Food Experiences Research Articles

Gastronomic manifestation in the function of branding a tourist destination

PurposeThe paper examines the role and significance of gastronomic manifestations in the context of destination branding, within the framework of image transfer mechanisms and the Associative Network Memory Model.Design/methodology/approachThe research was conducted on a sample of 53 gastronomic events in the tourist destination of Vojvodina.FindingsThe results indicate that gastronomic manifestations image has a positive impact on the brand image and brand identity of the destination, as well as the destination's overall image. Furthermore, the study found that the food experience has a positive influence on the image of gastronomic events and the destination.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the advancement of research on tourist destination branding.

Memorable tourism experience of heritage-local food on tourist behavior: Mediating role of destination image and satisfaction

The primary purpose of this research is to find out how memorable tourism experiences influence revisit intention and recommendation intention of tourists who have visited to enjoy historical tourism and taste Rajamangsa local cuisine in Kebondalem Kidul Cultural Tourism Village, with destination image and satisfaction as mediating factors. This research uses a quantitative and descriptive-analytical approach, using a 5-point Likert scale for measurement. Non-probability sampling, specifically judgment sampling, was used to collect primary data. The sample consisted of 245 tourist respondents who had visited to enjoy historical tourism and taste Rajamangsa local cuisine in Kebondalem Kidul Cultural Tourism Village. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 3.2.9 was used as the analysis tool. The findings of this study indicate that memorable tourism experiences directly influence destination image, travel satisfaction, local food tasting, and revisit intention when visiting Kebondalem Kidul Cultural Tourism Village. In addition, destination image travel satisfaction and local food tasting partially mediate between memorable tourism experiences and revisit intention and fully mediate between memorable tourism experiences and recommendation intention of tourists in cultural tourism destinations. This research highlights the positive impact of memorable tourism experiences on revisit intentions, destination perceptions, and traveller satisfaction. The practical implications are significant for tourism management in increasing satisfaction and building a positive destination image. However, this study has limitations regarding location coverage and online data collection methods. Future research must consider geographic variation, data collection methods, and other factors influencing tourism experiences.

An examination of relevant factors attributable to child health, food behavior, and lifestyle concerns of parents with infants aged at least 18 months: With a view to expanding into Shokuiku (food and nutrition education)

Objectives This study focused on food after weaning and examined the children's diet and home environmental factors that influence parents' concerns during health checkup for infants (aged 1.6 and 3 years).Methods In the analysis, 646 participants, excluding invalid responses, who cooperated with the survey during health checkup for 1.6- and 3-year-old in the Tohoku, Chubu, and Chugoku regions from March 2019 to January 2020, were included. The survey included 56 items of dietary, lifestyle, and health concerns (yes/no answers), child attributes, and frequency of food intake (six options, 18 types). Concern factors were extracted by factor analysis. The association between the worry scores and each factor was analyzed.Results The 1.6- and 3-year-olds were associated with high scores for (health awareness and lifestyle) and low fruit intake, high salty snacks intake, and low subjective economic status, high scores for (diet content and atmosphere) and low intakes of carotene-rich vegetables, other vegetables, seaweed, and fruits, high scores for (interest and motivation in food) and low carotene-rich vegetables intake, high scores for (food experience and behavior) and high cereals (bread) intake, low subjective economic status. The 3-year-olds were associated with high scores and being boys.Conclusion We extracted four worry factors that parents with children after the weaning period have and clarified the factors related to each factor and group characteristics.

Turystyka kulinarna. Perspektywy i doświadczenia dwóch krajów – Wietnamu i Polski

This article aims to showcase the perspectives and experiences of street food in Vietnam and Poland. While the tapestry and historicity of street food tourism is variegated in the two countries, its prevalence and persistence are enduring in both countries. The methodology used to compile this conceptual article included a survey and observations by two of the authors. The findings indicate the embedment of street food tourism in the lives and cultures of both countries. Growth in Poland can be ascribed to experimentation with luxurious and “foreign” cuisines in the mix. In Vietnam, food served in the streets is traditional, and the settings are commonplace, simple and ordinary, against a backdrop of human and traffic congestion. The occasional mobile vendor with bamboo sticks and baskets, push carts and bicycles/motorcycles complements. In Poland, the traditional dishes take a regional character because of the country’s historical legacy, and natural climatic conditions. Overall, Poles have shown an affinity to prepare and eat food at home. The upsurge in street food in Poland can be attributed to changing lifestyles, increasing incomes and women taking up professional jobs. For policy, it is clear that government has a big role to play especially in regulating street food as a health issue and ensuring public safety on the streets.

