Solid-state fermentation using wheat bran to produce glucose syrup and functional cereal bars.

Wheat bran is one of the most abundant by-products from grain milling, which can be used as substrate for solid-state fermentation (SSF) to obtain enzymes able to convert this agro-industrial waste into glucose syrup, which in turn can be applied for the production of different food products. The present study aimed to determine centesimal composition of wheat bran, obtain enzymatic extract that converts wheat bran into wheat glucose syrup (WGS), produce rice flakes cereal bars (RFCB), and evaluate their nutritional composition and the presence of functional compounds, as well as their antioxidant potential. Determination of centesimal composition of wheat bran demonstrated its nutritional potential. Enzymatic extract was obtained and it converted wheat bran into WGS, which were applied to rice flakes producing RFCB. These cereal bars proved to be a source of dietary fiber (1.8 g) and soluble protein (7.2 g) while RCFB produced with corn glucose syrup did not present these nutritional components. In addition, RFCB produced with WGS showed polyphenolic compounds, among them flavonoids, which exhibited antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging (47.46% and 711.89 µM Trolox Equivalent/g, respectively), and iron ion reduction (71.70 µM Trolox equivalent/g). Final product showed a decrease in caloric value and sodium content. Therefore, the present study showed that the bioprocess of SSF yields a nutritional, ecological, and functional food product, which might be of great interest for food industry, adding nutritional and functional value to a well-stablished product.

Sociodemographic and behavioural differences between frequent and non-frequent users of convenience food in Germany.

Introduction: Convenience foods are a double-edged sword in that they provide quick and easy nutrition but may promote non-communicable diseases related to excess intakes of sugar, fat, and salt. To inform the German national reduction and innovation strategy for less sugar, fat, and salt in processed foods, the present study sought to analyse the consumption frequency of selected convenience foods and to determine sociodemographic and behavioural factors that characterise frequent users. Methods: In a representative computer-assisted telephone interview survey in the adult German population (N = 3,997) conducted in 2018, consumption frequency of 21 convenience foods was assessed. To characterise frequent in contrast to non-frequent users, data on sociodemographics and behavioural aspects were compared. Statistical analyses comprised chi-square tests with Bonferroni correction as well as Spearman's rank correlation. Cramer's V was used to determine the strength of an association. Results: Overall and among frequent users (7.7% of the sample) sweet convenience foods and savoury cooking aids were consumed most frequently. Around 75% of the participants indicated little-to-no consumption of 19 of the 21 convenience foods. Male gender (p < 0.001), younger age (p < 0.001), and not having a high level of education (p = 0.017) were identified as key characteristics of frequent users. Furthermore, frequent users were more likely than non-frequent users to live in a family household (p = 0.003) or without a partner (p < 0.001), and to work in shifts (p = 0.002). Additionally, they showed significantly lower cooking skills (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Public health interventions to limit excess intakes of sugar, fat, and salt from convenience food in Germany should target people of male gender, younger age, and having a lower level of education. On the behavioural side, developing the skills to cook from scratch emerged as major point of focus. Simultaneously, reformulation of the food offer should continue in order to help transition to a more health-promoting food environment.

'It's just pølse': Convenient meat consumption and reduction in Norway.

Meat consumption and convenience food are both located at the heart of contemporary, industrialized, unhealthy and unsustainable food systems. In this article, we study the intersections between convenience food and 'meatification' of diets, focusing on the 'pølse'-an umbrella term including both hotdogs and a range of sausages-as the epitome of convenience food in Norway. We explore how the pølse is embedded in Norwegian food practices, and why it is considered convenient in different contexts. In doing so, we seek to explain how pølse eating is co-shaped by socio-material scripting processes that further entrench meat in food practices and complicate meat-reduction efforts. The analysis is based on 52 in-depth household interviews and autophotography in four geographical contexts in Norway, in addition to 22 park interviews and survey data centering on household food and meat practices. We use a theoretical apparatus combining social practice theory, foodscapes and socio-material scripts to analyse the conveniencization of pølse. The articles demonstrates how meat consumption and convenience food become entwined in specific social practices, and how conveniencization intersects with practices of care, notions of class, social expectations and normativity. Moreover, we show that despite the range of plant-based 'pølse' substitutes on offer, meat-eaters remain skeptical to its taste, and substitutes rather seem to offer a way into established social occasions for non-meat eaters than a way out of meat eating.

