Australian Food Research Articles

Toward a better understanding of the attitude–behavior gap in organic food conative loyalty: a moderation and moderated mediation analysis

PurposePrevious research has found mixed evidence of an attitude–behavior gap in organic food consumption. However, the complex mechanisms underlying this gap warrant further investigation. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of word-of-mouth (WOM), trust, and involvement in the relationship between consumer organic food attitudes and conative loyalty. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used as underlying framework for modeling our conceptualized arguments.Design/methodology/approachA moderation and moderated mediation analysis was performed on a cross-sectional sample of 1,011 Australian organic food consumers.FindingsThe results support the TPB-inspired moderated-mediation model. Specifically, the authors found moderated mediation effects of WOM, trust, and involvement on conative loyalty via attitudes toward organics.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-sectional research design and the focus solely on Australian consumers constitute limitations of this study.Practical implicationsThe authors' findings imply that an analysis of the attitude–behavior gap should go beyond the testing of contingent consistency hypotheses and instead combine moderation and mediation mechanisms to better model consumer decision-making leading to conative loyalty. Practitioners would face a resource challenge when targeting low-trust, low-involvement, and low-WOM consumers as developing conative loyalty of these segments would require a longer-term approach through building favorable attitudes toward organic foods.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to demonstrate the potential of examining the attitude–behavior gap in the organic food context through a moderated mediation lens in explaining the dynamics of conative loyalty.

Nutrition Classification Schemes for Informing Nutrition Policy in Australia: Nutrient-Based, Food-Based, or Dietary-Based?

ABSTRACTBackgroundPolicy makers are increasingly using nutrition classification schemes (NCSs) to assess a food's health potential for informing nutrition policy actions. However, there is wide variability among the NCSs implemented and no standard benchmark against which their contrasting assessments can be validated.ObjectivesThis study aimed to compare the agreement of nutrient-, food-, and dietary-based NCSs in their assessment of a food's health potential within the Australian food supply, and examine the conceptual underpinnings and technical characteristics that explain differences in performance.MethodsA dataset combining food compositional data from the Mintel Global New Products Database and the Australian Food Composition Database (AUSNUT 2011–2012) (n = 7322) was assembled. Products were classified by 7 prominent NCSs that were selected as representative of one or other of 1) nutrient-based NCSs [the Chilean nutrient profile model (NPM), Health Star Rating (HSR), Nutri-Score, the WHO European Region's NPM (WHO-Euro NPM), and the Pan American Health Organization's (PAHO) NPM]; 2) food-based NCS (NOVA), and 3) dietary-based NCS [Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGs)].ResultsThe PAHO NPM classified the lowest proportion (22%) of products as “healthy”, and the HSR the highest (63%). The PAHO NPM, NOVA, WHO-Euro NPM, and the Chilean NPM classified >50% of products as “unhealthy,” and the ADGs, HSR, and Nutri-Score classified <50% of products as “unhealthy.” The HSR and Nutri-Score had the highest pairwise agreement (κ = 0.7809, 89.70%), and the PAHO NPM and HSR the lowest (κ = 0.1793, 53.22%). Characteristics of NCSs that more effectively identified ultraprocessed and discretionary foods were: category-specific assessment, the classification of categories as always “healthy” or “unhealthy,” consideration of level of food processing, thresholds for “risk” nutrients that do not penalize whole foods; and no allowance for the substitution of ingredients.ConclusionsWide variation was observed in agreement of the assessment of a food's health potential among the NCSs analyzed due to differing conceptual underpinnings and technical characteristics.