Lower Perceived Neighborhood Collective Efficacy Indirectly Influences the Association Between Perceived Maternal Exposure to Community Violence and Household Food Insecurity.

Individuals of color and of low socioeconomic status are at greater risk of experiencing community violence and food insecurity, which are both influenced by neighborhood conditions. We evaluated neighborhood collective efficacy as a linkage between community violence exposure and household food insecurity. Mothers from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study who completed phone surveys when the child was 3 (time 1, T1) and 5 years old (time 2, T2) were included (n = 2068). A covariate-adjusted structural equation model estimated direct and indirect effects of community violence exposure on household food insecurity. A covariate-adjusted multiple mediator model estimated the indirect effects of the 2 neighborhood collective efficacy subscales (informal social control; social cohesion and trust). At T1, 40% of mothers reported community violence exposure; 15% experienced food insecurity at T2. Mean neighborhood collective efficacy (range 1-5) at T1 was 2.44 (SD = 0.94). Neighborhood collective efficacy indirectly influenced the association between community violence exposure and food insecurity (indirect effect = 0.022, 95% CI = 0.007 to 0.040). Only social cohesion and trust contributed independent variance to the indirect effect model (indirect effect = 0.028, 95% CI = 0.001 to 0.056). Community-based efforts to reduce household food insecurity should emphasize building social cohesion and trust in communities experiencing violence.

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.

The Global Burden of Suicidal Behavior Among People Experiencing Food Insecurity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

IntroductionFood insecurity has become a growing burden within a global context where climate change, catastrophes, wars, and insurgencies are increasingly prevalent. Several studies have reported an association between suicidal behaviors (i.e., suicide ideation, plans, and attempts) and food insecurity. This meta-analytic review for the first time, synthesized the available literature to determine the pooled prevalence of suicidal behaviors among individuals experiencing food insecurity, and examined the strength of their association.ObjectivesTo determine the pooled prevalence of suicidal behaviors among individuals experiencing food insecurity, and examine the strength of their association.MethodsDatabases (Ovid, PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL) were searched using the appropriate search term from inception to July 2022. Eligible studies reporting the number/prevalence of suicidal behaviors among individuals experiencing food insecurity or the association between food insecurity and suicidal behaviors were included. The pooled prevalence of suicidal behaviors was determined using the random-effects model. The review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022352858).ResultsA total of 47 studies comprising 75,346 individuals having experienced food insecurity were included. The pooled prevalence was 22.3% for suicide ideation (95% CI: 14.7-29.9; I2=99.6%, p<0.001, k=18), 18.1% for suicide plans (95% CI: 7.0-29.1; I2=99.6%, p<0.001, k=4), 17.2% for suicide attempts (95% CI: 9.6-24.8; I2=99.9%, p<0.001, k=12), and 4.6% for unspecified suicidal behavior (95% CI: 2.8-6.4; I2=85.5%, p<0.001, k=5). There was a positive relationship between experiencing food insecurity and (i) suicide ideation (aOR=1.049 [95% CI: 1.046-1.052; I2=99.6%, p<0.001, k=31]), (ii) suicide plans (aOR=1.480 [95% CI: 1.465-1.496; I2=99.1%, p<0.001, k=5]), and (iii) unspecified suicide behaviors (aOR=1.133 [95% CI: 1.052-1.219; I2=53.0%, p=0.047, k=6]). However, a negative relationship was observed between experiencing food insecurity and suicide attempts (aOR=0.622 [95% CI: 0.617-0.627; I2 = 98.8%, p<0.001, k=15]). The continent and the countries income status where the study was conducted were the common cause of heterogeneity of the differences in the odds of the relationships between experiencing food insecurity and suicidal behaviors - with North America and high-income countries (HICs) having higher odds. For suicide attempts, all non HICs had a negative relationship with food insecurity.ConclusionsThere is a high prevalence of suicidal behaviors among individuals experiencing food insecurity. Initiatives to reduce food insecurity would likely be beneficial for mental wellbeing and to mitigate the risk of suicidal behaviors among population experiencing food insecurity.The paradoxical finding of suicide attempts having a negative relationship with food insecurity warrants further research.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Evaluation of night eating syndrome and food addiction in esports players.

