Theoretical design of blockchain-based traceability for organic egg supply chains according to regulation (EU) 2018/848.

The use of blockchain technology to establish food traceability chains has the potential to provide transparent information of food stuffs along the entire supply chain and also aid in the documentation or even execution of official food control processes. Particularly in instances where analytical methodologies cannot provide definitive data for food control questions under study, the certificate-based approach of a traceability chain may offer a way of regulatory control for state authorities. Given the rising importance of organic produce and the high share of eggs among the organic produce in the European Union as well as the new EU regulation on organic products and labelling that came into force in 2022, we analyze here how the control of egg production type and marketing standards can be represented within a blockchain-based traceability chain such as to maximize the traceability in compliance with the current relevant EU regulations. Intended for the use by the official food control authorities, a traceability chain for organically produced eggs in the EU would need to be implemented as a permissioned blockchain, since only select entities are allowed to participate. By combining a proof of authority consensus mechanism with issuance of soulbound tokens, we effectively suggest a 'proof of soulbound authority' consensus process. The soulbound tokens are issued throughout the administrative chain from the European Commission down to the official food control authorities in individual member states that ultimately certify the control bodies for organic produce. Despite the general limitation of not providing unambiguous proof of the organic status of individual products, the concept discussed here offers advantages with respect to allocation of authority at EU level and therefore might have positive effects beyond the traceability chain.

Mycotoxin contamination in organic and conventional cereal grain and products: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

There is still considerable controversy about the relative risk of mycotoxin exposure associated with the consumption of organic and conventional cereals. Using validated protocols, we carried out a systematic literature review and meta-analyses of data on the incidence and concentrations of mycotoxins produced by Fusarium, Claviceps, Penicillium, and Aspergillus species in organic and conventional cereal grains/products. The standard weighted meta-analysis of concentration data detected a significant effect of production system (organic vs. conventional) only for the Fusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol, with concentrations ∼50% higher in conventional than organic cereal grains/products (p < 0.0001). Weighted meta-analyses of incidence data and unweighted meta-analyses of concentration data also detected small, but significant effects of production system on the incidence and/or concentrations of T-2/HT-2 toxins, zearalenone, enniatin, beauvericin, ochratoxin A (OTA), and aflatoxins. Multilevel meta-analyses identified climatic conditions, cereal species, study type, and analytical methods used as important confounding factors for the effects of production system. Overall, results from this study suggest that (i) Fusarium mycotoxin contamination decreased between the 1990s and 2020, (ii) contamination levels are similar in organic and conventional cereals used for human consumption, and (iii) maintaining OTA concentrations below the maximum contamination levels (3.0 µg/kg) set by the EU remains a major challenge.

Isotopic, mycotoxin, and pesticide analysis for organic authentication along the production chain of wheat-derived products.

Wheat-based products are staples in diets worldwide. Organic food frauds continuously threaten consumer trust in the agri-food system. A multi-method approach was conducted for the organic authentication and safety assessment of pasta and bakery products along their production chain. Bulk and Compound-Specific (CS) Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) suggested the δ15Nbulk, δ15Nleucine and δ15Nproline as promising organic markers, with CS able to distinguish between pairs which bulk analysis could not. Processing significantly affected the values of δ15Nleucine, δ13Cproline and δ13Cleucine. Multi-mycotoxin analysis (HT-2, T-2, DON, ZEN, OTA, AFB1) revealed higher contamination in conventional than organic samples, while both milling and baking significantly reduced mycotoxin content. Lastly, from the evaluation of 400 residues, isopyrazam was present at the highest concentration (0.12 mg/kg) in conventional wheat, exhibiting a 0.12 Processing Factor (PF), while tebuconazole levels remained unchanged in pasta production (90 °C) and reduced below LOQ in biscuits and crackers (180-250 °C).

Simultaneous detection of mycotoxins and pesticides in human urine samples: A 24-h diet intervention study comparing conventional and organic diets in Spain.

