Food Distribution System Research Articles

P137 Southeast Regional FFY2020 SNAP-Ed Policy, Systems and Environmental Change Evaluation

<h3>Objective</h3> The study objective was to evaluate the policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes implemented by Southeast Region (SER) SNAP-Ed programs during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. <h3>Use of Theory or Research</h3> This study was guided by the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework and Interpretive Guide. <h3>Target Audience</h3> PSE interventions were targeted toward sites that serve SNAP-Ed eligible populations that are at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. <h3>Program Description</h3> The SNAP-Ed program was implemented across eight states, including 25 implementing agencies. States focused on expansion of PSE interventions in 2020, to include long-term implementation strategies, which incorporates a multicomponent such as evidence-based education, marketing, community involvement, and/or staff training in addition to the PSE change. During the pandemic, many agencies focused on strengthening nutrition security. <h3>Evaluation Methods</h3> States reported PSE changes, multicomponent strategies, sites, promotional efforts, COVID program adaptations, and estimated reach. Data were reported via the Program Evaluation and Reporting System or through an Excel template. All data were cleaned and descriptive statistics for all PSEs were analyzed using R statistical software. <h3>Results</h3> Implementing agencies reported a total of 1,359 PSE changes across 7 states with a combined reach of 1,161,289. Common PSEs included novel food distribution systems, expanding access to fresh produce and edible gardens. A total of 666 sites (91%) reported a multicomponent intervention with their PSE nutrition change. <h3>Conclusions</h3> The study found that SNAP-Ed agencies were able to quickly and successfully pivot their programs to meet the needs of their communities during the pandemic reaching 1.1 million people with over 1,300 SNAP-Ed PSE changes compared to 830,049 in 2017. A shift in PSE implementation was seen. For example, more PSE changes occurred in food assistance sites, which included drive-through pantries. Also, there were increases in home and community garden projects to support families facing nutrition insecurity. Results indicate that most sites in SER are implementing multi-component interventions, that if continued, will lead to sustained, effective change over time. <h3>Funding</h3> Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education

FOOD SECURITY – RECOGNITION OF SELECTED ASPECTS BY ACADEMIC YOUTH

The meaning of food security is so obvious that it has not been assigned any clear, specific definition, which in turn allows a broad interpretation of the concepts that make up the scope of activities aimed at ensuring food security. Every definition of the idea is burdened with confirmation bias, emerging through the prism of a primary human feeling – satiety. A. Maslov considered this the most important human need, which is why he placed it at the base of the pyramid. Therefore, it is important to recognise the confirmation bias that we display when defining the next food security area. Food safety and food security are issues as old as human beings, and yet our decisions are dictated by heuristics. They function in our minds like automated processes: means by which we quickly make judgements. A well-filled body does not believe in hunger. In the globalised world, a new mind-set is needed in food distribution systems. This article concludes with pilot research in the area of knowledge, attitudes, and assessment of food security issues in a group of academic youths.

서울시 음식물류폐기물의 날씨 변화에 따른 발생요인 분석과 효율적 처리 방향

As life in Seoul is diverse, environmental problem is caused in various ways. Food waste is generated at each stage of the food production, distribution, and consumption system. In this research, we analyze the factors(temperature, humidity, precipitation, etc.) of food waste caused by climate change. The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors of increase or decrease in the amount of food waste led to the change of weather, to predict the amount of future generation, and then to examine collection, transportation and treatment directions of food waste in Seoul as climate change. In terms of logistics, this study contributed to the establishment of a circular economy society by suggesting a more efficient collection and transport of food waste and a rational treatment direction than previous studies on food waste treatment facilities, treatment methods, or policies. In order to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), waste must be reduced by more than half by 2030. I hope this study would be utilized so as to meet the needs of this era.

Does atmospheric dimethyldiselenide play a role in reducing COVID-19 mortality?

