Diverse Food Research Articles

A comprehensive review: Impact of oleogel application on food texture and sensory properties.

Oleogels, characterized by their semisolid matrix formed from liquid oil structured by gelators, are emerging as a pivotal innovation in food formulation, primarily due to their capacity to enhance the nutritional profile of products by incorporating healthier fats. This review explored the integration of oleogels into diverse food matrices, examining their impact on texture, mouthfeel, and overall sensory characteristics. Through an extensive analysis of current research, this paper illustrates the versatility of oleogels created with a variety of structuring agents across different food applications. It also addresses the challenges inherent in the use of oleogels, including the preservation of their stability and consistency through varying storage and processing conditions, navigating the regulatory landscape concerning oleogelator safety and acceptability, and confronting higher production costs. Overall, this comprehensive review highlights the potential of oleogels as a promising tool for achieving desirable textural and sensory attributes in food products while also identifying areas for future research and development.

Possible interactions between selected food processing and medications.

The impact of food processing on drug absorption, metabolism, and subsequent pharmacological activity is a pressing yet insufficiently explored area of research. Overlooking food-processing-drug interactions can significantly disrupt optimal clinical patient management. The challenges extend beyond merely considering the type and timing of food ingestion as to drug uptake; the specific food processing methods applied play a pivotal role. This study delves into both selected thermal and non-thermal food processing techniques, investigating their potential interference with the established pharmacokinetics of medications. Within the realm of thermal processing, conventional methods like deep fat frying, grilling, or barbecuing not only reduce the enteric absorption of drugs but also may give rise to side-products such as acrylamide, aldehydes, oxysterols, and oxyphytosterols. When produced in elevated quantities, these compounds exhibit enterotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects, potentially impacting the metabolism of various medications. Of note, a variety of thermal processing is frequently adopted during the preparation of diverse traditional herbal medicines. Conversely, circumventing high heat through innovative approaches (e.g., high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, plasma technology), opens new avenues to improve food quality, efficiency, bioavailability, and sustainability. However, it is crucial to exercise caution to prevent the excessive uptake of active compounds in specific patient categories. The potential interactions between food processing methods and their consequences, whether beneficial or adverse, on drug interactions can pose health hazards in certain cases. Recognizing this knowledge gap underscores the urgency for intensified and targeted scientific inquiry into the multitude of conceivable interactions among food composition, processing methods, and pharmaceutical agents. A thorough investigation into the underlying mechanisms is imperative. The complexity of this field requires substantial scrutiny and collaborative efforts across diverse domains, including medicine, pharmacology, nutrition, food science, food technology, and food engineering.

Investigating the impact of boiling and pressure cooking on resistant starch levels in food

SummaryResistant starch (RS) has been shown to manipulate food digestion and nutrient metabolism as well as being important in promoting gut health. However, the presence of RS varies across diverse food systems depending upon process conditions. To investigate this, chickpeas, potatoes, arrowroots, unripe bananas and oats were subjected to boiling and pressure cooking at various cooking durations and the RS% was determined. After 45 min of boiling and 15 min of pressure cooking, RS% of chickpeas increased by ~29% and ~41%, respectively. Increasing the cooking time, together with boiling and pressure cooking, led to higher RS% in chickpeas, mainly due to the retrogradation of starch after gelatinisation. In contrast, boiling and pressure cooking led to a reduction in RS% for potatoes, arrowroots, unripe bananas and oats, while a further decrease was encountered with the increase in processing time. After 45 min of boiling, RS% of potatoes, arrowroots, unripe bananas, and oats were reduced by 58%, 22%, 80% and 70%, respectively. After 15 min of pressure cooking, RS% of potatoes, arrowroots and unripe bananas were reduced by 41%, 22% and 83%, respectively. This was mainly due to the disruption of the ordered structure of starch molecules during thermal processing in the presence of water. This study clearly elucidates the impact of boiling and pressure cooking on RS% as a function of processing time and type of RS source.

