Hidden Food Research Articles

Ten Seconds Can Last Longer: Prevalence, Impact, and User Perceptions of Food Cues on Snapchat

Obesity is a global health crisis projected to affect one billion people worldwide by 2030. Previous research has emphasized the role of food cues in print media and television as contributing factors to the obesity epidemic. However, the influence of food cues shared by general users on social media platforms, particularly Snapchat, remains largely unexplored. To this end, this paper presents a comprehensive, large-scale study employing a multi-method approach to assess, measure, and mitigate the influence of food cues shared on Snapchat in three different countries with diverse cultural backgrounds: Saudi Arabia, the United States, and France. Our analysis of over 350K collected snaps reveals that food cues are prevalent among Snapchat users, with food content comprising approximately 20% of all collected snaps. Subsequently, we assessed the impact of exposure to Snapchat food content on appetite and examined whether it might inadvertently exacerbate cravings. Our experimental study, involving 37 participants, yields a significant finding: exposure to food snaps leads to a substantial increase in caloric intake. In light of these findings and as an effort to mitigate this impact, this paper sheds light on Snapchat users' perceptions of a proposed intervention design idea, which would allow them to customize their feed and hide food content to potentially reduce their exposure to it. According to our survey of 813 Snapchat users, the majority (57%) indicated they would be willing to hide food-related content from their feeds. In particular, being male and having a high body mass index (BMI) were both associated with a higher willingness to block food content from their Snapchat feed. While food snaps are intended to disappear after 24 hours, our results suggest that their impact can have a long-lasting effect on health and wellness.

Food Finding Test without Deprivation: A Sensorial Paradigm Sensitive to Sex, Genotype, and Isolation Shows Signatures of Derangements in Old Mice with Alzheimer's Disease Pathology and Normal Aging.

The Food Finding Test (FFT) olfactory paradigm without overnight food deprivation examined olfaction in aged (16-months-old) animals. Ethograms of three goal-directed behaviors towards hidden food (sniffing, finding and eating) elicited in male and female 3xTg-AD mice for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their age-matched C57BL/6 wild-type counterparts with normal aging were meticulously analyzed with the support of video recordings. The new FFT protocol elicited longer ethograms than previously reported with the standard deprivation protocol. However, it was sensitive when identifying genotype- and sex-dependent olfactory signatures for the temporal patterns of slow sniffing, finding, and eating in AD and males, but it had a striking consistency in females. The impact of forced social isolation was studied and it was found to exert sex-dependent modifications of the ethogram, mostly in males. Still, in both sexes, a functional derangement was detected since the internal correlations among the behaviors decreased or were lost under isolated conditions. In conclusion, the new paradigm without overnight deprivation was sensitive to sex (males), genotype (AD), and social context (isolation-dependent changes) in its ethogram and functional correlation. At the translational level, it is a warning about the impact of isolation in the advanced stages of the disease, paying notable attention to the male sex.

Computational models of episodic-like memory in food-caching birds

Birds of the crow family adapt food-caching strategies to anticipated needs at the time of cache recovery and rely on memory of the what, where and when of previous caching events to recover their hidden food. It is unclear if this behavior can be explained by simple associative learning or if it relies on higher cognitive processes like mental time-travel. We present a computational model and propose a neural implementation of food-caching behavior. The model has hunger variables for motivational control, reward-modulated update of retrieval and caching policies and an associative neural network for remembering caching events with a memory consolidation mechanism for flexible decoding of the age of a memory. Our methodology of formalizing experimental protocols is transferable to other domains and facilitates model evaluation and experiment design. Here, we show that memory-augmented, associative reinforcement learning without mental time-travel is sufficient to explain the results of 28 behavioral experiments with food-caching birds.

Jays are sensitive to cognitive illusions.

