In May 2024, I participated in the second edition of the Food Law Academics’ Network conference in Bari, Italy. With sustainable agrifood chains as its central theme, the conference brought together legal scholars who work on the various aspects of food and agricultural supply chains. I had the opportunity to present my work on corporate […]
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On April 9 2024, I delivered a lecture at the Environmental Humanities Centre of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. I was invited to speak as part of the centre’s ongoing lunch lecture series and my lecture focused on the changing meanings of food safety and risk in the face of a rapidly evolving food system. I […]
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Originally published in SDU’s Waar & Wet magazine in March 2024. The article, co-written with Dr Alie de Boer, distills key takeaways from my PhD research for anyone keen on reading about how entrepreneurs in the Netherlands have been navigating regulatory and commercial hurdles while paving the way for a strong and economically viable circular […]
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Published open access in the British Food Journal in March 2024. View full text here. Title: What does it take to close the loop? Lessons from a successful citrus waste valorisation business Abstract: Purpose – In this case study, we examine how a citrus peel valorising company based in the Netherlands was able to adopt […]
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Chapter published in December 2023 in the book ‘Law in the EU’s Circular Energy System‘, edited by Lucila de Almeida and Josephine van Zeben. If you do not have institutional access and would like to read this chapter, please reach out to me. Abstract Waste and surplus from various stages of the food supply chain can be […]
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Originally published on Wikifarmer.com in December 2023. When food is wasted instead of being used for human consumption, we face issues such as food insecurity and malnutrition, loss of natural resources, as well as the expansion of landfills, and emission of greenhouse gasses. As a result, reducing food waste has become a priority for most […]
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Originally published on FoodUnfolded.com in December 2023. Header image by Cait Mack for FoodUnfolded. With its low melting point, high density, and excellent conductivity, mercury has several industrial and scientific applications. But the unsafe use of this metal can result in severe health and environmental implications, especially through bioaccumulation in seafood. Mercury enters the atmosphere […]
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Published open access in the Journal of Business Ethics in November 2023. View full text here. Title Holding Retail Corporations Accountable for Food Waste: A Due Diligence Framework Informed by Business and Human Rights Principles Abstract Retail corporations orchestrate much of what happens in today’s food supply chains. From setting sky-high cosmetic standards for fresh […]
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On the 28th of November 2023, I defended my PhD thesis ‘Safe and Sustainable Valorisation of Food Waste in the Netherlands – Reconciling Public Ambitions with Private Interests’ at Maastricht University. The ceremony entailed a brief presentation of my research, followed by a lively discussion with the committee members, and finally, the conferral of the […]
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In November 2023, I was invited to speak at Asia–Europe Foundation’s annual ENVForum conference. This year, the theme of the conference was ‘SMEs at the Heart of Circular Transition’. I presented observations from my PhD research during the session on agri-food SMEs. Summarising my own contributions as well as those of my fellow panelists Dr […]
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Madhura Rao 