Pesticides and mycotoxins, prominent chemical hazards in the food chain, are commonly found in plant-based foods, contributing to their pervasive presence in the human body, as evidenced by biomonitoring programs. Despite this, there is limited knowledge about their co-occurrence patterns. While intervention studies have demonstrated that organic diets can significantly reduce pesticide levels, their impact on mycotoxin exposure has been overlooked. To address this gap, this study pursued two objectives: first, to characterize the simultaneous presence of mycotoxins and pesticides in human urine samples by means of the control of the biomarkers of exposure, and second, to investigate the influence of consuming organic foods on these co-exposure patterns. A pilot study involving 20 healthy volunteers was conducted, with participants consuming either exclusively organic or conventional foods during a 24-h diet intervention in autumn 2021 and spring 2022 to account for seasonal variability. Participants provided detailed 24-h dietary records, and their first-morning urine samples were collected, minimally treated and analysed using LC-Q-ToF-MS by means of a multitargeted method in order to detect the presence of these residues. Results indicated that among the 52 screened compounds, four mycotoxins and seven pesticides were detected in over 25% of the samples. Deoxynivalenol (DON) and the non-specific pesticide metabolite diethylphosphate (DEP) exhibited the highest frequency rates (100%) and concentration levels. Correlations were observed between urine levels of mycotoxins (DON, ochratoxin alpha [OTα], and enniatin B [ENNB]) and organophosphate pesticide metabolites DEP and 2-diethylamino-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinol (DEAMPY). The pilot intervention study suggested a reduction in ENNB and OTα levels and an increase in ß-zearalenol levels in urine after a short-term replacement with organic food. However, caution is advised due to the study's small sample size and short duration, emphasizing the need for further research to enhance understanding of the human chemical exposome and refine chemical risk assessment.

Analysis of green word-of-mouth advertising behavior of organic food consumers.

The word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing process is one of the main means by which consumers obtain information. As a communication channel between consumers in economically developing countries, WOM may contribute to the development of the organic food market. The primary objective of this study is to segment organic saffron consumers in Mashhad, Iran, and determine how they engage in WOM marketing. Data were collected through questionnaires from 13 districts of Mashhad using a stratified sampling method. In this study, 400 organic saffron consumers were grouped using a self-organizing map (SOM) neural network based on consumer neobehavioristic theory, and then, using decision trees, consumer behavior rules were extracted for participating in the WOM for each group. According to the results, less than fifty percent of consumers in each of the four market segments are willing to participate in WOM advertising for organic saffron. A lack of awareness of the characteristics of organic saffron is also found to be the main reason for consumers' reluctance to recommend organic saffron to others. Mass-media advertising is an effective way to raise consumer awareness and influence opinion leaders, ultimately resulting in WOM recommendations.

An anti-inflammatory response of an organic food intervention by reducing pesticide exposures in children of Cyprus: A cluster-randomized crossover trial.

Organic food consumption in children has been shown to reduce the body burden of chemical pesticides. However, there is little evidence of human health benefits associated with the consumption of organic foods. The objectives were to i) determine the effectiveness of an organic food intervention treatment in reducing the magnitude of an inflammation biomarker (C-reactive protein, CRP) in children (10-12 years) and ii) assess the association between the urinary biomarkers of exposure to pesticides and CRP. This work was part of the ORGANIKO cluster-randomized cross-over trial entailing a 40-day organic food treatment in healthy children. Urinary biomarkers of exposure to pesticides and inflammation (CRP) were measured using tandem mass spectrometry and ELISA immunoassay, respectively. Linear mixed-effect regression models of CRP were used to account for the effect and duration of organic food treatment. Multiple comparisons were handled using Benjamini-Hochberg correction. Results supported an anti-inflammatory effect of organic food treatment in children, albeit with mixed results, depending on the creatinine adjustment method; biomarker levels were divided by urinary creatinine (method a1), or urinary creatinine was used as a fixed effect variable (a2). In the a1 method, a time-dependent reduction for creatinine-adjusted CRP (ß = -0.019; 95% CI: -0.031, -0.006; q = 0.045) was observed during the organic food intervention period. A statistically significant association (ß = 0.104; 95% CI: 0.035, 0.173; q = 0.045) was found between the biomarker of pyrethroids exposure (3-PBA) and CRP inflammatory biomarker, but not for 6-CN. In the a2 method, similar trend of time-dependent reduction for creatinine-adjusted CRP (ß = -0.008; 95% CI: -0.021, 0.004; p = 0.197) was observed during the organic food intervention period, but did not reach statistical significance (q > 0.05); the associations of pyrethroid and neonicotinoid biomarkers with CRP were not statistically significant (q > 0.05). More studies are warranted to sufficiently understand the potential anti-inflammatory response of an organic food treatment.