Jays hide food caches, steal them from conspecifics and use tactics to minimize cache theft. Jays are sensitive to the content of their own caches, retrieving items depending on their preferences and the perishability of the cached item. Whether jays impose the same content sensitivity when they steal caches is less clear. We adapted the ‘cups-and-balls’ magic routine, creating a cognitive illusion to test whether jays are sensitive to the (i) content of hidden items and (ii) type of displacement. Subjects were presented with two conditions in which hidden food was consistent with their expectations; and two conditions in which food was manipulated to violate their expectations by switching their second preferred food for their preferred food (up-value) or vice versa (de-value). Subjects readily accepted food when it was consistent with their expectations but were more likely to re-inspect the baited cup and alternative cup when their expectations were violated. In the de-value condition, jays exhibited longer latencies to consume the food and often rejected it. Dominant subjects were more likely to reject the food, suggesting that social factors influence their responses to cognitive illusions. Using cognitive illusions offers innovative avenues for investigating the psychological constraints in diverse animal minds.

Post-event misinformation effects in a language-trained chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).

Errors of source monitoring are widespread human memory challenges, and our memories are subject to distortion upon the presentation of subsequent misinformation. Less is known about if and when misinformation effects occur in nonhuman species' memory. Here we tested a symbol-trained chimpanzee's recall memoryof a hidden food item's identity after a 10-min delay. During this delay, the subject was sometimes (depending onthecondition) shown consistent or inconsistent video information about the identity of the food, before being asked to name the item to a second experimenter blind to the reward and condition. Across all conditions, our subject, Sherman, correctly named the food item at above chance levels. In the Inconsistent condition, in which Sherman was shown a video with misleading information, his performance was the worst of all conditions (although accuracy was still high). Interestingly, however, during three of the four trials in this condition in which Sherman made a mistake, he incorrectly named the food item shown during the misleading video information. These results provide evidence that chimpanzees, like humans, may be vulnerable to misinformation effects, even when that misleading information is presented in a different modality (video) than the original live event memory, demonstrating further commonality between human and ape memory systems.

Hidden food safety attributes and sensory evaluation of food served under mid-day meal scheme in khamanon block, District Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab (India)

Hidden food safety attributes and sensory evaluation of food served under mid-day meal scheme in khamanon block, District Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab (India)

A Review of the Association Between Environmental Harshness, Neurogenesis and Caching Behaviour

Memory is one of the most crucial cognitive functions in many organisms. It is highly implicated in everyday functioning and is an essential component for survival. Past research has revealed that spatial memory facilitates bird caching behaviours such as remembering the exact locations of their hidden food. However, there are many factors that alter the demands on memory and consequently impact the function of caching. Specifically, neurogenesis, the process of forming new neurons, has been shown to affect this behaviour. Likewise, environmental variables and selective pressures (i.e., severity of the environment) can also influence caching in birds. In this review, we present evidence for a link between environmental harshness, hippocampal neurogenesis, and caching behaviour in chickadees, with specific focus on work by Chancellor et al. [6]. Neurogenesis in chickadees may be a mechanism subject to selective pressures, in which chickadees from harsher environments have increased neurogenesis rates and consequently enhanced caching ability. However, there remain gaps in the understanding of how exactly hippocampal neurogenesis, environmental harshness, and caching behaviour interact, and future studies are needed to further explore this interaction and its implications.

Feeding Enrichment in a Captive Pack of European Wolves (Canis Lupus Lupus): Assessing the Effects on Welfare and on a Zoo's Recreational, Educational and Conservational Role.

Simple SummaryFeeding enrichment is widely used to improve the welfare of zoo animals, but it may also affect zoo visitors’ experience and perception of the animals. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of a naturalistic and a non-naturalistic feeding enrichment program, on both wolf behaviour and visitors’ interest in the exhibit. A questionnaire was administered to visitors with the aim of assessing whether our feeding enrichment programs might affect their perception of captive wolf welfare as well as their attitude towards wolf conservation issues. Our findings suggest that, although wolves seemed to benefit from enrichment, their behavioural responses were highly variable among individuals. Visitors’ interest in the exhibit and perception of captive wolf welfare improved by observing the wolves interacting with food, especially when novel feeding objects were provided. Finally, their attitude towards wolf conservation issues did not change in relation to enrichment, but improved when they observed the wolves performing feeding-related behaviours. These findings may help zoos implement enrichment programs that are effective for enhancing their wolves’ welfare as well as their recreational and educational role.This study investigated the effects of two feeding enrichment programs on the behaviour of a captive pack of European wolves (Canis lupus lupus) and their correlation with both zoo visitors’ interest towards the exhibit and their overall perception of the species. Behavioural data (exploration, stereotypies, social interactions, activity/inactivity rates) were collected on four male wolves during four two-week long phases: initial control, hidden food, novel object, final control. Three observation sessions were performed daily: before, during and after feeding. Number of visitors and their permanence in front of the exhibit were recorded. After watching the wolves, visitors were asked to fill out a brief questionnaire in order to investigate their perception of captive wolf welfare, as well as their attitude towards wolf conservation issues. Despite the high inter-individual variability in their behavioural response, all wolves seemed to benefit from feeding enrichment. With regard to visitors, interest in the exhibit increased when enrichment was provided. Visitors’ perception of the level of welfare of wolves improved if they attended a feeding session, especially during the novel object phase. Visitors’ attitude towards wolf conservation issues also improved during feeding sessions, regardless of enrichment provision.