Contribution of Food from Market Purchases and Home Production to Child Nutrient Intake: Evidence from the EFFECTS Study Baseline Data

BackgroundChild undernutrition is prevalent in Tanzania, and households rely primarily on local markets and home production as food sources. However, little is known about the contribution of food market purchases to nutrient intakes among children consuming complementary foods. ObjectivesTo quantify the relationships between diversity of foods purchased and produced by households and adequate child nutrient intake in Mara, Tanzania. MethodsCross-sectional baseline dietary and household food source data from the Engaging Fathers for Effective Child Nutrition and Development in Tanzania study were collected from mothers of 586 children aged 9–23 mo clustered in 80 villages in Mara, Tanzania. We conducted mixed effects linear regressions to quantify the association between the diversity of foods consumed at home, from market purchases and home production, and nutrient intake adequacy (based on 24-h food recalls). ResultsChildren had inadequate diets, with fewer than half of children consuming adequate amounts of vitamin A, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B9 (folate), calcium, iron, and zinc. Breastfeeding was associated with higher overall mean adequacy (b = 0.15–0.19 across models, P < 0.001). Diversity of foods purchased was positively associated with the intake of vitamin B12 and calcium (both P < 0.001); this effect was attenuated among breastfed children. Among nonbreastfed children, production diversity was positively associated with vitamin A intake (b=0.04; P < .05) but not with intake of other nutrients. ConclusionsBoth household food purchase and food production diversities were positively associated with children’s nutrient intake in rural Mara, Tanzania. Nutrition programming should consider the role of food markets in addition to home food production to improve child diets.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03759821, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03759821.

Effectiveness of personalized meal recommendation in improving dietary behaviors of Chinese community-dwelling elders: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

BackgroundInappropriate eating behaviors, particularly a lack of food diversity and poor diet quality, have a significant impact on the prognosis of certain chronic conditions and exacerbate these conditions in the community-dwelling elderly population. Current dietary interventions for the elderly have not adequately considered the nutritional needs associated with multiple chronic conditions and personal dietary preferences of elderly individuals. A personalized recommendation system has been recognized as a promising approach to address this gap. However, its effectiveness as a component of an elderly-targeted dietary intervention in real-world settings remains unknown. Additionally, it is unclear whether this intervention approach will be user-friendly for the elderly. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of a personalized meal recommendation system designed to improve dietary behavior in community-dwelling elders. The implementation process in terms of System usability and satisfaction will also be assessed.MethodsThe trial has been designed as a 6-month, non-blinded, parallel two-arm trial. One hundred fifty community-dwelling elders who meet the eligibility criteria will be enrolled. Subjects will be allocated to either the intervention group, receiving personalized meal recommendations and access to corresponding food provided as one component of the intervention, as well as health education on elder nutrition topics, or the control group, which will receive nutritional health education lectures. Outcomes will be measured at three time points: baseline at 0 months, 3 months, and 6 months. The primary outcomes will include dietary diversity (DDS) and diet quality (CDGI-E) of enrolled community-dwelling elders, representing their dietary behavior improvement, along with dietary behavior adherence to recommended meals. Secondary outcomes will measure the perceived acceptability and usability of the personalized meal recommendation system for the intervention group. Exploratory outcomes will include changes in the nutritional status and anthropometric measurements of the community-dwelling elders.DiscussionThis study aims to examine the effectiveness, acceptability, and usability of a personalized meal recommendation system as a data-driven dietary intervention to benefit community-dwelling elders. The successful implementation will inform the future development and integration of digital health strategies in daily nutrition support for the elderly.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2300074912. Registered on August 20, 2023, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=127583

First evidence of feeding on micromammals and fish by a cyprinid species (Squalius carolitertii) in lacustrine food webs

