Homemade Food Research Articles

Know your guests’ preferences before they arrive at your hotel: evidence from TripAdvisor

PurposeToward achieving a better guest experience, the current study aims to use the word frequency comparison technique to evaluate the types of attributes and services that are used most frequently in guests’ five- and one-star reviews on TripAdvisor. The working-paper also aims to investigate the differences between reviews written by men and women.Design/methodology/approachA combined sentiment and text analysis was applied to 329,849 UK hotel reviews from UK TripAdvisor to identify factors that influence customer satisfaction, including those with gender differences.FindingsThe present findings reveal important differences between the male- and female-produced terms. The results show that female travelers pay more attention to the hotel’s core products and their comfort compared to male travelers. In terms of food and beverage, men’s comments tended to focus on pubs, beer and certain types of food. In contrast, women’s comments were more likely to be related to healthy eating, such as homemade, vegan and vegetarian foods, as well as fruits and healthy breakfasts. Women also pay more attention to the soft skills of staff such as friendliness, helpfulness and welcoming messages.Practical implicationsWhile core attributes of a hotel stay remain crucial for all guests, disparities exist between the language men and women use to describe them. For core products, women pay more attention to the room’s cleanliness, comfort and features such as bed, pillow, blanket, towel, toiletries and decoration, whereas men pay more attention to the layout, size and type of room. Hotels may use gender as a segmentation variable and use these findings in their marketing campaigns.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies offering insights into the differences between the male and female reactions to and preferences for hotel services at a national level. Following a novel method, this study has listed and ranked attributes and differentiated them based on gender.

Availability and Nutritional Composition of Street Food in Urban Central Asia: Findings From Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Objective: To describe the availability and nutritional composition of commonly available street foods in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Methods: 384 street food vending sites (in 10 public markets) were assessed; information on vending sites’ characteristics and food availability and samples of the most commonly available street foods (81 homemade; 40 industrial) were collected for chemical analysis. Results: Fruit, beverages and food other than fruit were available in 1.0%, 47.4% and 92.7% of all vending sites. Homemade food other than fruit (e.g., bread, main dishes, snacks, pastries, sandwiches, and cakes) were available in 63.4% of stationary vending sites, while industrial (e.g., snacks, chocolate, cakes, and cookies) in 45.6% of them. Industrial foods were the most energy-dense [median kcal/100 g: 438.8 vs. 267.2, p < 0.001 (homemade)]. Traditional homemade dishes were high in sodium, reaching 2,248 mg/serving (lagman) and major contributors of protein and fat to energy content (shashlik: 22.8% from protein, 68.3% from fat). Industrial chocolate and homemade cake presented the highest saturated (14.6 g/serving) and trans-fat (3.20 g/serving) contents. Conclusion: These findings advocate for the implementation of health promotion strategies targeted at vendors, consumers and other stakeholders.

Covid-19 and the Politics of Gastronomic Consumerism in Pandemic India

Food culture has always been a definitive marker of identity throughout the ages, reflecting transformations social orders have undergone over time. Consumerism finds its most potent manifestation in food cultures, especially in terms of the type of food consumed (imported, ready-to-eat, frozen etc.) and the modes in which it is consumed (at restaurants, dine-ins, online ordering). The Covid-19 pandemic situation saw drastic transformations in the way Indians perceived and consumed food and drinks, with the gig economy and home-made food industry flourishing. The lockdown and associated restrictions led to a sharp decline in the number of people eating out at restaurants, hotels and cafes. Besides, the work-at-home culture made leisure possible for a significant section of the middle-class, propelling the subjects to cook at home, often leading to the emergence of local food-based start-ups. Domestic servitude declined due to the upper-class suspicion of maids and “lowly” domestic employees who came from “unclean” locales. As such, homemakers and working subjects, especially women, began cooking on their own, leading to innovative food cultures and novel modes of gastronomic consumerism. The paper attempts to explore the multifaceted modes in which the Covid-19 situation propels transformations in gastronomic consumer culture and the “culture industry” in India, as revealed through surveys, published reports and social media pages. The study would also engage with the modes in which gender, class and caste intersect with pandemic consumerism in the gastronomic arena, thereby developing a holistic perspective on how it affects consumer and food cultures across social groups in India.