Standardization and quality profile of sattu mix.

Wheat (T1) and maize (T2) based sattu were formulated using chick pea, barley and other food adjuncts. Results revealed that, no significant difference was observed in the protein and ash content between control (chickpea basede sattu mix) and T1. However, significant difference was observed between the control and T2 sample between moisture, fat, insoluble and total fiber, with the exception of protein, soluble fiber and ash. In case of T1 and T2, significant difference was observed in fat and total fiber content. Coming on to the mineral composition, significant difference was observed between the mineral content in control and T1, with respect to calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, manganese and copper. In case of control and T2, significant difference was observed with respect to calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron and copper, with the exception of manganese. Coming on to the mineral content of both the formulations, significant difference was observed with respect to all the minerals estimated. Significant difference was observed in the total amylose content between control and formulated samples on 0, 30 and 60 days. Microstructural studies of raw and roasted sattu and its ingredients by observation under scanning electron microscope revealed that substantial structural changes occurred during processing. The raw grains were tightly packed and contained no air spaces. However, a large number of air spaces are formed in the cotyledon of the roasted grain sample. It was observed that, T1and T2 had medium GI value (56 and 58% respectively), Whereas for control it was 60%. The formulated samples were found to be shelf stable for 60 days at RT, with an increase in moisture content of 4-6%. All the samples were sensorial acceptable and there was no perceptible off odor or off taste.

Convenience Food Options and Adequacy of Nutrient Intake among School Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in the family food environment, resulting in more families relying on convenience food options. This study aimed to investigate diet quality by convenience food options (namely instant, frozen, and take-out foods) among Japanese school children during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the relationship between the frequency of consumption of convenience food options and nutritional status of the school children. The participants (671 children, 10-14 years old) were chosen to form a nationally representative sample of the Japanese population. Using questionnaires completed by the participants' guardians, information was collected on the frequency of instant, frozen, and take-out food consumption. Habitual food and nutrient intake were collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire, completed by the children with help from their guardian(s). "Frequent" consumption was defined as consumption of instant, frozen, and/or take-out foods on more than 5 days per week. Using 19 nutrients and their respective dietary reference intake (DRI) values, an index was created to label each child's nutrient intake as "Adequate", "Inadequate", "Excess", or "Deficient." Compared to children with non-frequent consumption, school children with frequent instant food consumption had significantly higher rates of inadequate nutrient intake (risk ratio (RR) = 3.0 [95% CI: 1.6-5.6]) and excess nutrient intake (RR = 2.3 [95% CI: 1.3-4.2]), while school children with frequent take-out food consumption had significantly higher rates of inadequate nutrient intake (RR = 2.1 [95% CI: 1.3-3.3]). There were no significant differences for children with frequent frozen-food intake. These associations did not change when adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Our results suggest that the frequent consumption of instant or take-out foods among school children results in non-adequate nutritional intake.

How Does Adolescents' Usage of Social Media Affect Their Dietary Satisfaction?

In order to improve the health status of adolescents, studies are needed to illuminate the essence of their general and dietary lifestyle. Thus, we conducted this study to verify meaningful relationships between adolescent usage of social media (USM), which plays an important role in their life, their food consumption behavior (FCB), and their dietary satisfaction. This study used two analysis methods: t-tests and structural equation modeling (SEM). This study verified whether there was a significant difference in adolescent FCB depending on their USM using t-tests. This study proposes that the following FCBs showed significant differences between users and non-users of social media in adolescents: a tendency to try new types of food (t = 2.134, p < 0.05), a tendency to avoid foods with harmful risks such as suspected spoilage (t = 3.513, p < 0.001), a tendency to eat bread or fruit for a simple breakfast (t = −3.893, p < 0.001), and a tendency to often use home meal replacements (HMR), eat out or have food delivered (t = −3.245, p < 0.01). Furthermore, this study used SEM to verify the causal relationship between adolescent USM and their dietary satisfaction. According to the results of SEM, adolescents' USM mediated by the FCB of preferring convenience fully mediates the negative relationship between adolescent USM and their dietary satisfaction (p < 0.01). It is necessary to reverse the situation in which adolescent dietary satisfaction decreases as their FCB of preferring convenience increases. Government regulations for food companies and autonomous efforts for quality improvements on their part are needed.

