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Head of DepartmentAbout
Miranda is a Consumer Food Scientist with a background in agri-food marketing and consumer behaviour. She leads a Sustainable Food Systems Behavioural Research Group whose mission is catalysing change for a more sustainable food future. She conducts fundamental and translational behavioural research focused on improving people and planetary health. Miranda’s research is providing a credible evidence base for decision-makers in New Zealand’s food industry, the waste sector, the government and civil society organisations.
Miranda is the Director of the University of Otago Food Waste Innovation Research Theme which measures food waste, develops reduction strategies, applies innovative technology, and works to modify producer and consumer behaviour. As New Zealand’s leading provider of food waste-related research, this group of interdisciplinary researchers harnesses the best scientific expertise at the University and nationwide in order to provide effective solutions to food waste problems.
Miranda is unquestionably passionate in her determination to use her role as a teacher to infect her students with the same passion to learn, and to make a difference in the world. She is the Lead of the University of Otago’s work on the Global Citizenship Programme, an initiative to improve the Matariki Universities’ capacity to be leading institutions in understanding citizenship and community engagement.
Global Citizenship Programme (Matariki website)
Teaching
Course Co-ordinator
- FOSC 308 Food and Consumers
Contributor to
Research
Research interests
Miranda’s behavioural research engages knowledge from fields such as marketing and psychology. She utilises a range of quantitative and qualitative methods such as: surveys and questionnaires, panels, systematic reviews, behaviour change experiments (in-field and lab based), projective techniques, observations, interviews, focus groups, ethnographic research, and Q methodology. Miranda specialises in conducting behavioural research in the Asia-Pacific region. She is an Honorary Professor at the International Business School Suzhou,Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China. Her strong network of Asia-Pacific based research affiliates means that she is able to conduct in-market behavioural research in the national language.
Miranda’s projects, which provide insights and interventions for improved food system sustainability, embody many types of engagement outside of academia. In recognition of her proactive engagement with key external bodies, Miranda was the 2018 winner of the ‘Outstanding Community Engagement Award’, Division of Sciences, University of Otago. Miranda welcomes commercial research proposals and partnerships. She can help your organisation collect and apply insights from behavioural sciences to tackle a wide range of food systems challenges.
Miranda can help you with:
- Trend-spotting
- Deep-dives and report writing
- Collecting insights to understand peoples’ behaviours
- Creating evidence-based solutions to change peoples’ behaviours (i.e. identify the barriers to achieving a desired activity, design a behavior change intervention or strategy to overcome the barriers, pilot the interventions/strategies before broad implementation)
- Strategic advising on food system sustainability issues
- Keynote talks, workshops and facilitation
Research projects and activities
Miranda’s research falls into the following four key food sustainability areas:
Reducing food waste
- University of Otago Food Waste Innovations Research Theme
Email food.waste@otago.ac.nz - The Mirosa Report: Independent Expert Advisor to Parliament’s Environment Select Committee briefing looking into ways to prevent the waste of food in New Zealand
- Founding Chair of the New Zealand Food Waste Champions 12.3 Charitable Trust
Ensuring food safety and security
- University of Otago's Representative and Lead Researcher on Science Leadership Team of the NZ China Food Protection Network (NZCFPN): a Collaborative Centre for Food Safety and Security (2016–ongoing)
- University of Otago's Representative on the Science Leadership Team of the NZ Food Safety Science Research Centre (NZFSSRC): the Centre’s research partners produce internationally recognised food safety science and support a diverse array of food producing, processing and retailing companies and associations.