Environmental selenium (Se) distribution in the US is uneven, yet US residents appear to have a relatively narrow range of serum Se concentrations, according to the NHANES III survey data; this is probably due to the modern food-distribution system. In the US, Se concentration in alfalfa leaves has been used as a proxy for regional Se exposure (low, medium or high, corresponding to ≤ 0.05, 0.06–0.10 and ≥ 0.11 ppm respectively). Se in plants, soil, water, and bacteria can be transformed into volatile dimethyldiselenide, which can be inhaled and excreted via the lung. Hence, pulmonary Se exposure may be different in states with different atmospheric Se levels. We found a significantly higher death rate from COVID-19 in low-Se states than in medium-Se or high-Se states, though the case densities of these states were not significantly different. Because inhaled dimethyldiselenide is a potent inducer of nuclear-factor erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2), exposure to higher atmospheric dimethyldiselenide may increase Nrf2-dependent antioxidant defences, reducing the activation of NFκB by SARS-CoV-2 in the lung, thereby decreasing cytokine activation and COVID-19 severity. Atmospheric dimethyldiselenide may thereby play a role in COVID-19 mortality, although the extent of its involvement is unclear.

Making a meal out of bugs

Making a meal out of bugs

The Social Cost of Cheap Food: Labour and the Political Economy of Food Distribution in Britain 1830–1914

The Social Cost of Cheap Food: Labour and the Political Economy of Food Distribution in Britain 1830–1914

Exploring the impacts of FDA temporary food labeling flexibility among the food allergy community during the Covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT In an attempt to improve access to food distribution systems during the Covid-19 pandemic, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued temporary flexibility in food labeling requirements. This requirement affects the Top 8 allergens and could lead to accidental allergen ingestion. The purpose of this study was to utilize a qualitative method to collect and analyze comments to FDA that were available via Allergic Living’s website from May 22, 2020, to June 18, 2020, following the release of the food labeling change. In total, 3,033 comments were analyzed using the thematic analysis six-phase framework approach. Various themes were extracted relating to the emotional responses of the new labeling including fear, safety concerns, and trust of certain food product brands among the food allergy community. This research has implications for a broad spectrum of the U.S. food industry including restaurants, grocery stores, specialty food associations, and consumers. Stakeholders and experts in the food allergy community should be consulted when a policy change is occurring, especially during a pandemic affecting access to safe food.

Household dependence on fish-based farming systems in the Bons Sinais Estuary in Mozambique

Households in estuarine deltas of the Western Indian Ocean depend on small-scale fishing, farming in flood-recession and adjacent areas, and mangrove forest products for food security, energy and an income in so-called deltaic fish-based farming (FBF) systems. It was hypothesized that the relative importance of household activities would depend on location along the Bons Sinais Estuary in Mozambique, diversifying in peri-urban settings. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken at five sites, including rural sites near the estuary mouth and upstream, and peri-urban settings near Quelimane city. Fishing contributed the most to FBF livelihoods (54 %) followed by farming (15 %), small business operators (14 %), collection and use of mangrove products (6 %) and other activities such as wage-earning or formal employment (10 %). The highest diversity of activities was at a peri-urban site, Chuabo Dembe, which differed from all other sites in Cluster and Principal Components Analyses. Fishing dominated activities at four of five sites, with the highest preponderance near the estuary mouth. Women played an important role in generating household income, mainly through farming and operating small businesses in peri-urban areas. The education level declined in rural settings. Overexploitation and degradation of natural ecosystems to provide for an increasing urban population around Quelimane threaten estuarine functioning, making deltaic FBF systems vulnerable. Rural development programmes should focus on improving education levels and the efficiency of food production, processing and distribution systems.

Risk of HACCP Plan Implementation for Food Safety in Fruit Combining Start up Business PT Redceri Indonesia

HACCP is a tool to assess hazards and establish control systems focused on preventative measures rather than relying mainly on end product testing over seven basic principles underline the concept. These principles include an assessment of the inherent risk that may be present from harvest through ultimate consumption. Six hazard characteristics and a ranking schematic are used to identify those points throughout the food production and distribution system whereby control must be exercised in order to reduce or eliminate potential risks. A guide for HACCP plan development and critical control point (CCP) identification. Furthermore, the document points out the additional areas that are to be included in the HACCP plan: the need to establish critical limits that must be met at each CCP, appropriate monitoring procedures, corrective action proceed ures to takes if a deviation is encountered, record keeping, and verification activities.

Food Banks and Retail Markups

Abstract Food banks play a critical part in the food distribution system. In this paper, we examine the impact of food bank donations on retailer markups using data on donations and store-level productivity. We frame our empirical model of food bank donations and store-level markups as an example of quality-based price discrimination and find that stores that donate more food to the local food bank are able to charge higher markups—33% higher—after controlling for the well-known endogeneity problems. Our findings suggest that donations are not just charitable gestures by retailers but are in their own self-interests.