Physicochemical, nutritional and microbial quality of pastes and data on their consumption in Mexican university students

ABSTRACT A paste is a food of English origin adopted in Hidalgo, Mexico, over a hundred years ago. It is consumed as a convenience food and is very popular among students. The aim of this research was to determine the physicochemical, nutritional, and microbial quality of pastes as well as to obtain data on their consumption in a population of Mexican university students. The proximal composition, calories, sodium content, pH, water activity, and microbiological quality of 15 types of pastes were analyzed. Five hundred students from the largest public university in the State of Hidalgo in Mexico were surveyed to determine paste consumption. Pastes varied in their content of fat (12-25.7 g/100 g), protein (2.29-12.6 g/100 g) and carbohydrates (23.5-52.7 g/100 g). The caloric content varied from 356 to 545 kcal/paste. The salty samples contained more sodium (216-693 mg Na/100 g) compared to the sweet ones (54.9-74.1 mg Na/100 g). Samples presented large variability in microbial quality and only one sample had coliform growth. Almost all respondents (96.2%) reported consuming pastes, 49.7% consumed 1 to 2 pieces per week, while 32% consumed 3 to 4. Participants considered that pastes were fast, convenient, and cheap and mentioned consuming them for their taste and practicality. Pastes represent an important source of calories and sodium in the diet. Labeling these types of foods will provide nutritional information and could prevent excessive consumption.

RESUMEN El paste es un alimento de origen inglés adoptado en Hidalgo, México, desde hace más de cien años. Se consume como comida de conveniencia y es muy popular entre estudiantes. El objetivo fue determinar la calidad fisicoquímica, nutricional y microbiana de pastes, así como conocer datos sobre su consumo en una población de estudiantes universitarios mexicanos. Se analizó la composición proximal, las calorías, el contenido de sodio, el pH, la actividad acuosa y la calidad microbiológica de 15 tipos de pastes mediante técnicas oficiales. Se encuestaron 500 estudiantes de la universidad pública más grande del estado de Hidalgo (México) para determinar su consumo de pastes. Los pastes variaron en su contenido de grasas (12-25,7 g/100 g), proteínas (2,29-12,6 g/100 g) y carbohidratos (23,5-52,7 g/100 g). El contenido calórico fue de 356 a 545 kcal/paste. Las muestras saladas contenían más sodio (216-693 mg Na/100 g) en comparación con las dulces (54,9-74,1 mg Na/100 g). Las muestras presentaron alta variabilidad en la calidad microbiológica y solo una muestra presentó crecimiento de coliformes. El 96,2% de los encuestados consume pastes, el 49,7% consume de 1 a 2 piezas por semana mientras que el 32% consume de 3 a 4. Los participantes consideraron que los pastes son rápidos, convenientes y baratos y mencionaron consumirlos por su sabor y practicidad. Los pastes representan una fuente importante de calorías y sodio en la dieta. Etiquetar este tipo de alimentos aportará información nutricional y podría evitar su consumo excesivo.

In situ 13 C solid-state polarization transfer NMR to follow starch transformations in food.

Convenience food products tend to alter their quality and texture while stored. Texture-giving food components are often starch-rich ingredients, such as pasta or rice. Starch transforms depending on time, temperature and water content, which alters the properties of products. Monitoring these transformations, which are associated with a change in mobility of the starch chain segments, could optimize the quality of food products containing multiple ingredients. In order to do so, we applied a simple and efficient in situ 13 C solid-state magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR approach, based on two different polarization transfer schemes, cross polarization (CP) and insensitive nuclei enhanced by polarization transfer (INEPT). The efficiency of the CP and INEPT transfer depends strongly on the mobility of chain segments-the time scale of reorientation of the CH-bond and the order parameter. Rigid crystalline or amorphous starch chains give rise to CP peaks, whereas mobile gelatinized starch chains appear as INEPT peaks. Comparing 13 C solid-state MAS NMR experiments based on CP and INEPT allows insight into the progress of gelatinization, and other starch transformations, by reporting on both rigid and mobile starch chains simultaneously with atomic resolution by the 13 C chemical shift. In conjunction with 1 H solid-state MAS NMR, complementary information about other food components present at low concentration, such as lipids and protein, can be obtained. We demonstrate our approach on starch-based products and commercial pasta as a function of temperature and storage.

