Food-related Health Research Articles

The role of food-related consideration of future consequences, health and environmental concerns in explaining sustainable food (fish) attitudes

PurposeThis study explores the direct and indirect effects of two components of food-related consideration of future consequences (CFCs), including CFC-Immediate and CFC-Future, on sustainable food attitudes (SFA) via food-related health and environmental concerns.Design/methodology/approachPartial least squares structural equation modeling technique was used on a data set of 664 Vietnamese consumers collected in Central Vietnam to evaluate measurement and structural models.FindingsCFC-Immediate and CFC-Future as well as health and environmental concerns have positive effects on SFA. Indirect effects of CFC-Immediate on SFA via health concerns and CFC-Future on SFA via health/environmental concerns are also discovered.Research limitations/implicationsFuture studies should examine the impact of environmental values on CFCs, forming a more comprehensive understanding regarding the relationship between the two variables, especially by including a wider range of sustainable food types to gain diverse knowledge about sustainable food consumption.Practical implicationsCommunicative messages should focus on both health and environmental concerns while emphasizing both immediate and more distant outcomes of sustainable food (fish) consumption for individuals with different dominant temporal orientations.Originality/valueThis study sheds light on the direct and hierarchical relationships among food-related CFCs, health and environmental concerns and SFA to better understand the intricate psychological process of sustainable food consumption.

Multi-stakeholder value creation and appropriation from food-related health claims

Health claims are considered a means to add value to food and beverages; however, it is not always evident which stakeholders benefit and to what extent they benefit. In this paper, we extend the investigation of value creation and appropriation into the domain of food, specifically food labels. Using a qualitative approach, we aimed to elucidate which forms of value can be created by legislating health claims (including those for bioactive compounds found in South African indigenous plants) on food labels. The findings reveal that health claims have the potential to advance the sustainable development agenda in South Africa, but only if structures can be put in place to appropriate human and intellectual (HI) value, as well as environmental value. Currently, there is strong evidence for economic value creation and appropriation potential, but little clear evidence that HI or environmental value will be appropriated from health claims, especially if these health claims exclude benefits from bioactive compounds found in indigenous South African plants. If we could find a means to measure the HI and environmental value creation potential of health claims, using metrics that people understand, we may be able to develop strategies to ensure that such products can benefit stakeholders beyond economic value alone (i.e. more sustainable value creation). The findings could directly impact food labelling policy formulation, considering current draft regulations to implement health claims in South Africa.

Intergenerational differences in healthy eating beliefs among British Pakistanis with type 2 diabetes.

There are growing concerns on how to prevent, slow down and induce remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recent evidence has found diet and lifestyle interventions can cause remission of T2DM, however, there are challenges for diverse groups such as British Pakistanis who are four times more at risk of T2DM. There is a need to understand the food behaviours of different generational groups to develop culturally appropriate strategies to support diabetes prevention programmes. This study explores beliefs about healthy eating and food practices related to T2DM among British Pakistanis to understand the challenges they face in implementing healthy diets. We carried out 26 semi-structured qualitative interviews via telephone and face-to-face. The sample included T2DM British Pakistanis living in Bradford (UK), aged between 18 and 71 with a mean age of 50 (SD = 17.04). Among the participants, 14 were women (54%) and 12 were men (46%), with interviews conducted in both English (76%) and Urdu (24%). Participants were grouped under three generation groups based on age (first generation 65+; second generation 40-64; younger generation 18-39 years). There was no biological link between the generational groups, and they were not part of the same family. Data were analysed using qualitative reflexive thematic analysis. Findings were categorised into three themes: knowledge and awareness of diabetes symptoms; social and family context of food practices and making sense of healthy eating. The family was the fundamental unit of understanding food-related health behaviours. Eating traditional food was perceived as healthy and deemed practical for first generations who were the initial members of their family to settle in the UK as well as the second generations who had parents born in Pakistan. Younger British Pakistanis were born in the UK and reported that they struggled to eat alternative foods within the home and manage their T2DM. These findings improve our understanding of how three generations of British Pakistanis with T2DM negotiate healthy diets. There is a need for culturally tailored diet modifications and interventions, where different generational needs can be specifically targeted to adopt healthier diets which should be shared and encouraged.

