Nutritional Composition and Cost Differences between Gluten-Free and Gluten-Containing Food Products in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

@#Introduction: The demand for commercial gluten-free food products are increasing due to rising prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases. The market growth is forecasted to increase in numbers. However, to date nutritional comparison of gluten-free and gluten-containing food products is not done extensively in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the nutritional composition and cost per 100 g between gluten-free and gluten-containing food products in selected grocery stores in Kuala Lumpur. Methods: A total of 106 food products comprising of gluten-free food products (n=41) and gluten-containing food products (n=65) were determined and compared for its nutritional composition and cost per 100 g. The products were obtained from 4 main grocery stores in Kuala Lumpur that supply gluten-free food products. The differences in nutritional composition and cost between both products were analysed by using independent samples t-test. Results: The results showed no difference in energy content between both products. Across the food products, 15 % of gluten-free food products showed higher carbohydrate content compared to its counterparts. Protein content in gluten-free products was 63 % lower than gluten-containing products. Among all gluten-free food products included in this study, only lasagne sheet has lower content of dietary fibre compared to its counterparts. The cost for majority of gluten-free food products was significantly higher, which was two- to four-fold higher compared to gluten-containing products. Conclusion: This study indicated that gluten-free food products showed no nutritional advantage especially in its macronutrients, hence, avoidance of gluten for healthy population may not be beneficial and rather costly.

Availability of Healthy Food in Different Categories of Markets

Objectives: The study is aimed at assessing and comparing the availability of healthy food among different typesof markets; the price of healthy food between supermarkets, groceries and convenience stores; as well as thepresence of the section that only contains healthy food. Methods: We divided markets into three categories(Supermarkets, Grocery stores, and Convenience stores) and divided Riyadh into 4 regions to ensure that the datarepresents the whole regions of Riyadh. The data was entered to Microsoft Excel 2010, and then transferred toStatistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Percentage was used to assess the level of the availability ofhealthy food and Chi-square was used to test for statistical differences. ANOVA and Post Hoc tests were used toassess the presence in difference of the price of healthy food. Results: Availability of healthy food items differsbased on the size of the stores. Large stores contain more vegetables and fruit groups than small stores. Onlydrinks group showed no significant difference (p-value 0.465) with the highest percentage of availability amongother groups; while, miscellaneous group showed the least percentage of availability between different markets.The difference in price between the three different commercial outlets is not significant except in meat group.Healthy food sections were found in two out of sixty markets. Conclusion: Availability of healthy food itemsincreases with the increase of stores’ size. There is no price difference between different markets except meatgroup. Healthy food sections were found in two out of sixty markets.

Determinant Factors in Cost to Feed for Long-Term Care Facilities Residents / 보건행정학회지

BACKGROUND: The food and food service influence the quality of life and the general health condition of older persons living in long-term care (LTC) facilities. Purchasing good food materials is a ground of good food service. In Korea, the residents in LTC facilities should pay for the cost of food materials and ingredients out of their pocket because it is not covered by LTC insurance. This study explored what factors affect the cost of food materials paid by LTC facility residents and which factor affects most. METHODS: We used data from the study on out-of-pocket payment on national LTC insurance, which surveyed 1,552 family caregivers of older residents in LTC facilities. We applied conditional multi-level model, of which the first level represents the characteristics of care receivers and caregivers and its second level reflects those of LTC facilities. RESULTS: We found that the facility residents with college-graduated family caregivers paid 11,545 Korean won more than those with less than elementary-graduated ones. However, the income level of family caregivers did not significantly affect the amount of the food material cost of the residents. The residents in privately owned, large, metropolitan-located facilities were likely to pay more than those in other types of facilities. The amount of the food material cost of the residents was mainly decided by the facility level factors rather than the characteristics of care recipients and their family caregivers (intra-class correlation=82%). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that it might be effective to design a policy targeting facilities rather than residents in order to manage the cost of food materials of residents in LTC facilities. Setting a standard price for food materials in LTC facilities, like Japan, could be suggested as a feasible policy option. It needs to inform the choice of LTC users by providing comparable food material cost information. The staffing requirement of nutritionist also needs to be reviewed.