- Behavioural Insights for Food Assurance Practices – a Cultural Perspective
- Building biometrics behavioural science capability to underpin sound food safety and security decision making
Improving food packaging and labelling
- Understanding the importance of smart packaging for consumer confidence, food safety and an improved supply chain
- Challenges and opportunities for the New Zealand food industry associated with the use of recycled non-permanent materials (thermoplastics, paper and board)
- Nutrition Labelling Research
Increasing consumption of plant-based foods
- Consumer attitudes and behaviours towards meat consumption and reduction
- Consumer perceptions of plant-based and novel/alternative proteins
- Protein futures: Future scenarios for land-use in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Future protein consumers – Riddet Institute CoRE (Associate Investigator)
Postgraduate supervision (current)
- Post Doc – Erin Young
- PhD, Grace Clare – Upcycling Rescued Food.
- PhD, Jessica O’Connor - Food loss and waste at the production end of the food supply chain in New Zealand. AgResearch Towards a Circular Bioeconomy Scholarship.
- PhD, Ruijun Li (Charlene) – Food delivery apps and resulting food and plastic waste. M Mirosa, P Bremer. University of Otago Science Division Strategic Scholarship.
- PhD, Stella Zhou – Chinese experiences of living a flexitarian lifestyle.
- MSc, Briar Mills – Food waste in university settings.
Publications
O'Connor, J., Skeaff, S., Bremer, P., Lucci, G., & Mirosa, M. (2023). A critical review of on-farm food loss and waste: Future research and policy recommendations. Renewable Agriculture & Food Systems, 38, e24. doi: 10.1017/S1742170523000169
Clare, G., Diprose, G., Lee, L., Bremer, P., Skeaff, S., & Mirosa, M. (2023). Measuring the impact of food rescue: A social return on investment analysis. Food Policy, 117, 102454. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1071829
Mirosa, M., & Bremer, P. (2023). Understanding new foods: Upcycling. In L. Serventi (Ed.), Sustainable food innovation. (pp. 147-156). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-12358-0_11
Mirosa, M. (2023). He taonga te kai: An Aotearoa where food is valued not wasted. New Zealand Economic Papers. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/00779954.2023.2189157
Mills, B., Mirosa, M., O'Brien, R., & Skeaff, S. (2023). Reaching for sustainable development goal 12.3 in Aotearoa's tertiary institutes. Medical Sciences Forum, 18(1), 4. doi: 10.3390/msf2023018004
Mirosa, M., & Bremer, P. (2023). Understanding new foods: Upcycling. In L. Serventi (Ed.), Sustainable food innovation. (pp. 147-156). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-12358-0_11
Chapter in Book - Research
Mirosa, M., Pearson, D., & Reynolds, C. (2020). Food waste in Australia and New Zealand. In C. Reynolds, T. Soma, C. Spring & J. Lazell (Eds.), Routledge handbook of food waste. (pp. 225-236). Abingdon, UK: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429462795
Chapter in Book - Research
Lloyd, K., Mirosa, M., & Birch, J. (2019). Active and intelligent packaging. In L. Melton, F. Shahidi & P. Varelis (Eds.), Encyclopedia of food chemistry (Vol. 3). (pp. 177-182). Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-08-100596-5.22421-9
Chapter in Book - Research
Clarkson, C., Birch, J., & Mirosa, M. (2018). Locusts as a source of lipids and proteins and consumer acceptance. In G. Smithers (Ed.), Reference module in food science. Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-08-100596-5.22420-7
Chapter in Book - Research
Reynolds, D., & Mirosa, M. (2018). Want amidst plenty: Food insecurity in rich liberal democracies. In G. W. Muschert, K. M. Budd, M. Christian, B. V. Klocke, J. Shefner & R. Perrucci (Eds.), Global agenda for social justice: Volume one. (pp. 131-142). Bristol, UK: Bristol University Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Mirosa, M., & Reynolds, D. (2017). Responsibility for hunger in liberal democracies. In M. C. Rawlinson & C. Ward (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of food ethics. (pp. 388-399). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Chapter in Book - Research