Internet of things enabled deep learning methods using unmanned aerial vehicles enabled integrated farm management

Smart livestock farming strives to make farming more lucrative, efficient, and ecologically beneficial by using digital technologies. Precision livestock fencing, in which each animal is followed and studied independently, is the most promising kind of smart livestock farming. The Internet of Things (IoT) allows farmers to save money and effort by keeping tabs on crops, mapping out their land, and giving them data to develop sensible management strategies for their farms. Surveillance, disaster management, firefighting, border patrol, and courier services employ Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that are originally created for the military. The segment focuses on UAVs in livestock and agricultural production. This is achieved via employing robots, drones, remote sensors, and computer imagery in unison with ever-improving in-Depth Learning for farming. Deep learning (DL) algorithms find many uses in the agricultural sector, from identifying plant diseases to estimating yields to detecting weeds to forecasting the weather and determining how much water is in the soil. The challenging characteristics of smart livestock farming are climate change, biodiversity loss, and continuous monitoring. Hence, in this research, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles enabled Integrated Farm Management (UAV-IFM) has been designed to improve smart livestock farming. Safe and reliable tracking of livestock from farm to fork is made possible by this sensor, which has far-reaching implications for detecting and containing disease outbreaks and preventing the resulting financial losses and food-related health pandemics. UAV-IFM aims to improve the assessment process so that smart livestock farming may be more widely adopted and offers growth-supportive help to farmers. Conclusions gathered from this study's examination of the UAV-IFM reveal that these instruments correctly forecast and verify smart livestock farming management within the framework of the assessment procedure. The experimental analysis of UAV-IFM outperforms smart livestock farming in terms of efficiency ratio, performance, accuracy, and prediction.

Knowledge, attitude and behavior on utilizing suboptimal food related public health

Offering food products at lower prices approaching the expiration date, referred to as suboptimal food products, is considered to be able to encourage purchasing considerations by the public. It is based on knowledge of purchasing price-reduced food products by the public and the potential waste in the community focused. The study aimed to contribute to the evaluation of whether offering suboptimal foods at a lower price will reduce food waste in the supply chain. This study analyzes public knowledge, attitudes, and behavior toward suboptimal product price offers in retail stores. The research was conducted in three retail stores in Depok City by exploring research questions involving 274 retail store customers who were analyzed based on a questionnaire. The approach used is a quantitative approach with multiple linear analysis methods using SPSS software. The findings show that public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors influence suboptimal product price offers in retail stores. This research is expected to be an effective solution to overcome excess food, which leads to food waste at the retail level in sustainable food management.

Plant-based food is unhealthy—that’s not true! How can corrective messages help promote plant-based menus in quick-service restaurants?

Purpose This study aims to identify effective ways to promote plant-based foods in quick-service restaurants by considering customers’ food-related health involvement. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted a 2 (message format: myth/fact or fact-only) × 2 (message focus: benefit- or attribute-focused) × 2 (health involvement: high or low) quasi-experimental design via a scenario-based online survey. A multivariate analysis of covariance and a bootstrapping approach were used to test the hypotheses (N = 365). Findings The results indicated that message format and focus jointly influenced customers’ perceived health consequences of plant-based foods and purchase intentions; customers’ health involvement altered the two-way interaction between message format and focus; and perceived health consequences mediated the effects of message format and focus as and customers’ health involvement on purchase intentions. Research limitations/implications This study identifies the effectiveness of message format and focus in promoting plant-based foods and extends the sustainable product promotion literature by using resource matching theory and the elaboration likelihood model. Future studies should use field studies to examine how can message framing influence customers’ actual behaviors when purchasing plant-based foods. Practical implications This study can help quick-service restaurants better promote plant-based foods considering message format and focus and customers’ food-related health involvement. Originality/value This is one of only a few studies that have tested how messages containing both negative and positive information about a product could help promote plant-based foods.