Household production and energy content of infant flours for children aged 6 to 11 months in two rural settings in southern Benin

Background: Homemade complementary foods which are prepared from staples by the mothers or caregivers are mostly used in Africa including Benin. These foods are not adequately enriched and hygienic conditions are sometimes poor. Aims: The aim was to describe household production methods of infant flours and to estimate their macronutrient content in Benin. Methods: From August to October 2020, 20 mothers of children aged 6 to 11 months were selected in the municipalities of Covè and Djakotomey to examine the process of domestic production of infant flours and porridges. Data were collected using a touch screen questionnaire and the energy content of the flours produced by the mothers was calculated and evaluated using the FAO/INFOODS food composition table for West Africa. Results: The main process units for the production of the infant flours were milling:100%, sorting: cereals 60% and legumes: 33%, roasting: cereals 70%, and legumes: 91.7%. Mothers had poor hygienic practices regarding Material: 20%, Manipulator: 20%, and Milieu: 35% during the preparation of infant porridges. Four of the 20 formulas produced had an acceptable energy content, two had a standard fat content (10 - 25 g/100 g flour) and 12 had a standard protein content (15 g/100 g flour). Conclusions: This study showed that the main production methods of infant flours need to be improved. More, the overall energy content from these flours was lower than the recommended macronutrients contents by the standard FAO/WHO/UNICEF and the standards references. It is therefore important to maintain and strengthen nutritional interventions in order to improve the nutritional quality of homemade infant flours. Keywords: Infant flour, household production, nutrition, hygiene.

Epidemiological aspects of poisoning Infectious-toxic bacteria of botulism on food poisoning in Iran; A review study

Botulism is a rare neuroparalytic syndrome, caused by a neurotoxin produced by bacteria of the genus Clostridium. Signs and symptoms of food botulism begin 12 to 36 hours after the toxin enters the bloodstream. Clostridium botulinum is one of the most common life-threatening agents worldwide, producing the botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT). Poisoning is caused by the consumption of a highly toxic exotoxin produced during the growth of microorganisms in food. The growth of Clostridium botulinum strains and their production of toxins in vacuum processed foods have received special attention. Symptoms of botulism may appear 12 to 72 hours after eating foods that contain toxins, such as canned tuna, local dairy products, and home-made or commercial foods. Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, bruising, dizziness and headache, dry skin, sore throat, constipation, mild fever (or no fever), muscle paralysis, diplopia, and eventually respiratory problems and death. On the other hand, botulinum neurotoxin is used in medicine and psychiatry. BoNT is involved in the management and control of many diseases such as depression and Parkinson’s, dermatitis such as psoriasis, as well as in the beauty and elimination of facial skin wrinkles.

WORK- LIFE BALANCE AMONG WORKING PARENTS IN PALAKKAD DISTRICT DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Coronavirus Pandemic Period altered the world as at no other time. This surprising occasion influenced all areas of the world and has affected the work-family harmony of working parents in the industrial and service sectors. This investigation is expected to know the work-life balance, positive perspectives, Issues, and Challenges during the pandemic time frame among working parents in Palakkad District. This paper utilized both primary and secondary information and the data gathered through an all-around organized survey. The information accumulated from 104 respondents through online Google structure. The gathered information is characterized and investigated by statistical tools including mean, Standard Deviation, and One way ANOVA. The result of the investigation shows that a larger part of the chose respondent's family and spouse support and helps them in their work and they maintain a sincere relationship with their Superior and Colleagues. The result affirms that they could adjust their work-life and day to day life during this pandemic period. The study additionally found that the vast majority of the respondents can appreciate home-made food when they work at home during this pandemic period. The primary issue and difficulties looked at during this pandemic period are they couldn't keep up team spirit and good relationships because of social separating. The result of this research can give a contribution to the competent authority in settling on choices to adjust the work-life of employees in an unexpected occasion that occurred in external environment.