A Case Study on Application of the Menu Engineering Technique in Government Offices Contract Foodservice

The purpose of this study was to analyze and evaluate the menu served in government offices foodservice by using Kasavana & Smith's Menu-Engineering. Sales and food costs were collected from the daily sales reports for a year from Jan 2 to Dec 31 in 2007. Calculation for menu analysis and customer's data were done by computer using the MS 2003 Excel spreadsheet program and SPSS 12.0 package program. Menu mix% (MM%) and unit contribution margin were used as variables by Kasavana & Smith. Four possible classifications by Menu-Engineering technique were turned out as 'STAR', 'PLOWHORSE', 'PUZZLE', 'DOG'. The main menus served during a year were 128 dishes and about 141 peoples visited this restaurant daily. The mean age of the men was 44.1 +/- 6.3, women were 32.7 +/- 6.4 and showed that was statistically higher than that of women (p < .0001). The rates of STAR menus were 'Western style (75.0%)', 'guk/tang-ryu (48.1%)', 'jjigae/ jeongol-ryu (23.1%)', 'bap-ryu (17.2%)' in sequence. There were no STAR menus in gui/jorim/jjim-ryu. PLOWHORSE menus were 'gui-ryu (75.0%)', 'guk/tang-ryu (29.6%)', 'bap-ryu (27.6%)' in sequence. There were no PUZZLE or DOG menus in 'jjigae/jeongol-ryu'. PUZZLE menus were 'jorim/jjim-ryu and Myeonryu (each 33.3%)', 'bap-ryu (31.0%)' in sequence. PUZZLE menus were a lots of 'Chinese food (75.0%)' and 'myeonryu (55.6%)'. This study provides the basic data based on regularly menu analysis method applied the scientific menu analysis techniques in government offices food services, I'd like to suggest that the menu management must be done based on the necessity and result of menu analysis according to the seasonal and middle, long-term plans.

Effects of Food Cost on a Diet Quality

This study was performed to investigate the relationship between diet quality and food cost and identify the effects of food cost on healthy diet among Korean adult. Among the subjects of 2001 National Health and Nutrition Survey 1,641 men and 1,765 women aged from 30 to 49 years were selected and their information of dietary intakes, socio-demographic information, and anthropometric data were analyzed. For the analysis, subjects were classified to quartile based on their daily food cost. Food guidelines provided by Korean Nutrition Society was regarded as a model of healthy diet. Subjects in the lowest quartile of food cost consumed inadequate amount of food from all food categories of the guidelines. Many subjects in the highest quartile not only satisfied the recommended amount of the Food Guide but also seemed to overeat high energy density foods. Even in the highest quartile, about 90% of subjects did not satisfied recommended amount of dairy products. According to the calculated cost of healthy diet, the average cost did not seem to be more expensive than the current mean food cost of the subjects, and most cost-sensitive food intake was observed in the meat . fish . beans . eggs category. The implications of study results were: 1) all the high cost diets did not indicate the high quality of diet, 2) most practical matter of healthy diet in low income group seemed whether they could afford the expense of meat and fish, 3) nutrition education was required to most subjects for healthy diet.