A critical review on the stability of natural food pigments and stabilization techniques.

This comprehensive review article delves into the complex world of natural edible pigments, with a primary focus on their stability and the factors that influence them. The study primarily explores four classes of pigments: anthocyanins, betalains, chlorophylls and carotenoids by investigating both their intrinsic and extrinsic stability factors. The review examines factors affecting the stability of anthocyanins which act as intrinsic factors like their structure, intermolecular and intramolecular interactions, copigmentation, and self-association as well as extrinsic factors such as temperature, light exposure, metal ions, and enzymatic activities. The scrutiny extends to betalains which are nitrogen-based pigments, and delves into intrinsic factors like chemical composition and glycosylation, as well as extrinsic factors like temperature, light exposure, and oxygen levels affecting for their stability. Carotenoids are analyzed concerning their intrinsic and extrinsic stability factors. The article emphasizes the role of chemical structure, isomerization, and copigmentation as intrinsic factors and discusses how light, temperature, oxygen, and moisture levels influence carotenoid stability. The impacts of food processing methods on carotenoid preservation are explored by offering guidance on maximizing retention and nutritional value. Chlorophyll is examined for its sensitivity to external factors like light, temperature, oxygen exposure, pH, metal ions, enzymatic actions, and the food matrix composition. In conclusion, this review article provides a comprehensive exploration of the stability of natural edible pigments, highlighting the intricate interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. In addition, it is important to note that all the references cited in this review article are within the past five years, ensuring the most up-to-date and relevant sources have been considered in the analysis.

Productos alimenticios etiquetados como “orgánicos” a basede cultivos andinos: un estudio de sus bio-componentes y actividad antioxidante in vitro / Food products labeled as “organic” based on Andean crops: a study of their biocomponents and antioxidant activity in vitro

Objetivo: En este estudio se plantea la evaluación de sus propiedades antioxidantes de varios productos con etiquetado “orgánico” elaborados con matrices alimentarias de cultivos andinos.Materiales y métodos: Las diferentes muestras con etiquetado “orgánico” fueron evaluadas en función a sus propiedades antioxidantes y evaluadas mediante métodos espectrofotométricos. Resultados: Los resultados de este estudio muestran que las semillas seguido de las mezclas de harinas (PM1 y PM3) presentan altos contenidos de proteínas, mientras que la semilla de chía (S2) fueron ricos en lípidos y cenizas. Mejores contenidos de polifenoles, flavonoides, flavanoles, flavonoles y antocianinas fueron observados en las mezclas de harinas (PM1 a PM5), estas mezclas fueron obtenidas a partir de maca, quinua, maíz morado, cacao, y lúcuma, mientras que las semillas como quinua perlada roja, amaranto, quinua roja, quinua negra, y quinua tricolor contribuyeron con betaxantinas y betacianinas. El orden de clasificación de los productos alimenticios en función del valor antioxidante y composición nutricional ubicó en primer lugar a PM2 (quinua, cacao criollo, maíz morado, algarrobo, canela), segundo lugar para maíz morado y en tercer lugar para flakes.Conclusiones: Los hallazgos de este estudio permitieron establecer que las mezclas de harinas con etiquetado “orgánico” mostraron un alto potencial antioxidante.(AU)

