Food Distribution Research Articles

Education, Health Screening, and Distribution of Functional Emergency Food for Health Recovery for the Elderly After the Cianjur Earthquake

Adi, A. C., Rachmawati, H., Hidayati, D., & Isaura, E. R. (2022). Characteristics Of High Protein Product-Derived Catfish Mixed With Fermented Sweet Potato Flours And Its Impact On Malnourished Rats. Sains Malaysiana. Ariyanti, R., Preharsini, I. A., & Sipolio, B. W. (2020). Health Education in Efforts to Prevent and Control Hypertension in the Elderly. To Maega : Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat, 3(2), 74. https://doi.org/10.35914/tomaega.v3i2.369. Faisal, F, & Manalu, M. (2023). Education on Elderly Preparedness in Facing Flood Disasters in the Working Area of ​​Hutabalang Health Center, Badiri District. Jurnal Kreativitas Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat, 6(11). https://doi.org/10.33024/jkpm.v6i11.12497. Gallagher, D., Heymsfield, S. B., Heo, M., Jebb, S. A., Murgatroyd, P. R., & Sakamoto, Y. (2000). Healthy percentage body fat ranges: an approach for developing guidelines based on body mass index. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 72(3), 694–701. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/72.3.694. Indonesian Health Ministry. (2016). The Elderly Book. Jakarta: Indonesian Health Ministry. Indonesian Health Ministry: Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. (2018). Hypertension Classification. Indonesian Health Ministry. (2020). Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 2 of 2020 concerning Children's Anthropometric Standards. Kıskaç, M., Soysal, P., Smith, L., Capar, E., & Zorlu, M. (2022). What is the Optimal Body Mass Index Range for Older Adults? Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research, 26(1), 49–57. https://doi.org/10.4235/agmr.22.0012. Lukvianti, F., Mailani, F., & Ananda, Y. (2023). The Effect Of Giving Earthquake Disaster Preparedness Education To The Elderly In Parupuak Tabing Village, Padang City. JINTAN: Jurnal Ilmu Keperawatan. Malini, H., Fitri, Y., & Krisdianto, B. F. (2023). Disaster Preparedness Education to Improve Elderly Perception In Pasia Nan Ti Go Village, Koto Tangah District, Padang. Buletin Ilmiah Nagari Membangun, 6(3):187-197. McCarthy, H. D., Cole, T. J., Fry, T., Jebb, S. A., & Prentice, A. M. (2006). Body fat reference curves for children. International Journal of Obesity, 30(4), 598–602. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803232. [MCGA] Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency. (2022). Cianjur Earthquake Analysis (West Java) Mw 5.6. [NBDM] National Board for Disaster Management. (2023). Number of Disasters in Indonesia 2019-2023. [NBDM] National Board for Disaster Management. (2023). Categories of Disaster Victims in Indonesia in 2023. Nuraini, B. (2015). RISK FACTORS OF HYPERTENSION. Jurnal MAJORITY , 4(5), 10–19. Nurhasanah, A., & Nurdahlia, N. (2020). Health Education Increases Family Knowledge and Skills in Preventing Falls in the Elderly. JKEP, 5(1), 84–100. https://doi.org/10.32668/jkep.v5i1.359. Porter Starr, K. N., & Bales, C. W. (2015). Excessive Body Weight in Older Adults. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 31(3), 311–326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2015.04.001 Shapo, L., Pomerleau, J., & McKee, M. (2003). Epidemiology of hypertension and associated cardiovascular risk factors in a country in transition: a population based survey in Tirana City, Albania. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 57(9), 734–739. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.57.9.734. Siregar, P. A., Simanjuntak, S. F. S., Br. Ginting, F. H., Tarigan, S., Hanum, S., & Utami, F. S. (2020). Analysis of Risk Factors For Hypertension Incidents In Coastal Communities of Medan City (Socio-Cultural Aspects of Coastal Communities). Jurnal Pembangunan Perkotaan, 8(1), 1–7. Siregar, P. A., Simanjuntak, S. F. S., Ginting, F. H., Tarigan, S., Hanum, S., & Utami, F. S. (2020). Physical Activity, Consumption of Salty Foods and the Occurrence of Hypertension in Coastal Communities in Medan City. Jurnal Ilmiah Kesehatan (JIKA), 2(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.36590/jika.v2i1.34. Wahyuni, Yusran, S., & Harleli. (2020). The Relationship Between Diet Patterns and Lifestyle with The Incidence of Hypertension In Farmers In The Work Area of Basala Community Health Center, South Konawe Regency In 2020. Jurnal Gizi dan Kesehatan Indonesia, 1(2), 65–73.