Food Protein-Induced Allergic Proctocolitis: The Effect of Maternal Diet During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding in a Mediterranean Population.

BackgroundThe aim of the current investigation was to explore the association of food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis (FPIAP) with the maternal diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding in Greek infants.MethodsA multicenter retrospective case-control study was conducted in 6 regions in Greece, with 96 mothers of infants with and 141 mothers of infants without a history of FPIAP. Maternal dietary habits during pregnancy and breastfeeding were evaluated with the following validated questionnaires: (a) The Mediterranean Diet Score and (b) The Mediterranean Oriented Culture-Specific Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire.ResultsFPIAP was associated with cow's milk (83.6%), egg (7.3%), wheat (6.4%), and beef (6.4%) in the maternal diet. Adherence to Mediterranean Diet was similar among the mothers. Mothers of FPIAP infants consumed more vegetables. Elastic net prediction models showed that, in this Mediterranean population, increased consumption during pregnancy and lactation of common allergens, whole grain products, homemade food, fish and shellfish, and fruits was associated with a decreased risk of FPIAP. Conversely, a high intake of vegetables, sugar and total fat, and non-stick/grilled cooking, were associated with increased risk of FPIAP, as was a high intake of salt and white flour during lactation only.ConclusionsComponents of a maternal Mediterranean Diet may protect against FPIAP when traditional cooking methods are adopted and fish, fruit, and whole wheat products are consumed frequently during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

PELATIHAN PENGELOLAAN USAHA DENGAN TEKNIK PEMASARAN MARKETPLACE DI DESA JAMBUGEULIS KECAMATAN CIGANDAMEKAR KABUPATEN KUNINGAN

Jambugeulis Village is one of the villages in Kuningan Regency whose people generally have a livelihood as farmers and day laborers. Apart from being farmers and daily laborers, the people of Jambugeulis village also have jobs as traders and home-made food makers. There are several types of home-cooked food produced by the people of Jambugeulis village, including moring (a type of small cracker made from tapioca flour), cassava tape food, and cuhcur cake. The people of Jambugeulis village in the process of marketing traditional food products still use conventional methods, namely by selling products directly to consumers and in collaboration with traditional food gift shops. The conventional sales process has several shortcomings/weaknesses including the marketing process of traditional food products is still limited only in Kuningan Regency, the profit of the Jambugeulis village community is slightly reduced from the normal selling price due to a reduction in distribution costs. The difficulty of access for consumers from outside the Kuningan Regency to buy/obtain traditional food products from Jambugeulis village. With this fact, the author feels compelled to carry out business management training with marketplace techniques by utilizing the latest developments in information technology. The methods implemented in this community service activity are the Lecture method, the Question and Answer method, and the Simulation method. From the results of the activities that have been carried out, participants are very enthusiastic about participating in the activities and understand the importance of business management by utilizing marketpalce.&#x0D; Key words: Training, business management, marketplace, Jambugeulis village

Release of Microplastics from Reusable Kitchen Plasticware and Generation of Thermal Potential Toxic Degradation Products in the Oven

Plastics are one of the most important technical materials at present, yet they are associated with a whole series of environmental problems such as micro-and nanoplastics or their plasticizers, which have become increasingly relevant in recent years. While there are many studies that focus on microplastics (MPs) introduced into the human body through commercially produced food, there are nearly none that consider the MPs we ingest through homemade food made with plastic kitchen utensils such as mixing bowls. To investigate this, samples were obtained by exposing different plastic bowls made of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), melamine, polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN), to mechanical stress and then analyzed via infrared spectroscopy. This not only raises the question of whether microplastics are incorporated into foods but also the extent to which the degradation products produced by thermal stress in an oven could play a toxicological role. Degradation products were generated by pyrolysis and analyzed afterwards using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. There were differences in the number of microplastic particles abraded by the different types of plastic, with the most consisting of melamine (898 particles) and the least consisting of low-density polyethylene (331 particles). There were also differences in the number and relevance of the thermal degradation products for the different plastics, so that a human toxicological assessment would have to be evaluated in further work.