Vitamin K content of cheese, yoghurt and meat products in Australia

Vitamin K is vital for normal blood coagulation, and may influence bone, neurological and vascular health. Data on the vitamin K content of Australian foods are limited, preventing estimation of vitamin K intakes in the Australian population. We measured phylloquinone (PK) and menaquinone (MK) -4 to -10 in cheese, yoghurt and meat products (48 composite samples from 288 primary samples) by liquid chromatography with electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry. At least one K vitamer was found in every sample. The greatest mean (± standard deviation for foods sampled in multiple cities) concentrations of PK (4.9 µg/100 g), MK-4 (58 ± 9 µg/100 g) and MK-9 (8 ± 2 µg/100 g) were found in lamb liver, chicken leg meat and Cheddar cheese, respectively. Cheddar cheese (1.1 ± 0.3 µg/100 g) and cream cheese (1.0 µg/100 g) contained MK-5. MK-8 was found in Cheddar cheese only (4 ± 2 µg/100 g). As the K vitamer profile and concentrations appear to vary considerably by geographical location, Australia needs a vitamin K food composition dataset that is representative of foods consumed in Australia.

Implementation and sales impact of a capacity building intervention in Australian sporting facility food outlets: a longitudinal observational study

BackgroundFew studies have explored behavioural and financial impacts of retail initiatives after 2 years to address the unhealthy food environments common in local government sporting settings.AimsTo evaluate the impact of...

How policy actors assert authority in the governance of food marketing policies

The regulation of unhealthy food marketing is a highly contested space that involves a diverse range of actors and institutions. There is a paucity of research on the strategies used by the different actors to influence these policies. This study examined the use of authority by different regulatory actors to influence food marketing policies. We conducted semi-structured interviews with (N = 24) government, industry, civil society and technical experts involved in the regulation of food and beverage marketing in Australia. We identified five types of authority: institutional, delegated, expert, principled and capacity-based authority. Actors from the advertising, food and media industries claim more authority than technical experts, civil society, and government actors, suggesting that industry actors have multiple pathways to influence policy. The industry's claims of delegated and institutional authority are highly contested by civil society, technical experts, and state/territory government actors and recognised by federal government actors. Claims of circumscribed institutional authority are common among federal government actors such as the National Department of Health, Australian Media and Communications Authority and Food Standards Australia New Zealand. The assertions of authority observed in this study highlight the fragmented manner of the Australian food marketing regulatory system and have implications for which actors should be held accountable for the current challenges in the governance of food marketing policies.

Measuring the anthocyanin content of the Australian fruit and vegetables for the development of a food composition database

It is well known that changes in the anthocyanin content occur during fruit/vegetable development. However, the anthocyanin content variation due to various analytical methods has not been established in the literature. Therefore, in this study, the individual and the total anthocyanin content of 64 Australian foods have been determined using liquid chromatography (LC-MS, LC-UV) and spectrophotometry methods. Anthocyanin-rich foods were systematically selected and extracted using an optimized ultrasound-assisted extraction method and the total anthocyanin content of the foods was measured using various molar absorptivity values. A comparison of the anthocyanin content between methods demonstrated that the anthocyanin in the same foods showed different degrees of quantification. In general, there was no specific pattern for the anthocyanin type present in similar foods. The comprehensive data with both the total and the individual anthocyanidin-3-glucoside concentration will aid in understanding the functional properties in future research determining food anthocyanin composition.

An Impossible Task? Australian Food Law and the Challenge of Novel Meat Analogues

This paper asks what the regulatory assessment of the novel processed meat analogue products reveals about the nature of food regulation in Australia. We analyse Food Standards Australia and New Zealand’s (‘FSANZ’) assessment of the recent application by Californian technology company Impossible Foods Inc to sell its proprietary burger products which contain a genetically modified protein that is said to make their burger ‘bleed’. We show that FSANZ’s assessment process has little capacity to engage with broader and longer term, social, ecological and public health implications of novel foods and changing food markets. FSANZ’s regulatory pre-approval process focuses almost exclusively on the safety of individual ingredients rather than the impact of novel foods on the food supply as whole and leaves broader issues to the market and consumer choice with limited support from laws addressing misleading labelling and marketing of foods. Extending the capacity of Australia’s regulatory regime for food to deal with more than the safety of individual ingredients will become more urgent as other novel foods, such as cell-based meats, enter the marketplace.

A Food Relief Charter for South Australia-Towards a Shared Vision for Pathways Out of Food Insecurity.