Comparison of consumption behaviors and development needs for the home meal replacement among Chinese college students studying abroad in Korea, Chinese college students in China, and Korean college students in Korea.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The consumption of home meal replacement (HMR) is increasing among college students in Korea and China. In particular, Chinese college students studying abroad in Korea (CSK) show changes in their dietary behavior after migration, and HMR consumption for meal substitution is also increasing. This study was conducted to compare the HMR consumption behaviors and HMR development needs of CSK, Chinese college students in China (CSC), and Korean college students in Korea (KSK). SUBJECTS/METHODS: The subjects were 570 college students (180 CSK, 200 CSC, and 190 KSK) who had experience of HMR consumption. Data were collected by face-to-face survey in 2019 and analyzed using SPSS 25.0. RESULTS: The majority of the subjects purchased HMR to 'saving time' and 'preventing meal skipping'. Average purchase price per HMR was about 5,000 won for the CSK and KSK, and about 3,000 won for the CSC. The most important attributes when selecting HMR for the CSK and CSC were hygiene, freshness, and taste in that order, while for the KSK were taste, price, and hygiene. Rice was preferred by the KSK while grilled and fried dishes were preferred by the CSK and CSC. In terms of development needs, dessert and meat-based side dishes were highest in all three groups. The preferred food materials for more than 50% of the subjects of all groups were beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, and squid, and spinach and Chinese cabbage in the CSK, and onion in the KSK. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows more effort is needed to develop the healthy customized HMR for college students studying in Korea and China, and that focuses are placed by CSK on hygiene and freshness, by CSC on meat side dishes, hygiene, and price, and by KSK on snacks (as meal substitutes), taste, and price.

Growth of Ready Meals in Australian Supermarkets: Nutrient Composition, Price and Serving Size.

Pre-prepared, or ready meals (frozen, chilled and shelf-stable) are increasingly available in supermarkets in developed countries. This study aimed to investigate how the range of ready meals in Australian supermarkets has changed from 2014 to 2020, and how products vary by price, serving size, nutrient composition and Health Star Rating. Product information was obtained from the FoodTrack™ packaged food database for the years 2014 to 2019 and from an instore audit of products available in Adelaide, Australia for 2020. There was a 13% annual average increase in the number of ready meals available in supermarkets. Serving size did not change (median 350 g, p-trend = 0.100) and price increased modestly from 2014 to 2020 (median $1.67 to $1.79/100 g, p-trend < 0.001), with chilled ready meals being the most expensive. A modest decrease in sodium density from 2014 to 2020 (median 275 to 240 mg/100 g, p-trend < 0.001) was seen. However, the category has a wide range in Health Star Ratings and nutrient composition, highlighting the importance of appropriate consumer choice to optimise health benefits. With the increasing availability of ready meals, global improvements within this category should be encouraged and consumers guided to choose healthier products.

Environmental sustainability of a pork and bean stew.

The aim of this investigation is to quantify the environmental footprint of an industrially produced bean and pork stew produced using a combination of local/imported and fresh/ processed ingredients. The study describes 16 midpoint categories and an aggregated score, calculated following the EC Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology. The carbon footprint of 1 kg of stew amounts to 2.23 kg CO2 eq., with the production of ingredients (upstream phase) dominating most impact categories (e.g., 68.0% of carbon footprint and 73.5% of the single score), due primarily to the emission intensity of animal products. Although the white beans account for 43.7 wt%, its carbon emissions represent only 18.4% of those generated by the ingredients. However, white beans have a high contribution on other impact categories such as toxicity, acidification, and eutrophication, which are associated with the use of agrochemicals. Despite being imported from Argentina to Spain, transport has a limited contribution to most impact categories (e.g., 18.1% climate change and 12.9% the single score). Despite showing a very high carbon intensity, the contribution of spices to the environmental footprint of the stew is very limited due to the very small amounts consumed. The industrial cooking stage (core phase) contributes to 17.3% of the stew's carbon footprint and 10.6% of the aggregated score, due to emissions derived primarily from the use of natural gas and electricity. Distribution is the activity contributing the most to the consumption stage. The tinplate employed to fabricate the metal cans is responsible for most of the impact associated with the packaging of the stew. However, substituting tinplate with aluminium is not recommended due primarily to the lower environmental savings associated with the recycling of the latter.