Combining ability and heterosis studies for grain iron and zinc concentrations in pearl millet [Cenchrus americanus (L). Morrone

Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiency has been identified as a major food-related health issue, affecting two billion people globally. Efforts to enhance the Fe and Zn content in food grains through plant breeding are an economic and sustainable solution to combat micronutrient deficiency in resource-poor populace of Asia and Africa. Pearl millet, Cenchrus americanus (L). Morrone, considered as a hardy nutri-cereal, is the major food crop for millions of people of these nations. As an effort to enhance its grain mineral content, an investigation was conducted using line × tester analysis to generate information on the extent of heterosis, gene action, combining ability for grain yield potential, and grain mineral nutrients (Fe and Zn). The partitioning of variance attributable to parents indicated that the lines and testers differed significantly for the traits studied. For most of the attributes, hybrids that were superior to the parents in the desired direction in terms of per se performance were identified. The analysis of combining ability variance indicated the preponderance of both additive and non-additive genetic effects. Thus, reciprocal recurrent selection can be used to develop a population with high-grain Fe and Zn contents. The Fe and Zn content in grain exhibited a highly significant and positive association between them, whereas the Fe and Zn contents individually showed a negative, albeit weak, correlation with grain yield and a moderate positive relation with grain weight. This indicates that mineral nutrient contents in grains can be improved without significant compromise on yield. The consistency of these trends across the environment suggests that these findings could be directly used as guiding principles for the genetic enhancement of Fe and Zn grain content in pearl millet.

Sodium reduction in foods: Challenges and strategies for technical solutions.

In many parts of the world, sodium consumption is higher than recommended levels, representing one of the most important food-related health challenges and leading to considerable economical costs for society. Therefore, there is a need to find technical solutions for sodium reduction that can be implemented by food producers and within food services. The aims of this review are to discuss the barriers related to sodium reduction and to highlight a variety of technical solutions. The barriers relate to consumer perception, microbiology, processing, and physicochemistry. Existing technical solutions include inhomogeneous salt distribution, coated salt particles, changing particle sizes and forms, surface coating, multisensory combinations, sodium replacements, double emulsions, adapted serum release by microstructure design, and adapted brittleness by microstructure design. These solutions, their implementation and the associated challenges, and applicable product categories are described. Some of these solutions are ready for use or are in their early development stages. Many solutions are promising, but in most cases, some form of adaptation or optimization is needed before application in specific products, and care must always be taken to ensure food safety. For instance, further research and innovation are required in the dynamic evolution of saltiness perception, consumer acceptance, the binding and migration of sodium, juiciness, microbiological safety, and the timing of salt addition during processing. Once implemented, these solutions will undoubtedly support food producers and food services in reducing sodium content and extend the application of the solutions to different foods.

Are all ultra‐processed foods created equal?

Are all ultra‐processed foods created equal?