Seasonal variation in the stomach microbiota of two sympatrically breeding Pygoscelis penguin species at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands.

The gut microbiomes of Antarctic penguins are important for the fitness of the host birds and their chicks. The compositions of microbial communities in Antarctic penguin guts are strongly associated with the birds' diet, physiological adaptation and phylogeny. Whilst seasonal changes in food resources, distribution and population parameters of Antarctic penguins have been well addressed, little research is available on the stability or variability of penguin stomach microbiomes over time. Here, we focused on two Pygoscelis penguin species breeding sympatrically in the maritime Antarctic and analysed their stomach contents to assess whether penguin gut microbiota differed over three austral summer breeding seasons. We used a high-throughput DNA sequencing approach to study bacterial diversity in stomach regurgitates of Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica) penguins that have a similar foraging regime on Signy Island (South Orkney Islands). Our data revealed significant differences in bacterial alpha and beta diversity between the study seasons. We also identified bacterial genera that were significantly associated with specific breeding seasons, diet compositions, chick-rearing stages and sampling events. This study provides a baseline for establishing future monitoring of penguin gut microbiomes in a rapidly changing environment.

Determinants of rural households’ food security status in South Africa: lessons from covid-19 social relief grant recipients in NIDS-CRAM wave 5

The world experienced an unprecedented health shock (COVID-19) which caught everyone by surprise, and destabilized many sectors, especially the agri-food sector. This unpleasant situation caused upset in the food production and distribution chain, and continues to threaten the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 2 which underscores zero hunger in society. Many people in South Africa were disproportionately affected with severe consequences on their livelihood activities, food security status, health status, and general welfare conditions; and as a result, social relief intervention was put in place or expanded. This study examined the factors influencing rural households’ food security status among the recipients of social relief grants in rural areas of South Africa. The study used a secondary dataset from Wave 5 of National Income Dynamics Study - Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM). The research applied descriptive statistics to describe the respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, and pattern of income flow. Food Insecurity Access Scale was employed to investigate the respondents’ food security status, while multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the determinants of food security. The results showed that the majority of the respondents were black (99%), female-headed (54.15%), dwelling in flats (74.01%), with secondary education (88.6%), and heavily dependent on government grants (58.61%). Also, most households were food secure (71.69%) during the pandemic. Moreover, households headed by men were more food secure (62.84%) compared to the ones headed by the female counterparts (37.08). Multinomial regression estimates revealed that formal education (p<0.1), employment status (p<0.05), dwelling type (p<0.01), as well as household size (p<0.01) significantly determined rural households’ food security status. The study concluded that social relief grants significantly reduced the food insecurity situation among the rural households in South Africa, and recommended that the government should ensure the continuation of the social relief of distress grant to the vulnerable people who are mostly domiciled in the rural areas, especially women who are disproportionately affected by these health shocks. Key words: Covid-19, social grant, rural households, food security, South Africa

