Research on safety risk control of prepared foods from the perspective of supply chain.

Prepared foods bring great convenience to people's lives, but they also entail safety risks in all aspects, from production to sales. The cooperation of the supply chain and the supervision of the government are key to promoting the safety management of prepared foods. This paper considers the government's regulation, focuses on the interaction relationship between the producer and the retailer of prepared foods, and builds an evolutionary game model to analyze the influence of collaborative decision-making between prepared food producers and retailers in preventing and controlling food safety risks under the government's regulatory strategy. The research finds that: (1) Under certain conditions, there are three stable equilibrium strategies within the prepared foods supply chain: bilateral low-safety inputs, unilateral high-safety inputs, and bilateral high-safety inputs. (2) Government regulators can influence the safety input behaviors of prepared food supply chain enterprises by adjusting investigation probabilities and punishment severity. (3) The safety input behaviors of these enterprises are influenced by various factors, including costs, revenues, brand image, reputation, and the consequences associated with contractual violations. This paper represents the first systematic analysis of prepared food safety from a supply chain perspective. It fills a gap in the existing literature in this area, offering guidance and suggestions for prepared food supply chain enterprises, as well as references and recommendations for government regulators.

Chronic dietary exposure to total arsenic, inorganic arsenic and water-soluble organic arsenic species based on results of the first German total diet study.

For risk assessment purposes, the dietary exposure to total arsenic and inorganic arsenic was estimated within the first German total diet study (BfR MEAL Study) for the whole population in Germany. Therefore, occurrence data of 356 different foods from the BfR MEAL Study were combined with consumption data from German nutrition surveys. Due to the different toxicological potentials of other water-soluble organic arsenic species present in rice-based foods, fish and seafood, dietary exposure to dimethylarsinic acid, monomethylarsonic acid and arsenobetaine was assessed in consumers in Germany through such foods for the first time. Related to the bodyweight, dietary exposure to total arsenic and inorganic arsenic in infants and young children (0.5-<5 years) were higher than in adolescents/adults (≥14 years). The highest median exposure estimates to inorganic arsenic resulted for the age group of infants from 0.5 to <1 year under modified lower bound conditions and for young children from 1 to <2 years under upper bound conditions (0.17 µg kg-1 bodyweight day-1-0.24 µg kg-1 bodyweight day-1 and 0.26 µg kg-1 bodyweight day-1-0.34 µg kg-1 bodyweight day-1, respectively). 'Grains and grain-based products' (especially rice) were identified as the main contributors for dietary exposure to total arsenic and inorganic arsenic for all age classes. Especially, for infants and young children, high consumption of rice-based foods and fish fingers is driving the dietary exposure to dimethylarsinic acid. The dietary exposure calculations indicate that a further reduction of dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic and further investigations to water-soluble organic arsenic species are necessary.

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: Highest levels of retinol found in animal livers and of ß-carotene in yellow-orange and green leafy vegetables.

This Total Diet Study (TDS) provides representative data on substance levels in foods, prepared as typically consumed by the population in Germany for future dietary exposure assessment. Vitamin A is essential and must be obtained from the diet, either as preformed vitamin A or as provitamin A carotenoids. Levels of retinol and ß-carotene were analysed in 333 and 271 foods, respectively. Highest mean retinol levels were found in cod liver (25,000 µg∙100 g-1), followed by other animal livers, liver-based products, butter, eel and fortified margarine. In contrast, highest mean ß-carotene levels were found in carrots (4,650 µg∙100 g-1), followed by other yellow-orange fruits and vegetables, green leafy vegetables and fortified fruit nectars. Sampling by production type and seasonality revealed differences in retinol and ß-carotene levels in individual foods. This TDS expands the existing data for ß-carotene and vitamin A extensively by providing representative data on most consumed foods.

Nutritional Characterization of Street Food in Urban Turkmenistan, Central Asia.