Junk Food Consumption Practices among the College Students in Banke District

Junk foods are easy to prepare and take but have low nutritional value and contain only fat, high sugar, salt, calories, and colours which adversely affect the health of college students. The objective of this study was to assess the junk food consumption practice and its causes and study the relationship between socio-demographic factors and frequency of junk food consumption among college students. This study utilized a cross-sectional research design under quantitative research. Three hundred and fifty-four students were selected by using the multistage sampling method. A set of questionnaire was used to collect the required data. The collected data were entered and analyzed in SPSS version 20 using simple statistical methods including univariate and bivariate analysis. This study found that all of the respondents consumed junk food, among them 33.1 percent of the respondents consumed doughnuts, 40.1 percent of the respondents consumed chat-pat, 37.9 percent of the respondent consumed pani-puri, 39.0 percent of the respondents consumed noodles, 22.31 percent of the respondents consumed chocolates. Likewise, 60.7percent of the respondents consumed junk food in the afternoon and least (2.8%) of the respondents consumed junk food at night. Similarly, 30.2 percent of the respondents consumed junk food three times a day and 12.4 percent of the respondents consumed twice a day. Likewise, this study also found that there is no relationship between socio-demographic factors (age, gender, religion, fathers’ education, mothers’ education, fathers’ occupation, mothers’ occupation) and frequency of junk food consumption among college students. Furthermore, this study found that the main reason of taking junk food is it being easy to make and influence of advertisements, save time, and its taste. Therefore, this study suggests conducting junk food related health awareness programmes for college students.

Colorimetric Approach for Nucleic Acid Salmonella spp. Detection: A Systematic Review.

Water- and food-related health issues have received a lot of attention recently because food-poisoning bacteria, in particular, are becoming serious threats to human health. Currently, techniques used to detect these bacteria are time-consuming and laborious. To overcome these challenges, the colorimetric strategy is attractive because it provides simple, rapid and accurate sensing for the detection of Salmonella spp. bacteria. The aim of this study is to review the progress regarding the colorimetric method of nucleic acid for Salmonella detection. A literature search was conducted using three databases (PubMed, Scopus and ScienceDirect). Of the 88 studies identified in our search, 15 were included for further analysis. Salmonella bacteria from different species, such as S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi A, were identified using the colorimetric method. The limit of detection (LoD) was evaluated in two types of concentrations, which were colony-forming unit (CFU) and CFU per mL. The majority of the studies used spiked samples (53%) rather than real samples (33%) to determine the LoDs. More research is needed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of colorimetric nucleic acid in bacterial detection, as well as its potential use in routine diagnosis.

When do digital calorie counters reduce numeracy bias in grocery shopping? Evidence from an online experiment

PurposeNumeracy skills hinder a consumer’s ability to meet nutrition and calorie consumption guidelines. This study extends the literature on nutritional labelling by investigating how a calorie counter, which displays the total amount of calories consumers add to a shopping basket, aids them in making food choices. This study aims to ascertain whether the calorie counter affects food choices and also how individual and situational factors moderate this effect.Design/methodology/approachTo test the developed hypotheses, the authors designed an online shopping experiment and administered it to a national panel of British consumers. This included a sub-sample from the general population who did not report any food-related health conditions (n = 480) and a separate sub-sample from the same population who had reported a food-related health condition or lived with someone who had one (n = 250).FindingsThe results of this study show that the calorie counter leads to a large and statistically significant reduction in calories purchased when compared to the no nutritional information condition and a small (but statistically insignificant) reduction in the number of calories chosen by consumers when compared to the nutritional information only condition. The main effect is moderated by individual factors such as whether or not the person has a health condition and shopping situations which involve time pressure.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the main effect of the calorie counter was not statistically significant when compared to the nutrition information only condition, the effect was in the correct direction and was statistically significant for consumers who had a food-related health condition. The conceptualisation and findings of this study are not only largely consistent with Moorman’s (1990) nutrition information utilisation process but also suggest that situational factors should be considered when understanding nutrition information processing.Practical implicationsThe findings from this study provide the first evidence to suggest that aggregating calorie information through a calorie counter can be a useful way to overcome consumer numeracy biases, particularly for those with existing health conditions and who are most motivated to use nutritional information. Based on the descriptive statistics, the main effect was comparable to the UK’s sugar tax in its impact and the authors estimate this would lead to a reduction in calories consumed of about 5,000 per year, even for consumers who did not report a health condition. Further testing is required with different formats, but these results are encouraging and are worthy of further research.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate how consumers react to aggregated nutritional information for a basket of products, mimicking a real shopping situation. Such information has the potential to become more relevant and useful to consumers in the context of their overall diets. As technology advances rapidly, there is a need to explore alternative ways of presenting nutritional information, so it connects more easily with consumers. These results point very much to a more targeted and personally relevant approach to information provision, in contrast to existing mass communications approaches.