The consumption of resources at multiple trophic levels reflects the omnivorous behaviour of various species. Despite the importance of omnivory in food web structure and stability, there are still few observational data to assess the omnivorous role of species in food webs. We first assessed the feeding of two cyprinid [northern Iberian chub (Squalius carolitertii) and northern straight-mouth nase (Pseudochondrostoma duriense)] and one salmonid (brown trout Salmo trutta) species in a mountain lake of the Iberian Peninsula, and then we studied the omnivorous behaviour and niche partitioning of the cyprinid species. A noteworthy result was the consumption of micromammals by northern Iberian chub. This species showed a high trophic flexibility feeding on diverse food types (detritus, vegetal rests, zooplankton, aquatic insects, terrestrial insects, micromammals and small fish), whereas northern straight-mouth nase fed mostly on detritus. We observed that the consumption of zooplankton decreased with increasing fish length in northern Iberian chub, whereas no evidence for ontogenetic dietary shifts were observed for northern straight-mouth nase. Brown trout fed only on cyprinids, acting as top predator in the studied mountain lake. Despite high dietary overlap between omnivorous cyprinids, our analyses suggested that omnivorous behaviour and ontogenetic dietary shifts of northern Iberian chub can be an important adaptive feature that may reduce food competition and enable species coexistence in mountain lakes. Our study shows that endemic omnivorous cyprinids can exploit alternative energy pathways and underlines the importance of omnivorous species as promoters of stability in lacustrine food webs. We highlight that the importance of occasional pulses of allochthonous energy sources fueling lacustrine food webs, such as micromammals and terrestrial insects, represent a particularly promising area for future research.

Overall diet quality, food groups and mental health disorders among Brazilians older than 15 years old: Brazilian National Health Survey – 2019

BackgroundAdherence to a nutrient-dense diet can have an impact on depression and other mental health issues. Little is known whether this is attributed to some or all components and how these differ in a country that is known to have a vast diversity of nutrient-dense foods. The aim was to examine whether there is a relationship between individual food groups with depression and other mental health disorders. MethodsData was from 89,955 Brazilians from the National Health Survey. Mental health and diet were accessed using a screener questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were calculated. ResultsPersons living with depression had significantly lower diet scores for vegetables/fruits (β = −0.08, 95 % CI -0.13, −0.02), grains/roots (β = -0.05; 95%CI (−0.07, −0.03)), beans (β = -0.03; 95%CI (−0.04, −0.01)) and higher scores for sweetened beverages (β = 0.04; 95%CI (0.01, 0.07)), sweets and sugars (β = 0.03; 95%CI (0.01, 0.05) and high fat/sodium products (β = 0.04; 9%CI (0.01, 0.07). Individuals living with other mental disorders showed lower scores for grains/roots (β = -0.03; 95%CI (−0.06, −0.01)) and higher scores for sweets and sugars (β = 0.06; 95%CI (0.03, 0.09)) and high fat/sodium products (β = 0.05; 95%CI (0.01, 0.09)). ConclusionPeople with mental health disorders are more likely to have an unhealthy diet. Relationships were slightly stronger with depression in particular food groups as other mental disorders. Further studies are needed to help in the prevention of these disorders.

Innovations in pet nutrition: investigating diverse formulations and varieties of pet food: mini review

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of innovations in pet food products, focusing on kibbles, chews, and treats. Kibbles, which are processed dry dog food, play a crucial role in the pet food industry, with ongoing efforts to enhance their formulation to improve dental health and increase pet preference. Coated kibbles introduce a novel approach with a core and coating, offering a customizable composition of proteins, binders, carbohydrates, and fats. These innovations aim to meet the diverse nutritional needs of pets while improving palatability and health benefits.

Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolates and the Microbiome of Cincalok, Tempoyak, and Mandai: A Traditional Fermented Food from Kalimantan Island, Indonesia.

