Being a product consumer during the COVID-19 pandemic: profile of the Polish consumer in the organic dairy market

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to determine the profile of dairy product consumers in the organic market.Design/methodology/approachThe study was based on a survey questionnaire developed by the author and administered to a total of 1,108 respondents. The statistical analysis (including descriptive statistics, the analysis of the discriminative function and the Chi2 test was performed with the use of Statistica 13.1 PL. The respondents' gender was the factor behind the differences in how they behaved.FindingsThe consumers indicated the channels they rely upon to find information on organic dairy products;in addition to trusting the opinions of their family members and experts, they also use web platforms. Further, they specified their preferred locations for buying favorite products during the pandemic: specialized organic food shops, large distribution chains and online stores.Practical implicationsThese outcomes will help in identifying target consumer segments and information channels for specific information and advertising messages. They also form an important resource for developing some potential strategies which the supply chain stakeholders could implement to promote organic consumption of dairy products.Originality/valueThis study identifies consumers' preferred dairy products;motives for purchasing organic dairy products;barriers that consumers believe exist in the market;sources of knowledge about products purchased by consumers;and consumers' preferred channels for purchasing organic dairy products. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study of dairy product consumers in the organic market in Poland.

Was COVID-19 pandemic anxiety reflected on nutritional habits in adults?

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate the reflection of COVID-19 pandemic anxiety experienced in adults on nutritional habits during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted with 600 adults aged between 19 and 64 years. The general characteristics of the individuals, nutritional habits, use of dietary supplements and COVID-19 pandemic anxiety before and during the pandemic period were questioned via a Web-based questionnaire. COVID-19-related anxiety was assessed using The COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S) and The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 24.0.FindingsIn this study, 49.8% of the participants stated that their appetite and food consumption amount increased during the pandemic period. The rate of use of dietary supplements among individuals was found to be 40%. It was observed that the mean body weight and body mass index increased significantly in both genders during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been determined that anxiety about COVID-19 is higher in individuals and women who start using nutritional support during the pandemic period. The total C19P-S and STAI scores of those who started using a dietary supplement during the pandemic were significantly higher than those who did not use a dietary supplement. Similarly, those whose eating habits changed positively and those who bought more packaged products had higher C19P-S scale mean scores (p < 0.05).Originality/valueDuring the COVID-19 period, it is important to reduce the anxiety levels of individuals, provide psychological support, raise awareness of adequate and balanced nutrition and the correct use of dietary supplements to adapt to the new lifestyle.

Therapeutic and Dietary Support for Gastrointestinal Tract Using Kefir as a Nutraceutical Beverage: Dairy-Milk-Based or Plant-Sourced Kefir Probiotic Products for Vegan and Lactose-Intolerant Populations

Kefir is a fermented milk beverage different in consistency and taste from other popular milk-product yogurt. Unlike yogurt prepared using lactic acid bacteria in fermentation, milk is fermented for kefir production using preculture in the form of kefir grains. Therefore, the metabolic activities of a mixed culture, including strains of bacteria and yeast, contribute to the probiotic characteristics in kefir. This article is based on the review of published studies on the functionality and nutraceutical properties of kefir. The therapeutic and dietary properties of kefir beverage and its probiotic strains have been discussed for their several health benefits. Concise selected information mostly from recent reports has been presented for two categories of kefir products: milk used for the production of dairy-based traditional kefir beverages for the lactose-tolerant population, and the plant-sourced substrates used for the production of dairy-free kefir beverages for lactose-intolerant and vegan consumers.

Animal health: a cornerstone for public health

This article looks into the role of traditional or so-called 'wet markets' and their importance to public health after the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the need for a One Health approach to prevent zoonotic diseases and the importance of traditional markets for access to fresh food products, social interaction, and income for many people. The article also discusses the Global Burden of Animal Diseases initiative and its Indonesian case study, which focuses on poultry, dairy, beef, and pig farming systems, to understand the burden of animal diseases and develop policies to prevent them. Finally, the article highlights the importance of biosecurity to prevent animal diseases, and the exchange of expertise and experience between Australian and Indonesian researchers.