Integrated foodbank network design: Model and a case study

To address the UN’s zero hunger goal (SDG 2), scattered and isolated initiatives by nonprofit organizations towards operating foodbanks are generally ineffective in developing countries where the foodbank ecosystem is at a preliminary stage. Establishing an integrated system comprising entities such as donors, foodbanks, food recovery and redistribution agencies (FRRA), and beneficiaries can be quite complex due to an underlying hierarchy, scale of operation, types of donors, and the severity of food insecurity of the beneficiaries. In this work, we present a strategic mixed-integer programming model to design an integrated foodbank network towards achieving an efficient, effective, and equitable food distribution mechanism for food-insecure beneficiaries while accounting for their age profile and nutritional requirements. We ensure cost-efficiency by minimizing the total system cost, effectiveness by discouraging food waste and unmet demand via charging penalties, and equity by adopting five variants of an egalitarian approach. We conduct a case study with a mix of real and realistically estimated data to design a foodbank network in Delhi (India) and present detailed analyses with insights for the practitioners. Specifically, the effects of foodbanks’ initial capacities, budget and strategic-to-operational cost constraints on the solution are identified. Among important observations, our analyses highlight when initiatives for collecting more ready-to-eat foods might be taken to relieve the pressure on the integrated system, and also help in identifying the conditions when investment in capacity building serves the beneficiaries’ interests better than direct spending.

Iron distribution and speciation in a 3D-printed hybrid food using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence and X-ray absorption spectroscopies

The bioavailability of iron from a food depends on its concentration and chemical form but also on dietary factors and nutrient interactions, which are affected by storage conditions and time. Here we investigated the time-course profile of iron in a hybrid 3D-printed food composed of alternating layers of liver and lentils after 0, 5, 7, 14 and 21 days of storage at 4 °C under oxygen or nitrogen packaging. Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence highlighted major variations in iron distribution in both the animal and plant parts of the food as a function of storage conditions. FeP and FeS positive spatial correlations pointed to iron-associated compounds. X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy showed spectral signatures specific to the animal and plant mixtures, and then highlighted interactions between animal and plant parts during food storage, with a change in iron forms in the plant part.

Carbon footprint analysis of sugar production in Poland

Food production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach to identify and reduce emissions. Efficient energy use is critical, alongside the adoption of low-carbon technologies that help agriculture and food processing adapt to climate change. Carbon footprint (CF) analysis is a key tool for assessing the environmental impact of food production and distribution, requiring a thorough evaluation of each product's life cycle from production to consumption. This study focused on the sugar production CF in three Polish plants, examining technological processes and creating unit process diagrams of the production cycle. This analysis led to the development of a database to calculate the CF based on production volume. The determined CF was 0.14–0.27 kg CO2eq/kg, and the average CFav: for plant 1–0.18; for plant 2–0.19; for plant 3–0.19 kg CO2eq/kg. Continuous monitoring is essential, allowing production practices to adapt to changing conditions and ensuring quick responses to sustainability needs. Reducing the sugar production CF involves several strategies, including adopting sustainable cultivation practices, optimizing production processes, using renewable energy sources, improving transportation efficiency, and minimizing waste. Together, these measures promote more environmentally responsible sugar production. By prioritizing sustainability and embracing innovative solutions, the food industry can significantly reduce its environmental impact, meeting the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Consumer’s willingness to try new microalgae-based food in Indonesia

Microalgae has been an under-researched food ingredient that is high in protein. In Indonesian context, research on consumer's willingness to try microalgae as a food ingredient should be performed. This research was performed to examine the factors influencing consumers' willingness to try microalgae. Data were collected from 535 respondents using a structured questionnaire distributed via Google Form on social media which were then analyzed using Structural Equation Models-Partial Least Square, with initial tests of internal consistency and reliability of questionnaire items carried out using the Pearson Product Moment correlation analysis. The results showed that consumer willingness to try microalgae-based food was positively and significantly influenced by consumer lifestyles towards food and consumer behavior (knowledge, attitudes, involvement and subjective norms). This finding indicates that there is a fairly broad opportunity to develop microalgae as a food ingredient in Indonesia. The government is encouraged to support the promotion of microalgae as health food. Positive support from the government is expected to drive marine farmers, entrepreneurs, food processing industries, cultivators, distributors and food retailers to further enhance the microalgae businesses.