Objective: Describing the availability and nutritional composition of the most commonly available street foods in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Methods: One hundred sixty-one street food vending sites (six public markets) were assessed, through a collection of data on vending sites' characteristics and food availability, and samples of commonly available foods (21 homemade; 11 industrial), for chemical analysis. Results: Fruit, beverages, and food other than fruit were available in 6.8, 29.2, and 91.9% of all vending sites, respectively. Regarding the latter, 52.7% of the vending sites sold only homemade products (main dishes, snacks, cakes, biscuits and pastries, bread, ice-cream chocolate and confectionery, savory pastries and sandwiches), 37.2% only industrial (ice-cream, chocolate and confectionery, cakes, biscuits and pastries, snacks, bread and savory pastries) and 10.1% both. Homemade foods presented significantly higher total fat [homemade 11.6 g (range 6.6-19.4 g); industrial 6.2 g (range 4.0-8.6 g), p = 0.001], monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and trans-fat, and sodium and potassium content per serving. Industrial wafers presented the highest mean saturated (11.8 g/serving) and trans-fat (2.32 g/serving) content. Homemade hamburgers presented the highest mean sodium content (1889 mg/serving). Conclusions: Strategies to encourage the production and sales of healthier street foods, especially homemade, are needed to promote healthier urban food environments in urban Turkmenistan.

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foods.

The BfR MEAL Study provides representative levels of substances in foods consumed in Germany. Mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel are contaminants present in foods introduced by environmental and industrial processes. Levels of these elements were investigated in 356 foods. Foods were purchased representatively, prepared as consumed and pooled with similar foods before analysis. Highest mean levels of mercury were determined in fish and seafood, while high levels of cadmium, lead, and nickel were present in cocoa products and legumes, nuts, oilseeds, and spices. The sampling by region, season, and production type showed minor differences in element levels for specific foods, however no tendency over all foods or for some food groups was apparent. The data on mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel provide a comprehensive basis for chronic dietary exposure assessment of the population in Germany. All levels found were below regulated maximum levels.

Availability and Nutritional Composition of Street Food in Urban Central Asia: Findings From Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Objective: To describe the availability and nutritional composition of commonly available street foods in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Methods: 384 street food vending sites (in 10 public markets) were assessed; information on vending sites' characteristics and food availability and samples of the most commonly available street foods (81 homemade; 40 industrial) were collected for chemical analysis. Results: Fruit, beverages and food other than fruit were available in 1.0%, 47.4% and 92.7% of all vending sites. Homemade food other than fruit (e.g., bread, main dishes, snacks, pastries, sandwiches, and cakes) were available in 63.4% of stationary vending sites, while industrial (e.g., snacks, chocolate, cakes, and cookies) in 45.6% of them. Industrial foods were the most energy-dense [median kcal/100 g: 438.8 vs. 267.2, p < 0.001 (homemade)]. Traditional homemade dishes were high in sodium, reaching 2,248 mg/serving (lagman) and major contributors of protein and fat to energy content (shashlik: 22.8% from protein, 68.3% from fat). Industrial chocolate and homemade cake presented the highest saturated (14.6 g/serving) and trans-fat (3.20 g/serving) contents. Conclusion: These findings advocate for the implementation of health promotion strategies targeted at vendors, consumers and other stakeholders.

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: The food type has a stronger impact on calcium, potassium and phosphorus levels than factors such as seasonality, regionality and type of production.

The BfR MEAL Study aims to provide representative levels of chemical substances in foods consumed by the population in Germany for dietary exposure assessment. Calcium, potassium and phosphorus (Ca, K, P) are essential to obtain physiological functions in humans. Levels were investigated in 356 foods. Foods were purchased representatively, prepared as typically consumed and pooled before analysis. High mean levels were found in milk, dairy products, legumes, nuts, oilseeds and spices as well as chia seeds (Ca, K, P), chewing gum (Ca) and cocoa powder (K). Different levels comparing organically and conventionally produced foods were determined among others in cereal cracker (puffed), olives and tofu. Higher K levels were found in fried compared to boiled potatoes. Similar P levels were mainly found in regionally and seasonally sampled foods. These data provide a substantially improved basis to address dietary exposure assessment of the population in Germany for Ca, K and P.