Objective: In this study, the evaluation of the antioxidantproperties of several products labeled “organic” made withfood matrices of Andean crops is proposed.Material and methods: A total of 23 samples with “or-ganic” labelling based on Andean crops were evaluated withrespect to their nutritional composition, antioxidant properties(total polyphenols, total flavonoids, anthocyanins, betalains,and DPPH radical scavenging activity).Result: The results of this study show that the seeds (S1to S7) followed by the flour mixtures (PM1 and PM3) presenthigh protein contents, while the chia seed (S2) was rich inlipids and ashes. Regarding polyphenols, flavonoids, fla-vanols, flavonols and anthocyanins, it was observed that theflour mixtures (PM1 to PM5) presented better contents, these mixtures were obtained from maca, quinoa, purple corn, co-coa, and lucuma, while the seeds as red pearl quinoa, ama-ranth, red quinoa, black quinoa, and tri-color quinoa con-tributed betaxanthins and betacyanins. The order ofclassification of the food products with the “organic” labelbased on the antioxidant value and nutritional compositionplaced the PM2 sample in first place (quinoa, Criollo cocoa,purple corn, carob powder, cinnamon), followed by purplecorn flour (P1) and in third place for flakes (FL). Conclusion: The findings of this study allowed us to es-tablish that the flour mixtures labeled “organic” showedgreater DPPH radical scavenging activity.(AU)

Consumer's perception of food pairing products with usual, novel and unusual flavour combinations: A segmentation approach.

In saturated markets, companies are continually launching new products. Food innovations particularly play a decisive role in this case. One new concept is food pairing, which signifies that the more aromatic compounds two foods have in common, the better they taste together. Food pairing offers an opportunity to develop innovative foods. However, some consumers are risk-averse or exhibit food neophobia. Studies on food neophobia indicate that innovative foods could face rejection. The factor that represents a marketing barrier is not only the sensory rejection of the products when tasting them but also the refusal to even try such innovative products. Therefore, the idea of whether consumers are generally open to food pairing is important to examine. Nonetheless, research into this issue is lacking thus far. The subject of how consumers judge usual, novel, and unusual pairing principles was investigated in this study. The topic of whether a target group for food pairing products exists and characterized the target group was also analysed. To achieve the objective of the study, an online survey of German consumers (n = 1,064) was conducted; these consumers judged the five flavour combinations of each category (usual, novel, unusual). The results revealed a four-cluster solution, with one-third of the sample expressing an openness to food pairing. The whole sample judged the usual combinations as suitable; by contrast, the novel and unusual combinations were deemed to be mainly appropriate for the food pairing cluster. The proposed measurement methodology for testing the openness of food pairing, which distinguishes between usual, novel, and unusual pairings, has demonstrated its usefulness. Those consumers who are open to food pairing have a high level of food involvement and a low degree of food neophobia. Furthermore, they show the highest organic food purchase frequency.

Association between dietary pesticide exposure profiles and body weight change in French adults: Results from the NutriNet-Santé cohort.

BACKGROUND: Pesticides cause a wide range of deleterious health effects, including metabolic disorders. Little is known about the effects of dietary pesticide exposure on body weight (BW) change in the general population. We aimed to investigate the role of dietary pesticide exposure in BW change among NutriNet-Santé participants, focusing on potential sexual dimorphism. METHODS: Participants completed a Food Frequency Questionnaire (2014), assessing conventional and organic food consumption. Dietary exposure from plant foods of 25 commonly used pesticides was estimated using a residue database, accounting for agricultural practices (conventional and organic). Exposure profiles based on dietary patterns were computed using Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF). Mixed models were used to estimate the associations between BW change and exposure to pesticide mixtures, overall and after stratification by sex and menopausal status. RESULTS: The final sample included 32,062 participants (8,211 men, 10,637 premenopausal, and 13,214 postmenopausal women). The median (IQR) follow-up was 7.0 (4.4; 8.0) years. Four pesticides profiles were inferred. Overall, men and postmenopausal women lost BW during follow-up, whereas premenopausal women gained BW. Higher exposure to NMF3, reflecting a lower exposure to synthetic pesticides, was associated with a lower BW gain, especially in premenopausal women (ß(95 %CI) = -0.04 (-0.07; 0) kg/year, p = 0.04). Higher exposure to NMF2, highly positively correlated with a mixture of synthetic pesticides (azoxystrobin, boscalid, chlorpropham, cyprodinil, difenoconazole, fenhexamid, iprodione, tebuconazole, and lamda-cyhalothrin), was associated with a higher BW loss in men (ß(95 %CI) = -0.05 (-0.08; -0.03) kg/year, p < 0.0001). No associations were observed for NMF1 and 4. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a role of pesticide exposure, inferred from dietary patterns, on BW change, with sexually dimorphic actions, including a potential role of a lower exposure to synthetic pesticides on BW change in women. In men, exposure to a specific pesticide mixture was associated with higher BW loss. The underlying mechanisms need further elucidation.