The food production–consumption chain: Fighting food insecurity, loss, and waste with technology

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 seeks to achieve sustainable food production and consumption, including reduced food loss and waste; SDG 2 proposes the goal of zero hunger. In pursuit of these goals, technology arguably has a central role, at every level of the food value chain. To establish this role, the authors identify and examine current technologies aimed at increasing food production and suitably redistributing unused food, as tactics to combat food loss and waste, with the shared end goal of reducing food insecurity. A proposed 2 × 2 typology illustrates how existing technologies can influence food production, distribution, and consumption, as well as influence the stakeholders in the food production–consumption chain. These insights also inform a research and development agenda pertaining to the need for technology applications that can increase food production and/or reduce food waste effectively enough to achieve the goal of zero hunger.

Sovereignty of and through food:

“Food sovereignty,” a term conceived by peasant agriculturalists in South America, has become ubiquitous worldwide in academic and activist circles advocating for greater local control over local food. Its use has been adopted by various actors in North America, most notably by agriculturalists that tend to be small-scale, family-run, or permaculture focussed. While Indigenous food sovereignty has emerged as an adaptation of this concept, ecological, economic, social, and political opportunities and constraints in different locations across Turtle Island make its widespread application challenging, especially in contexts where communities do not want, or cannot (for a variety of reasons) eat exclusively from the land. In addition, “food sovereignty” can become a chimera in contexts where the “Crown” has absolute and final “sovereignty” over the land, which they have demonstrated through multiple enforcements across Turtle Island. Using a decolonial feminist lens within a political ecology community of practice, this paper describes and critiques current and historic framings of northern Ontario boreal forests as variously and simultaneously scarce and abundant. It also analyzes the ways that these framings have been discursively and materially constructed through colonial social, ecological, economic, and political impositions. It asks whether the concept of food sovereignty adequately challenges these constructions. Ultimately, this paper suggests that thinking about Indigenous food sovereignty as sovereignty of and through food may better describe the process, importance, and potential inherent in traditional and alternative Indigenous food harvesting and distribution practices in First Nations communities in northern Ontario, and indeed, beyond.

ОРГАНИЗАЦИОННО-ПРАВОВАЯ РЕГЛАМЕНТАЦИЯ СТАТУСА СЕЛЬСКОХОЗЯЙСТВЕННОЙ ПРОДУКЦИИ В ПРОДУКТОВЫХ ЦЕПОЧКАХ

The article deals with the issues of organizational and legal regulation of the status of agricultural products in food distribution chains. The typification of agricultural producers' products is presented in accordance with the requirements of current legislation defining the technological features of the production of such products. Its distribution according to the main specific subjective characteristics is shown: organic products, products with improved characteristics and farm products. The main legal and organizational problems affecting the formation of demand for agricultural products and the process of forming supply chains of various types of products that must be produced with certain requirements for technological processes that affect its qualitative characteristics are identified.

Decentering Food Pedagogies

In this collaborative essay, five gastrofeminists from various disciplines, mainly literature, anthropology, sociology, ethnic studies, and diverse locations of Global South and Global North, share four collaborative experiments built around two axioms: to integrate experiences of students as gendered and racialized subjects in their experiential learning irrespective of disciplinary boundaries, and to integrate critical feminist scholarship that destabilizes ethnocentric notions around consumption, production, and distribution of food. Through the four collaborative experiments: students’ food voice, autobiographies, collective kusina, and food walks, the pedagogues bring embodied lived experience in conversation with critical pedagogy, expanding some of the foundational ideas of feminist pedagogy, especially of not treating theory, research, and experience as independent silos. Each of these collaborative experiments calls for a need to create dialogic space through a collaborative co-learning process and offers a decolonial reading of texts through recognizing the difference and diversity of our classrooms.