Indonesia has abundant traditional fermented food with various lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which can be developed into probiotics for pharmaceutical and functional food and feed products. This research is aimed at (1) obtaining and identifying LAB isolates and (2) studying the microbiome (bacterial diversity and abundance) of spontaneously-fermented traditional foods of Kalimantan Island, Cincalok, Tempoyak, and Mandai. To obtain LAB isolates, food samples were serially diluted and inoculated on MRS agar that contained 1% CaCO3 (MRSA). Isolates forming clear zones were purified and identified by DNA barcoding. The microbiome was studied using genomic-sequencing techniques and analysed for taxonomic composition. Seven pure isolates were obtained from Cincalok, two Tempoyak, and one Mandai. DNA barcoding revealed that the Cincalok seven isolates were Staphylococcus carnosus (strain HSP-S16), Tetragenococcus halophilus (FSB201), Corynebacterium phoceense, Vagococcus vulneris (SS1995), Enterococcus faecalis (S11-6), Pisciglobus halotolerans (C01), and Priestia filamentosa (P3.1); two from Tempoyak, Levilactobacillus brevis (E1D3BL1) and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (UMCC-2996); and one from Mandai, Staphylococcus cohnii (XAAS.x13; non-LAB). The T. halophilus, E. faecalis, P. halotolerans, L. brevis, and L. plantarum belong to LAB. The P. halotolerans from Cincalok and non-LAB in these three fermented foods were the first documented report. The microbiome revealed the dominance of Firmicutes phyla in the fermented foods, with 93% in Cincalok, 89.94% in Tempoyak, and 60.32% in Mandai. On the genus level, Cincalok was dominated by Tetragenococcus 40.33%, Anaerococcus 23.29%, Vagococcus 9.27%, and Lactobacillus 6.84%. Meanwhile, Tempoyak was dominated only by Lactobacillus 89.94%. Mandai were dominated by Lactobacillus 31.97%, Proteus 17.14%, Aerococcus 16.85%, Mangrovibacter 15.15%, and Vagococcus 6.2%. However, Mandai's microbiome LAB was not culturable/isolated on MRSA. The plausibility is that those unculturable LAB require coculturing with other bacteria and additional media components to grow on MRSA. This study is the first report regarding the microbiome of Cincalok, Tempoyak, and Mandai, along with their culturable LAB isolates.

Trade-offs constrain the success of glyphosate-free farming

Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide, is linked with environmental harm and there is a drive to replace it in agricultural systems. We model the impacts of discontinuing glyphosate use and replacing it with cultural control methods. We simulate winter wheat arable systems reliant on glyphosate and typical in northwest Europe. Removing glyphosate was projected to increase weed abundance, herbicide risk to the environment, and arable plant diversity and decrease food production. Weed communities with evolved resistance to non-glyphosate herbicides were not projected to be disproportionately affected by removing glyphosate, despite the lack of alternative herbicidal control options. Crop rotations with more spring cereals or grass leys for weed control increased arable plant diversity. Stale seedbed techniques such as delayed drilling and choosing ploughing instead of minimum tillage had varying effects on weed abundance, food production, and profitability. Ploughing was the most effective alternative to glyphosate for long-term weed control while maintaining production and profit. Our findings emphasize the need for careful consideration of trade-offs arising in scenarios where glyphosate is removed. Integrated Weed Management (IWM) with more use of cultural control methods offers the potential to reduce chemical use but is sensitive to seasonal variability and can incur negative environmental and economic impacts.

Does productive safety net program enhance livelihoods? Insights from vulnerable households in Wolaita zone, Ethiopia.

The impact of Productive Safety Net Programs (PSNPs) on food security, poverty, and livelihoods has been examined in several studies. While some studies found positive impacts on food security and agricultural productivity, there are still gaps in understanding the long-term effects of these programs on poverty reduction and food security. This study aims to investigate the impact of PSNP on the livelihood of beneficiaries based on indicators including access to basic services, income, expenditure on food, adaptive capacity, and dietary diversity. This article used quasi-experimental design and treatment effects model taking into account access to basic services, income, food expenditure, assets, adaptive capacity, and household dietary diversity as outcome variables of interest. 300 respondents were randomly selected from the population of safety net beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries in the study area. Out of the 300 respondents, 150 were selected as the treatment group, who were beneficiaries of the safety net program. The algorithms used in analysis include regression adjustment, inverse probability weighing and propensity score matching. The study's results reveal that the PSNP has no statistically significant impact on access to basic services and income based on all three algorithms, yet it does show a significant and negative effect on food expenditure and assets. The coefficients across all three models consistently demonstrate this negative impact, underscoring its statistical significance at the conventional significance level (p = 0.05). This suggests that the PSNP leads to a reduction in food expenditure. Furthermore, the analysis highlights substantial differences between PSNP members and non-members across all three variables, with non-members having higher mean values for assets. This difference is statistically significant at the 1% level, suggesting that membership in the PSNP has a tangible impact on asset ownership. The study's mixed findings emphasize the complexities of designing effective social protection programs that can adequately address the multifaceted nature of poverty.