Analysis of changes in shopping habits and causes of food waste among consumers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland

Food waste is a worldwide phenomenon that needs to be reduced. The causes of this problem vary widely. The study used the Computer-Assisted Web Interview method. There were 500 respondents from all over the country and among them 60% women and 40% men. The sample selection was purposeful. Before the pandemic began, the highest percentage of consumers shopped two to three times a week. As of March 2020, the frequency of this activity has decreased for every fourth respondent. Also during this period, an increase in the frequency of shopping alone was observed, as well as an increase in the number of people who outsource their shopping list to others. Nowadays, the vast majority of respondents usually create a shopping list before doing it and follow it. Before the pandemic, this was the case for only 46% of respondents, while during the pandemic it was the case for 81%. Exceeding the expiration date was the most common reason for throwing products in the trash before as well as during the pandemic. Over-shopping as a cause of food waste increased almost fourfold during the pandemic. A positive aspect is noticeable for the 'I don't throw food away' response. The percentage of respondents increased from 16% to 21%. During both survey periods, respondents most often indicated that they throw away fruits, vegetables, bread, and dairy products. During the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers' shopping behaviour changed. They attended grocery stores far less frequently, mostly on their own, and purchased larger quantities of products. Nonetheless, consumers planned their purchases and checked expiration dates before putting food in their shopping carts. Households were thus forced to respond quickly, adjusting their shopping behaviour. These behaviours have implications for the subsequent activities of retail merchants.

Gyan Fresh: Digital Transformation of Dairy Business with Resilience and Technology Innovation

Gyan Dairy, headed by the Agarwal brothers, was a privately held subsidiary of C. P. Milk, started as a small dairy unit in 2007. Gyan Dairy became one of the largest regional players in the state of Uttar Pradesh (India). The Indian government imposed the most strict and longest lockdown in 2019 to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. This raised severe challenges for businesses, especially the dairy industry, which relies heavily on the movement of people and vehicles to ensure the delivery of products to consumers. Gyan dairy launched Gyan Fresh app to integrate the app-based home delivery business model for its dairy products. This case discusses the story of Gyan Fresh, which enabled self-orders and brought disruptive changes in the Indian dairy market and consumer behaviour. Furthermore, the case discusses the challenges and the next steps to expand the business, retain consumers and streamline the distribution channels.

Impact of the "coronavirus" emergency on Italian livestock systems

This report describes the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the productive and economic aspects of livestock and aquaculture production in Italy, including farm management, labour, income, marketing and consumption of animal products (meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products), consumer behaviour, food safety, agrotourism and disease control.

Crafting Futures through Cheese-Making in Val Taleggio (Northern Italy)

The politics of scale is the main issue within and around debates on whether geographical indications are the best strategy to support local economies. Two PDO cheeses are made in Val Taleggio. While Taleggio PDO has outscaled the valley and its interests, Strachìtunt PDO was reinvented to be at scale for the valley's producers. I explain the two-step transition in the producers' communicative strategy, from a language of heritage cheese and its "prestige” to a multispecies language that stresses the importance of a "working landscape” as a value in itself, focusing in particular on the producers' post-COVID-19 manifesto as "keepers of molds.” Guardianship emerges from it as a new form of authenticity that does not run in the strictures of terroir-discourse. The article thus spells out which role authenticity plays in the politics of scale and how it contributes to the small-scale producers' dilemma of how to craft a future for themselves and their communities. I contextualize this vis-a-vis secondary sources that also stress the conceptual and political creativity of cheese-makers' strategies to revitalize regional (dairy) economies. Food producers are experimenting with new ways of mobilizing heritage to claim guardianship of their trade, craft, and territory. A transnational producer discourse emerges through a redesign of food heritage, front-staging the ecological meaning of craft.