Esports players' training takes long periods and they sit for a long time during competitions, which increases their risk of obesity and urges them to develop inappropriate eating behaviors. In this study, we aimed to investigate the night-eating syndrome and food addiction in esports players. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 248 esports players who were members of a university's esports community. The study data were collected using an online questionnaire consisting of the descriptive information form, Night Eating Questionnaire, and Yale Food Addiction Scale. The mean age of the sports players participating in the study was 22.19 ± 5.97 years. Of them, 55.6% had a normal body weight, 13.4% were obese, 54.4% played esports for 3 years or more, 13.3% experienced night eating syndrome, and 21.4% experienced food addiction. While the weekly duration of playing esports and skipping meals were associated with night eating syndrome, the weekly duration of playing esports and smoking were associated with food addiction (p < 0.05). Additionally, although there was no statistically significant difference, the risk of food addiction was 2.12 times higher in those with poor perceived sleep quality. We observed that night eating syndrome was very common in esports players and that these individuals were at risk in terms of food addiction. Since esports has a more sedentary structure than traditional sports, we suggest that esports players should be evaluated in terms of their unhealthy eating behaviors and risk of eating disorders.

How do gastronomic festivals trigger behavioral intentions? The role of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being

PurposeGastronomic festivals are important events to bring people together around food-themed activities. This study aimed at determining the relationships between festival quality, memorable food experience, loyalty, behavioral intention, hedonic well-being, and eudaimonic well-being. In this study, festival quality is the independent variable that affects the memorable food experience, the memorable food experience is the independent variable that affects loyalty, and loyalty is the independent variable that affects behavioral intent. Hedonic well-being and eudaimonic well-being are moderating variables. Behavioral intention is the dependent variable, while memorable food experience and loyalty are both dependent and independent variables.Design/methodology/approachThe population consisted of local tourists visiting Orange Blossom Carnival held in Adana, Turkey. The survey technique and the convenience sampling method were preferred and 545 data were obtained.FindingsThe analysis results showed that all dimensions of the memorable food experience are strongly affected by festival quality. Plus, superior service approach and high value perception dimensions of the memorable food experience have significant effects on loyalty. Furthermore, destination loyalty was found to have a strong effect on behavioral intentions. Moreover, higher levels of Hedonic well-being (HWB) and Eudomenic well-being (EWB) were found to increase the effect of loyalty on behavioral intention; accordingly, the moderator roles of HWB and EWB were determined.Practical implicationsThis article provides information that the memorable dining experiences of festival visitors who attend the Orange Blossom Carnival in Adana affect the quality of the festival and their intentions to loyalty. In addition, in the study, it was found that the well-being of carnival visitors had a moderating role in the effect of their loyalty on their behavioral intentions. Therefore, this article provides information on how the food experiences and well-being of the visitors at the gastronomy festival will affect which factors.Originality/valueAccording to the findings, gastronomy-based events may affect tourists’ experiences, and tourists’ psychological well-being affects loyalty and behavioral intentions. Destination management organizations can learn about gastronomy-based festivals. The results of the study include a number of theoretical and practical findings for destination management organizations, festival managers, policy makers and academics working in the literature.

“I’m Doing the Best that I Can”: Mothers Lived Experience with Food Insecurity, Coping Strategies, and Mental Health Implications

BackgroundFood insecurity can have lasting physical and mental health consequences. The experience of food insecurity within a household may disproportionately impact mothers because they tend to manage the household food environment. ObjectiveThis study sought to understand the stresses faced by United States mothers experiencing food insecurity, related coping mechanisms, and the impacts of these stressors on their mental health. MethodsSemistructured interviews were conducted in May and June 2022 with a purposive sample of Virginia mothers who reported experiences of food insecurity. Participants were recruited from a related survey and university and community LISTSERVs. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed by trained coders. A thematic analysis was conducted to describe themes that emerged from the data. Virtual interviews were 20–60 min in duration. Mothers with children living in their household, having experienced food insecurity, and living in Virginia were eligible. ResultsThe following 3 themes emerged from the interviews with the mothers (n = 15): 1) food insecurity added stress to mothers’ lives in multiple ways (e.g. worry about obtaining the “right” foods and internalized or experienced stigma), 2) mothers used positive and negative coping strategies to address the impacts of these stressors (e.g. use of community resources and reduced personal food intake), and 3) the stressors and coping strategies had varying impacts on mothers’ mental health (e.g. added to existing mental health challenges or reduced their mental capacity to make changes). ConclusionsStudy findings suggest that a multilevel and tailored approach to address diverse stressors is warranted. Future research should explore emotional coping strategies that comprehensively empower mothers to manage stressors, leverage resources, and reduce social stigma associated with food insecurity and accessing nutrition and mental health assistance. This may improve their household food security and mitigate the burden of stressors on their mental health because system-level solutions to food insecurity are pursued.