Transfer and accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial pathogens in the mice gut due to consumption of organic foods.

Over the last few decades, organic food demand has grown largely because of increasing personal health concerns. Organic farming introduces antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) into foods. However, potential effects of organic foods on the gut microbiome and ARGs have been overlooked. Using high-throughput quantitative PCR and 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology, we examined 132 ARGs from major classes, eight transposase genes, universal class I integron-integrase gene (intI), clinical class I integron-integrase gene (cintI), and the bacterial community in mouse gut after 8 weeks with an either organic or inorganic lettuce and wheat diet. A total of 8 types of major ARGs and 10 mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were detected in mice gut, including tetracycline, multidrug, sulfonamide, aminoglycoside, beta-lactamase, chloramphenicol, MLSB and vancomycin resistance genes. We found that abundance and diversity of ARGs, mobile gene elements, and potential ARB in the gut increased with time after consumption of organic foods, whereas no significant changes were observed in inorganic treated groups. Moreover, MGEs, including IS613, Tp614 and tnpA_03 were found to play an important role in regulating ARG profiles in the gut microbiome following consumption of organic foods. Importantly, feeding organic food increased the relative abundance of the potentially antibiotic-resistant pathogens, Bacteroides and Streptococcus. Our results confirm that there is an increasing risk of ARGs and ARB in the gut microbiome, which highlights the importance of organic food industries taking into account the potential accumulation and transmission of ARGs as a risk factor.

Acesso físico às feiras de orgânicos municipais em favelas de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais / Physical access to municipal organic food fairs in favelas in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais

Introdução: Favelas são regiões que não foram priorizadas pelas políticas públicas, e isso se reflete no ambiente alimentar e, consequentemente, na dificuldade de acesso aos alimentos, sobretudo aqueles produzidos de forma sustentável. Objetivo: Caracterizar o acesso físico às feiras de orgânicos municipais em favelas de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, identificando desertos e pântanos alimentares e realizando uma comparação com a disponibilidade, distância e tempo de deslocamento de estabelecimentos que ofertam alimentos convencionais nessas áreas. Métodos: Foi analisada a distribuição das feiras de orgânicos municipais, dos equipamentos públicos de segurança alimentar e nutricional e dos estabelecimentos que ofertam alimentos cadastrados na Secretaria da Fazenda do Estado de Minas Gerais para o ano de 2019, nos 192 setores censitários localizados em favelas de Belo Horizonte. Para as análises closestfacility e distância de deslocamento, foi utilizado o buffer network de 500 metros. Também foi realizada a análise do tempo de deslocamento utilizando transporte público. Resultados: As feiras de orgânicos municipais estão em menor número e mais distantes dos centroides das favelas. E, além da maior distância para acessar as feiras caminhando, acessá-las por meio de transporte público leva, em geral, um tempo maior de deslocamento. Conclusões: São necessários programas e políticas públicas que incentivem a abertura de feiras de orgânicos e outros tipos de estabelecimentos que ofertam alimentos in natura e minimamente processados que adotem modelos de produção sustentáveis em áreas de favelas, a fim de reduzir as iniquidades de acesso aos alimentos saudáveis e sustentáveis nesse território.Introdução: Favelas são regiões que não foram priorizadas pelas políticas públicas, e isso se reflete no ambiente alimentar e, consequentemente, na dificuldade de acesso aos alimentos, sobretudo aqueles produzidos de forma sustentável. Objetivo: Caracterizar o acesso físico às feiras de orgânicos municipais em favelas de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, identificando desertos e pântanos alimentares e realizando uma comparação com a disponibilidade, distância e tempo de deslocamento de estabelecimentos que ofertam alimentos convencionais nessas áreas. Métodos: Foi analisada a distribuição das feiras de orgânicos municipais, dos equipamentos públicos de segurança alimentar e nutricional e dos estabelecimentos que ofertam alimentos cadastrados na Secretaria da Fazenda do Estado de Minas Gerais para o ano de 2019, nos 192 setores censitários localizados em favelas de Belo Horizonte. Para as análises closestfacility e distância de deslocamento, foi utilizado o buffer network de 500 metros. Também foi realizada a análise do tempo de deslocamento utilizando transporte público. Resultados: As feiras de orgânicos municipais estão em menor número e mais distantes dos centroides das favelas. E, além da maior distância para acessar as feiras caminhando, acessá-las por meio de transporte público leva, em geral, um tempo maior de deslocamento. Conclusões: São necessários programas e políticas públicas que incentivem a abertura de feiras de orgânicos e outros tipos de estabelecimentos que ofertam alimentos in natura e minimamente processados que adotem modelos de produção sustentáveis em áreas de favelas, a fim de reduzir as iniquidades de acesso aos alimentos saudáveis e sustentáveis nesse território.

Introduction: Favelas are usually in regions forgotten by public policies, and it reflects on their residents' food environment, as well as on their tough time accessing food, mainly produced through sustainable ways. Objective: Featuring the physical access to municipal organic-food fairs in Belo Horizonte City, Minas Gerais State, based on identifying food deserts and swamps and comparing food availability to distance and displacement time from shops that sell conventional food in these places. Methods: The distribution of organic food municipal fairs, as well as of both food security and nutrition public equipment, and shops selling food that was registered at Minas Gerais State Treasure Secretariat in 2019, located in the 192 census sectors set in Belo Horizonte favelas. The closest facility and displacement distance analyses were based on the 500m buffer network. Displacement time linked to public transportation usage was also analyzed. Results: The number of organic food municipal fairs in favelas is smaller, and favelas are located farther from fairs' centroids. The distance to be crossed to get to fairs on foot in favelas is also longer, and getting to them by public transportation often demands longer displacements. Conclusions: Public programs and policies are needed to encourage new organic fairs and other establishment types capable of providing fresh and minimally processed food in favela areas based on sustainable production models. It must be done to reduce inequities in access to healthy and sustainable food in these territories.

Advances of blend films based on natural food soft matter: Multi-scale structural analysis.

The blend films made of food soft matter are of growing interest to the food packaging industries as a pro-environment packaging option. The blend films have become a novel pattern to replace traditional plastics gradually due to their characteristics of biodegradability, sustainability, and environmental friendliness. This review discussed the whole process of the manufacturing of food soft matter blend films from the raw material to the application due to multi-scale structural analysis. There are 3 stages and 12 critical analysis points of the entire process. The raw material, molecular self-assembly, film-forming mechanism and performance test of blend films are investigated. In addition, 11 kinds of blend films with different functional properties by casting are also preliminarily described. The industrialization progress of blend films can be extended or facilitated by analysis of the 12 critical analysis points and classification of the food soft matter blend films which has a great potential in protecting environment by developing sustainable packaging solutions.

Interactive effects of information and trust on consumer choices of organic food: Evidence from China.