Metabolic and satiating effects and consumer acceptance of a fibre-enriched Leberkas meal: a randomized cross-over trial.

PURPOSE: The Western diet is poor in dietary fibre and previous efforts to increase fibre intake were not successful. The aim of this study was to develop sensorically appealing, fibre-enriched convenience foods. As a showcase, we prepared a fibre-enriched, fat-reduced Leberkas served in a roll and compared the reformulated product with the standard product. METHODS: The design was a randomized, single-blinded cross-over study. A Leberkas meal enriched with 19.2 g of wheat fibre and resistant dextrin as well as fat- and energy-reduced (30% less calories) was served to 20 middle-aged healthy volunteers (10 male, 10 female) and compared to the standard product in a random order. Blood was repeatedly taken over a 4 h period to measure metabolic parameters as well as satiety hormones, such as glucagon-like-peptide 1, cholecystokinin, peptide YY. Satiety and consumer acceptance of the fibre-enriched meal were assessed by visual analogue scales and a questionnaire. RESULTS: The fibre-enriched meal showed very small significant effects at only single time points in postprandial blood glucose (at 120 min, p = 0.050) and glucoseAUC fibre 22,079 ± 2819, standard 22,912 ± 3583 (p = 0.030). The profiles of satiety hormones were comparable between both meals. No differences in subjective satiation, taste and consumer acceptance were observed between the two products, despite a marked reduction in fat and energy content of the reformulated product. CONCLUSION: It is possible to enrich a popular convenience product with dietary fibre and to markedly reduce energy content without loss of sensory qualities or satiety suggesting that development and promotion of healthier convenience foods may be a useful strategy to tackle obesity and other diet-related diseases.

Role of Sensory Appeal, Nutritional Quality, Safety, and Health Determinants on Convenience Food Choice in an Academic Environment.

The present research aims to investigate the extent to which sensory appeal, nutritional quality, safety, and health determinants influence purchase intention, consumption, and satisfaction of consumers towards convenience food. The non-probability purposive sampling approach was adopted for the recruitment of consumers. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data from 501 consumers. Descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were adopted to analyze the data. Factor loading, Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, average variance extracted, and correlations estimate of constructs revealed good internal consistency and reliability of scale items as well as convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs. The path analysis of structural model demonstrated positive relationship between sensory appeal, nutritional quality, safety attributes, healthiness, and purchase intention of convenience food. Further, the path analysis of structural model revealed that purchase intention with consumption as well as consumption with satisfaction were positively associated for convenience food. Sensory appeal was the key determinant influencing purchase intention, consumption, and satisfaction of consumers towards convenience food. The good taste, pleasant appearance, nice smell, and appealing texture within sensory appeal were the most important factors influencing purchase intention, consumption, and satisfaction of consumers towards convenience food. Further, the consumers in emerging economies such as India focus more on sensory appeal in convenience food choice.

Investigating the Role of Psychological, Social, Religious and Ethical Determinants on Consumers' Purchase Intention and Consumption of Convenience Food.

Despite impressive market growth, increasing demand and economic importance of convenience food in emerging economies such as India, comprehensive research regarding the role of psychological and social determinants on convenience food choice is lacking. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the influence of convenience orientation, social status, moral attitude, mood, spiritual concern, religious beliefs and ethical values on purchase intention and consumption of convenience food. The non-probability purposive sampling method was adopted for recruitment of participants. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data from 501 consumers. The descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were carried out to analyse the data. The factor loading, Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, average variance extracted, and correlations demonstrated good internal consistency and reliability of scale items as well as convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs. The model fit indices revealed that measurement and structural models fitted well with data. The path analysis of the structural model demonstrated that convenience orientation (ß = 0.789 ***, t = 32.462), moral attitude (ß = 0.594 ***, t = 20.984), mood (ß = 0.586 ***, t = 18.683), spiritual concern (ß = 0.145 ***, t = 3.23), religious beliefs (ß = 0.451 ***, t = 14.787) and ethical values (ß = 0.497 ***, t = 16.678) were positively related with purchase intention and consumption of convenience food (*** Significant at p ≤ 0.01). The path analysis of structural model also indicated that social status was not linked with purchase intention and consumption of convenience food. The convenience orientation was the key determinant influencing purchase intention and consumption of convenience food.