Analysis of Foodservice Quality Management in Korean Welfare Institutions for the Homeless

The purposes of this study were to: a) examine charateristics of foodservice manaegment practices; b) investigate characteristics of recipients; c) analyze foodservice systems; and d) provide feedback for the efficient and effective foodservice management of welfare institutions for the homeless in Korea. A total of 27 sites was analyzed by questionnaire survey. Satatistical data analysis was completed using the SPSS package program for descriptive analysis. As results of site recipients' characteristics, 69% of total sites were males and 31% were female recipients. Average 60% of recipients were from 30 to 50 years old. Major diseases of recipients were high pressure, and obesity. According to the result of foodservice system analysis, the average meal cost per day was about 2,943 won and average food cost percentage was 29%. Average number of meals per day was about 600 meals. Mostl sites had one dietitian and 48.1% of sites had one cook as a full-time employee. In the part of procurement, dietitians were major chargers of sites for purchasing foods. Major purchasing method was the order and delivery contract. About a half of sites used cycle menu system and standardized recipies. Most of sites had recipients' survey systems for evaluating meal satisfaction. Dietitians at sites had problems on lack of cooking professionals and low meal cost budget for providing higher quality of foods to cure recipients. The results suggested that financial and systematical supports by the government would be very necessary to meet the goal of nutritional balanced meal services.

Foodservice Systems of Meal Service Programs for Mental Disorder Care Sites in Korea

The purposes of this study were to: a) examine characteristics of foodservice management practices; b) investigate characteristics of recipients; c) analyze foodservice systems; and d) provide feedback for the efficient and effective foodservice management of mental disorder care sites in Korea. A total of 46 sites was analyzed by questionnaire survey. Statistical data analysis was completed using the SPSS package program for descriptive analysis. As results of site recipients' characteristics, 60% of total sites were males and 40% were female recipients. Average 60% of recipients were from 30 to 40 years old. Major diseases of recipients were mental disorder, high pressure, and obesity. According to the result of foodservice system analysis, the average meal cost per day was about 2,921 won and average food cost percentage was 39%. Average number of meals per day was about 600 meals. All sites had on dietitian and 88.3% of sites had one cook as a full-time employees. In the part of procurement, dietitians were major chargers of sites for purchasing foods. Major purchasing method was the order and delivery contract. About a half of sites used cycle menu system and standardized recipies. Most of sites had recipients survey systems for evaluating meal satisfaction. About 60% of sites provided liquid diets to recepients and 22% provided diabetic diets. Dietitians at sites had problems on low meal cost budget, lack of cooking professionals, and lack of information about treatment meals for mental disorders for providing higher quality of foods cure recipients. The results suggested that financial and systematical supports by the government would be very necessary to meet the goal of nutritional balanced meal services.

Estimated Food Cost to Maintain Basic Living Expenditure

In this study, the food cost for the urban worker's living expenses was estimated for the Korea Labor Union. The urban workers living expenses are minimum of healthy and decency level expenses with allowances for minimum quality of life. Thus, the food cost should be enough for purchasing proper kinds and amount of foods which can supply sufficient nutrient to maintain health and which should reflect current food consumption patterns. To estimate the food cost, the Korean Recommended Dietary Allowances was used to calculate th amount of nutrients which should be supplied. The National nutrition survey and the Food balance sheet, were used to estimate the current consumption patterns for the kind and amount of food. To estimate price for each food item, the market survey was executed in six large cities. Also, to verify the estimated food cost, actual food costs were surveyed. For 5 kinds of model household, dietary allowances were calculated for the each nutrient. Using the Korean food guides, the number of serving for each food group were decided for the model households. In each food group, the amount and kind of foods were decided by the current food consumption pattern. The kind and amount of food were adjusted by the amount of calculated nutrient. When the amount of nutrient was between 90% and 110% of the recommended dietary intake, it was accepted. With these amount and kinds of foods, the food cost were calculated using the market survey. Considering extra expenses for the eating-out and processed foods, extra expenses are added. As a results, for single person family, the estimated food cost was 149,210won per month. For two, three, four and five person family, the estimated food costs were 245,179won, 381,182won, 501,669won and 687,980won per month, respectively. The estimated food cost were lower in the single and two person family than the actual food cost by the survey. The cost for eating-out gave major differences. In the future, to estimate food cost, the food consumption patterns for the different kind of household, sex and age should be studied carefully. Also, the pattern of eating-out should by analyzed.