Chronic food insecurity persists in high-income countries, leading to an entrenched need for food relief. In Australia, food relief services primarily focus on providing food to meet immediate need. To date, there has been few examples of a vision in the sector towards client outcomes and pathways out of food insecurity. In 2016, the South Australian Government commissioned research and community sector engagement to identify potential policy actions to address food insecurity. This article describes the process of developing a co-designed South Australian Food Relief Charter, through policy–research–practice collaboration, and reflects on the role of the Charter as both a policy tool and a declaration of a shared vision. Methods used to develop the Charter, and resulting guiding principles, are discussed. This article reflects on the intentions of the Charter and suggests how its guiding principles may be used to guide collective actions for system improvement. Whilst a Charter alone may be insufficient to create an integrated food relief system that goes beyond the provision of food, it is a useful first step in enabling a culture where the sector can have a unified voice to advocate for the prevention of food insecurity.

Does functional diversity in interfirm collaborations lead to innovation diversity? Firm‐level evidence from the Australian food industry*

Research on the collaboration–innovation nexus emphasises that collaborations and innovation are multidimensional. Despite this emphasis, there is limited evidence on how firms' collaborative diversity affects their innovation diversity. This paper addresses this gap by examining the relationships between (i) a firm's functional diversity of collaboration (FDC) and innovation diversity, and (ii) innovation diversity and firm growth. We used longitudinal data from 738 Australian food firms, and our findings suggest that the positive relationship between FDC and innovation diversity reaches a point of saturation, beyond which additional collaboration negatively influences firms' innovation diversity. Moreover, innovation diversity depends on the motives behind alliance formation and the firm's focus on innovation. Finally, the association between innovation diversity and growth performance is heterogeneous across firms' conditional growth rate distribution.

Resistant Starch Intake Is Low in Australian Adults With Irritable Bowel Syndrome Who Follow a Low FODMAP Diet

ObjectivesThis observational study aimed to assess dietary intake, including resistant starch (RS) in adults with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), who follow a habitual diet low in Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols (FODMAP) (LFD).MethodsTwenty-six participants in Perth, Western Australia with IBS (23 females, aged mean ± SD 37 ± 13 years with a Body Mass Index of 23 ± 3 kg/m2) had FODMAP content assessed using the Monash University Comprehensive Nutrition Assessment Questionnaire and dietary RS from 3-d weighed food diary analysed using published RS values for Australian foods incorporated into a dietary database analysed using FoodWorks 10 (Xyris, QLD, Australia). Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were performed using SPSS v27(IBM, 2017).ResultsOut of all participants 35% (n = 9) were on a LFD > 1 year, median 12 months (Interquartile range = 21.8 months), and 77% (n = 20) were at the personalized phase. Median FODMAP intake was 9.6 ± 9.4 g/d and positively associated with the length of time on a LFD, partial correlation (adjusted with BMI and age) was 0.541 (P = 0.003). A therapeutic FODMAP intake <12 g/d (unvalidated) was achieved by 73% (n = 19) of participants. Energy from fat mean ± SD 38.1 ± 9.6% and saturated fat 12.4 ± 3.9% were above Australian recommendations at 20–35% and <10%, respectively. Mean energy contributed by carbohydrates, 36 ± 9.2% was below recommendations (45–65%). Despite the avoidance of plant-based foods high in FODMAP, dietary fibre intake was 20.7 ± 7.4 g/d, equivalent to national Australian studies of adults but less than dietary targets (male 38 g, female 28 g). Habitual RS consumption was 2.1 ± 1.2 g/d, lower than estimations of both typical Australian diets (3.7 (1.9–5.6) g/d) and a LFD study providing all meals (6.9 (3.6–10.3 g/d). Consumptions of vegetables and fruit were 3.9 ± 2.9 and 0.3 ± 1.6 serves/d respectively, and less than the Australian recommendations of 5–6 and 2 serves/d respectively.ConclusionsThis is the first study in IBS patients to measure RS intake in habitual LFD. Australian adults with IBS consuming a LFD should integrate additional RS sources when personalising their LFD. On the premise that food consumed will not exacerbate IBS symptoms, patients on a LFD should increase the intake of vegetables and fruits based on personal tolerance.Funding SourcesEdith Cowan University.