Sight or smell: which senses do scavenging raptors use to find food?

Raptors are usually considered to be mainly visually dependent, and the use of other sensory modalities has rarely been studied in these birds. Here, we investigated experimentally which senses (vision and/or olfaction) Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) and Southern caracaras (Caracara plancus) use to find hidden food. First, two identical stainless-steel perforated balls, one containing a putrefied piece of meat and the other an odorless control, were presented to birds in binary choice experiments. Both species interacted more with the smelling ball than with the control, suggesting that they were attracted by the odor of the hidden meat. In a second experiment, individuals were accustomed to eat in one specifically colored ball (blue or green). In the test phase, the meat was hidden in the opposite color with respect to the one each bird had become accustomed to. Vultures still interacted more with the smelly ball disregarding the color, while caracaras interacted equally with the two balls. The prevalence of olfaction in Turkey vultures may partly explain why they are the first raptors to find carcasses in tropical forests. In contrast, caracaras forage on the ground opportunistically, a strategy where both olfaction and sight may be involved. Our experiments suggest that both species are able to use olfactory cues for foraging. However, olfaction could be the predominant sense in Turkey vultures while olfaction and sight could play an equivalent role in Southern caracaras.

Intuitive optics: what great apes infer from mirrors and shadows

There is ongoing debate about the extent to which nonhuman animals, like humans, can go beyond first-order perceptual information to abstract structural information from their environment. To provide more empirical evidence regarding this question, we examined what type of information great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans) gain from optical effects such as shadows and mirror images. In an initial experiment, we investigated whether apes would use mirror images and shadows to locate hidden food. We found that all examined ape species used these cues to find the food. Follow-up experiments showed that apes neither confused these optical effects with the food rewards nor did they merely associate cues with food. First, naïve chimpanzees used the shadow of the hidden food to locate it but they did not learn within the same number of trials to use a perceptually similar rubber patch as indicator of the hidden food reward. Second, apes made use of the mirror images to estimate the distance of the hidden food from their own body. Depending on the distance, apes either pointed into the direction of the food or tried to access the hidden food directly. Third, apes showed some sensitivity to the geometrical relation between mirror orientation and mirrored objects when searching hidden food. Fourth, apes tended to interpret mirror images and pictures of these mirror images differently depending on their prior knowledge. Together, these findings suggest that apes are sensitive to the optical relation between mirror images and shadows and their physical referents.

Domestic horses (Equus ferus caballus) fail to intuitively reason about object properties like solidity and weight.

From early infancy, humans reason about the external world in terms of identifiable, solid, cohesive objects persisting in space and time. This is one of the most fundamental human skills, which may be part of our innate conception of object properties. Although object permanence has been extensively studied across a variety of taxa, little is known about how non-human animals reason about other object properties. In this study, we therefore tested how domestic horses (Equus ferus caballus) intuitively reason about object properties like solidity and height, to locate hidden food. Horses were allowed to look for a food reward behind two opaque screens, only one of which had either the proper height or inclination to hide food rewards. Our results suggest that horses could not intuitively reason about physical object properties, but rather learned to select the screen with the proper height or inclination from the second set of 5 trials.

