Home Kitchen Research Articles

Objective Assessment of Superiority of Enteral Feeding by Traditional Home Kitchen-Based Feed V/S Commercial Formula Feed in Patients of Esophagogastric Corrosive Injury

Background: Corrosive ingestion can cause severe chemical injury to upper gastrointestinal tract which leads to dysphagia, malnutrition and weight loss. Early nutritional assessment and support through feeding jejunostomy is important and it should be nutritionally optimum and economically balanced. The aim is to compare cost and nutritional status after nutritional support with traditional home kitchen made and commercial formula feed through feeding jejunostomy.Methods:A prospective study included patients on enteral nutrition based on traditional home kitchen feed (cohort-1) and on commercial formula feed (cohort-2). Patient’s body weight, BMI, haemoglobin, serum albumin, nutritional risk index, controlling nutritional status score were checked at the admission, 3rd and 6th month follow up.Results: In cohort 1 mean albumin and haemoglobin raised by 33.13% & 14.60% at 3rd month and 47.23% & 22.3% at 6th month respectively; In cohort 2 it was 9.12% & 2.69% at 3rd month and 17.62% & 6.53% at 6th month respectively. At 6th month in cohort 1 and 2 mean weight gain was 7.56% & 4.0%; mean increase in NRI was 34.78% & 11.5% respectively. Mean CONUT score at six months was better improved in cohort 1 which is 6 to 1 as compared to cohort 2 which was 6 to 3. Mean monthly cost of home-based feeds was significantly lower as compared to commercial feeds (62.14 Rs v/s 682-2354 Rs/day).Conclusions:In corrosive GI tract injury patient enteral nutrition with traditional home kitchen-based feeds is safe, cost effective and associated with better improvement in nutritional status objective parameters.

Menstrual Hygiene Management: A Literature Review

Background: Menstruation is seldom regarded as an act of immense kindness put forward by a woman to ensure the human race doesn’t cease but ironically, it is now too in this so called modernized world is considered a dirty, unclean, shameful, taboo linking it with the so called term of women’s weakness in which she is at times even considered untouchable. A considerable lot of ridiculous and unhuman superstitious acts, often due to ancestry taboos carried forward, have made menstruation more intensely shamed in today’s so-called advanced world. In many parts of the world, there are still restrictions enforced upon women and girls undergoing menstruation to carry out their normal routine involvement in society, whether it be their home kitchen, religious places, communal gathering, outdoor group activities, etc. In this article, we primarily focus on the management of hygiene during menstruation. Menstruation is subjected to many superstitions that may lead to unhygienic practices. Menstruation, often considered a shame or taboo in various poor undedicated and undeveloped classes of society, need awareness for hygiene, sanitation, and management across the globe. The writer searched web sites like PubMed and Google Scholar for works the usage of the keywords "Menstruation" or "Menstrual Hygiene" and "Menstrual Management.” The writer reviewed case reviews and series, retrospective and potential studies, systematic opinions and meta-analyses, and different narrative critiques. The hints and helping quotation of papers covered withinside the observation have been additionally tested via way of means of the creator. Systemic critiques and meta-analyses have been favored after they have been available. When change facts became no longer available randomized management trials, potential studies, retrospective studies, case reviews, and different narrative critiques have been carried out in order.
 Conclusion: Hygiene is the most crucial aspect of living a healthy life, and it is essential during menstruation. On the other hand, the situation is stuck in India's rural areas, where women still confront hygienic issues, particularly when it comes to menstruation.