BloFoPASS: A blockchain food palliatives tracer support system for resolving welfare distribution crisis in Nigeria

With population rising to approximately 200 million Nigerians – fast-paced, urbanization has continued to advent food insecurity with maladministration, corruption, internal rife, and starvation. These, threatened the nation's unity with the lockdown of 2020; and consequently, have now become the trend. Nigeria must as a nation, re-examine her methods in the administration of palliatives (in lieu of food and relief) distribution – as the above-listed issues have become of critical need in the equitable distribution of reliefs, both from the humanitarian agency view, and the Government (State and Federal). They have noticed non-transparency, corruption, and data inadequacies, as major drawbacks in its management. Our study presents a blockchain ensemble for the administration of food palliatives distribution in Nigeria that first ensures, that all beneficiaries be registered, and the food palliatives are sensor-tagged and recorded on the blockchain. Results show the number of transactions per second and page retrieval abilities for the proposed chain were quite low with 30-TPS and 0.38seconds respectively – as compared to public blockchain. Proposed ensemble eliminates fraud that is herein rippled across the existing system, minimizes corrupt practices via sensor-based model, provides insight for stakeholders, and minimize the error in reported data on the supply chain.

The Policy of Compulsory Large-Scale Food Fortification in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Food fortification with micronutrients was initially justified in developed countries by a lack of availability of micronutrients in staple crops, mainly due to soil exhaustion. However, in Sub-Saharan arable lands, soil fatigue is not predominant, and communities consume mostly home-grown, organic, non-processed crops. Sub-Saharan food systems are nevertheless deeply entwined with food insecurity, driver of illnesses. Family production can promote subsistence, food stability, and self-sufficiency, the main SSA setback being the vicious cycle of poverty and the lack of dietary variety, contributing to malnutrition. Poverty reduction and women's education are significant strategies for reducing child and adolescent undernourishment. Fortification of foods consumed daily by individuals makes sense and can minimize, if not entirely, eliminate deficiencies. Compulsory mass fortification of foods in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with single micronutrients is, however, controversial since they work in synergy among each other and with the food matrix, for optimal absorption and metabolism. Since the causes of malnutrition are many, caused by diverse, unequal, and unjust food distribution, interrelated with political, social, cultural, or economic factors, education status of the population, season and climatic changes, and effectiveness of nutrition programs, just food fortification cannot solve the composite of all these elements. Further, compulsory fortification is excessive, unproductive, and likely harmful to human health, while many challenges remain in assessing the quality of available premixes. Furthermore, aiming at dietary diversification is the best approach of increasing trace element intake from commonly accessible and easily available food sources.

Enhancing food access in a comprehensive cancer center area of influence through local partner capacity building.

Food insecurity, an economic and social condition of limited food access, is associated with poor diet quality-a risk factor for several common cancers. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center supports healthy food access through community-led evidence translation by actively partnering with community-based organizations (CBOs). These partnerships aim to enhance the capacity of food assistance CBOs to effectively implement evidence-based food insecurity mitigation programs in the cancer center's area of influence. This case study aims to describe the cancer center's model for local food access capacity building and detail operationalization in the context of a whole-community cancer prevention effort (Be Well Baytown) in Baytown, Texas. Elements central to the capacity building model include (i) assessment of baseline needs and capacity, (ii) empowering a community champion within a relevant CBO, (iii) mapping inter-sectoral community partnerships, collaborations, and linkages, and (iv) leveraging systems, connections, and resources to provide an enabling environment for overall food access systems growth. Through this process, Be Well Baytown enhanced the capacity of a local food pantry leading to increases in total reach, pounds of food distributed, and number of food distribution events in collaboration with intersectoral partners from 2018 to 2023. This case study highlights the model's implementation as a co-benefit community partnership strategy to maximize the impact of food security programs integrated with comprehensive cancer center prevention efforts.