Optimized extraction of polyphenols from tea factory waste and cost-effective drying methods for sustainable utilization

This study systematically addresses the significance of polyphenol extraction and preservation from factory tea waste, aiming to unlock its untapped potential by emphasizing sustainability and resource efficiency. Tea, renowned for its rich content of polyphenols and their notable antioxidant properties, serves as a reservoir of valuable organic compounds. However, in the realm of tea processing, a substantial volume of waste is generated, often subject to environmentally detrimental disposal practices. Delving into the substantial waste generated in tea processing, the research optimizes polyphenol extraction parameters using water as a solvent, establishing optimal conditions at 80 °C, 60 min, and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:30 (g/mL). At the optimized condition, the recorded polyphenol content was 2635.36 ± 52.07 mg GAE/L, highlighting the efficacy of the established parameters. The study validates the predicted responses of the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) model, identifies major polyphenols through LC-MS, confirms antioxidant activity via DPPH assay, and evaluates the biocompatibility of the tea waste polyphenolic extract with HEK 293 cells through MTT assay. The study employed four distinct drying methods—freeze drying, hot air over-drying, vacuum drying, and microwave drying. To preserve the quality of the TPC in the powder, optimization of drying time and temperature was undertaken. Notably, among these methods, vacuum drying at 50 °C emerged as the most cost-efficient drying option, amounting to $1.77/g of TPC powder, while concurrently maintaining a TPC value of 163.63 ± 5.43 mg GAE/g DW. This sustainable approach holds promise for diverse applications, including nutraceuticals, food preservation, cosmetics, and environmental remediation, aligning with global sustainability goals.

Optimization of fermentation parameters and their impact on the final properties of the cereal-legume-based fermented product

The enhancement of food diversification through the utilization of underutilized crops is imperative at both national and household levels due to their inherent high nutritional value. Employing fermentation technology stands out as a promising approach for processing these crops at the household scale. Fermented foods exhibit attributes conducive to maintaining a healthy dietary regimen, as they are abundant in nutrients, cost-effective, easy to produce, and serve as potent sources of proteins and other essential dietary components for alleviating protein malnutrition, particularly in children. In the current study, experiments were conducted to standardise the process for formulating idli batter using blends of barnyard millet, black gram, and black soybean, employing fermentation technology. The experimental design followed the Box-Behnken approach, encompassing three levels of predicted variables: particle size (400, 500, and 600 μ), temperature (28, 32, and 36 °C), and fermentation time (8, 10, and 12 h). Various properties of the resultant idli batter influenced by fermentation parameters, including batter volume, pH, titratable acidity, and density, were meticulously examined. The observed batter volume ranged from 1 to 67 mL, pH from 5.7 to 4.58, titratable acidity from 0.36 to 0.67%, and density from 1.09 to 0.63 g/cm3. The optimal particle size of 400 μ, coupled with a fermentation temperature of 34.5 °C and a fermentation time of 12 h, yielded maximal expansion in batter volume, thereby contributing to the preparation of idli of superior quality. Additionally, the fermentation kinetics of the optimized batter were investigated to elucidate the growth patterns of microorganisms involved in the fermentation process.

A Scoping Review on Carotenoid Profiling in Passiflora spp.: A Vast Avenue for Expanding the Knowledge on the Species.

The Passiflora genus is recognised for its ethnopharmacological, sensorial, and nutritional significance. Yet, the screening of its dietary and bioactive molecules has mainly targeted hydrophilic metabolites. Following the PRISMA-P protocol, this review assessed the current knowledge on carotenoid composition and analysis within Passiflora, examining 968 records from seven databases and including 17 studies focusing on carotenoid separation and identification in plant parts. Those publications originated in America and Asia. P. edulis was the most frequently examined species of a total of ten, while pulp was the most studied plant part (16 studies). Carotenoid analysis involved primarily high-performance liquid chromatography separation on C18 columns and detection using diode array detectors (64.71%). Most studies identified the provitamin A β-carotene and xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin, with their geometric configuration often neglected. Only one study described carotenoid esters. Besides the methodology's insufficient description, the lack of use of more accurate techniques and practices led to a high risk of bias in the carotenoid assignment in 17.65% of the articles. This review highlights the opportunity to broaden carotenoid studies to other species and parts within the diverse Passiflora genus, especially to wild, locally available fruits, which may have a strategic role in enhancing food diversity and security amidst climatic changes. Additionally, it urges the use of more accurate and efficient analytical methods based on green chemistry to better identify Passiflora carotenoids.