Daily Activity Recognition and Assessment System for Stroke Rehabilitation

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> To test an initial algorithm for recognizing and classifying daily activities of individuals with stroke in an unstructured home environment using a depth sensor. <h3>Design</h3> This study was a developmental, iterative design, completed in three phases. <h3>Setting</h3> In Phase 1, the algorithm was trained in a kitchen. In Phase 2, the trained algorithm was tested on 5 participants data collected from natural home kitchen environments. In Phase 3, the algorithm was trained and tested in natural home kitchen environments (individuals post-stroke). <h3>Participants</h3> In Phase 1, the system was trained with 11 individuals (age 18-40) without any disabilities. In Phase 2, the trained algorithm was tested on 5 participants with and without disabilities. In Phase 3, the algorithm was trained and tested on 15 adults post-stroke. <h3>Interventions</h3> In Phase 1, each participant completed 3 sets of prescribed activities. In Phase 2, participants completed meal preparation tasks and all data were recorded by the VicoVR and the Foresite sensor.All data (depth images and skeletal data) from Phase I were used to trained the Convolutional-deconvolutional neural network (CNN). <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> Per-frame accuracies and per-action accuracies were calculated for all algorithm tests. <h3>Results</h3> For the mock kitchen in Phase 1, the per-frame accuracy was 85.1% and the per-action accuracy was 92.1%. In Phase 2, the per-frame accuracies ranged from 52.0% to 89.7% and the per-action accuracies ranged from 54.3% to 88.5%. Phase 3 is currently ongoing. Our current tests of the algorithm show per-frame accuracies of 51.5% to 67.3% and per-action accuracies from 55.6% to 77.9%. <h3>Conclusions</h3> The per-action and per-frame accuracies indicate that the algorithm requires further training and testing. This study is the first of its kind to develop an unobtrusive assessment of daily activity. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> Dr. Skubic holds equity in Foresite Healthcare, the company that produces the sensor used in Phases 2 and 3 of this study. Dr. Proffitt has nothing to declare. Ms. Ma has nothing to declare.

Food Safety Knowledge and Self-reported Practices among Saudi Women

Background: Foodborne diseases due to improper food handling in home kitchens are among the most significant public health challenges worldwide. Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate food safety knowledge and selfreported practices among Saudi women. Methods: A total of 1490 women, aged between 18 and 60 years participated in this online survey. Collected and cured data were analyzed using descriptive statistics via the SPSS software. Chi-square (X2) test was performed to identify associations between variables. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Participants showed an overall knowledge score of 16.53±2.8/23 points (72%). About 4.5%, 57.5% and 38% had low, intermediate and good knowledge scores, respectively. Women had higher scores of knowledge in personal hygiene (5.2±0.8/6 points) and purchasing and storage (5.8±1.2/8 points) compared to food preparation and cooking (4.5±1.8/8 points). The overall practice score was 35.50±5.53/50 points (71%). About 7%, 52% and 41% of the participants exhibited low, intermediate and good practices scores, respectively. Participants’ practice scores of personal hygiene, utensils and equipment, purchasing and storage, and preparation and cooking were 11.10±2.33/15, 6.38±1.47/8, 8.72±1.84/12 and 9.30±2.08/15, respectively. Among the participants’ characteristics, women aged 26 years and older, those having marriage experience and those with children had significantly higher food safety knowledge (p&lt;0.001) than the young, single and women without children. Moreover, women with higher levels of education and those employed in health-related professions showed significantly higher knowledge and practice scores than their counterparts (p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: This study reported an intermediate overall food safety knowledge and practices among most adult Saudi women. Therefore, further targeted public education programs focusing mainly on food preparation and cooking are recommended to enhance women’s food safety knowledge and practices and thereby improve overall public health.

Survey of New Zealand Poultry Consumers' Handling of Raw Poultry and Food Safety Awareness To Provide Insight into Risk Factors for Campylobacteriosis

New Zealand (NZ) has a high rate of reported campylobacteriosis cases. Cross-contamination in home kitchens during poultry handling is considered the main factor in campylobacteriosis transmission. The main aim of this study was to measure NZ consumers' food safety awareness and self-reported food safety practices associated with handling raw poultry. This study will contribute to the existing knowledge to explain the reasons behind the increase of campylobacteriosis incidents. Findings can help inform future consumer education campaigns to help reduce the incidence of campylobacteriosis in NZ. A cross-sectional survey composed of 31 multiple-choice questions was designed, piloted, and used to collect information about the last time consumers purchased and prepared raw poultry at home. A street-intercept survey in public places, such as supermarkets in the Canterbury region, was used to recruit respondents for this study. A descriptive and inferential data analysis was performed, including a one-way analysis of variance test used to compare the mean scored responses of the respondents among different sociodemographics. Overall, 301 valid responses were obtained. Scores representing reported safe food practices ranged between 2 and 19 (maximum 21), with a mean score of 9.83 (standard deviation of 3.50 with a standard error of 0.20). There was some variation in correctly answered questions by respondents for food hygiene (25%), cross-contamination prevention (55%), temperature control and storage practices (49%), and food safety (52%). Approximately 30% of the respondents reported symptoms of a foodborne disease experienced once to four times during the past 12 months. The study identified low adherence to current recommended food safety practices, including safe food storage and temperature control. The findings can be used to inform a communication campaign regarding food safety needs to be designed urgently in NZ to reduce the rate of campylobacteriosis.