Improving Household Agriculture with Roof-Harvested Rainwater: A Case Study in Sydney and Nairobi

The production and distribution of a sufficient quantity of food and water of satisfactory quality is at the heart of sustainable development. At the small domestic scale, roof-harvested rainwater can make a significant contribution to food supply and distribution systems (production, handling, storage, and transportation). In this paper, we compare the potential crop production of a small garden plot using three methods of watering: (1) rainfed only with no irrigation; (2) irrigated with the ideal amount of water; and (3) rainwater tanks of various sizes installed and used to irrigate the plot. Yield was determined on the basis of the yield calculation method presented in FAO 33. It was found that yields can be increased considerably by installing a correctly managed rainwater storage system (RSS). A 3 kL RSS connected to a 120 m2 roof can increase yields in Nairobi from 40 kg to 96 kg. In Sydney, a larger roof of 200 m2 can increase yields from 66 kg to 143 kg. This study makes an important contribution to water and food security-related sustainable development goals.

Emergency food supplies and food security in Wuhan and Nanjing, China, during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a field survey.

MotivationDetailed empirical work on the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on food security is scant. Local management of food security has received little attention.PurposeThis article describes emergency food policies in Wuhan and Nanjing, China during lockdown in 2020 and their implications for household food security in the two cities.Methods and approachPolicy documents and background data describe the emergency measures. Online surveys of residents of two Chinese cities were used to gauge household food security.FindingsDespite the determined efforts of provincial and city governments to ensure that food reached people who were locked down in Wuhan, or subject to restrictions on movement in Nanjing, households experienced some decline in food security. Most households found they could not access their preferred foods. But a minority of households did not get enough to eat.Government had contingency plans for the pandemic that ensured that most people had sufficient, if not preferred, food. But not all households were fully covered.Policy implicationsA more resilient system of food distribution is needed, including a relatively closed and independent home delivery system. Grassroots organizations such as residential community committees, property management organizations, and spontaneous volunteer groups need to be brought into the management of emergency food provision.

Comparative Analysis of Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emission of Diesel and Electric Trucks for Food Distribution in Gowanus District of New York City.

New York City’s food distribution system is among the largest in the United States. Food is transported by trucks from twelve major distribution centers to the city’s point-of-sale locations. Trucks consume large amounts of energy and contribute to large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, there is interest to increase the efficiency of New York City’s food distribution system. The Gowanus district in New York City is undergoing rezoning from an industrial zone to a mix residential and industrial zone. It serves as a living lab to test new initiatives, policies, and new infrastructure for electric vehicles. We analyze the impact of electrification of food-distribution trucks on greenhouse gas emissions and electricity demand in this paper. However, such analysis faces the challenges of accessing available and granular data, modeling of demands and deliveries that incorporate logistics and inventory management of different types of food retail stores, delivery route selection, and delivery schedule to optimize food distribution. We propose a framework to estimate truck routes for food delivery at a district level. We model the schedule of food delivery from a distribution center to retail stores as a vehicle routing problem using an optimization solver. Our case study shows that diesel trucks consume 300% more energy than electric trucks and generate 40% more greenhouse gases than diesel trucks for food distribution in the Gowanus district.

Cultivar bajo las bombas: La agricultura urbana y periurbana en Barcelona durante la Guerra Civil, 1936-1939

Urban agriculture is key when food security is threatened, as in the cases of wars, which disrupt food production, conservation, transportation, and distribution systems. During the two World Wars of the 20th century, governments mobilized civilians to participate in food production and to increase morale by contributing to the war effort from the rearguard. Unlike these cases, food production in Spanish cities during the civil war of 1936-1939 has received little attention. Using documentation from different public and private archives, press clips, and personal testimonies, this article explores the socio-environmental history of agricultural production in Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. On the one hand, we analysed the collectivization of agriculture in the municipality of Barcelona, carried out by the Colectividad Agrícola de Barcelona y su Radio (CNT), involving at its peak some 3,500 workers managing 850 hectares of crops. On the other hand, this Collective coexisted with an expansion of home gardens for self-consumption in the city as food supplies became scarcer. Both initiatives contributed to maintaining a precarious food supply until the occupation of the city by Franco's troops in January 1939.