Analysis of epidemic characteristics and related factors of norovirus in diarrhea patients in Guangxi, 2015-2020

To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and related factors of norovirus in Guangxi from 2015 to 2020, and to provide scientific recommendations for norovirus prevention and control. Methods The foodborne diseases surveillance data were collected from 11 sentinel hospitals through the National Foodborne Disease Monitoring and Reporting System from 2015 to 2020. R software with version 4.0.3 was used for descriptive and statistical analysis, including epidemic curve, chi-square test, and trend chi-square and so on. Logistic regression was used to analyze norovirus-related factors, OR values and 95% confidence intervals were calculated respectively with the statistical test level of P < 0.05. Results There were 1 008 norovirus cases detected, with a detection rate of 12.75% (1 008/7 903). Children with age less than 5 years (OR=1.43, 95%CI: 1.13-1.82) and patients at age 20-45 (OR=1.45, 95%CI: 1.13-1.87) were high risk population. The detection rate was higher in autumn (OR=1.29, 95%CI: 1.08-1.53) but lower in summer (OR=0.67, 95%CI: 0.55-0.80). In addition, the tourist area (Guilin City) presented a higher detection rate than other areas (OR=1.41, 95%CI: 1.10-1.80). Aquatic products (OR=1.40, 95%CI: 1.03-1.91), meat and dairy products (OR=1.31, 95%CI: 1.06-1.61) were high-risk foods for norovirus infection. The prevention and control policies of COVID-19 can reduce the possibility of norovirus by 61% (OR=0.39, 95%CI: 0.31-0.49) showed a declining trend (Trend X2=85.33, P < 0.001). In addition, prolonged visit time can lead to 19%-23% decrease in the detection rate of norovirus (OR24-48 hours=0.81, 95%CI: 0.70-0.95;OR>48 hours=0.77, 95%CI: 0.63-0.93). Conclusions The epidemic of norovirus presented seasonal and regional distribution in Guangxi with a declining detection rate trend in diarrhea patients during recent 6 years. Young children were high-risk population in infection norovirus. The intake of seafood can increase the risk of norovirus infection. The prevention and control policies of COVID-19 can sharply decrease the possibility of infection norovirus. The monitoring of key foods such as seafood should be strengthened, and the early screening of suspected cases should be taken. The norovirus monitoring should be improved to ensure the health of the population.

Analysis of the diet of obese elementary school students using various dietary intake survey methods

Purpose: Childhood obesity has become a social problem due to the social distancing necessitated by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This study aimed to identify the dietary problems of obese children through various dietary assessment methods and to confirm the usefulness of each method. Methods: The subjects were 88 students in the 4th to 6th grade of elementary school who participated in the nutrition camp organised by the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education, 2020. To evaluate dietary problems and assess diet quality, 24-hour meal records, monthly food intake frequency, and Dietary Screening Test (DST) data were analyzed. Results: Of the subjects, 15.7%, 30.3%, and 53.9% were normal weight, overweight, and obese, respectively. The average age was 11.77 +or- 0.77 years and the average body mass index was 23.96 +or- 3.01 kg/m2. It was observed from the 24-hour meal record method that the overweight and obese subject groups consumed fewer green vegetables (p < 0.001) and white vegetables (p < 0.01) than the normal weight group. In the monthly food intake frequency method, the consumption of ramen (p < 0.01), snacks (p < 0.05), and sausages (p < 0.05) were high in the obese group, and that of anchovies, broccoli, and sweet pumpkin was high in the normal group (p < 0.05). The comparative data from the DST revealed that the overweight and obese groups had less vegetable intake than the normal weight group (p < 0.01) and had higher intakes of dairy products, fast food, and sweet snacks (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The usefulness of each method in the dietary evaluation of obese children was confirmed. To address the problem of obesity, it is necessary to evaluate the dietary problem and approach it with a customized solution tailor-made for the individual subject.