Frequency and analysis of acute kitchen burn injuries at Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Objective: To describe the frequency and outcomes of acute kitchen burn patients who were admitted to the burn center. Study Design: Cross Sectional study. Setting: Allied Burn &amp; Reconstructive Surgery Center, Faisalabad Medical University. Period: August 2019 to August 2020. Material &amp; Methods: A total of 566 cases were registered. In 293 cases, accident took place in kitchen, 153 cases occurred in home settings, 51 cases occurred at workplace and other 27 cases were in industry. 42 cases were reported at other different places. Results: A total of 566 burn cases occurring at different places including kitchen, home settings, workplace, industry and others, were included in the study. In 293 cases (51.766%) accidents took place in kitchen. Other 153 cases (27.03%) occurred in home settings. 51 cases (0.9%) occurred at workplace, 27 cases (0.45%) were in industry and 42 other cases (19.845%) were in different places. In 2019, total 172 cases were reported. Out of which 113 (65.7%) were males and 59 (34.3%) were females. In 2020, total 394 cases were reported. Out of which 237 (60.15%) were males and 157(39.85%) were females. All ages and both sexes were included. Our results showed that maximum accidents (51.766%) took place in kitchen. Males (61.84%) were affected more than females (38.16%). Regarding age, the group of children (˃10) was most to be effected (49%). Overall statistical analysis for patients was p ˂ 0.046, df =4, 95% CI. Conclusion: Combined with the previous knowledge, our research work provided great insight into the risk factors and detailed knowledge of burn injuries at different levels especially at home kitchen level.

Detection of Food Allergens in School and Home Environments of Elementary Students

Little is known about environmental food allergen exposure on school surfaces. To compare the distribution of major food allergens in floor dust and table wipe samples from elementary schools and dust samples from students' homes. In this substudy of the School Inner-City Asthma Study-II, 103 table wipe samples and 98 floor dust samples from cafeterias and classrooms in 18 elementary schools were analyzed for milk, peanut, cashew, hazelnut, and egg using a multiplex array. Home kitchen floor and bed dust samples from 90 students were also analyzed. Food allergens were detectable in schools, but at significantly lower levels than in homes (P < .001). In schools, milk and peanut were detected in all table wipe samples; milk and egg were detected in all floor dust samples. Cafeteria table wipe samples contained significantly higher levels of milk, peanut, hazelnut, and egg, compared with classrooms. Cafeteria floor dust samples contained higher levels milk than classrooms. Peanut-restrictive policies did not consistently reduce environmental peanut exposure in schools. Peanut allergen was lower in dust from homes of students with peanut allergy (n= 5) compared with those without peanut allergy (n= 85) (P<.001). Reassuringly, peanut allergen in the schools of peanut-allergic students was not significantly different than in their homes. Food allergens were readily detectable on tables and floors in elementary schools, but at levels lower than in students' homes. For peanut-allergic students, the levels of detectable peanut in their schools were not higher than their homes. The low levels of detectable food allergens in school environments are unlikely to result in severe allergic reactions.

Epic Hand Washing

Epic Hand Washing

Arduino based Home Kitchen Air Monitoring System

Home Kitchen Air pollution is an addition of harmful substances in the atmosphere, which results in environmental damage. The industrial development and reduction in forests which are two main root cause of air pollution has increased the death rates people dying from diseases like breathing problem and lung cancer. So, to fight against this serious threat to mankind, we decided to standby this society and we made our mind to do something to detect the amount of impurities in the air and considerably reduce the amount of impurity present in the air. In the project, we are detecting impurities using gas sensor. Impure air is input to the gas sensor. The sensor is connected to the Arduino which consist of code which will help us in detecting the amount of impurities in the air. After taking the inputs regarding the amount of impurities from the doctor we have set a limit up to which extent impurities are not harmful. If the limit exceeds then a buzzer sounds along with LCD display which gives us the information that it’s time to switch ON the filtering device. After that filtering device gets turned ON and home kitchen air gets purified. Coming to applications it can be used in the place where there is a need of oil mist collectors, dust collectors, UV air purifiers etc. Which is defined to describe acute health and discomfort effects that appear to be linked to poor kitchen air quality and the time spent in a building. In this project, we are going to present an kitchen air quality monitoring system. Our system is connected to the sensor, and as a result we will get good air.