Mirosa, M., Pearson, D., & Pearson, R. (2017). Ethics of food waste. In M. C. Rawlinson & C. Ward (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of food ethics. (pp. 400-408). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Chapter in Book - Research
Stein, K., Mirosa, M., Carter, L., & Johnson, M. (2017). Case studies of food sovereignty initiatives among the Māori of Aotearoa (New Zealand). In M. C. Rawlinson & C. Ward (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of food ethics. (pp. 366-376). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Chapter in Book - Research
Mirosa, M. (2014). Sustainable consumption and gender. In P. B. Thompson & D. M. Kaplan (Eds.), Encyclopedia of food and agricultural ethics. (pp. 1688-1693). Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-0929-4_461
Chapter in Book - Research
Clare, G., Diprose, G., Lee, L., Bremer, P., Skeaff, S., & Mirosa, M. (2023). Measuring the impact of food rescue: A social return on investment analysis. Food Policy, 117, 102454. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1071829
Journal - Research Article
Mirosa, M. (2023). He taonga te kai: An Aotearoa where food is valued not wasted. New Zealand Economic Papers. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/00779954.2023.2189157
Journal - Research Article
Castka, P., Zhao, X., Bremer, P., Wood, L. C., & Mirosa, M. (2022). Supplier audits during COVID-19: A process perspective on their transformation and implications for the future. International Journal of Logistics Management, 33(4), 1294-1314. doi: 10.1108/ijlm-05-2021-0302
Journal - Research Article
Clare, G., Mirosa, M., & Bremer, P. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on food rescue organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand and future crisis management. British Food Journal. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1108/BFJ-12-2021-1292
Journal - Research Article
Cong, L., Bremer, P., Fang, E., Li, L., & Mirosa, M. (2022). Biocide use in the beverage industry: Consumers' knowledge and label preferences relating to the need and usefulness of biocides with particular reference to dairy beverage products in New Zealand and China. Beverages, 8(1), 5. doi: 10.3390/beverages8010005
Journal - Research Article
Lawal, K. G., Kavle, R. R., Akanbi, T. O., Mirosa, M., & Agyei, D. (2022). Lipid nutritional indices, regioisomeric distribution, and thermal properties of Tenebrio molitor and Hermetia illucens larvae fat. Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology, 25, 101951. doi: 10.1016/j.aspen.2022.101951
Journal - Research Article
Li, C., Bremer, P., Harder, M. K., Lee, M. S. W., Parker, K., Gaugler, E. C., & Mirosa, M. (2022). A systematic review of food loss and waste in China: Quantity, impacts and mediators. Journal of Environmental Management, 303, 114092. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114092
Journal - Research Article
Ma, K. X., Mather, D. W., Ott, D. L., Fang, E., Bremer, P., & Mirosa, M. (2022). Fresh food online shopping repurchase intention: The role of post-purchase customer experience and corporate image. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 50(2), 206-228. doi: 10.1108/IJRDM-04-2021-0184
Journal - Research Article
Reynolds, D., & Mirosa, M. (2022). Understandings of food insecurity in Aotearoa New Zealand: Considering practitioners’ perspectives in a neoliberal context using Q methodology. Sustainability, 14, 178. doi: 10.3390/su14010178
Journal - Research Article
Rowan, M., Mirosa, M., Heath, A.-L. M., Katiforis, I., Taylor, R. W., & Skeaff, S. A. (2022). A qualitative study of parental perceptions of baby food pouches: A netnographic analysis. Nutrients, 14, 3248. doi: 10.3390/nu14153248
Journal - Research Article