Foodism in Ireland: feeding foodie philosophy or showing a shift in contemporary food culture?

ABSTRACT This paper examines contemporary food culture in Ireland through the phenomenon of foodism and the habits and traits expressed through the subculture of foodies. Elements and actors of the Irish food scene are also considered. Qualitative research was applied to investigate the five research objectives posed. This featured six in-depth interviews with “key informants” from Ireland’s tourism sector, educational sector, food sector, and a state food agency, conducted during 2020. The study draws insights from the fields of cultural studies and sociology. Thematic analysis was applied as part of the methodology process, from which five themes developed from the data findings. These are: (1) An evolving Irish food culture, (2) Two perceptions of Irish food, (3) A breakdown of hierarchies, (4) Influencing factors, (5) State body remits. The primary research reveals that industry experts and academics concur that Irish food and culture have “evolved” from a more traditional cuisine and culture and that these are dynamic entities. In addition, it establishes that there is a “hunger for food” amongst a small but growing cohort of Ireland’s population, who wish to gain information via food media and to access food experiences such as culinary courses, gastro tours and food festival events.

Emotional responses to narrative content: A comparative study on consumer food choice intentions

Influencing consumer food choices has evolved as a multidisciplinary research area that bridges marketing, food science, and sensory experiences. However, little is known about the impact of mixed reality (MR) or interactive content narratives in MR on influencing consumers to make specific food choices. Drawing on narrative transportation theory, the current research examines the effect of MR content narratives on consumer food choice intentions and the underlying mechanism of emotional response. A single-factor between-subjects experiment with four conditions (narrative format: mixed reality, video, audio, text) was conducted with 175 participants. Results revealed a significant indirect effect of media format on food choice intention through emotional response. More specifically, our results demonstrated that, as compared to MR, audio and video narrative formats had negative effects on choice of plant-based foods due to lower levels of consumer happiness and liveliness. Our results also demonstrated that, as compared to MR, audio-based narratives had a positive effect on choice of plant-based foods due to higher levels of consumer distress. The study contributes to literature in immersive technologies and consumer choice by providing empirical evidence of the role of emotions in food choice intentions that can be triggered through mixed reality technology. This can assist restaurateurs and food marketers in leveraging immersive technologies to stimulate the food experience and choice.

Dehydration of Food Materials using Solar Dryer with Mobile App Integration

This study explores the development and integration of a solar dryer system using microcontrollers-NodeMCU and Arduino UNO with a mobile application to enhance the efficiency and user experience of food drying processes. The solar dryer utilizes renewable energy from the sun to dehydrate fruits, vegetables, and other perishable items, contributing to reduced energy consumption and environmental impact. The integration with a mobile app aims to provide users with remote control and monitoring capabilities, making the drying process more convenient and user-friendly. The mobile application allows users to select the specific product to dry and monitor drying parameters such as temperature and humidity levels, providing a customizable and automated experience. The integration of a solar dryer with a mobile app not only enhances the sustainability of food preservation but also promotes efficient resource management. By leveraging the power of renewable energy and smart technology, this system aims to contribute to the global shift towards eco-friendly and technologically advanced solutions for agriculture and food processing. The proposed solar dryer represents a step forward in creating a more sustainable and user-centric approach to food preservation, aligning with the growing demand for innovative solutions in the realm of renewable energy and smart agriculture.

Birth outcomes in relation to neighborhood food access and individual food insecurity during pregnancy in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO)-wide cohort study

