allergic adults and the implications of their expe...

While consumer vulnerability can affect anyone, it is recognized that some groups are at a higher risk. To ensure market and policy responses aimed at at-risk groups facilitate control it is important to understand their experiences and behaviour. In this article, we explore the experiences of food-allergic adults and the implications of their expe...

Purpose – In light of growing concerns around obesity, the present work investigates why consumers continue to choose traditional unhealthy fast food options over newly offered healthier fast food alternatives. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 24 value laddering interviews were conducted with people who had just purchased an item from the...

AimThere is increasing pressure on foodservice organisations to improve the sustainability of their operations and to do so practitioners must be equipped with appropriate tools. In this paper, a tool to guide management strategies for pro-environmental behaviour change is introduced. The tool is based on a new framework that combines two existing...

Foodservice organizations, particularly those in hospitals, are large producers of food waste. To date, research on waste in hospitals has focused primarily on plate waste and the affect of food waste on patient nutrition outcomes. Less focus has been placed on waste generation at the kitchen end of the hospital food system. We used a novel approac...