Avaliação microbiológica de sushis comercializados em dois tipos de restaurantes de Pouso Alegre ­ MG / Microbiological evaluation of sushi marketed in two types of restaurants in Pouso Alegre - MG

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os padrões microbiológicos de sushis preparados e comercializados em dois tipos de restaurantes no município de Pouso Alegre ­ MG. Foram adquiridas 32 amostras de sushis entre os meses de outubro a novembro de 2019 e realizadas pesquisa de coliformes totais, coliformes termotolerantes, Escherichia coli e estafilococos coagulase positiva. Para os testes de coliformes, as amostras foram inoculadas pela técnica pour plate utilizando o meio Agar Vermelho Violeta Bile. Para os testes de estafilococos coagulase positiva, foi utilizada a técnica de spread plate utilizando o meio Agar Baird Parker. Neste estudo não foram encontradas bactérias do grupo coliformes termotolerantes, entretanto, houve presença de coliformes totais em 59,37% das amostras. Em relação a estafilococos coagulase positiva, duas amostras foram positivas para este microrganismo, entretanto, apenas uma teve valores fora dos padrões estabelecidos pela legislação. Quando comparado os resultados entre os dois restaurantes, não houve diferença estatística entre eles. Neste estudo, com exceção de uma amostra, todas as outras amostras estão de acordo com os padrões de qualidade alimentar

The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological patterns of sushi prepared and sold in 2 types of restaurants in the city of Pouso Alegre ­ MG. Thirty-two samples of sushi were acquired between October and November 2019 and a search for total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli and coagulase-positive staphylococci were carried out. For the coliform tests, the samples were inoculated by the pour plate technique using the Red Violet Bile Agar medium. For coagulase positive staphylococci tests, the spread plate technique using Baird Parker Agar medium was used. In this study, bacteria of the thermotolerant coliform group were not found, however, total coliforms were present in 59.37% of the samples. Regarding coagulase-positive staphylococci, two samples were positive for this microorganism, however, only one had values ​​outside the standards established by legislation. When comparing the results between the two restaurants, there was no statistical difference between them. In this study, with the exception of one sample, all other samples meet food quality standards

The Price of Homemade Street Food in Central Asia and Eastern Europe: Is There a Relation with Its Nutritional Value?

The aim was to describe the price of homemade street foods in four cities of Central Asia and Eastern Europe and to analyze its association with energy density, macronutrients, sodium and potassium contents. Cross-sectional evaluations of street food vending sites were conducted in Dushanbe, Tajikistan (n = 562), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (n = 384), Almaty, Kazakhstan (n = 236) and Chișinau, Moldova (n = 89) in 2016-2017. Information on the homemade street foods available, including price, was systematically collected; the most commonly available foods (n = 64) were sampled for chemical analysis. Prices were converted to international dollars ($) and expressed as $/serving, $/100 g and $/100 kcal. The median street food price was $1.00/serving, $0.85/100 g and $0.33/100 kcal. Traditional foods were cheaper per 100 g than the westernized ($0.77 vs. $1.00, p = 0.011). For each unit increase in energy density (kcal/g), the homemade street foods were $0.12 cheaper per 100 kcal and $0.11 more expensive per 100 g. The carbohydrate content was negatively associated with price per 100 kcal, while total fat, monounsaturated, saturated and trans-fatty acids content were positively associated with price per 100 g. Energy-dense homemade street foods were the cheapest. Further insight on food preparation might clarify the association between carbohydrates and monounsaturated fatty acids content and street food price.

Macronutrient composition of street food in Central Asia: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

BACKGROUND: Urban areas in central Asia are currently undergoing nutrition transition. Street food is very popular, but the specific foods available and their nutritional composition are unknown. The aim was to describe the availability and macronutrient composition of street foods in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. RESULTS: Trained interviewers collected data on street food vending sites' characteristics and food availability (n = 596). Samples of the most commonly available foods and drinks were collected (n = 80 homemade; n = 40 industrial). Macronutrients were quantified through chemical analysis. Fruit, beverages, and food other than fruit were available in 4.0%, 61.7%, and 81.0% of the vending sites, respectively. Among those selling food other than fruit, 56.5% sold only homemade (e.g., bread, main dishes, snacks, pastries, sandwiches, and cakes), 23.3% both homemade and industrial and 20.2% only industrial foods (e.g., bread, snacks, pastries, cakes, and cookies). Homemade foods presented the highest energy/serving (median kcal/serving: 357 versus 145, p < .001). A high content in saturated and trans-fatty acids was observed in some homemade traditional dishes and snacks, reaching, respectively, 30.2 g/serving and 2.9 g/serving (in homemade manty, a traditional dish). Tea and soft drinks were available in over 50% of the vending sites selling beverages. CONCLUSION: The high availability of street food in Bishkek highlights its importance for this urban population. Traditional snacks, dishes, and beverages coexist with more westernized products. The variability in energy, macronutrients, and lipid profile of homemade and industrial products reflects heterogeneous culinary practices and ingredients. Policies promoting the availability of healthy foods and ingredients should be implemented.