Pearl millet protein bar: nutritional, organoleptic, textural characterization, and in-vitro protein and starch digestibility.

Pearl millet, a nutritionally remarkable cereal with a sustainable yield in the grey regions of India, is not consumed much. Consumption of Nutrition bars has gained momentum in recent years and considering this, in the present study pearl millet-based protein bars are formulated to increase its consumption rate and establish it as a reliable source of protein and other nutrients. The proximate and mineral composition of the three variants of pearl millet incorporated (25, 27.5, 30%) protein bars were analyzed using standard protocols. The acceptability of the bars was assessed using the 9-point hedonic scale among twenty panelists. The textural parameters were measured by Perten TVT 6700 Texture Analyzer. The in-vitro digestibility of protein (IVPD) and starch (IVSD) of the best variant was also estimated. The bars provide 15.74-18.32 g of protein, 332-379 kcal energy, 74.53-83.87 mg calcium, and 555.93-603.80 mg phosphorous per 100 g. The results showed that the organoleptic parameters of the bars were not affected by the proportion of ingredients. Whereas the increase in pearl millet incorporation marginally increased textural properties such as hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness. The IVPD of the selected variant is 75.65 ± 0.02% and IVSD revealed 252.00 ± 10.00 mg of maltose is released per 100 g of the sample. The protein bars are nutritionally beneficial and appealing. This study gives scope for the production of pearl millet-based convenience foods that will raise the consumption pattern of pearl millet at the household level.

Aiming for better use of convenience food: an analysis based on meal production functions at home.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the evaluation of convenience food has changed. It came to be considered not to have a negative effect on health and is now positioned as a tool to support dietary habits of elderly and other people. In advanced countries where the population is aging, convenience foods are expected to improve the eating habits of the elderly. METHODS: We defined the indicators of cooking effort and usage intensity of convenience food and presented a model wherein a "meal" is home-produced. In the model, a home cook decides the optimal cooking effort to apply for a given usage intensity of convenience food. Using an empirical form of the proposed model, we performed a multiple regression analysis and calculated "the elasticity of cooking effort with respect to the usage intensity of convenience food" for home cooks, with each attribute defined by a combination of different personality and demographic factors, using the estimated coefficients. RESULTS: Regression analysis results revealed a negative correlation between cooking effort and the usage intensity of convenience food, which is consistent with our theoretical model of home meal production. The results showed that home cooks who have special food preferences may not be satisfied with accepting convenience foods purchased from the market as they are and that these home cooks will require a higher cooking effort to obtain higher satisfaction. The elasticity of elderly home cooks was low, implying that they are not flexible enough to accept convenience food. CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed that existing convenience foods do not have the same impact on home cooks with attributes. This problem can be solved with smart food systems that utilize information and communication technology, which allow home cooks to explore information on convenience foods that match their preferences and enable food providers to offer food that matches the specific tastes of home cooks. The regression results suggest this possibility.

Association of frequent intake of fast foods, energy drinks, or convenience food with atopic dermatitis in adolescents.

PURPOSE: Specific food consumption, besides food allergy, may aggravate atopic dermatitis (AD). However, previous reports on the association between AD and food intake in adolescents are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between AD and specific food consumption frequency in adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis using data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey 2017 was performed. The frequency of food consumption in the recent-diagnosed AD group (AD diagnosed within 12 months) compared to those in the previous-diagnosed AD (AD diagnosed more than 12 months ago) or control group were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 53,373 participants were eligible for this study. The weighted prevalence of the recent-diagnosed AD and the previous-diagnosed AD was 7.39% and 18.00%, respectively. When compared with subjects with the previous-diagnosed AD, those with the recent-diagnosed AD were significantly more likely to frequently consume fast foods (odds ratio OR 1.405; 95% CI 1.150-1.717), energy drinks (OR 1.457; 95% CI 1.175-1.807), or convenience food (OR 1.304; 95% CI 1.138-1.495). Patients of the recent-diagnosed AD were significantly more likely to frequently consume fast foods (OR 1.374; 95% CI 1.155-1.634) than the control group. The differences in the frequency of specific food consumption among groups were more pronounced in high school students than in middle school students. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent intake of fast foods, energy drinks, and convenience food was related to the recent-diagnosed AD in adolescents. Prospective cohort and interventional studies are needed to identify causal relationships.