Peri-urban agriculture and alternative food networks in Athens: Solidarity dynamics, spatial planning challenges and institutional reforms

The article discusses the role of alternative food networks (AFN) in local food supply, food sovereignty and the preservation of peri-urban agricultural production especially in metropolitan areas. Within a context of prolonged economic and financial crisis, a growing engagement of local public and national institutions in short food supply chains helps to revitalize the local economy, strengthen rural-urban linkages and contributes to sustainable development. The analysis focuses on how newly emerging AFNs reflect the contemporary dynamics of agriculture, food-chain and land use in rural peri-urban areas of Athens. By examining the links between the current economic, environmental, social and institutional challenges the discussion focuses on the potential of formal and informal civic practices to enhance revitalization of peri-urban agriculture and support institutional change policies through a more agro-ecological approach of the metropolitan food system. A mixed method approach was used, comprising qualitative and quantitative research as well as spatial data collection and mapping representations. The analysis shows that bottom-up claims for food security had a favorable impact on the promotion of sustainable food production, consumption and distribution systems and a transformative effect on food-related public policies and the institutional framework. Gradual legitimization of many informal alternative retail channels and self-production schemes in time of crises were able to strengthen the links between urban and peri-urban environment building agricultural ‘pockets’ of resilience to food crisis. However, poor land management and zoning control are the major constraints to sustainable agricultural production and farmers’ resilience in the Athens metropolitan area.

State of the Art of Urban Smart Vertical Farming Automation System: Advanced Topologies, Issues and Recommendations

The global economy is now under threat due to the ongoing domestic and international lockdown for COVID-19. Many have already lost their jobs, and businesses have been unstable in the Corona era. Apart from educational institutions, banks, privately owned institutions, and agriculture, there are signs of economic recession in almost all sectors. The roles of modern technology, the Internet of things, and artificial intelligence are undeniable in helping the world achieve economic prosperity in the post-COVID-19 economic downturn. Food production must increase by 60% by 2050 to meet global food security demands in the face of uncertainty such as the COVID-19 pandemic and a growing population. Given COVID 19’s intensity and isolation, improving food production and distribution systems is critical to combating hunger and addressing the double burden of malnutrition. As the world’s population is growing day by day, according to an estimation world’s population reaches 9.6 billion by 2050, so there is a growing need to modify the agriculture methods, technologies so that maximum crops can be attained and human effort can be reduced. The urban smart vertical farming (USVF) is a solution to secure food production, which can be introduced at any adaptive reuse, retrofit, or new buildings in vertical manners. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the concept of USVF using various techniques to enhance productivity as well as its types, topologies, technologies, control systems, social acceptance, and benefits. This review has focused on numerous issues, challenges, and recommendations in the development of the system, vertical farming management, and modern technologies approach.

Multi-Level, Multi-Perspective Formative Research to Develop a Mobile Application to Improve Healthy Food Access in Low-Income Urban Settings

Abstract Objectives Small urban corner stores typically have low access to healthy foods to stock due to an inadequate food distribution system. Strategies to increase access to healthier foods are needed in low-income urban settings where consumers depend on these stores to meet their main food shopping needs. We conducted multi-level, multi-perspective formative research and user-centered design to inform the development of the Baltimore Urban food Distribution (BUD) mobile application (app), which aims to provide a sustainable, cost-effective, and culturally-acceptable strategy for purchasing and delivering fresh produce to corner stores through local suppliers within the Baltimore City food system. Methods In-depth interviews (N = 36) were conducted across multiple stages of formative research with increasing refinement of the BUD app design. Stakeholders included producers (n = 5), wholesalers (n = 12), representatives of city agencies (n = 4), and corner store owners (n = 15). Future research will include community members. Data were collected regarding participants’ role within the local food system and feedback was elicited during a researcher-led demonstration of a prototype app. Results Stakeholders at multiple levels of the food system found the BUD app to have high feasibility (acceptability, operability, perceived sustainability). In-depth interviews revealed that suppliers (producers, wholesalers) were willing to use the app but had concerns about transportation and storage of produce. Corner store owners desired features such as in-app collaborative purchasing and low-cost delivery. City agency representatives emphasized the need to focus on promotion of local suppliers. Limitations included language barriers and payment security. Strengths included options for networking within the app. Conclusions The BUD app aims to provide a digital solution to address a critical gap in the food distribution system in a low-income urban setting. Multi-level, multi-perspective formative research that is user-centered is a crucial first step to developing a feasible app that appropriately addresses the needs of the community. Future research demonstrating the BUD prototype to stakeholders will enable further development of the app for use in Baltimore and other cities nationwide. Funding Sources NHLBI, NIH, award number R34HL145368.