Hong Kong identities through food: tracing developments and variations of pineapple buns in modern complexities

ABSTRACT This cultural study examines how contradictory yet coherent Hong Kong identities are constructed and solidified through constant interactions between its ethnic community and changing political, economic, and social environments from late colonization to the present. To conduct evidence-based observations and analysis, pineapple bun is selected as the research object. Its historical emergence and modern variations serve as metaphorical representations of Hong Kong vernacular cultures, embodying local people’s negotiations with the land and their identifications toward the collective Self. The paper illustrates that different pineapple buns served in bing sutt, cha chaan teng, nouvelle restaurant, convenience store, and home kitchen signify distinct aspects of Hong Kong identities coexisting within contemporary complexities. These binary oppositions harmoniously imprinted in local ethnicity – flexibility and persistence, nativism and globalism, and utilitarian and hedonism – demarcate Hongkongese as a unique community apart from British colonists and mainland Chinese.

A Feeling for the Human Subject: Margaret Lasker and the Genetic Puzzle of Pentosuria.

In 1933 Margaret Lasker, a biochemist who worked at the labs of Montefiore Hospital in New York, developed an accurate method for the differentiation between pentosuria and diabetes. Research into pentosuria, and mostly its genetic aspects, became Lasker's lifelong passion. Since research was not part of her job description, she conducted the chief part of her study in her home kitchen. Lasker's extensive and personal correspondence with her patients and their families may be the secret key for her success in maintaining a prolonged research career against all odds. Laker's last article was published in 1955 in Human Biology, presenting data on 72 cases of pentosuria, which occurs almost exclusively in Ashkenazi Jews. More than half a century later, and long after Lasker was gone, her well kept data and family records allowed the discovery of two mutations in the DCXR gene, by Mary-Claire King and her team.

Meditations on Entropy in the Kitchen

Research Article| May 01 2021 Meditations on Entropy in the Kitchen Sam Browett Sam Browett Sam Browett is a professional chef with a degree in philosophy. After graduating from King’s College London, he began working in Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris and London. A keen eater and traveler, he enjoys writing about the intersection of food, philosophy, and culture around the world. Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Gastronomica (2021) 21 (2): 109–110. https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2021.21.2.109 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Sam Browett; Meditations on Entropy in the Kitchen. Gastronomica 1 May 2021; 21 (2): 109–110. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2021.21.2.109 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentGastronomica Search I remember as a young child being fascinated by the alchemy that would take place in my home kitchen. My mother would take a few simple ingredients out of the pantry and combine and heat them in a certain way. Then, almost out of nowhere, a warm plate of Anzac biscuits would be sitting on the counter. Once unpalatable and reminiscent of sawdust, some oats and desiccated coconut were transformed into an edible embrace. I ate them just as homesick ANZAC soldiers (the name stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) had in World War I, and just as my mother had growing up in small-town New Zealand in the 1960s. Eating them felt like I was engaging with something persisting and transcendent, like I was witnessing an eternal flame. And yet, even as a child, I would... © 2021 by The Regents of the University of California2021 You do not currently have access to this content.

Cottage Food in Florida

In Florida, individuals can manufacture, sell, and store specific types of cottage food products in their primary home kitchen in accordance with Florida Statute 500.80. This new 3-page fact sheet, written by Sarah M. Ellis, Jennifer Hagen, and Matthew D. Krug and published by the UF/IFAS Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, provides basic information and resources for clientele who are interested in starting a food-based business out of their home kitchen. This document is one in a "Florida Food Entrepreneur" series, which seeks to assist new and established food entrepreneurs by providing information on topics relevant to food-based businesses.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs425