Sensory interaction effects between capsicum heat and seasoning ingredients applied to unsalted potato chips

The hot, spicy perception elicited by capsaicin and capsaicinoids found in chilis is often sought by many consumers. It is estimated that approximately one in four individuals globally consumes hot chilis. Therefore, the hot perception from capsaicin is being increasingly incorporated into several of today’s dishes and food items. However, there is limited research on heat perception in finished food systems. In this study, fourteen (14) potato chip samples were evaluated by a trained descriptive panel to determine heat perception as well as potential flavor interactions between heat and other flavor enhancers commonly used in snack seasonings. Potato chips varied in their capsicum extract, sugar, salt, acid, umami, flow agent and fat content. Twenty-two (22) significant interaction effects (p-value ≤ 0.01) between capsicum and the remaining potato chip ingredients were found. Brown Sugar, Cardboard, Earthy, Heat, Jalapeño, Potato, Sweet and Umami perceptions were enhanced by interactions between capsicum and the potato chip ingredients while Fatty-Buttery, Salty and Vinegar perceptions were suppressed. Overall, the sensory perceptions were enhanced when in the presence of high capsaicin. These results indicate that the perceptions of certain sensory attributes are affected by the interaction between capsicum and other commonly used ingredients in salty snack formulations. This information can prove valuable for formulation efforts regarding seasonings with higher levels of heat as well as for potential brand decisions for salty snack products. Additionally, this information could be promising within the “better-for-you” category especially since capsaicin may impart some benefit around food-related health issues, including sugar and sodium reduction.

Climate Change Knowledge and Awareness of Nutrition Professionals: A Case Study from Turkey

Nutrition professionals (nutritionists and dietitians) assess nutritional and food-related health problems. They also identify appropriate interventions and support people in making dietary and lifestyle changes. The current climate change emergency constitutes a global threat to health, and the nutrition professionals can promote some diet-related alterations that encourage practical mitigation actions against it. This study assessed the knowledge and awareness levels of Turkish nutrition professionals about climate change by using a multiple-choice online quantitative survey conducted in 2021. It uses a sample of 1200 nutrition professionals who graduated from Turkish Universities. The findings showed that the participants’ climate change knowledge and awareness levels were correlated and significantly affected each other when it comes to understanding, responding, effects and awareness (p < 0.05). However, the links with knowledge about sustainable diet and scientific collaboration were statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). Educational and practice-based opportunities for linking climate change and diet-related advice are suggested for Turkish nutrition professionals.

Food Safety Risk in Germany From Mislabeled Imported Fish: Ciguatera Outbreak Trace-Back, Toxin Elucidation, and Public Health Implications

Ciguatera poisoning (CP) is a prevalent food related health risk, caused by the consumption of seafood contaminated with ciguatoxins (CTXs). Seafood is the most traded food commodity worldwide, and since 2012, imported snapper fish (Lutjanidae) were the leading cause of CP in Germany. Following a Germany wide CP outbreak in 2017, a product trace-back investigation was conducted for imported fish labeled as “Red Snapper” (Lutjanus malabaricus). Forty-five fish muscle-tissue portions from the implicated batch and two meal remnants were analyzed for CTXs. All samples were positive for “CTX-like toxicity” containing a range of 0.23–11.4 ng CTX3C equivalents per gram of wet tissue, determined by an in vitro cell assay [N2a-3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)]. Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) chromatograms revealed the (potential) presence of several marine biotoxins of the class CTX in all batch samples. All samples exceeded current multi-national product legal requirements and recommended guidelines for CTXs. DNA barcoding confirmed the fish sold was mislabeled and was identified as L. bohar, a species frequently involved in CP. Consequently, the mislabeled food and contaminants risk focuses attention on the importance of correct food labeling. Processes for food authentication and CTX contaminant analysis exist and can be used to potentially prevent, stop, and remove foods from commerce for further evaluation to ensure consumer safety. This study further demonstrates their necessity.