Addressing Challenges with the Categorization of Foods Processed at Home: A Pilot Methodology to Inform Consumer-Facing Guidance.

The objective of this study was to inform consumer-facing dietary guidance by (1) adapting the current University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) food processing framework to include a home processing (HP) component and (2) pilot testing the adapted version using a nationally representative sample of foods consumed in the U.S. The UNC framework was adapted to include guidelines for categorizing home-prepared (HP) foods. The original UNC and adapted HP frameworks were used to code dietary recalls from a random sample of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2015-2016 cycle) participants (n = 100; ages 2-80 years). Percent changes between the UNC and HP adapted frameworks for each processing category were calculated using Microsoft Excel, version 16.23. Participants were 56% female, 35% non-Hispanic white (mean age = 31.3 ± 23.8). There were 1,376 foods with 651 unique foods reported. Using the HP compared to the UNC framework, unprocessed/minimally processed foods declined by 11.7% (UNC: 31.0% vs. HP: 27.4%); basic processed foods increased by 116.8% (UNC: 8.2% vs. HP: 17.8%); moderately processed foods increased by 16.3% (UNC: 14.2% vs. HP: 16.6%); and highly processed foods decreased by 17.8% (UNC: 46.5% vs. HP: 38.2%). Home-prepared foods should be considered as distinct from industrially produced foods when coding dietary data by processing category. This has implications for consumer-facing dietary guidance that incorporates processing level as an indicator of diet quality.

Qualidade físico-química de polpas de fruta de goiaba e manga comercializadas no Gama-DF / MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF COMMERCIALIZED FRUIT SALADS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF POUSO ALEGRE - MG

O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade microbiológica de saladas de frutas comercializadas em Pouso Alegre ­ MG, verificando se estas atendem aos padrões microbiológicos para enumeração de coliformes totais e coliformes termotolerantes estabelecidos pela RDC Nº 12 de 2001. As amostras pertenciam a vinte estabelecimentos comerciais diferentes e foram adquiridas no período de agosto a setembro de 2019 no comércio local. As amostras foram diluídas 1/10, 1/100 e 1/1000. Uma alíquota de 1 mL de cada diluição foi inoculada pela técnica pour plate utilizando o meio Agar Vermelho Violeta Bile. As placas foram incubadas em temperatura de 35ºC por 24-48 horas e após esse período as colônias, quando presentes, foram contadas e identificadas. Das 20 amostras analisadas em nenhuma houve crescimento de coliforme termotolerantes sendo este resultado satisfatório, porém, em 75% das amostras houve presença de coliformes totais. Apesar de em todas as amostras encontrarem-se dentro dos padrões microbiológicos vigentes para coliformes termotolerantes, os elevados valores encontrados de coliformes totais evidenciam que o produto pode fornecer risco ao consumidor

The present study aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality of fruit salads sold in Pouso Alegre ­ MG, verifying if they meet the microbiological standards for enumeration of total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms established by RDC No. 12 of 2001.The samples belonged to twenty different commercial establishments and were acquired from August to September 2019 in local trade. The samples were diluted 1/10, 1/100 and 1/1000. A 1 mL aliquot of each dilution was inoculated using the pour plate technique using Agar Red Violet Bile. The plates were incubated at a temperature of 35ºC for 24-48 hours and after this period the colonies when present, were counted and identified. Of the 20 samples analyzed in none, there was growth of thermotolerant coliform, this result being satisfactory, however, in 75% of the samples there was the presence of total coliforms. Although in all samples they are within the current microbiological standards for thermotolerant coliforms, the high values found for total coliforms show that the product can provide risk to the consumer

Análise microbiológica de saladas de frutas comercializadas no município de Pouso Alegre ­ MG / Microbiological analysis of commercialized fruit salads in the municipality of Pouso Alegre - MG