Identification Of Semi-Solid Liquids Using Photodiode And RGB Sensor With Spectrophotometric Neural Network (S-NN) Method

Droplet or human saliva is a semi-solid liquid that Covid-19 can catch on its patch media. It is also one of the causes of the fastest spread of Covid-19, resulting in a pandemic nowadays. So in this preliminary study, we created a tool that uses spectrophotometry to identify semi-solid liquids, including saliva, yogurt, and yeast water. The non-monochromatic spectrophotometric output will be classified using the neural network (NN) method. NN identifies the type of liquid by calculating the weight of each absorption wavelength of each semi-solid liquid sample from a non-monochromatic spectrophotometer. This initial research reveals several types of wavelength spectrum that can be recognized by Photodiode and RGB sensors through non-monochrome spectrophotometric methods. From the test results, saliva samples on glass media have a very high error rate of 99.9098%. For the overall average of saliva samples in all media, the accuracy is 89.1036%, and the error is 10.8964%. For the yogurt sample, the accuracy is 99.3075%, and the error is 0.6925%. The accuracy of the media without liquid is 78.8809%, and the error is 21.1191%. Based on the results, we found that the device can work properly as its aims. © 2022 IEEE.

Effective Dairy Supply Chain Management in Big Cities

The purpose of this study was to develop recommendations to improve the efficiency of dairy products supply chain management in large cities. To achieve the study goal, a complex multi-stage research project was developed based on the analysis of primary information obtained by interviewing three main categories of dairy supply chain participants on the Internet: producers, intermediaries, and end consumers. At the same time, the survey of the three main categories was selected to obtain objective information throughout the entire supply chain-from producer to end consumer. The proposed methodology was tested for the supply chains of dairy products in Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Yekaterinburg (Russian Federation). The study resulted in recommendations to improve delivery management of short-life products requiring controlled storage and transportation temperatures during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as key indicators to assess the effectiveness of dairy supply chain management. This article may be in demand by the real economy to ensure the sustainable development of dairy supply chains in large cities under the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as by academic researchers, primarily from the perspective of identifying new promising research areas. © 2022, Success Culture Press. All rights reserved.

Consumption pattern of dairy products in Sabah, Malaysia during Covid-19

Dairy production has a considerable effect on climate change due to emissions of greenhouse gases, but dairy products are meals that are well-known for their pleasant taste and nutritional value. During the Covid-19 outbreak, there were shortages of dairy goods on the shelves of grocery stores. This study investigated the consumption patterns of dairy products in Sabah. Using a pre-tested questionnaire, data were collected through online survey during Covid-19 outbreaks from 64 households comprising 16 from rural, 25 from town and 23 from city areas. The surveyed households were classified into 5 groups based on monthly household income: (i) ≤RM2000, (ii) RM2001-RM3000, (iii) RM3001-RM4000 and (iv) >RM4000. Among the participated households, 75% of respondents were female and 25% were male. There was a significant relationship among household income groups for fresh milk consumption. Regardless of areas and household incomes, the average monthly consumption for evaporated milk, fresh milk, condensed milk, powder milk, sweetmeats, yogurt, butter and ice cream per household were 1018g, 1425ml, 978g, 815g, 527g, 468g, 522g, and 650g, respectively. 28% of respondents monthly consumed 0.5-1.0 L fresh milk per household. 42%, 39%, 39%, 63%, 58%, 64% and 50% of respondents-- respectively-- monthly consumed evaporated milk, condensed milk, powder milk, sweetmeats, yogurt, butter and ice cream, where the amount of each component was not more than 500g per household. Results showed that 38% of respondents liked more on butter followed by cheese (30%), yogurt (20%), cream (9%) and condensed milk (3%). The 25% and 45% of respondents had reduced their consumption and expenditure behaviour, respectively. Results indicated that individual of city areas consumed more dairy products. Although cows add methane to our environment, organic dairy farming and husbandry methods can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emission.

COVID-19 epidemic lockdown-induced remarkable decrease in dairy products consumption of Iran population: does it really matter? National Food and Nutrition Surveillance.