A Geospatial Framework of Food Demand Mapping

Spatial mapping of food demand is essential for understanding and addressing disparities in food accessibility, which significantly impact public health and nutrition. This research presents an innovative geospatial framework designed to map food demand, integrating individual dietary behaviors with advanced spatial analysis techniques. This study analyzes the spatial distribution of eating habits across Lithuania using a geospatial approach. The methodology involves dividing Lithuania into 60,000 points and interpolating survey data with Shepard’s operator, which relies on a weighted average of values at data points. This flexible approach allows for adjusting the number of points based on spatial resolution and sample size, enhancing the reliability and applicability of the generated maps. The procedure includes generating a structured grid system, incorporating measurements into the grid, and applying Shepard’s operator for interpolation, resulting in precise representations of food demand. This framework provides a comprehensive understanding of dietary behaviors, informing targeted policy interventions to improve food accessibility and nutrition. Traditional food spatial mapping approaches are often limited to specific polygons and lack the flexibility to achieve high granular detail. By applying advanced interpolation techniques and ensuring respondent location data without breaching privacy concerns, this study creates high-resolution maps that accurately represent regional differences in eating habits. The methodology’s flexibility allows for adjustments in spatial resolution and sample size, enhancing the maps’ validity and applicability. This novel approach facilitates the creation of detailed food demand maps at any granular level, providing valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders. These insights enable the development of targeted strategies to improve food accessibility and nutrition. Additionally, the obtained information can be used for computer simulations to further analyze and predict food demand scenarios. By leveraging spatial data integration, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics of food demand, identifying critical areas such as food deserts and swamps, and paving the way for more effective public health interventions and policies aimed at achieving equitable food distribution and better nutritional outcomes.

Food security challenges: A comparative review of USA and African Policies

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the food security challenges faced by the United States (USA) and African nations, examining the distinct policy approaches implemented to address these critical issues. The analysis focuses on key factors influencing food security, such as agricultural practices, economic structures, and political considerations. The United States and African nations grapple with diverse challenges in ensuring food security for their populations. This study undertakes a comparative review of the policies adopted by these regions to tackle the multifaceted issues related to food production, distribution, and accessibility. In the USA, the emphasis lies on advanced agricultural technologies and industrial farming practices. The country's policies are geared towards maximizing efficiency, ensuring a stable food supply, and promoting exports. However, challenges arise from the environmental impact of intensive farming, unequal distribution of resources, and the vulnerability of large-scale monocultures. Contrastingly, African countries face unique hurdles stemming from a combination of socio-economic factors, including limited access to modern farming technologies, land tenure issues, and inadequate infrastructure. Additionally, political instability and climate change exacerbate the challenges, impacting food production and distribution systems. The comparative analysis sheds light on the importance of tailoring food security policies to the specific needs and contexts of each region. It explores the potential for knowledge exchange and collaboration between the USA and African nations to address global food crises collaboratively. Emphasizing sustainable agricultural practices, equitable resource distribution, and adaptive governance strategies emerge as key recommendations to fortify both regions against future food security challenges. This study contributes valuable insights to policymakers, researchers, and practitioners aiming to develop effective strategies for enhancing global food security in a rapidly changing world.

Food Distribution Models to Determine Distribution Routes, Distances and Costs

The agricultural sector is one of the sectors that has an important role in supporting the Indonesian economy. The agricultural sector in Indonesia needs to continue to be developed in line with population growth and technological developments to increase agricultural production. The problem that occurs is handling so that deficit areas will get supplies from surplus areas, so good food distribution is needed to aggregate and distribute these supplies as needed so that the basic needs of the community are met fairly and equitably. To overcome this, a food distribution model is needed to be able to accumulate the process of distributing food products, especially rice from commodity warehouses to 9 warehouses spread across Serang Regency, as a solution to the problems that occur and aims to achieve low cost efficiency by determining efficient and optimal routes, distances, and distribution costs using the Saving Matrix method and Nearest Neighbor. Based on this method, 3 routes were formed with a total distribution distance of 294.5 km. The allocation of vehicles used is 3 units of tronton trucks with a capacity of 45 tons. The distribution cost needed is Rp.1.934.866,- every day or Rp.58.045.980,- per month in other words the cost requirement every year is Rp.696.551.760,- Keywords: Agricultural Sector, Distribution Model, Saving Matrix and Nearest Neighbor

Culinary narratives: Exploring the socio-cultural dynamics of food culture in Africa