The impact of corporate support programs on environmental and social innovation: empirical insights from the food and beverage industry

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of corporate support programs on managers' environmental and social innovation behaviors. To offer a more comprehensive understanding of these relationships, the moderating role of technological reflectiveness and business moral values is also accounted for.Design/methodology/approachA scenario-based experimental study to test the impact of corporate support programs on environmental and social innovation behaviors is also adopted. After running a pretest to verify the effectiveness of alternative scenarios through 100 respondents with managerial experience residing in the UK and EU countries, we collected data from a sample of 220 senior managers of firms from the Australian food and beverage industry for the main study. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Dunnett's test to investigate direct relationships and the PROCESS Model to test the moderating role of technological reflectiveness and business moral values were used.FindingsThe findings reveal time provision, budget provision and advice provision as salient forms of corporate support programs that positively impact managers' environmental and social innovation behaviors. It is found that technological reflectiveness positively moderates the link between time provision and managers' social innovation behavior and negatively moderates the link between advice provision and managers' social innovation behavior. Furthermore, it is found that business moral values positively moderate the relationships between time and budget provisions and managers' environmental innovation behavior and between budget and advice provisions and managers' social innovation behavior.Originality/valueThe authors contribute to innovation and operations management research by adopting a behavioral operations management perspective and empirically analyzing the influences of managers' technological reflectiveness and business moral values on the relationship between organizational corporate support programs and managers' environmental and social innovation behavior in the context of the food and beverage industry.

"Formulating Nutritionally Adequate Low- Carbohydrate Diets: An Analysis of the Australian Food Composition Database"

Jessica L Turton1*, Rowena J Field1, Noor A Struik2, Helen M Parker1 and Kieron Rooney1 Author Affiliations 1University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Australia 2CSIRO – Health and Biosecurity, Australia Received: May 13, 2022 | Published: May 23, 2022 Corresponding author: Jessica L Turton, University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Camperdown NSW 2006, Australia DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2022.44.006991

Stakeholder identification and prioritization: The attribute of dependency

Stakeholder identification literature states that stakeholders with power, legitimacy and urgency over an organization should be prioritized. But, how can stakeholders be identified and prioritized when they lack awareness of organizational strategies? Unawareness, evident in internal issues, results in some stakeholders not having urgent claims and thus not considered priority stakeholders. To fill this gap, we draw on Resource-Dependency theory to introduce the operational attribute of resource-dependency. Our theorization is explored in the context of business succession in family businesses (FB). We examined and compared owners' views, against other stakeholder groups deemed, by them, important for the success of their organization. We used a multiple-case study design to study six Australian food manufacturing FBs. We found that stakeholder identification and prioritization accuracy improve when driven by the nature of the managerial issue (i.e., succession over market expansion) and the analysis of the organization’s levels of dependency on key individual stakeholders.

In-transit interventions using real-time data in Australian berry supply chains

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to contribute to Australian berry supply chains with a relevant identification regarding the possible data driven interventions that stakeholders can take while the berries are in transit.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory series of semi-structured interviews was conducted through six Australian experts in the industry with more than 20 years of experience in Australian berry supply chains and the Australian perishable food industry, to identify key possible in-transit interventions that could be implemented in the Australian berry industry.FindingsThe analysis of the interviews revealed a total of 18 possible in-transit interventions. An important finding is that in-transit interventions are made possible by the use of real-time data gathered through IoT devices such as Active Radio Frequency Identification, Time and Temperature Indicators interacting with Wireless Sensor Networks. Another key finding is that Australian berry growers and retailers do possess the technologies and the resources necessary to make in-transit interventions possible, however they have yet applied these technologies to operational decision-making and interventions based on the product, rather focussing on supply chain transactions and events.Research limitations/implicationsSince the research focusses on an Australian context, its findings may or may not be applicable to other countries. The research is exploratory in nature, and its findings should be verified by future research, in particular to test whether the in-transit interventions proposed here can be implemented in a cost-efficient way.Originality/valueTo the authors' knowledge, this publication is the first known academic article to provide a clear understanding of the Australian berry industry from a supply chain and logistics perspective, and the first to explore possible data driven in-transit interventions in perishable food supply chains.