МЕТОДИ ТА ІНСТРУМЕНТИ ОЦІНКИ ПОТЕНЦІАЛУ ГАСТРОНОМІЧНОГО ТУРИЗМУ

The article is devoted to the development of the author's methodology for assessing the potential of gastronomic tourism in the region. But the past 2021 has changed the gastronomic preferences and views on fashion food around the world. After all, now a lot is being prepared in the home kitchen, a trip to a restaurant can be called an unusual adventure, and people are increasingly thinking about healthy eating and use products to maintain immunity. The global hospitality industry during the pandemic period supports the tourism sector in every possible way, unites to help overcome this global state of emergency and supports recovery efforts. One of the effective measures is the new companies from the UNWTO, one of which is dedicated to the unique opportunity to share the main dish of their country, showing how the culinary heritage reflects a sense of community and culture. Goal. In the age of the coronavirus, people began to think more and more about healthy eating. Every year the planet makes its changes in the culture of nutrition. Some of them are global gastronomic trends, others depend on the region and the mentality of the population, which affects gastronomic tourism and tourist preferences, the resumption of gastronomic tours and the economy as a whole. Method. In order to systematize the existing methodological developments in the field of assessing the gastronomic potential of the research area through the prism of the implementation of cluster initiatives, the basic concepts to be operated are identified. The methods and techniques of estimation which are necessary at an estimation of potential of gastronomic tourism of territory are studied. The author proposed his own approach to assessing the potential of gastronomic tourism on the example of the Right Bank Polesie of Ukraine, which is unique not only in geographical location, landscape diversity, but also in the number of unique natural and cultural-historical sites. Results. The author's method of estimating the potential of gastronomic tourism on the example of the Right-Bank Polesie of Ukraine is developed. A cartographic model of gastronomic tourism potential has been created, the theme and main object of which is an integrated indicator of gastronomic potential within physical-geographical areas, created by means and on the basis of the author's algorithm that fits into the general methodological scheme of geoinformation mapping. Scientific novelty. For the first time the author's approach to an estimation of potential of gastronomic tourism of the Right-bank Polesie of Ukraine is offered, the cartographic model of potential of gastronomic tourism is created. Practical significance. Gastronomic tourism is one of the key tools to attract tourists and increase the tourist attractiveness of the territory. The potential of gastronomic tourism will be the driver of the development of unattractive areas and unpresentable destinations, which will reveal their own authentic gastronomic magnets.

3D food printing of fresh vegetables using food hydrocolloids for dysphagic patients

Three-dimensional food printing (3DFP) leads to advances in digital gastronomy by targeting consumers’ specific requirements for nutrition customization and visual appeal. Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is prevalent in elderly people and patients suffering from debilitating illnesses. Dysphagic diets require textural modifications to render them soft and safe to swallow. Diets must be visually pleasing to enable a greater food uptake to prevent malnutrition in patients. 3DFP so far has mainly utilized freeze-dried vegetable powders for shaping 3D designs. Our work focuses on fresh and frozen vegetables having better nutritional profile and low costs. Three different categories of vegetables are identified based on the number of hydrocolloids required to render them printable. Garden pea, carrot and bok choy are chosen as representatives in each category, which requires no HC, one type of HC and two types of HCs, respectively. Food inks are prepared by the addition of HCs i.e. xanthan gum (XG), kappa carrageenan (KC) and locust bean gum (LBG) for texture modification. Rheological, textural, microstructural and syneresis properties of the inks are examined. International dysphagia diet standardisation initiative (IDDSI) tests are done to assess the potential of the inks for dysphagic diets. Optimized ink formulations display excellent 3D printability, minimal water seepage, and dense microstructures with minimal amount of HCs. Using fresh vegetables instead of freeze-dried foods serves the purpose of preserving flavour and nutrition like real food. This in turn may bring 3DFP closer to the hospital and nursing home kitchens.

Evolution of Waste Cooking Oil Collection in an Area with Long-Standing Waste Management Problems

Waste cooking oil (WCO) can be a useful secondary raw material, if properly managed. On the contrary, uncontrolled disposal generates negative environmental impacts as well as economic loss. Therefore, improving WCO recovery rate, with the cooperation of citizens and effective collection programs, is fundamental. The aim of the study was to investigate the reason for the low recovery of WCO in those areas suffering serious waste management problems such as the Campania region in Southern Italy. For this purpose, the case of a WCO collection program adopted in Angri, a town of around 34,000 people with a high population density, was studied. In 2015, the collection program was managed by a social cooperative, while, in 2016, after the change of the local government, the collection of WCO was entrusted to a private company. In 2015, the households’ participation in the collection program was surveyed through a structured questionnaire. The results revealed that the collection of WCO was practiced by 53% of the respondents. Among those not collecting WCO, 76% of the sample wrongly disposed of WCO in their home (kitchen or toilet). Misinformation was the main reason why they did not adhere to the collection program. Therefore, it was suggested to support information and environmental education campaigns to promote environmental awareness of citizens. Unfortunately, the change of management, together with serious problems in the collection of municipal waste in the whole region, due to the continuous closures of the mechanical and biological plants, produced a sharp decline in the collection from 7730 kg in 2015 to an average of 3800 kg for the period 2016–2019, with a loss of more than 15,000 kg of WCO wrongly disposed with consequent environmental and economic damage. Therefore, information and awareness campaigns are important but the form of entrusting the collection service is equally important, especially in areas with long-standing waste management problems.