Improving Food System Connectivity: Using Mobile Technology to Leverage Community Partnerships and Strengthen Local Food Systems

Abstract Objectives In low-income areas of Baltimore, corner stores are common food sources yet often lack fresh produce. Corner stores are uniquely positioned in the urban food system and offer an opportunity to intervene on the supply chain. However, there is a critical gap in our understanding of the local food distribution network and the best strategies for provisioning corner stores with produce. We sought to inform the development of the Baltimore Urban food Distribution (BUD) mobile application (app), which moves fresh produce from local suppliers to corner stores. We sought to: (1) identify existing networks of local food distribution; (2) explore barriers to increasing fresh produce access within the local food system; and (3) evaluate the potential for sustainability of the BUD app. Methods Secondary data analysis of in-depth interviews (n = 17) conducted in 2016 among local food environment experts, corner store owners, distributors, and wholesalers was completed with the purpose of understanding existing networks of local food distribution, and barriers to increasing food access among stakeholders in the Baltimore food environment. Primary data collection was conducted in 2020–2021 with local stakeholders (n = 10) to confirm and expand upon these findings. Results Existing community distributor partnerships with corner stores and producers contribute to local food networks. Community food distributors with an established connection to wholesalers and urban farmers offer more direct access to fresh produce, but delivery is costly for corner stores. The BUD app could facilitate the arrangement of collective delivery services between distributors, urban farmers and corner stores. Potential barriers include a lack of demand for produce from consumers and a need for community engagement to be incorporated into the app. Conclusions Our findings suggest that enhancing community partnerships is a viable method for distributing fresh foods to local corner stores in Baltimore. Further research is needed to identify ways to increase consumer demand for these foods at the corner store level, and to strengthen the local food distribution system in Baltimore. Funding Sources NHLBI, NIH, award number R34HL145368.

Environmental Impact of Fresh Vegetables Supply: A Case-Study in Teresina, Brazil

The current study presents an estimated environmental impact of CO2 emissions in the cargo transport process in the road modal, as part of the logistics chain for the distribution of horticultural items, highlighting the production of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), peppers (Capsicum annuum) and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus), from production centers in several Brazilian states to a food distribution center in Teresina, Northeast Brazil. In the next step, we added fresh vegetables purchased by an urban hospital at the distribution center to analyze the city’s food distribution system’s environmental impact. The data used were obtained at the distribution center Nova Ceasa and at an urban hospital to complete the last stage of the food distribution, corresponding to 2019. The Global Warming Potential (GWP) impact values correlated with horticulture production were recovered from the literature related to open-field vegetable crops under similar agricultural conditions. We computed the quantity of vegetables produced on-field, the distances traveled, the on-road transportation fuel, and the environmental impact using the GWP calculator. The study found a wide range of GWP values. From the studies and analyzes, the results indicated that the impact of GWP is greater in the production phase in the field, followed by urban transport except for fresh tomatoes. The tomato results showed greater environmental impact in the transport of more distant products and smaller quantities. Results suggest that crop production and the long traveled distances are the main factors in the environmental impact. We also concluded that the greater the amount of product transported in a trip, the lower the environmental impact.

Explanatory Analysis of Factors Influencing the Support for Sustainable Food Production and Distribution Systems: Results from a Rural Canadian Community

Investigating the viability of alternative food networks (AFNs) is more important than before because of the disruptions in global supply chains and evolving resident composition in different regions. In this regard, this paper reports on findings of a project aimed at identifying factors influencing support for local, sustainable food production, and distribution systems. In the first phase, local residents and international students in Cape Breton, Canada, were surveyed prior to the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to assess their attitudes and values relative to shopping at farmers markets and buying local. In the second phase, mid-pandemic, text mining of Twitter data was used to gauge sentiments related to these same activities. The results of our explanatory analysis suggest that the top two factors influencing decisions to buy local farm products were food attributes and supporting community economic development. In contrast to previous studies, we included an alternate sample group, namely, international students, and explored the relevance of the social aspect of buying local, e.g., meeting the farmer. Among our findings from the application of a logistics regression model to our survey data (N = 125) is the suggestion that the senior non-international student residents of the Cape Breton Island were more probable to be in the category of consumers whose perception of an authentic buy-local experience was limited to distribution channels that allowed for the social aspect of buying local, e.g., meeting the farmer.