BackgroundLimited access to healthy foods, resulting from residence in neighborhoods with low-food access or from household food insecurity, is a public health concern. Contributions of these measures during pregnancy to birth outcomes remain understudied. ObjectivesWe examined associations between neighborhood food access and individual food insecurity during pregnancy with birth outcomes. MethodsWe used data from 53 cohorts participating in the nationwide Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes-Wide Cohort Study. Participant inclusion required a geocoded residential address or response to a food insecurity question during pregnancy and information on birth outcomes. Exposures include low-income-low-food-access (LILA, where the nearest supermarket is >0.5 miles for urban or >10 miles for rural areas) or low-income-low-vehicle-access (LILV, where few households have a vehicle and >0.5 miles from the nearest supermarket) neighborhoods and individual food insecurity. Mixed-effects models estimated associations with birth outcomes, adjusting for socioeconomic and pregnancy characteristics. ResultsAmong 22,206 pregnant participants (mean age 30.4 y) with neighborhood food access data, 24.1% resided in LILA neighborhoods and 13.6% in LILV neighborhoods. Of 1630 pregnant participants with individual-level food insecurity data (mean age 29.7 y), 8.0% experienced food insecurity. Residence in LILA (compared with non-LILA) neighborhoods was associated with lower birth weight [β –44.3 g; 95% confidence interval (CI): –62.9, –25.6], lower birth weight-for-gestational-age z-score (–0.09 SD units; –0.12, –0.05), higher odds of small-for-gestational-age [odds ratio (OR) 1.15; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.33], and lower odds of large-for-gestational-age (0.85; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.94). Similar findings were observed for residence in LILV neighborhoods. No associations of individual food insecurity with birth outcomes were observed. ConclusionsResidence in LILA or LILV neighborhoods during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes. These findings highlight the need for future studies examining whether investing in neighborhood resources to improve food access during pregnancy would promote equitable birth outcomes.

Remembrance of travels past: creating memorable halal food experiences among non-muslim Chinese tourists

ABSTRACT Using stimulus-organism-response theory, this study develops and tests a model of memorable halal food experiences. The model proposes that learning about halal food culture, conviviality, food experience intensification, and experiential satisfaction are important antecedents of a memorable halal food experience, and that destination food image and purchase intention are its major outcomes. Data were collected from 497 non-Muslim Chinese tourists who had partaken in a halal food experience during a trip taking place within the six months preceding data collection (January – June 2023). Data were collected using a questionnaire distributed via WeChat. Numerous statistical techniques were employed to test the proposed relationships, including structural equation modeling. All nine hypotheses were supported. Learning about halal food culture, conviviality, food experience intensification, and experiential satisfaction were found to have positive effects on the memorability of halal food experiences. A positive relationship was also supported between memorable halal food experiences, destination food image, and purchase intention.

Structuring food and wine pairing experiences in an emerging economy – Implications for food and wine pursuits, recreation, and tourism

ABSTRACT By embracing the underpinnings of the structured experience and the experience economy literature, this study explores wine and food consumers in an emerging economy, where change and evolution are distinctive features. Despite a growing literature emphasising the value of food and wine pairings, this leisure activity continues to receive scant academic attention, including in emerging economies where still wine consumption is not an established phenomenon. A questionnaire administered online and targeted to wine and food consumers in various cities in Vietnam elicited 442 valid responses. An exploratory factor analysis revealed the importance of the ‘encompassing’, ‘engaging’, ‘intrinsically rewarding’, and ‘status-oriented’ dimensions. Strong relationships emerged between these dimensions, the structured experience and the experience economy literature. In addition, numerous inter-group differences were confirmed, including the finding that higher levels of income do not determine how consumers perceive their wine and food experiences. The dimensions and associated relationships helped develop a framework that guides the conceptual and practitioner understanding of structured consumer experiences. For instance, the engaging dimension highlights customers’ desire to gain knowledge associated with their experiences, while the intrinsically rewarding dimension points to aspects, including new products, that can address customers’ needs.

What shapes parental feeding decisions over the first 18 months of parenting: Insights into drivers towards commercial and home-prepared foods among different socioeconomic groups in the UK

Infants born into families experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage follow a high-risk trajectory for obesity and poor health in later life. Differences in early childhood food experiences may be contributing to these inequalities. This study aimed to explore the factors that influence parental decisions on when, how and what food to introduce over the first 18 months of their child's life and identify differences according to families' social position. Particular attention was given to social and environmental determinants within and outside the home. This research utilised a longitudinal qualitative methodology, with interviews and photo-elicitation exercises completed by participants when their children were 4–6; 10–12 and 16–18 months of age. Participants were parents (61 mothers; 1 father), distributed across low, medium and high socioeconomic position (SEP). During analysis, observable differences in factors directing parents to home-prepared or commercial foods were identified. Factors that undermined the provision of home-prepared meals included lack of time after returning to work, insufficient support from partners, uncertainty around infant and young child feeding (defined as the introduction and provision of solids) and an implicit trust in the messaging on branded products. These factors directed parents towards commercial foods and were most persistent among families experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage due to barriers accessing formal childcare, less flexible working conditions and fathers being less involved in infant feeding. To facilitate an enabling environment for healthy infant and young child feeding practices and address dietary inequalities, immediate steps that policy makers and healthcare providers can take include: i) changing the eligibility criteria for shared parental leave, ii) aligning claims on commercial infant food labels with international best practices, and iii) improving access to formal childcare.