O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade microbiológica de saladas de frutas comercializadas em Pouso Alegre ­ MG, verificando se estas atendem aos padrões microbiológicos para enumeração de coliformes totais e coliformes termotolerantes estabelecidos pela RDC Nº 12 de 2001. As amostras pertenciam a vinte estabelecimentos comerciais diferentes e foram adquiridas no período de agosto a setembro de 2019 no comércio local. As amostras foram diluídas 1/10, 1/100 e 1/1000. Uma alíquota de 1 mL de cada diluição foi inoculada pela técnica pour plate utilizando o meio Agar Vermelho Violeta Bile. As placas foram incubadas em temperatura de 35ºC por 24-48 horas e após esse período as colônias, quando presentes, foram contadas e identificadas. Das 20 amostras analisadas em nenhuma houve crescimento de coliforme termotolerantes sendo este resultado satisfatório, porém, em 75% das amostras houve presença de coliformes totais. Apesar de em todas as amostras encontrarem-se dentro dos padrões microbiológicos vigentes para coliformes termotolerantes, os elevados valores encontrados de coliformes totais evidenciam que o produto pode fornecer risco ao consumidor

The present study aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality of fruit salads sold in Pouso Alegre ­ MG, verifying if they meet the microbiological standards for enumeration of total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms established by RDC No. 12 of 2001.The samples belonged to twenty different commercial establishments and were acquired from August to September 2019 in local trade. The samples were diluted 1/10, 1/100 and 1/1000. A 1 mL aliquot of each dilution was inoculated using the pour plate technique using Agar Red Violet Bile. The plates were incubated at a temperature of 35ºC for 24-48 hours and after this period the colonies when present, were counted and identified. Of the 20 samples analyzed in none, there was growth of thermotolerant coliform, this result being satisfactory, however, in 75% of the samples there was the presence of total coliforms. Although in all samples they are within the current microbiological standards for thermotolerant coliforms, the high values found for total coliforms show that the product can provide risk to the consumer

Análise microbiológica de saladas de frutas comercializadas no município de Pouso Alegre – MG / Microbiological analysis of commercialized fruit salads in the municipality of Pouso Alegre – MG

O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade microbiológica de saladas de frutas comercializadas em Pouso Alegre - MG, verificando se estas atendem aos padrões microbiológicos para enumeração de coliformes totais e coliformes termotolerantes estabelecidos pela RDC Nº 12 de 2001. As amostras pertenciam a vinte estabelecimentos comerciais diferentes e foram adquiridas no período de agosto a setembro de 2019 no comércio local. As amostras foram diluídas 1/10, 1/100 e 1/1000. Uma alíquota de 1 mL de cada diluição foi inoculada pela técnica pour plate utilizando o meio Agar Vermelho Violeta Bile. As placas foram incubadas em temperatura de 35ºC por 24-48 horas e após esse período as colônias, quando presentes, foram contadas e identificadas. Das 20 amostras analisadas em nenhuma houve crescimento de coliforme termotolerantes sendo este resultado satisfatório, porém, em 75% das amostras houve presença de coliformes totais. Apesar de em todas as amostras encontrarem-se dentro dos padrões microbiológicos vigentes para coliformes termotolerantes, os elevados valores encontrados de coliformes totais evidenciam que o produto pode fornecer risco ao consumidor.

The present study aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality of fruit salads sold in Pouso Alegre - MG, verifying if they meet the microbiological standards for enumeration of total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms established by RDC No. 12 of 2001.The samples belonged to twenty different commercial establishments and were acquired from August to September 2019 in local trade. The samples were diluted 1/10, 1/100 and 1/1000. A 1 mL aliquot of each dilution was inoculated using the pour plate technique using Agar Red Violet Bile. The plates were incubated at a temperature of 35ºC for 24- 48 hours and after this period the colonies when present, were counted and identified. Of the 20 samples analyzed in none, there was growth of thermotolerant coliform, this result being satisfactory, however, in 75% of the samples there was the presence of total coliforms. Although in all samples they are within the current microbiological standards for thermotolerant coliforms, the high values found for total coliforms show that the product can provide risk to the consumer.

Street food in Eastern Europe: a perspective from an urban environment in Moldova.