BACKGROUND: The pandemic of the newly emerged coronavirus infection and its related disease, Covid-19, has influenced various aspects of human life including dietary habits. This study aimed to examine changes in dairy products consumption during Covid-19 lockdown period in a huge sample of Iranian households. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study using a web-based electronic self-administered questionnaire designed to detect any changes in the consumption frequency of dairy products in the Iranian households during Covid-19 lockdown. RESULTS: A total of 21,290 households were enrolled. During Covid-19 epidemic lockdown, about 29%, 26% and 7% of the households had decreased their consumption frequency of milk, yogurt and cheese, respectively. The female-headed households were 21% more likely to decrease their consumption of milk, compared with male-headed households (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05-1.4). The households residing in food insecure provinces were 29%, 20% and 45% more likely to decrease their consumption of milk, yogurt and cheese as compared with those living in the food secure provinces. About 37%, 25.3%, 19.4% of those households who reported a decrease in consumption of dairy products had fully omitted them. CONCLUSION: We found considerable decrement of dairy products consumption, especially milk and yogurt, in a high proportion of the studied households. Inadequate intake and, in some households, omission of dairy products can potentially bring about serious health outcomes with heavier economic burden. Further studies to track these changes over time and to evaluate their health consequences are warranted.

Assessing Risks in Dairy Supply Chain Systems: A System Dynamics Approach

Due to the dynamic nature of the food supply chain system, food supply management could suffer because of, and be interrupted by, unforeseen events. Considering the perishable nature of fresh food products and their short life cycle, fresh food companies feel immense pressure to adopt an efficient and proactive risk management system. The risk management aspects within the food supply chains have been addressed in several studies. However, only a few studies focus on the complex interactions between the various types of risks impacting food supply chain functionality and dynamic feedback effects, which can generate a reliable risk management system. This paper strives to contribute to this evident research gap by adopting a system dynamics modelling approach to generate a systemic risk management model. The system dynamics model serves as the basis for the simulation of risk index values and can be explored in future work to further analyse the dynamic risk’s effect on the food supply chain system’s behaviour. According to a literature review of published research from 2017 to 2021, nine different risks across the food supply chain were identified as a subsection of the major risk categories: macro-level and operational risks. Following this stage, two of the risk groups identified first were integrated with a developed system dynamics model to conduct this research and to evaluate the interaction between the risks and the functionality of the three main dairy supply chain processes: production, logistics, and retailing. The key findings drawn from this paper can be beneficial for enhancing managerial discernment regarding the critical role of system dynamics models for analysing various types of risks across the food supply chain process and improving its efficiency.

Effect of Pumpkin Cultivar on the Selected Quality Parameters of Functional Non-Dairy Frozen Desserts

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of pumpkin cultivar as a fermented semi-product on the selected quality parameters of functional non-dairy frozen desserts, which were prepared using the potentially probiotic strain cultures L. rhamnosus Lock 0900 and L. casei O14. Microbiological status, pH, sugar and carotenoids content, antioxidant activity, color and sensory quality have been checked. Regardless of the pumpkin cultivar used, the lactic acid fermentation of pulps with selected bacterial strains decreased reducing sugar and total sugars content. Improvement in the antioxidant activity was also observed. The impact of the individual sensory attributes on the overall quality was determined. The overall quality of the investigated pumpkin sorbets was positively driven by the sweet taste, pumpkin flavor, smoothness of texture, and negatively driven by acidic flavor, pungent taste, and bitter taste, verified by PCA method. All of the final products achieved high survival of probiotics (higher than 8.4 log CFU/g) and revealed a good sensory quality (overall quality higher than 8 c.u). The treatments with the cultivar “Melon Yellow” of the Cucurbita maxima species, were characterized by significantly higher (p < 0.05) carotenoids content, total sugars and reducing sugars content and antioxidant activity, measured by two methods. It can be concluded that the pumpkin cultivar and strain culture used for the fermentation affect the count of potentially probiotic bacteria in the final products, the composition of bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and sensory quality of the functional pumpkin frozen desserts.

Customer preferences for choosing the dairy products during COVID 19 with reference to Chennai

The Research was focused on the Diary Products like milk, curd, sweets, etc. The research was confine 10 locations in the Andhra Pradesh States in Chennai surrounded Sholinganallur places. The purpose of this research was to find out the customer tastes and preferences for choosing the milk products. The instruments were prepared using the nominal and ordinal scale according to the review of literature. The data was analysis using the SPSS Software percentage table calculations and hypothesis was tested using the Chi Square testing. The outcomes of the research stated clearly on the quality of services customers are receiving through Diary parlour. Conclusion: Customers are satisfied with the diary products and services offer even in the Covid 19 conditions. © 2022 International Journal of Health Sciences. All rights reserved.