Environmental sustainability assessment of ready-made baby foods: Meals, menus and diets.

Although there is a growing body of literature on the environmental impacts of food, virtually none of the studies has addressed baby foods. Therefore, this work explored the life cycle environmental impacts of different ready-made baby foods, both at the level of individual meals and their combinations within a weekly menu. Twelve different meals were considered, based on baby food products available on the UK market, spanning breakfast, lunch and dessert. Menus following four different diets - omnivorous, vegetarian, pescatarian and dairy-free - were also evaluated. The results showed that, on average, lunch meals had the highest impacts and desserts the lowest. Breakfast has either intermediate (wet porridge) or low (dry porridge) impacts. Among the lunch meals, spaghetti Bolognese and salmon risotto had the highest impacts and among the desserts, strawberry, raspberry and banana as well as apple, pear and banana purees had the lowest. The key hotspots across the meals were raw materials and packaging. Meals with more meat and cream were found to have higher impacts. Manufacturing also played a significant role for global warming potential as well as depletion of fossil resources and the ozone layer due to the fossil fuels used in the process. When the impacts were analysed per mass of baby food consumed weekly, the dairy-free diet had higher impacts than the other three, but the difference among them was relatively small. The trends changed when nutritional value was taken into account, with the dairy-free diet exhibiting considerably higher impacts per unit of energy content. In that case, the pescatarian diet became the best option for most impacts. There was little difference between the omnivore and vegetarian diets. It is expected that these results will be of interest to baby food manufacturers and consumers, helping them to make more informed manufacturing and purchasing decisions.

Life cycle environmental impacts of ready-made meals considering different cuisines and recipes.

Convenience is one of the main determinants of modern society where products, such as ready-made meals, play a key role. However, the continuing growth of this market has raised environmental concerns, which have not been well studied yet. This paper evaluates life cycle environmental impacts of meals consumed in the UK, the second largest consumer of ready-made meals in the world, after the US. Thirteen representative ready-made meals are evaluated in the British, Italian, Chinese and Indian cuisines, considering variations in recipes found on the market, as well as different meat replacement options. The results suggest that environmentally the most sustainable meal option is pork roast dinner while the worst alternatives are spaghetti Bolognese, cottage pie, lamb masala curry and lasagne. For example, the global warming potential of pork roast is 2.1 kg CO2 eq. and that of lasagne 5 kg CO2 eq. The ingredients contribute >50% to the impacts, followed by the distribution (~14%) and manufacturing (~12%) stages. Using seitan or soy granules as meat replacements improves five out of 11 impacts considered, including global warming potential, by up to 27%; the other impacts are largely unaffected. However, if tofu is used, four impacts are improved while four others are worsened. The annual consumption of ready-made meals in the UK accounts for GHG emissions of 12.89 Mt. CO2 eq., equivalent to emissions of a whole country, such as Jamaica. This contributes 15% to the emissions from the UK food and drink sector. It also represents 8% and 15% of the personal carbon budgets for food related to climate targets of 2 °C and 1.5 °C, respectively. The results of the study will be of interest to both food manufacturers and consumers, showing how their choices affect the environmental sustainability of this fast-growing sector.

Migration of phthalates from plastic packages to convenience foods and its cumulative health risk assessments.

Convenience foods are commonly packaged with plastic materials. Many of the phthalate plasticizers (PAEs) in the packages may migrate into the foods and cause health hazards. In the present study, the contents of some PAEs were analyzed in 283 convenience foods and the plastic packaging materials. Health hazards were assessed for infants, children and young people. The contents of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), found in the samples rich in fat, ranged from below the limit of detection to 5.23 mg/kg. The content of dibutylphthalate (DBP) ranged from 0.511 mg/kg in meat to 2.54 mg/kg in cake. The content of PAEs in convenience foods near their expiration date was much higher than that of just manufactured packages. Children are more prone to be adversely affected by the PAEs than the adults. In addition, females are more sensitive to the PAEs than males.