Development and Application of Four Foodborne Pathogens by TaqMan Multiplex Real-Time PCR.

A TaqMan multiplex real-time PCR (mRT-PCR) was developed to detect simultaneously Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes in food samples. The method involves four sets of primers and probes tailored to the unique DNA sequences found in the invA, nuc, rfbE, and hly genes of each pathogen. The generated standard curves, correlating gene copy numbers with Ct values, demonstrated high accuracy (R2 > 0.99) and efficiency (92%-104%). Meanwhile, the limit of detection was 100 CFU/mL for the four target bacteria in artificially contaminated food samples after 6-8 h of enrichment. The assay's effectiveness was further verified by testing 80 naturally contaminated food samples, showing results largely in agreement with traditional culture methods. Overall, this newly developed TaqMan mRT-PCR, inclusive of a pre-enrichment step, proves to be a dependable and effective tool for detecting single or multiple pathogens in diverse food items, offering significant potential for in vitro diagnostics.

Resource diversity mitigates the effects of intraspecific competition in co-occurring cryptic nematode species

Intraspecific competition and resource diversity are considered major drivers of niche differentiation, which are expected to promote population niche expansion by driving individuals to feed on alternative resources and/or by enhancing individual diet specialization. Nevertheless, experimental studies on the interaction effects of both factors on animal behavior and population dynamics remain scant. Here, we investigate how resource diversity alters the impact of intraspecific competition on resource preference and fitness of three co-occurring cryptic species of the marine nematode complex Litoditis marina (Pm I, Pm III and Pm IV). For each cryptic species, two competition regimes (‘low nematode density’ and ‘high nematode density’) were established in microcosms with varying resource diversity (E. coli, low-, medium- and high-diversity food). Our results show differences in resource preference and population fitness depending on intraspecific competition and resource diversity, but the response also varied considerably between cryptic species. Pm III did not exhibit resource preference under low intraspecific competition, but preferred the two most diverse food sources under high intraspecific competition. Pm IV also showed preference for medium-diversity food under high competition, whereas no resource preference was observed in Pm I regardless of competition regimes and resource diversity. Nevertheless, all cryptic species exhibited enhanced adult population growth on a more diverse food source under stronger intraspecific competition. These results indicate that resource diversity can alleviate intraspecific competition and affect niche diversification, which may impact diversity maintenance in ecological communities.

The Role of Root and Tuber Crops on Food Diversification Facing the Climate Change in East Java Indonesia

Root and tuber crops consisting of cassava, sweet potato, potato, taro and others root and tubers have the important roles as the source of food, nutrition and cash income for many farmers in Indonesia. These crops also as a source of carbohydrates beside rice, corn, cereals, wheat etc. Root and tuber crops are the second most important group of crop plants after the cereals. The government of Indonesia accelerate food diversification based on local food resources, especially facing the climate change. The objective of this study was to estimate the role of root and tuber crops on food diversification and to estimate the household root and tuber crops demand in East Java Indonesia. The research used SUSENAS (Indonesian National Socio-Economic Survey) 2020 data with 31.990 household respondents in East Java Indonesia. Demand for food was estimated by AIDS (Almost Ideal Demand System) model. The results show that the average consumption for root and tuber crops was 0,69 kg/household/week (11,23% from carbohydrates foods), whereas rice consumption amount 4,86 kg/household/week (79,68 %), maize amount 0,25 kg/household/week (4,13%) and cereals amount 0,3 kg/household/week (4,96%). The expenditure elasticity of root and tuber crops was 1,36, while the expenditure elasticity of rice amount 0,78 (normal food), maize (1,41) and cereals (1,27). The expenditure elasticity more than 1 means that root and tuber crops as a superior food, also for maize and cereals. People no longer considers that root and tuber crops to be an inferior food. The root and tuber crops consumptions have the highest proportion after rice. It can be mean that root and tuber crops have the important role on food diversification in East Java Indonesia. Facing the climate change, root and tuber crops development be a right decision, moreover, root and tuber crops can be planted on dry land which is still widely available in Indonesia.