Experience with featural-cue reliability influences featural- and geometric-cue use by mice (Mus musculus).

Orienting is a critical skill for all mobile animals. Two commonly studied visual components used to guide orientation in an environment are geometric (e.g., distance or direction) and featural cues (e.g., color or texture). Previous research has shown that visual-cue use and cue weighing can depend on the navigator's previous experience, the nature and reliability of the cues, and genetic factors. Accordingly, the domestic mouse (Mus musculus) is a species of increasing interest because of its potential as a model for human neurological disorders with associated spatial disorientation, as is seen in Alzheimer's disease. In the present study, adult C57BL/6 mice were trained to search for a hidden food reward in one corner of a rectangular environment with featural information displayed continuously along the walls. After training, one group of mice was given a block of testing in which the featural information was removed, followed by a second block of testing in which the featural information was put in conflict with the learned configuration of featural and geometric cues. A second group of mice was given the same set of tests, but in the reverse order. Our results show that the mice incidentally encoded the geometry of the environment if they had experience with featural cues being unreliable prior to tests, during which featural cues were completely removed (unstable). Furthermore, we found when featural and geometric cues provide conflicting spatial information, this unreliability of featural cues over the course of the study may influence cue weighing. (PsycINFO Database Record

High frequency of IgE sensitization towards kiwi seed storage proteins among peanut allergic individuals also reporting allergy to kiwi

BackgroundIgE sensitization to storage proteins from nuts and seed is often related to severe allergic symptoms. There is a risk of immunological IgE cross-reactivity between storage proteins from different species. The potential clinical implication of such cross-reactivity is that allergens other than the known sensitizer can cause allergic symptoms. Previous studies have suggested that kiwi seed storage proteins may constitute hidden food allergens causing cross-reactive IgE-binding with peanut and other tree nut homologs, thereby mediating a potential risk of causing allergy symptoms among peanut ant tree nut allergic individuals. The objective of this study was to investigate the degree of sensitization towards kiwi fruit seed storage proteins in a cohort of peanut allergic individuals.MethodsA cohort of 59 adolescents and adults with peanut allergy was studied, and self reported allergies to a number of additional foods were collected. Quantitative IgE measurements to seed storage proteins from kiwi and peanut were performed.ResultsIn the cohort, 23 out of the 59 individuals were reporting kiwi fruit allergy (39%). The frequency of IgE sensitization to kiwi fruit and to any kiwi seed storage protein was higher among peanut allergic individuals also reporting kiwi fruit allergy (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.01). A positive relationship was found between IgE levels to 11S globulin (r = 0.65) and 7S globulin (r = 0.48) allergens from kiwi and peanut, but IgE levels to 2S albumin homologs did not correlate. Patients reporting kiwi fruit allergy also reported allergy to hazelnut (P = 0.015), soy (P < 0.0001), pea (P = 0.0002) and almond (P = 0.016) to a higher extent than peanut allergic individuals without kiwi allergy.ConclusionsThirty-nine percent of the peanut allergic patients in this cohort also reported kiwi fruit allergy, they displayed a higher degree of sensitization to kiwi storage proteins from both kiwi and peanut, and they also reported a higher extent of allergy to other nuts and legumes. On the molecular level, there was a correlation between IgE levels to 11S and 7S storage proteins from kiwi and peanut. Taken together, reported symptoms and serological findings to kiwi in this cohort of patients with concurrent allergy to peanut and kiwi fruit, could be explained by a combination of cross-reactivity between the 11S and 7S globulins and co-sensitization to the 2S albumin Act d 13.

How Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) weigh geometric cues depends on their previous experience.

Following passive disorientation, Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) learned to search for a hidden food reward located in one corner of a rectangular-shaped enclosure that contained either identical or distinct features in each corner. Identical features allowed for explicit learning of geometric cues, whereas distinct features allowed for both explicit learning of featural cues and incidental learning of geometric cues. Birds that only learned about geometry incidentally (group Distinct) weighed features greater than geometry when the two cues were placed in conflict. However, birds that received explicit training with geometry, in addition to feature training (groups Distinct-Identical and Identical-Distinct), weighed geometry heavier relative to features. Cue preference by the birds also depended on the order in which learning was experienced; if explicit training with geometry followed that of features (group Distinct-Identical), then both geometry and features were weighed equally, but if explicit training with geometry training preceded that of features (group Identical-Distinct), the birds weighed geometry greater than features. Results suggest both a heightened sensitivity to geometric cues by Clark's nutcrackers relative to other species of birds and an increased sensitivity to any spatial cue (either features or geometry) that has proven both stable and reliable.