Application of a sustainability framework to enhance Australian food literacy programs in remote Western Australian communities.

Food literacy programs aim to build individuals' knowledge, skills and self-efficacy to adopt healthy food choices conducive to reducing the risk of chronic diseases, such as obesity. Foodbank WA's (FBWA) Healthy Food for All® nutrition programs have supported the improvement of food literacy knowledge and skills among vulnerable people living in the Pilbara. A Sustainability Framework containing ten sustainability factors was overlaid with social ecological model (SEM) levels of influence to form a matrix. The use of this matrix facilitated sustainability strategy appraisal within three food literacy programs delivered in remote WA. Programs included multiple sustainability strategies across levels of influence; all programs addressed all ten sustainability factors at community and organisational SEM levels of influence. Few sustainability strategies were employed at the public policy level of influence. No program employed formal governance structures to guide program direction, such as steering groups; however, school and parent program staff developed Memoranda of Understanding to ensure the continuation of program delivery between the FBWA teams' regional visits. This study has showcased the comprehensive assessment of food literacy program sustainability across levels of influence and identified gaps for improvement by FBWA teams. SO WHAT?: The sustainability of food literacy programs aiming to increase knowledge and skills could be enhanced by conducting a similar analysis, during program planning or at program review. Using the matrix provides the opportunity to focus resources to address sustainability; supporting health promotion practitioners to transform the impacts of short-term food literacy interventions into long-term sustained outcomes.

Australian Honeypot Ant (Camponotus inflatus) Honey-A Comprehensive Analysis of the Physiochemical Characteristics, Bioactivity, and HPTLC Profile of a Traditional Indigenous Australian Food.

Despite its cultural and nutritional importance for local Aboriginal people, the unusual insect honey produced by Western Australian honeypot ant (Camponotus inflatus) has to date been rarely investigated. This study reports on the honey’s physicochemical properties, its total phenolic, major sugars and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural contents, and its antioxidant activities. The honey’s color value is 467.63 mAU/63.39 mm Pfund, it has a pH of 3.85, and its electric conductivity is 449.71 µSiemens/cm. Its Brix value is 67.00, corresponding to a 33% moisture content. The total phenolics content is 19.62 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g honey. Its antioxidant activity measured using the DPPH* (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric reducing–antioxidant power) assays is 1367.67 µmol Trolox/kg and 3.52 mmol Fe+2/kg honey, respectively. Major sugars in the honey are glucose and fructose, with a fructose-to-glucose ratio of 0.85. Additionally, unidentified sugar was found in minor quantities.

A mixed-methods study to determine the impact of COVID-19 on food security, food access and supply in regional Australia for consumers and food supply stakeholders

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the Australian food supply through changed consumer purchasing patterns, and potentially, household food security. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the prevalence of food insecurity and food supply issues, and perspectives of food supply stakeholders in regional Australia.MethodsA mixed-methods consumer survey and in-depth interviews with food supply stakeholders were conducted in regional Australia, more specifically South West Western Australia between May and July 2020, immediately after the 1st wave of the pandemic.ResultsThe prevalence of food insecurity was 21% among consumers, and significantly more prevalent for those aged less than 30 years and living with a disability. Most consumers (73%) agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted the food supply. Food insecure respondents were more likely to report that food was more expensive, resulting in changes to the types and quantities of food bought. Food supply stakeholders perceived that consumers increased their intention to buy locally grown produce. Panic buying temporarily reduced the availability of food for both food suppliers and consumers, regardless of their food security status.ConclusionsThis study provided novel insights from South West Australian consumer and food supply stakeholder perceptions. Food insecure consumers provided insights about the high cost of food and the subsequent adaptation of their shopping habits, namely type and amount of food purchased. Stakeholder perceptions largely focused on supply chain issues and corroborated consumer reports.

The Origins of Food Supplied to an Australian Public Hospital.