Neuroscience tools to study the effect of the presentation form on food-evoked emotion for senior population

The elderly population holds significance among consumers because many of them experience alterations in taste and smell or suffer from physical disorders. These factors can lead to reduced food intake, malnutrition, and, consequently, serious health problems. Therefore, there is a need to develop tailored products for seniors, offering both nutrition and appealing foods with easily consumable textures. Among the various characteristics of food, appearance stands out as one of the most critical aspects influencing food preferences and choices. Surprisingly, there is limited knowledge about how food shape affects the holistic emotional responses of seniors. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of food shape on the emotional responses of seniors. This exploration involved the use of explicit methods, such as self-reported questionnaires, and implicit methods, including the measurement of skin conductance responses and facial expressions, as well as their combination. To achieve this goal, we enlisted the participation of 50 individuals (54 % women) from the senior population aged between 55 and 75 years. These participants evaluated two food products with identical sensory characteristics in terms of taste, texture, and flavor. However, these products differed in terms of their shape. We measured their degree of liking and emotional responses using a 7-point hedonic scale, EsSense25, in conjunction with galvanic skin response, and facial expressions, which served as representatives of behavioural and physiological responses. The multivariate analysis allowed to examine sample configurations by gender and establish associations between variables. The combination of implicit and explicit methods led to better discrimination of samples of the same category than the use of each of the methods independently. Although both samples elicited equivalent liking perceptions, they evoked distinct emotional responses, measured at cognitive, physiological, and behavioural levels. In general, men and women experienced different emotions while observing, smelling, handling, or consuming both samples, both consciously and unconsciously. This newfound knowledge could be valuable when designing food products for this demographic. The ultimate goal is to engage consumers and enhance their enjoyment of the food experience by offering more visually appealing food options.

Online Food Ordering System

Online Food Ordering App is an application designed primarily for use in the food delivery industry. This system will allow hotels, restaurants and food courts to increase the scope of business by reducing the labour cost involved. The system also allows to quickly and easily manage an online menu which customers can browse and use to place orders with just few clicks. Admin employees then use these orders through an easy to navigate graphical interface for efficient processing. The online food ordering system provides convenience for the customers. This system increases the takeaway of foods than visitors. The online food ordering app set up menu online and the customers easily places the order with a simple click. Also, with a food menu online you can easily track the orders, maintain customer s database and improve your food delivery service. The proposed system leverages the latest in mobile technology to bridge the gap between restaurants, food enthusiasts, and delivery services. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows users to browse a wide range of cuisine options, explore restaurant menus, customize orders, and place them seamlessly. The system is powered by trending Artificial Intelligence Technologies like Machine Learning, Recommendation Engine, Route optimization for delivery and Image recognition for meal searching. This system will be a culinary companion that will connect users to their favourite food experiences without leaving the comfort of their homes or offices. Its dynamic features make it an indispensable tool for food enthusiasts and a valuable asset for the restaurant industry, creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders involved in the modern gastronomy ecosystem.

Beyond halal: exploring Muslim and non-Muslim tourists’ halal food experiences

PurposeGiven the scarcity of studies regarding religious food as a destination attraction and limited research on tourist halal food experience, this study aims to explore and compare halal food experience perceived by Muslim and non-Muslim tourists in a non-Islamic destination.Design/methodology/approachThis study was carried out in a halal food street in Yuanjia Village, China. It used a qualitative approach and interviewed 16 Muslim tourists and 20 non-Muslim tourists.FindingsSix themes and 18 attributes of halal food experience were identified. The findings revealed that Muslim tourists saw the reassuring options and religious value of halal food as important experiences. By contrast, the experiences of abundant choices, value for money, sensory pleasure and unique charm were frequently mentioned by non-Muslim tourists. The nature of halal food, the context of China (i.e. Chinese halal food culture) and the feature of research site (i.e. food operation of Yuanjia Village) work together to create such experiences.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to explore and compare halal food experiences of Muslim and non-Muslim tourists in a non-Islamic country (China). This study suggests that halal food could be an appealing destination attraction, even in non-Islamic destinations. Thus, this study contributes to a better understanding of the halal food experiences and assists destination marketers in promoting halal food.