The energy costs of wading in water.

ABSTRACTStudies measuring the energy costs of wading in water have been limited to higher walking speeds in straight lines, in deep water. However, much foraging in water, by both humans and other primates, is conducted in the shallows and at low speeds of locomotion that include elements of turning, as befits searching for cryptic or hidden foods within a patch. The present study brings together data on the rate of oxygen consumption during wading by humans from previous studies, and augments these with new data for wading in shallower depths, with slower and more tortuous walking, to obtain a better understanding both of the absolute costs of wading in typical scenarios of aquatic foraging and of how the cost of wading varies as a function of water depth and speed of locomotion. Previous and present data indicate that, at low speeds, wading has a similar energetic cost to walking on land, particularly at lower water depths, and only at higher speeds is the cost of wading noticeably more expensive than when water is absent. This is probably explained by the relatively small volume of water that must be displaced during locomotion in shallow waters coupled with the compensating support to the limbs that the water affords. The support to the limbs/body provided by water is discussed further, in the context of bipedal locomotion by non-human primates during wading.

Can dogs use a mirror to find hidden food?

Can dogs use a mirror to find hidden food?

Food allergy can be a major hidden cause of chronic asthma which can be uncovered or excluded by introducing a few foods diet

Case-histories of three severe chronic asthmatics are presented to draw attention to the possibility that even when there seems to be convincing evidence from history, skin tests, and immunology that dust mite is the major causative allergen, it is possible that food or foods can be the major cause. Difficulties in controlling their asthma over years in these cases suggested that the causative factors had still not been defined. A “few foods diet” ,c ontaining only the foods which very rarely cause allergy, was introduced in addition to their usual regimen to be taken for two or three weeks to find out if foods were causing the asthma. Obvious subjective and objective improvement occurred within days, control of the asthma became easier than for years, Peak flow rates increased considerably, and quality of life improved greatly. Improvements were sustained while on the diet and while the causative food or foods were avoided. Blind provocation was not practical, but three exacerbations after re-introduction of specific foods, with continued well-being on avoidance, was accepted as proof. This experience suggests that a hidden allergy or intolerance to a common daily food can cause of chronic asthma, even when there is strong evidence that inhalant allergens are responsible. Enquiry regarding reflux, dyspepsia, or other gut disorders may have been omitted at the first consultation or at follow-up, and patients are most unlikely to associate gut symptoms with their asthma. These cases are presented because food allergy as a hidden cause of chronic asthma is rarely considered, the incidence is unknown, and skin tests and immunology unreliable. A trial of a few foods diet for two or three weeks can be very rewarding, and there is nothing to lose except some weight. A trial in a large group of severe asthmatics could define the true incidence of hidden food allergy in chronic asthma.

Understanding of and reasoning about object–object relationships in long-tailed macaques?

Diagnostic reasoning, defined as the ability to infer unobserved causes based on the observation of their effects, is a central cognitive competency of humans. Yet, little is known about diagnostic reasoning in non-human primates, and what we know is largely restricted to the Great Apes. To track the evolutionary history of these skills within primates, we investigated long-tailed macaques’ understanding of the significance of inclinations of covers of hidden food as diagnostic indicators for the presence of an object located underneath. Subjects were confronted with choices between different objects that might cover food items. Based on their physical characteristics, the shape and orientation of the covers did or did not reveal the location of a hidden reward. For instance, hiding the reward under a solid board led to its inclination, whereas a hollow cup remained unaltered. Thus, the type of cover and the occurrence or absence of a change in their appearance could potentially be used to reason diagnostically about the location of the reward. In several experiments, the macaques were confronted with a varying number of covers and their performance was dependent on the level of complexity and on the type of change of the covers’ orientation. The macaques could use a board’s inclination to detect the reward, but failed to do so if the lack of inclination was indicative of an alternative hiding place. We suggest that the monkeys’ performance is based on a rudimentary understanding of causality, but find no good evidence for sophisticated diagnostic reasoning in this particular domain.