Street food is popular in Eastern Europe, but its diversity and nutritional value are unknown. This study aimed to characterise the street food environment in Chisinau, Moldova, including the vending sites and vendors, food availability and nutritional composition of foods and beverages. All street food vending sites (single point of sale) located in a 1-km buffer centred on the main public market were systematically selected (n 439; n 328 participants). Data on vending sites' characteristics (mobility, type of physical set-up and access to electricity), operating periods and food availability were collected. Samples of the most commonly available foods of unknown composition were collected (twenty-eight home-made and twenty-four industrial). Macronutrients, Na and K were quantified through chemical analysis. Fruits, beverages and food other than fruits were available in 2·5, 74·3 and 80·8 % of the vending sites, respectively. Among the latter, 66·4 % sold only industrial foods (e.g. pretzels, biscuits, wafers, chocolate and ice cream), 21·5 % only home-made (e.g. savoury and sweet pastries) and 12·1 % both. Home-made foods presented larger serving sizes and energy/serving (median kJ/serving: 1312·5 v. 670·3, P = 0·022); industrial foods were more energy-dense (median kJ/100 g: 1797·0 v. 1269·8, P = 0·002). High SFA, trans-fat and Na contents were found, reaching 10·9 g/serving, 1·4 g/serving and 773·7 mg/serving, respectively. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages were available in 80·7 and 42·0 % of the vending sites selling beverages, respectively. Concluding, industrial snacks and home-made pastries high in Na and unhealthy fat were frequent in Chisinau. Prevention of diet-related diseases in Moldova may benefit from the improvement of the nutritional profile of street food.

Alimentos seleccionados por los padres para los refrigerios de sus hijos en etapa de educación básica en Reynosa, Tamaulipas / Lunch box contents of elementary school children in Reynosa, Tamaulipas

Resumen Los refrigerios que consumen los niños durante el recreo complementan su dieta diaria, y pueden representar un riesgo de obesidad si los padres los preparan con base en alimentos procesados, elevados en azúcar, sal y grasa. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar el contenido de los refrigerios empacados en casa, así como el estado nutricio de escolares de Reynosa, Tamaulipas, México. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal. Se trabajó con 769 niños de 12 escuelas públicas de educación básica. Se tomaron peso y talla. Se registraron durante una semana los refrigerios por observación directa, mediante una lista de cotejo. El 44.7 % de los escolares presentó sobrepeso u obesidad. Los alimentos contenidos en los refrigerios fueron el sándwich (50.0 %), tacos (29.5 %) y tortas (14.5 %). Las bebidas azucaradas incluyeron jugo (44 %) y agua saborizada (38.2 %). El 18.8 % llevó frutas, 13.5 % verduras y 31.6 % agua. En promedio, el contenido de energía fue de 327 kcal, por lo tanto, sobrepasaron la recomendación de calorías, e incluían alimentos no saludables (alto contenido de azúcar y grasa en relación a su aportación nutrimental), siendo necesario realizar intervenciones de educación nutricional para promover el consumo de agua y alimentos saludables dentro del entorno escolar, para mejorar la calidad de los hábitos alimenticios, tanto en escuelas de medio tiempo, como de tiempo completo, las cuales, brindan el servicio de alimentación.

Abstract School lunch supplements children's dailydiet and may pose a risk of obesity if they are prepared based on processed foods high in sugar, salt and fat. The aim of this study was to identify the content of lunch packs, as well as the nutritional status of scholars from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico. To that aim, a descriptive and transversal study was conducted. We worked with 769 children from 12 public elementary schools. Students' size and weight were taken. The contents of their lunch packs were recorded for one week by direct observation through a checklist. 44.7 % of school children were overweight or obese. The foods contained in the lunch packs were sandwich (50.0 %), tacos (29.5 %) and big sandwich (14.5 %). Sugary drinks included juice (44 %) and flavored water (38.2 %). They also contained fruits (18.8 %), vegetables (13.5 %) and water (31.6 %). On average, the energy content was 327 kcal. Therefore, they exceeded the calorie recommendation and included unhealthy foods (high content of sugar and fat in relation to their nutritional contribution). This suggests the need to implement nutrition education intervention programs to promote the consumption of drinking water and healthy foods within the school environment to improve the quality of eating habits.

A cross-sectional description of mobile food vendors and the foods they serve: potential partners in delivering healthier food-away-from-home choices.