Thorsen, M., Croad, T., Vincent, T., & Mirosa, M. (2022). Critical success factors for food waste reduction. Cleaner Waste Systems. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.clwas.2022.100059
Journal - Research Article
Thorsen, M., Mirosa, M., & Skeaff, S. (2022). A quantitative and qualitative study of food loss in glasshouse-grown tomatoes. Horticulturae, 8(1), 39. doi: 10.3390/horticulturae8010039
Journal - Research Article
Thorsen, M., Nyhof, F., Goodman-Smith, F., Deutsch, J., & Mirosa, M. (2022). Accessing supermarket shelves: Retail category managers advice to upcycled food manufacturers. Journal of Food Products Marketing, 28(4), 179-192. doi: 10.1080/10454446.2022.2072695
Journal - Research Article
Wang, K., Mirosa, M., Hou, Y., & Bremer, P. (2022). Chinese consumers acceptance of novel technologies designed to control foodborne bacteria. Journal of Food Protection. Advance online publication. doi: 10.4315/jfp-22-006
Journal - Research Article
Yi, Y., Bremer, P., Mather, D., & Mirosa, M. (2022). Factors affecting the diffusion of traceability practices in an imported fresh produce supply chain in China. British Food Journal, 124(4), 1350-1364. doi: 10.1108/bfj-03-2021-0227
Journal - Research Article
Goodman-Smith, F., Bhatt, S., Moore, R., Mirosa, M., Ye, H., Deutsch, J., & Suri, R. (2021). Retail potential for upcycled foods: Evidence from New Zealand. Sustainability, 13(5), 2624. doi: 10.3390/su13052624
Journal - Research Article
Hutchings, S. C., Guerrero, L., Mirosa, M., Bremer, P., Mather, D., Pavan, E., … Realini, C. E. (2021). The implications of COVID-19 on Chinese consumer preferences for lamb meat. Foods, 10(6), 1324. doi: 10.3390/foods10061324
Journal - Research Article
Lawal, K. G., Kavle, R. R., Akanbi, T. O., Mirosa, M., & Agyei, D. (2021). Enrichment in specific fatty acids profile of Tenebrio molitor and Hermetia illucens larvae through feeding. Future Foods, 3, 100016. doi: 10.1016/j.fufo.2021.100016
Journal - Research Article
Makhal, A., Robertson, K., Thyne, M., & Mirosa, M. (2021). Normalising the "ugly" to reduce food waste: Exploring the socialisations that form appearance preferences for fresh fruits and vegetables. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 20, 1025-1039. doi: 10.1002/cb.1908
Journal - Research Article
Cong, L., Bremer, P., Kaye-Blake, W., & Mirosa, M. (2020). Chinese consumers’ perceptions of immune health and immune-boosting remedies including functional foods. Journal of Food Products Marketing, 26(1), 55-78. doi: 10.1080/10454446.2020.1720885
Journal - Research Article
Cong, L., Mirosa, M., Kaye-Blake, W., & Bremer, P. (2020). Ideal attributes of functional foods helping the immune system recover from the impact of air pollution: A consumer-led product design. Journal of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing, 32(5), 482-502. doi: 10.1080/08974438.2020.1750528
Journal - Research Article
Cong, L., Mirosa, M., Kaye-Blake, W., & Bremer, P. (2020). Immune-boosting functional foods: A potential remedy for Chinese consumers living under polluted air. Business & Management Studies, 6(1), 12-27. doi: 10.11114/bms.v6i1.4624
Journal - Research Article
Goodman-Smith, F., Mirosa, M., & Skeaff, S. (2020). A mixed-methods study of retail food waste in New Zealand. Food Policy, 92, 101845. doi: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2020.101845
Journal - Research Article
Goodman-Smith, F., Mirosa, R., & Mirosa, M. (2020). Understanding the effect of dining and motivational factors on out-of-home consumer food waste. Sustainability, 12(16), 6507. doi: 10.3390/su12166507
Journal - Research Article
Li, C., Mirosa, M., & Bremer, P. (2020). Review of online food delivery platforms and their impacts on sustainability. Sustainability, 12(14), 5528. doi: 10.3390/su12145528
Journal - Research Article
Li, T., Lloyd, K., Birch, J., Wu, X., Mirosa, M., & Liao, X. (2020). A quantitative survey of customer perceptions of smart food packaging in China. Food Science & Nutrition, 8, 3977-3988. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.1563