Vanns spices: Blending food, women’s friendship and business in 1980s Baltimore

In 1981 friends and female entrepreneurs Virginia Limansky and Ann Wilder launched a boutique spice business in Baltimore. The company’s name was a fusion of their first names, Virginia and Ann, and the business initially developed out of their home kitchens. Vanns created popular spice blends of high quality and flourished despite being located in the shadow of nearby spice giant McCormick. It began by offering six spice blends; today the company boasts over 350 spices, herbs and seasoning blends. By focusing on Vanns’ first years, this study first explores what prompted one of its female co-founders to create its foundational spice blends and then withdraw from the enterprise precisely as the business took flight. Next it looks to what circumstances contributed to the business’ early success, and with only one exception, to ways these women entrepreneurs found to transform potential obstacles to Vanns’ success into business opportunities. Finally, this story of Vanns, incorporating detail available through recent access to Val Limansky’s private papers and personal interviews, reintroduces Val Limansky to the story of the business she co-founded, which continues to operate in Maryland today. It also adds particularity to existing accounts of Baltimore’s social and food landscape in the 80s, and of the gourmetization of foodways in America during the 80s and 90s.

Nudge tools for improving hygiene behavior among food handlers: Case study

AbstractThe purpose of this research is to determine the actual state of food handlers' hygiene behavior and analyze the effectiveness of selected nudge tools in the retirement home kitchen. The observation process of the food handlers' work was performed by following a pre‐prepared observation checklist. Based on the actual state of hygiene behavior of the food handlers, we consecutively introduced the following nudge tools: stories about foodborne disease outbreaks, the image of a probe thermometer, citrus scent and citrus scent with an inscription. The data were processed using Excel and the calculated proportions of relevance of the criteria for hygiene behavior were compared by stages of observation according to working time. The observation before the introduction of nudge tools revealed that the food handlers in the selected kitchen do not always follow all criteria of hygienic behavior. The nudge tools affected the food handlers differently. The stories about foodborne disease outbreaks used as a nudge tool did not significantly affect the hygiene behavior of the food handlers. The image of a probe thermometer as a nudge tool significantly improved compliance with and control of the critical control points. Citrus scent as a nudge tool had a very different effect on the behavior of the food handlers: some of them were disturbed by the presence of the diffuser, while others felt more relaxed. Citrus scent with a short inscription significantly improved the hygiene behavior of the food handlers at all critical stages of food preparation.

Do Cottage Food Laws Reduce Barriers to Entry for Food Manufacturers?

AbstractStates have increasingly adopted cottage food laws across the United States. The laws allow small‐scale food entrepreneurs to produce nonrefrigerated foods in home kitchens and sell them via direct‐to‐consumer outlets. Research has not yet established if the policies are, as intended, supporting start‐up food manufacturing businesses nationally. We estimate a differences‐in‐differences model using state‐level panel data to evaluate whether the passage of cottage food laws impacted the number of manufactured baked good establishments. We find a positive impact on the number of both employer and nonemployer businesses, with a relatively greater proportional impact for nonemployer businesses.

Food Safety Conditions in Home-Kitchens: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Federal District/Brazil.

This study aimed to analyze the food safety conditions in home kitchens from the Brazilian Federal District. A previously validated instrument composed of 77 items (in four blocks) was used to evaluate the safety conditions in home kitchens. A survey was carried out with on-site application with 226 home kitchens’ food handlers in the Federal District, Brazil to evaluate Brazilian home kitchens’ good practices. Of the home kitchen food handlers, most of them were female (64.6%), had completed undergraduate education (29.2%), and were 45–59 years old (23.5%). The visited households had an average of 3.38 ± 1.48 residents that ate some of their meals at home, and 40% declared the monthly family income to be between 5 and 15 Brazilian minimum wages (MW). Regarding the reliability of the instrument, from the KR-20 test, it was verified that the instrument presents good internal consistency (α = 0.758). According to the instrument classification, the home kitchens’ sample was considered as at a medium risk of food contamination (46.5% of them presented from 51 to 75% of conformities to the instrument). There was a statistical difference between house-kitchens with a family income from zero to one minimum wage (MW) and those receiving from 5 to 15 MW (p = 0.017), as well as between those from zero to one MW and who earn above 15 MW (p = 0.009). The result of the on-site evaluation shows that the instrument was able to measure food safety conditions in Brazilian Federal District domestic kitchens. Such findings can contribute positively to the development of actions in health education that help in the adoption of good practices of food manipulation and, consequently, in the reduction in foodborne disease outbreaks in residences.