BACKGROUND: Food away from home (FAFH) in the US is associated with adverse health outcomes, and food dollars spent on FAFH continues to increase. FAFH studies have typically focused on restaurants and carryout establishments, but mobile food vendors - popularly known in the US as food trucks - have become more numerous and are an understudied segment of FAFH. The objective of this study was to assess mobile food vendors, their attitudes toward health and nutrition, and the foods they serve. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 41 mobile food vendors in Michigan, US. The survey contained questions about food and nutrition attitudes, such as barriers to putting healthy items on menus and perceived agreement with healthy food preparation practices. Participants were classified into a healthy and a less healthy attitude group based on whether they believed healthy menu items could be successful or not. In addition, participant menus were collected and analyzed according to whether menu items were healthy, moderately healthy, or unhealthy. Descriptive, univariate, and bivariate analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Two-thirds of the participants felt that healthy menu items could be successful, and yet taste and value were the most important menu item success factors, each rated as important by 100% of the participants. Low consumer demand was the biggest barrier to putting healthy items on the menu (76%) whereas lack of chef interest (29%) and need for special training (24%) were the smallest. 72% of the vendors offered at least one healthy menu item, but only 20% of all reviewed menu items were healthy overall. There was no difference in the proportion of menu items that were healthy when comparing those with healthy attitudes (23% of menu items healthy) to those less healthy attitudes (17% of menu items healthy, p = 0.349). CONCLUSIONS: Mobile food vendors had positive views about putting healthy items on menus. However, a low proportion of menu items were classified as healthy. This suggests that mobile food vendors are promising potential public health partners in improving the health profile of FAFH, but that education of vendors is needed to ensure the success of healthier items.

Bacterial communities in prepared foods available at supermarkets in Beijing, China.

Prepared foods have received increasing attention owing to their convenience, rapidness, and ease of processing in a fast-paced life. The bacterial diversity and composition vary among different prepared foods and are closely related to food safety and human health. However, the knowledge on the bacterial community in prepared foods is still limited. In this study, the bacterial diversity in three kinds of prepared foods (meat, aquatic, and dish) available at supermarkets in Beijing was examined by using the high throughput sequencing technology to identify bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Alpha diversity analysis indicated that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the predominant bacterial phyla in prepared meat products, which accounted for 35-49% and 42-58% of the total sequences, respectively. Similar results were observed in prepared aquatic products, except salmon, which had a relatively unique bacterial community with Proteobacteria accounting for 90.72%. In prepared dishes, the proportions of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were about 39-74% and 8-37%, respectively. The predominant bacterial genera detected in all samples within each kind of prepared foods were used to examine the differences in the bacterial community among three kinds of prepared foods. Results showed that the bacterial community in prepared meat products was much more diverse (14 genera) than those in prepared aquatic products (6 genera) and prepared dishes (2 genera). Acinetobacter was detected in all 288 prepared products. The bacterial community structures of prepared meat and aquatic products were more similar compared to those of prepared dishes. On the other hand, in prepared meat products, the bacterial communities of the samples with the same materials or brands were more similar, and further, among the sample with the same brands, the bacterial communities of the samples from the development zone were clearly different from those of the samples from the main urban area. In prepared aquatic products, the bacterial communities of the samples from the same region were also more similar. In prepared dish products, the bacterial communities of the samples with the same foodstuff or cooking style were more similar. In conclusion, this study revealed that the origin and type of prepared food ingredients, along with the sales location and processing methods, influenced microbial diversity and composition.

Reprint of "The relationship between culinary skills and eating behaviors: Challenges and opportunities for parents and families".

Unhealthy dietary intake among American children and adults is of great concern to public health practitioners, nutritional scientists, and child development experts. Cooking skills are related to healthier dietary intake among Americans of all ages, but remain a substantial barrier for many parents who want to serve healthy meals for their families at home. Culinary education interventions are effective solutions for many parents who do not know how to cook, but issues with participation bias mean that these programs are not effective solutions for all individuals. The food industry should develop solutions to help those parents for whom learning cooking skills is not an option - specifically through the development of healthier pre-assembled or prepared foods that do not require cooking skills to make. In the future, the research community should also strive to collect comprehensive population-based data on the state of cooking skills in the United States.

The relationship between culinary skills and eating behaviors: Challenges and opportunities for parents and families.

Unhealthy dietary intake among American children and adults is of great concern to public health practitioners, nutritional scientists, and child development experts. Cooking skills are related to healthier dietary intake among Americans of all ages, but remain a substantial barrier for many parents who want to serve healthy meals for their families at home. Culinary education interventions are effective solutions for many parents who do not know how to cook, but issues with participation bias mean that these programs are not effective solutions for all individuals. The food industry should develop solutions to help those parents for whom learning cooking skills is not an option - specifically through the development of healthier pre-assembled or prepared foods that do not require cooking skills to make. In the future, the research community should also strive to collect comprehensive population-based data on the state of cooking skills in the United States.