This paper delves into the multifaceted dimensions of food culture in Africa beyond culinary practices. It examines the socio-cultural significance of food consumption, production, and distribution in shaping identities, social structures, and community relationships. Through case studies and ethnographic research, it explores how food serves as a lens for understanding issues such as globalization, colonial legacies, and cultural hybridity, highlighting how food culture intersects with broader socio-political dynamics on the continent. Culinary Narratives: Exploring the Socio-Cultural Dynamics of Food Culture in Africa Culinary narratives in African literature provide a unique lens through which to explore the socio-cultural dynamics of food culture on the continent. This review delves into the rich tapestry of food-related stories, traditions, and practices in African societies, highlighting their significance in shaping identity, community, and cultural exchange. This study examines the role of culinary narratives in African literature, focusing on how food-related stories and traditions reflect and influence socio-cultural dynamics. By analyzing a range of literary works from different African countries and regions, this study aims to uncover the diverse ways in which food culture is represented and its impact on African societies. Studying culinary narratives in African literature is crucial for understanding the complexities of food culture and its role in shaping identity and social relations. Food is not just sustenance in African societies; it is a form of communication, a marker of identity, and a medium through which cultural traditions are preserved and shared. By exploring culinary narratives, we gain insights into the values, beliefs, and traditions that define African cultures. This study argues that culinary narratives in African literature offer a rich and multifaceted portrayal of food culture, highlighting its significance in shaping identity, community, and cultural exchange. Through the analysis of various literary works, this study seeks to illuminate the diverse ways in which food is represented and its impact on African societies. In conclusion, culinary narratives in African literature offer a unique and insightful perspective on the socio-cultural dynamics of food culture on the continent. By exploring these narratives, we gain a deeper understanding of the diverse ways in which food is used to communicate, celebrate, and preserve cultural heritage in African societies.

Designing Food Hubs for Territories of Proximity: Assessing the Spatial, Ecological, and Cultural Potentials of Places through Multi-Criteria Decision Support Systems

Logistics, distribution models, and landscapes of food production strongly influence the space of our cities and territories. In addition to the network of large-scale retail distribution that is diffused in urban and non-urban areas, with this contribution, we study the presence of new forms of the local and sustainable distribution of food (such as Alternative Food Networks, and community-supported agriculture). Studying and understanding how these distribution models can support and be integrated within a landscape planning and design approach is explored through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multi-criteria decision analysis method. Through the specific focus of a Food Hub localization, the aim is to demonstrate how distribution models can not only support but also integrate into landscape planning and design. The fundamental objectives for structuring and locating a Food Hub can be organized under three strategic objectives: pursuing the benefit of people, the planet, and profit. The choice of one distribution method over others, or what is the best location and condition for distribution centers, is the question we have tested with the collaboration of “L’Ortazzo” Association. The case study is a solidarity purchasing group located in the upper Valsugana valley area (Trentino Region, Italy), a supra-municipality reality involving about a hundred families that, currently, do not have a physical distribution center.

Listeria monocytogenes in Food Production and Food Safety: A Review

In the current world of global food distribution and marketing, the outbreak of a particular foodborne disease in a region may eventually occur in another part of the world at the same time. Foodborne diseases are estimated to cause over 600 million illnesses and 420,000 deaths each year. Listeriosis, a zoonotic bacterial disease caused by Listeria spp. has been reported in various parts of the world’s disease outbreak and incidence. The highest number of diseases and outbreaks is caused by Listeria monocytogenes and is highly predominant among elderly persons, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, and infants. This bacterium possesses the ability to survive and multiply under refrigeration temperature, a wide range of pH (4.1 - 9.6), and high salt (≤ 10%). The disease can be minimal (non-invasive/febrile gastroenteritis) and the pathogen possesses the ability to cross the epithelium and infect sterile organs (invasive). Outside food contamination, resistance to antibiotics by Listeria monocytogenes poses major public health concerns as this bacterium has developed resistance to various antibiotics in use. In addition to food, Listeria species have been isolated from the soil, water, plants, fruits, and vegetables coupled with the long incubation period (11 - 70 days), which poses a challenge to infection source identification and trace back principle. Controlling Listeria in foods can be achieved by practicing a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) strategy in the food industry, improving hygiene measures, and avoiding the consumption of contaminated foods. Also, susceptible individuals should be educated on the risks associated with the consumption of contaminated foods.