P002 Access to Fresh Produce and Low-Fat Food Products in SNAP-Eligible Virginians During COVID-19

Consuming fresh produce and low-fat food products is desirable to maintain a healthy diet. Restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in disruptions in the food supply and difficulties in access to fresh produce and low-fat products. To assess food access to fresh produce and low-fat products among SNAP-eligible Virginians during COVID-19. An online Qualtrics cross-sectional survey was conducted with SNAP-eligible Virginians aged 18 and older in November-December 2020. Survey questions included socio-demographic information and questions about access to, and quality of, fresh produce and low-fat products within the respondents' neighborhoods. Descriptive statistics were computed in SPSS. Of 973 survey responses, 228 (23.4%) respondents reported difficulties accessing fresh produce;215 (22.1%) difficulty accessing fresh produce of high quality;and 233 (23.9%) issues with breadth of produce selection. By contrast, 184 (19.0%) respondents reported difficulty accessing low-fat products and 184 respondents (19.0%) reported issues with breadth of low-fat product selection. Severe difficulties in accessing both fresh produce and low-fat products were noted in Southwest and Eastern Virginia. Overall, one-quarter of survey respondents reported challenges with accessing produce. While we did not assess changes because of COVID-19 specifically, efforts to support access to nutritious options is a critical component of promoting food security and community food security. These results can inform and tailor coordinated programs that include nutrition education programs and policy, systems, and environmental change initiatives. Follow-up research is warranted to determine ongoing challenges with food access among adults and households with lower incomes. USDA Virginia Cooperative Extension Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education, Virginia Department of Social Services (SNAP)

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food market

The aim of this paper is to contribute knowledge about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on behavior and changes in the food market and to assess the level of resilience of the agri-food sector to the coronavirus pandemic, analyzing its impact on commodity prices and focusing on supply chain and values. The paper presents an overview of literature data related to the topic of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the food market, ie the food chain. Analyzing FAO Food Price Index (ICH) from 2015 to 2020, the average ICH is growing slightly on average in 2020 (5.3%) compared to 2015. Looking at individual commodity groups, more or less oscillations were observed in all of them, and the increase in the price index refers to dairy products, vegetable oils and cereals, while a decrease was observed in meat and sugar. If we analyze more closely the movement of ICH and commodity groups in the period from March 2020 to March 2021, we can see an increase in the ICH average and all individual commodity groups. The increase is most significant in vegetable oils and sugars. The trade of purchased and sold agricultural products in Croatia from 2018 to 2020 slightly increased in 2020 compared to the previous (non-pandemic) year. Unlike other sectors, the food sector, as part of the national critical infrastructure, remained operational throughout the supply chain during the pandemic. As this crisis is unlikely to remain a one-off, further research efforts should focus on considering its long-term impacts, such as negative impacts on job security, supply chains and globalization.

Integrated Sustainability Planning and Local Food Systems: Examining Areas of and Gaps in Food Systems Integration in Community Sustainability Plans for Municipalities across British Columbia

No “one size fits all” approach exists for local sustainability and food systems planning. Such planning must balance needs for being both comprehensive and place-based. The current study explores this tension by examining Integrated Community Sustainability Plans (ICSP) developed by municipalities in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The research examines items and actions related to food systems (focusing on agriculture and food production) in the ICSPs of municipalities in different regions across BC to (1) identify how municipalities “integrate” food systems with other sustainability objectives, (2) elucidate how place and geography influence integrated planning, and (3) reveal gaps in integrated approaches to developing local food systems. The study employs document analysis and thematic coding methodology. The results indicate that common areas of food systems integration in ICSPs include local economy and education. Many plans outline goals for bolstering local food economies and building local food capacity through community participation and engagement. Findings also show how foci and approaches for developing sustainable food systems vary by region. The study elucidates how food systems are integrated within place-based sustainability plans as well as reveals gaps that local governments can address when adopting and implementing integrated sustainability plans for improving food systems.