Inferences about the location of food in lemurs (Eulemur macaco and Eulemur fulvus): a comparison with apes and monkeys

The ability of black and brown lemurs (Eulemur macaco and Eulemur fulvus) to make inferences about hidden food was tested using the same paradigm as in Call's (J Comp Psycol 118:232-241, 2004) cup task experiment. When provided with either visual or auditory information about the content of two boxes (one empty, one baited), lemurs performed better in the auditory condition than in the visual one. When provided with visual or auditory information only about the empty box, one subject out of four was above chance in the auditory condition, implying inferential reasoning. No subject was successful in the visual condition. This study reveals that (1) lemurs are capable of inferential reasoning by exclusion and (2) lemurs make better use of auditory than visual information. The results are compared with the performances recorded in apes and monkeys under the same paradigm.

Diagnosis and management of food-induced anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is an acute, life-threatening, systemic reaction with varied clinical presentations and severity that results from the systemic release of mediators from mast cells and basophils. The diagnosis of food-induced anaphylaxis is based on a combination of medical history and presence of specific IgE to the responsible food. In general, the more rapid the onset of symptoms following exposure to the allergen, the more likely the reaction will be severe and life threatening. However when ingested food is the allergen, it may take up to 25 minutes from onset of anaphylaxis to cardiopulmonary arrest, making the diagnosis even more challenging. In food-induced, fatal anaphylaxis episodes up to 80% are not associated with cutaneous signs or symptoms, the signal that most patients will recognize first. Furthermore, it is well established that patients with food-induced anaphylaxis under utilize epinephrine. Thus, ongoing education for the patient who is at risk for anaphylaxis becomes essential. While occurrences of food allergy are believed to be increasing, the true prevalence is unknown. Food allergies are highest in children and adolescents and are thought to be the most common cause of anaphylaxis in the outpatient setting, accounting for approximately 30% of fatal reactions. Fatalities from food-induced anaphylaxis are highest in teenagers and young adults, among those with asthma, and in cases when there has been a delay in the administration of epinephrine. Biphasic reactions occur in approximately 25% of fatal and near-fatal, food-induced anaphylaxis events. Special circumstances involving food allergy that will be discussed include exercise-induced anaphylaxis, unsuspecting hidden food allergy, and the significance of food allergy for vaccine administration. The treatment of anaphylaxis involves the immediately administration of epinephrine. When there is any doubt about the diagnosis, it is generally best to administer epinephrine rather than waiting for more severe symptoms. In the treatment of food-induced anaphylaxis, more than a single dose of epinephrine may be required; these doses can be given every 5-10 minutes, and a longer period of observation is recommended. While IM administration is preferred by many national and international guidelines, the controversy over IM vs. subcutaneous epinephrine use will be discussed. Following the administration of epinephrine, other treatment modalities include 1) placing the patient in a supine position, 2) oxygen, and 3) fluid replacement. The role of the second line, supportive medications including H1 and H2 antihistamines and corticosteroids has not been established for the treatment of acute, biphasic, or prolonged anaphylaxis. Glucagon may be considered in patients taking a beta-blocker who are not responding to epinephrine. Physicians and office staff need to maintain clinical proficiency in anaphylaxis management, which should include an established written plan to deal with anaphylaxis and regular practice sessions. An action plan for the diagnosis and management of food-induced anaphylaxis should be provided to every patient with food allergies. A review of the action plan and technique for auto-injection of epinephrine should occur at regularly scheduled office visits. Recognizing that at the present time, there is no way to prevent food-induced anaphylaxis other than by avoiding the food. the patient requires frequent reinforcement that epinephrine, NOT antihistamines, is the only effective medication for the treatment of anaphylaxis and that a delay in administration is associated with more severe symptoms and a higher rate of fatality. Every patient with food-induced anaphylaxis must always have at least two doses of auto-injectable epinephrine immediately available.