title: The Seven Challenges for Transitioning into a Bio-based Circular Economy in the Agri-food Sector.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Closed-loop agri-food supply chains have a high potential to reduce environmental and economic costs resulting from food waste disposal. This paper illustrates an alternative to the traditional supply chain of bread based on the principles of a circular economy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six circular interactions among seven actors (grain farmers, bread producers, retailers, compostable packaging manufacturers, insect breeders, livestock farmers, consumers) of the circular filière are created in order to achieve the goal of "zero waste". In the model, two radical technological innovations are considered: insects used as animal feed and polylactic acid compostable packaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main challenges for the implementation of the new supply chain are identified. Finally, some recent patents related to bread sustainable production, investigated in the current paper, are considered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recommendations are given to academics and practitioners interested in the bio-based circular economy model approach for transforming agri-food supply chains.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borrello
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pascucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 96, 80055, Portici (NA), Italy. cembalo@unina.it.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cembalo
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock; D018803:Models, Economic; D035501:Uncertainty