Nutritional Characterization of a Traditional Cultivar of Tomato Grown Under Organic Conditions-cv. "Malacara".

The loss of genetic diversity due to the replacement of local tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) varieties by improved cultivars has been mitigated in many cases by the good work of organic farmers in maintaining local agricultural biodiversity. In parallel to these initiatives, in recent years, consumers have developed an increasing awareness of both food-related health, environmental issues, and food demand to recover the flavors of the past. In the case of tomatoes, these attributes (nutritional, organoleptic, social, and environmental) are closely related to organic production using local varieties. “Malacara” tomato is an example of a local variety. Coming from Sierra de Cádiz, it is a varietal type called “Cuelga” (“for hanging,” because the tomato trusses are hung from beams in the farmhouses). Cultivated and harvested in the open air during the summer months, these tomatoes are commercialized and consumed in the winter. Historically, this variety has enabled the fresh consumption of tomatoes during the winter, without the need to force cultivation. It is highly appreciated in the local cuisine and is the basis for sauces figuring in typical dishes. Its characteristic traits are small, pallid fruits, and long shelf life. The main objective of this work has been to typify two Malacara tomato cultivars (red and yellow color) grown under organic farming conditions, through the characterization of morphological, nutritional, and volatile parameters. The main differences are due to morphological parameters (fruit weight and color of the exocarp and endocarp). Other characteristics such as the content of ash, fiber, moisture, the concentration of iron, magnesium, and calcium, and content of lycopene are different between both cultivars. This study provides information on the nutritional and aromatic composition of two Malacara tomato cultivars, differentiated by their color and grown under organic farming conditions. The results add value to the native horticultural heritage and can aid in the selection of tomato varieties suitable for a sustainable production system and to produce tomatoes with high nutritional value and rich in aroma.

From Diospyros kaki L. (Persimmon) Phytochemical Profile and Health Impact to New Product Perspectives and Waste Valorization.

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) fruit’s phytochemical profile includes carotenoids, proanthocyanidins, and gallic acid among other phenolic compounds and vitamins. A huge antioxidant potential is present given this richness in antioxidant compounds. These bioactive compounds impact on health benefits. The intersection of nutrition and sustainability, the key idea behind the EAT-Lancet Commission, which could improve human health and decrease the global impact of food-related health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, bring the discussion regarding persimmon beyond the health effects from its consumption, but also on the valorization of a very perishable food that spoils quickly. A broad option of edible products with better storage stability or solutions that apply persimmon and its byproducts in the reinvention of old products or even creating new products, or with new and better packaging for the preservation of food products with postharvest technologies to preserve and extend the shelf-life of persimmon food products. Facing a global food crisis and the climate emergency, new and better day-to-day solutions are needed right now. Therefore, the use of persimmon waste has also been discussed as a good solution to produce biofuel, eco-friendly alternative reductants for fabric dyes, green plant growth regulator, biodegradable and edible films for vegetable packaging, antimicrobial activity against foodborne methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus found in retail pork, anti-Helicobacter pylori agents from pedicel extracts, and persimmon pectin-based emulsifiers to prevent lipid peroxidation, among other solutions presented in the revised literature. It has become clear that the uses for persimmon go far beyond the kitchen table and the health impact consumption demonstrated over the years. The desired sustainable transition is already in progress, however, mechanistic studies and clinical trials are essential and scaling-up is fundamental to the future.