Local food procurement by public institutions such as hospitals offers multiple benefits including stimulating the local economy, creating jobs, and building resilience within the food supply. Yet no published study has attempted to quantify the local food purchase by hospitals. This baseline is needed to identify gaps, set targets, and monitor change. The objective of this study was to investigate the origin of food supplied to a metro tertiary public hospital and to describe the proportion of food budget spent on items with ingredients grown in Australia and “locally” within the state of Victoria. Food procurement data were collected and analyzed during October 2020-April 2021. All items purchased by the cook fresh kitchen supplying meals to inpatients and two childcare centres during an 8-day menu cycle period were audited. Following an inspection of food packaging labels to determine country of origin, data on the proportion of Victorian content were collected from manufacturers and suppliers of foods containing Australian ingredient. Almost 80% of the food budget (AU $17,748 and 200 items) was spent on items containing significant (at least 75%) Australian content, while 11% was spent on entirely imported foods. The specific geographic origins of 55% of the budget spent on “Australian” food remain unknown as information from manufacturers and suppliers was not available. Where data were available, 3% of food budget was attributed to entirely Victorian grown foods, including fresh fruit, vegetables, and poultry. A considerable proportion of Australian grown foods are purchased by this hospital, but it is largely unknown whether these are local, from the state of Victoria, or not. Tracing and sharing of food origin data, a clear definition for “local” food, and an understanding of Victorian food growing industries are needed to progress the “local food to hospital” agenda.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security in Australia: A scoping review.

AimThe COVID‐19 pandemic has disrupted the Australian food supply with potential ramifications on food security. This scoping review aimed to synthesise current evidence on the prevalence of food insecurity and changes to factors related to food insecurity during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Australia.MethodsA comprehensive search strategy was used to search seven databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Global Health, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, Informit Online) and Google Scholar. Included studies were written in English, published in 2020–2021 and examined food security status in Australia during the COVID‐19 pandemic and/or factors associated with food insecurity in free‐living Australian residents. Articles with participants residing in institutional settings, where meals were supplied, were excluded.ResultsA total of 700 records were identified from database, grey literature and hand searching, and nine articles were included. All studies indicated that the prevalence of food insecurity had increased due to negative changes to food availability, accessibility, usability and stability. The downturn in employment and economic circumstances following the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic appeared to create a new group of food‐insecure Australians consisting of newly unemployed, and international students.ConclusionCOVID‐19 has exacerbated vulnerabilities in the Australian food supply and food security. Suggested actions include ongoing data collection on the long‐term impact of COVID‐19 on food supply and security in addition to coordinated national and community responses that improve the stability of the local food supply and address underlying determinants of food insecurity.

Psychosocial, cultural, and academic challenges to Saudi Arabian students in Australia

This study investigated the perceptions of Saudi Arabian medical disciplines students undergoing training in various institutes of Australia regarding psychosocial, cultural, and academic challenges. This cross-sectional study was from March 15 to June 15, 2019. Data were collected by an online questionnaire. It consisted of questions regarding demographic, psychosocial, cultural, and academic challenges. Two hundred nineteen students studying in Australia responded to our questionnaire. Of the total 219 students, 13(6.0%) were undergraduate, 167(76%) were postgraduate, and 39(18%) were Ph.D. students. For most students (171[79.2%]), Australia was the country of choice for studying. Most of them were satisfied with their academic performance and adjustment to the Australian way of living. Most of the students (180[82.2%]) showed satisfaction over the availability of fair chances of their religious practices in Australia. Few of them faced difficulties coping with the Australian climate (25[11.4%]), homesickness (59[26.9%]), and food and dietary sources (44[20.1%]). Students were overall satisfied with the student advisory system (156[71.2%]), university assessments (147[67.2%]), and available research facilities (170[77.6%]). Among participants, 77 (35.1%), 119(54.3%), and 23(10.5%) students indicated that they wished to stay in Australia only until completion of their studies, temporarily and permanently, respectively. Our findings showed that Saudi students in Australia had strong psychosocial well-being, cultural integration, and academic success. Most of them were satisfied and adjusted well to Australian culture.