Journal - Research Article
Makhal, A., Thyne, M., Robertson, K., & Mirosa, M. (2020). “I don't like wonky carrots": An exploration of children's perceptions of suboptimal fruits and vegetables. Journal of Retailing & Consumer Services, 54, 101945. doi: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.101945
Journal - Research Article
Mirosa, M., Liu, Y., & Bremer, P. (2020). Chinese consumers' perceptions of food safety cues and maximising the effectiveness of food safety communications. British Food Journal. doi: 10.1108/BFJ-09-2019-0694
Journal - Research Article
Mirosa, M., Liu, Y., & Bremer, P. (2020). Determining how Chinese consumers that purchase Western food products prioritize food safety cues: A conjoint study on adult milk powder. Journal of Food Products Marketing, 26(5), 358-371. doi: 10.1080/10454446.2020.1782796
Journal - Research Article
Phan, T., Bremer, P., & Mirosa, M. (2020). Vietnamese consumers' preferences for functional milk powder attribute: A segmentation-based conjoint study with educated consumers. Sustainability, 12(13), 5258. doi: 10.3390/su12135258
Journal - Research Article
Reynolds, D., Mirosa, M., & Campbell, H. (2020). Food and vulnerability in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A review and theoretical reframing of food insecurity, income and neoliberalism. New Zealand Sociology, 35(1), 123-152.
Journal - Research Article
Cahayadi, J., Geng, X., Mirosa, M., & Peng, M. (2019). Expectancy versus experience: Comparing Portion-Size-Effect during pre-meal planning and actual intake. Appetite, 135, 108-114. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.01.012
Journal - Research Article
Cong, L., Bremer, P., & Mirosa, M. (2019). Chinese consumers’ perceptions of functional foods: A netnography study of foods that help the immune system recover from air pollution. Journal of Food Products Marketing, 25(6), 628-646. doi: 10.1080/10454446.2019.1626316
Journal - Research Article
Mohamad, H., Mirosa, M., Bremer, P., & Oey, I. (2019). A qualitative study of Malaysian parents’ purchase intention of functional weaning foods using the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Food Products Marketing, 25(2), 187-206. doi: 10.1080/10454446.2018.1512919
Journal - Research Article
Strack, M., Shephard, K., Jowett, T., Mogford, S., Skeaff, S., & Mirosa, M. (2019). Monitoring surveying students' environmental attitudes as they experience higher education in New Zealand. Survey Review, 51(366), 257-264. doi: 10.1080/00396265.2017.1399526
Journal - Research Article
Andrews, L., Kerr, G., Pearson, D., & Mirosa, M. (2018). The attributes of leftovers and higher-order personal values. British Food Journal, 120(9), 1965-1979. doi: 10.1108/bfj-08-2017-0442
Journal - Research Article
Clarkson, C., Mirosa, M., & Birch, J. (2018). Consumer acceptance of insects and ideal product attributes. British Food Journal, 120(12), 2898-2911. doi: 10.1108/bfj-11-2017-0645
Journal - Research Article
Clarkson, C., Mirosa, M., & Birch, J. (2018). Potential of extracted Locusta migratoria protein fractions as value-added ingredients. Insects, 9(1), 20. doi: 10.3390/insects9010020
Journal - Research Article
Conner, T. S., Mirosa, M., Bremer, P., & Peniamina, R. (2018). The role of personality in daily food allergy experiences. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 29. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00029
Journal - Research Article
Lentz, G., Connelly, S., Mirosa, M., & Jowett, T. (2018). Gauging attitudes and behaviours: Meat consumption and potential reduction. Appetite, 127, 230-241. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2018.04.015
Journal - Research Article
Mirosa, M., & Mangan-Walker, E. (2018). Young Chinese and functional foods for mobility health: Perceptions of importance, trust, and willingness to purchase and pay a premium. Journal of Food Products Marketing, 24(2), 216-234. doi: 10.1080/10454446.2017.1266555
Journal - Research Article