A large number of studies have explored the separate roles of information and trust in consumer choices of organic food, but little attention has been paid to exploring the interactive effects of information and trust. Here, for the first time to our knowledge, we explored the joint effects of information and consumers' trust in shaping consumer preferences for organic food. A hypothetical choice experiment was employed to elicit consumer preferences for organic food, and a between-subject design approach was used to explore the effects of information. Our results from a sample of 2382 Chinese consumers indicated that consumers are willing to pay extra price for organic rice compared to the conventional rice. Notably, individuals with a high level of trust exhibited a significantly higher willingness to pay for organic rice than those with lower trust levels. Furthermore, the introduction of information leads to a substantial 40% increase in consumers' willingness to pay for organic rice, with an even more significant 50% increase observed among high-trust consumers. These results highlight the augmenting role of trust in amplifying the effects of information. Consequently, effective strategies should encompass both the provision of information and the cultivation of trust concurrently to promote consumer choices of organic food.

Organic food consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort.

AIM: To investigate the association between organic food consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Among 41,286 cohort participants, aged 50-65 years, organic food consumption of vegetables, fruits, dairy products, eggs, meat, and cereal products, was summarized into an organic food score evaluated as never, low, medium and high consumption and as continuous intake. During follow-up, 4,843 cases were identified in the National Diabetes Register. Organic food consumption was associated to the disease incidence in Cox regression models. RESULTS: Organic food consumption was linearly associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (Women, HR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89-1.00, Men, HR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.90-1.00). Organic food consumption frequency, compared to never consumption, showed HRs below 1.00 for both women (medium intake HR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.84-1.10, high intake HR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.74-1.05) and men (low intake, HR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.85-1.05, medium intake, HR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.83-1.03, high intake, HR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.75-1.05) but were not statistically significant. Similar patterns were observed with consumption of the specific organic food groups for women, but not for men. CONCLUSIONS: Organic food consumption was associated with a suggested lower incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Analyzing drivers of organic food sales-A pooled spatial data analysis for Hamburg (Germany).

Shifting the food system to a more sustainable one requires changes on both sides of the supply chain, with the consumer playing a key role. Therefore, understanding the factors that positively correlate with increased organic food sales over time for an entire population can help guide policymakers, industry, and research to increase this transition further. Using a statistical approach, we developed a spatial pooled cross-sectional model to analyze factors that positively correlate with an increased demand for organic food sales over 20 years (1999-2019) for an entire region (the city-state of Hamburg, Germany), accounting for spatial effects through the spatial error model, spatially lagged X model, and spatial Durbin error model. The results indicated that voting behavior strongly correlated with increased organic food sales over time. Specifically, areas with a higher number of residents that voted for a political party with a core focus on environmental issues, the Greens and the Left Party in Germany. However, there is a stronger connection with the more "radical" Left Party than with the "mainstream" Green Party, which may provide evidence for the attitude-behavior gap, as Left Party supporters are very convinced of their attitudes (pro-environment) and behavior thus follows. By including time and space, this analysis is the first to summarize developments over time for a metropolitan population while accounting for spatial effects and identifying areas for targeted marketing that need further motivation to increase organic food sales.

The nature of protein intake as a discriminating factor of diet sustainability: a multi-criteria approach.