IJCM_322A: A Study on Nutritional Status and its Determinants among Under-Five Children in Brick-kilns of a Rural Area of Hooghly District, West Bengal

Background: Brick-kiln workers’ children face elevated malnutrition risk from limited healthcare, poor facilities, poverty, infections, nutritional deficits, and awareness gaps, complicating intervention efforts due to their migratory work. Objectives: 1. To assess the nutritional status of under-5 children in brick kilns of a rural area of Hooghly district, West Bengal 2. To find out the factors associated with the nutritional status of the study participants. Methodology: A setting based cross-sectional study was conducted with simple two-stage cluster sampling in selected brick kilns of a rural area of Singur, Hooghly district, West Bengal from June to December 2023 among 162 participants. Participants were interviewed after obtaining informed consent about socio demography, Immunisation, WASH practices (WHO/ UNICEF JMP), dietary diversity (IDDS) and Household Food insecurity (HFIAS). Quantitative analysis was done using SPSS v16. Thematic analysis was done for qualitative strand and is still under process. Ethical approval was taken from Institutional Ethics Committee of AIIH&amp;PH, Kolkata. Results: One-third of the children were more than 2 years old while male: female ratio was 1:1. 60% caregivers were illiterate. Stunting, underweight and Wasting was found to be 64%, 45%, 26% respectively. WASH practices were found inadequate for water practices (20%), sanitary practices (41%) &amp; hygiene (50%). Still one-fourth of the participants were not fully immunised. Food diversity was absent in half of the participants while two-third participants were found to be food insecure. Maternal malnutrition, unimproved sanitary &amp; hygiene practices, incomplete immunization, dietary diversity and household food insecurity were found to be significant (p value &lt;0.05). Conclusion: The study revealed poor immunization status, malnutrition in children of Brick kiln workers. There is an urgent need for strengthening the health and nutritional interventional programmes for children of migratory population.

Children’s evaluations of culturally diverse lunchbox foods

Previous research indicates that children make ingroup–outgroup judgments based on notions of food conventionality and that ethnic minority children have been teased or bullied for bringing non-conventional foods to school. This series of three studies experimentally investigated U.S. school-age children’s evaluations of culturally diverse lunchbox foods. Study 1 examined an online sample of children aged 5 to 12 years and their evaluations of foods from four cultures (mainstream American, Chinese, Indian, and Mexican) on the taste, smell, and messiness of the food, the appropriateness of bringing the food to school, and whether “cool kids” eat the food. Compared with the mainstream American lunchbox, children rated the Chinese, Indian, and Mexican lunchboxes as less tasty, more messy, and less likely that cool kids would bring those foods to school. In Studies 2 and 3, we examined children’s behavioral choices in a hypothetical cafeteria. In both studies, we found that the match between children’s own lunch preferences and what was displayed in the mainstream American lunchbox was the only predictor of children’s choice to sit at the table with the American lunchbox. Individual variables (e.g., child age, food pickiness) and contextual variables (e.g., neighborhood diversity) did not predict children’s table choices. This research highlights children’s understanding of familiarity and conventionality of foods and the social consequences of their behavioral choices.

Does organic farming jeopardize food security of farm households in Benin?

The prevalence of organic farming and other sustainability standards is increasing around the globe. While effects of organic farming on productivity, income, and poverty alleviation have been analyzed in numerous empirical studies, its effects on food security are barely understood. Using data from smallholder cotton farmers in Benin, we aim to empirically investigate how adopting organic farming affects their food security. According to our results, organic farming is conditionally associated with a notably lower experienced food security and a slightly lower dietary diversity and consumption of vitamin A-rich foods. Evaluating pathways, we find that the negative conditional association between organic farming and food security is a result of a lower household income of organic farms due to lower income from cotton farming given a smaller land area cultivated with cotton, while a larger land area cultivated with food crops cannot fully compensate for the reduced income from cotton farming. This alarming result illustrates the need for evaluating and eventually improving programs for organic farming in developing countries to ensure that good intentions for more sustainable production practices do not jeopardize the livelihoods of vulnerable smallholder farmers.