Grain micronutrient evaluation of wheat (

Micronutrient deficiency is a widespread food-related health problem around the world. The present study was conducted to evaluate a set of 63 advanced breeding lines of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for grain iron (GFe) and grain zinc (GZn) concentrations, and to characterise the germplasm set via simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers (both genic and random). Substantial variation was found for both micronutrients. GFe concentration ranged from 28.9 to 67.4 mg kg–1 and GZn from 26.3 to 56.6 mg kg–1. Molecular characterisation with six genic and 20 random SSR markers detected 168 alleles with an average of 3.170 alleles per locus. Analysis of genotypic data based on division into two subpopulations revealed 165 alleles with an average of 3.113 alleles per locus in the low GFe–GZn subpopulation, whereas in the high GFe–GZn subpopulation, 149 alleles with an average of 2.811 alleles per locus were detected. Genic SSRs detected a higher average number of alleles (3.273 alleles per locus) than random SSRs (3.143 alleles per locus). Hierarchical clustering using genic markers alone clustered the whole germplasm set into two distinct groups: one possessing low GFe–GZn genotypes, the other with high GFe–GZn genotypes. Study of marker–trait associations (MTAs) identified seven new MTAs (six for GZn and one for GFe) and validated one MTA for GZn concentration. The promising genotypes and MTAs identified during the study will prove useful in wheat bio-fortification programs in the future.

Awareness and Attitudes of Student Dietitians in Lebanon, UK and USA towards Food Safety.

Allied health professionals such as dietitians can play a critical role in providing food safety advice to vulnerable consumers. To maximize food-related health and wellbeing, food needs to be safe and nutritious; consequently, food safety is referred to in international curricula for the training of dietitians. The purpose of this study was to explore the awareness and attitudes of student dietitians from three international institutions towards food safety. A total of 207 student dietitians participated in the study from Columbus, OH, USA (n = 99), Cardiff, Wales, UK (n = 78) and Beirut, Lebanon (n = 30). Completion of the study established that the students in three dietetic training programs lacked awareness of key food safety concepts. Close to half (43%) were not familiar with Campylobacter, with the USA students being significantly less knowledgeable (p < 0.001) with 58% being unaware of the pathogen. Understanding of safe handling of leftovers was the lowest for the students in all institutions; only 46% described appropriate reheating practices, with significantly lower (p < 0.001) understanding in Lebanon (28%). The students reported a good understanding of vulnerable populations and perceived food safety to be important for these groups. However, the knowledge of certain high-risk foods was lacking. For instance, 69% of students thought that fresh squeezed juices and smoothies made with raw fruits and vegetables were safe for vulnerable patients, with the UK students being the least familiar with this risk (16%). This is the first study of its kind to take an international perspective of student dietitian food safety awareness and attitudes; the findings are important to dietetic food safety educators and recommendations are made to further explore the interpretation of food safety requirements in international dietetic curricula. Future studies should extend student dietetic research to address attitudes, self-efficacy and the overall readiness to deliver food safety advice to the patients and the community.

Changes in attitudes towards food environment in Romania

Attitudes and knowledge regarding the food environment and purchasing behaviour are drivers or hindrances toward a healthier lifestyle. A questionnaire-based study on consumers’ knowledge about food and health and main drivers for food purchasing was applied to a group of Romanians and results were compared with those from a similar study carried about 10 years ago. Respondents seem to be more aware of some environmental and ecological problems (deforestation, global warming, etc), about the importance of bioproducts consumption, and regarding the link between food products and health. Still, the nutritional part of the food label is underused. The main reasons for selecting food are the same as in 2011, but with the greater interest paid to food related health aspects and taste. The perceived trust in food safety remains low. The consumers` amount of knowledge regarding food increased, food being perceived more as a useful adjuvant for health maintenance and an energy booster. Ten years after, some positive changes have been noticed in a group of Romanian citizens. Efforts have to continue in order to put a greater accent on the link between health, food, and purchasing behaviour. Education policies at local and European level have to guide consumers` choices so that the impact of food consumption becomes a sanogenic and sustainable one, both on people, and the environment.