Animal production is responsible for 56-58% of the GHG emissions and limiting meat consumption would strongly contribute to reducing human health risks in Western countries. This study aimed to investigate the nature of protein intake as a discriminating factor for diets' sustainability. Using data from 29,210 French adults involved in the NutriNet-Santé cohort, we identified clusters according to 23 protein sources. A multicriteria (environmental, economic, nutritional and health) sustainability analysis was then conducted on the identified clusters. The economic analysis focused on both food and protein expenditure structures, using a budget coefficient approach. Relative values of clusters compared to the whole sample were calculated. We identified five clusters: milk-based, meat-based, fast food-based, healthy-fish-based, and healthy-plant-based. We found that the healthy-plant-based and healthy-fish-based clusters were the most sustainable, conciliating the compromise between human health (0.25 and 0.53 respectively for the Health Risk Score) and the protection of the environment (- 62% and - 19% respectively for the pReCiPe indicator). Conversely, the highest environmental impacts (+ 33% for the pReCiPe indicator) and the highest health risk (0.95 for the HRS) were observed for the meat-based cluster, which was associated with the lowest nutritional scores (- 61% for the PNNS-GS2 score). The economic analysis showed that the healthy-plant-based cluster was the one with the highest food budget coefficient (+ 46%), followed by the healthy-fish-based cluster (+ 8%), partly explained by a strong share of organic food in the diet. However, the meat-based cluster spent more of their food budget on their protein intake (+ 13%), while the healthy-plant-based cluster exhibited the lowest expenditure for this intake (- 41%). Our results demonstrate that the nature of protein intake is a discriminating factor in diet sustainability. Also, reducing animal protein consumption would generate co-benefits beyond environmental impacts, by being favorable for health, while reducing the monetary cost associated with protein intake.

Modelling the mass consumption potential of organic food: Evidence from an emerging economy.

The deterioration of the environment, shortage of resources, and frequent occurrence of food safety issues have made people increasingly concerned about themselves while maintaining their health and protecting the environment through food. Organic food, as a healthy and eco-friendly option, is gradually gaining attention. Based on the value-belief-norm theory, this study explores why individuals consume organic food and the range of factors that lead to this consumer behavior. This study adopted a cross-sectional design and collected quantitative data from conveniently selected 300 youth participants in Bangladesh using an online survey. The findings revealed that health values and motivation have a significant positive effect on healthy eating beliefs, which, together with the awareness of the consequences, affect personal norms toward organic food consumption. Personal norms also have a significant positive effect on organic food consumption behavior among Bangladeshi youth. Finally, trust on organic food positively moderates the effect of personal norms on organic food consumption. The findings of this study are expected to foster the development of a comprehensive framework to promote programs and policies focused on organic and healthy food consumption culture among youth in developing nations.

Nutritional Description of Processed Foods with Fibre-Related Nutrition Claims in Spain: The BADALI Project.

Fibre is one of the most beneficial nutrients for health and is very frequently used in nutrition claims (NCs) to promote foods. These claims may lead consumers to believe that products bearing them are healthy and/or healthier than those without them. The main objective of this work is to address this belief. This is the first exhaustive analysis of seven processed food types with fibre-related NCs (six cereal-based and one plant-based meat analogues) comparing them with those without these claims. The Spanish Food Database, BADALI, was used for this study. Results show that as many as 88.7% of processed foods with fibre-related NCs are classified as 'less healthy' according to the Nutrient Profile Model developed by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO-NPM). When compared to foods without these NCs, similar results were obtained in the whole sample. Most of the observed divergences when analysing individual critical nutrients by food type indicate a deterioration of the nutritional quality. Foods with fibre-related NCs contained more fibre. The more frequent use of whole grain cereals or other fibre-specific ingredients may contribute to this. Some other nutritionally relevant differences were observed and half of them reflected a deterioration of the nutritional quality. In addition, these foods presented a lower prevalence of the organic version, as well as similar rates of mineral and vitamin fortification. Therefore, processed foods with fibre-related NCs are not healthy, nor present a better nutritional profile than those without.

Beyond sustainable consumption practices: Linking organic food consumption to hedonic and eudaimonic well-being.

The organic food industry has significantly gained currency due to consumers being increasingly health conscious. However, more insight is needed to decipher the impact of organic food consumption on consumer well-being. Quantitative methods using a cross-sectional design were applied to collect data from 578 organic food consumers residing in South Africa. The results revealed that organic food consumption plays a central role in providing pleasure, positive emotions, a sense of accomplishment and personal growth to consumers. Moreover, the findings indicate that consumers' health consciousness significantly influences the interplay between dimensions of well-being. These findings shed important light on the scholarly debate around the influence of sustainable consumption on well-being. The study also provides crucial insights into new strategies that actors in the organic food industry as well as policymakers will use to effectively promote sustainable consumption and a healthy lifestyle.