Sodium and Potassium Content of the Most Commonly Available Street Foods in Maputo, Mozambique.

Street foods can contribute largely for dietary sodium intake of populations in developing countries. We aimed to assess the variability in sodium and potassium composition of the most commonly available homemade street foods in Maputo city, capital of Mozambique. In a cross-sectional evaluation, researchers canvassed areas with 500-m diameter centered around 20 randomly selected public transport stops, identified all street food vending sites and, in randomly selected sites, purchased 56 samples of the most frequently available homemade foods. Samples were analyzed for sodium and potassium concentrations, using flame photometry. The 56 samples represented main dishes (45 samples of 12 types of food item), sandwiches (8 samples of 5 types of food item) and fried snacks (3 samples of 2 types of food item). Median contents (range), in mg/serving, were 921 (198 to 2525) of sodium and 385 (24 to 1140) of potassium. Median (range) of sodium to potassium molar ratio was 4.1 (1.3 to 41.5). One serving of main dishes was estimated to contribute from 32.1% to 99.9% of the recommended maximum daily sodium intake. The present study shows a large variability and potential for improvement in sodium and potassium contents of homemade foods frequently available in the streets of Maputo city.

EXPLORING THE BRAND BUILDING PROCESS IN MICRO VENTURES THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE: A STUDY OF THE WOMEN-OWNED HOME-BASED COOKED FOOD DELIVERY SERVICES IN KHULNA CITY IN BANGLADESH

&lt;p&gt;Investigation on the practice of social media in order to build a brand in the digital era is the purpose of this study. Identification of the impact of the usage and functionalities of social media on building a brand is the goal of this endeavour. The research explores the impact of different communication mode in brand management. The association of brand development and firm-created interaction and user-generated interaction has also been exploited. A qualitative study has been conducted for the research. Data are collected from semi-structured interviews with 8 shops owners of the online homemade food industry in Khulna city who have a strong command of social media. They practice social media for their business. They provide initial information of actions taken by firms and their enthusiasm behind engaging this industry. The outcome obtained from this effort displays the firm’s engagement of strengthening awareness and image of a brand by utilizing social media interaction initiated by firms and solidification of trust and loyalty of a brand by exploiting actions taken in social media by the users. Social media’s capacity to build the equity for a brand in a new yet convincing industry is explored in this exertion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;JEL:&lt;/strong&gt; L60; L96; M10&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0955/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Factors affecting stunted growth in children aged 6-24 months in Bawean Island, Indonesia

Background: Stunted is defined as a condition where body length and height are less than -2 SD of the WHO height-for-age z score. The number of stunted children worldwide reaches 129 million or 23.8% of the population. This study aims to scrutinize the factors affecting stunted growth in children aged 6-24 months old in Sangkapura district, Bawean.&#x0D; Methods: This cross-sectional quantitative study in Bawean island, involving children aged 6-24 months old who came to posyandu for height measurement. The purposive sampling technique was used in the study, in which the samples filled a questionnaire consisting of several questions. The data analyses presented are univariate analysis, Chi-Square, and Binary Regression Analysis. &#x0D; Results: The analysis results showed that the factors affecting stunted growth in toddlers are birth weight (&lt;2500 grams), gestational age (&lt;37 weeks), exclusive breastfeeding, and weaning foods. If the baby’s birth weight is less than 2500 grams, is born before week 37 of pregnancy, does not get exclusive breastfeeding, and is given homemade weaning foods, the possibility of the baby being stunted is 91.5%.&#x0D; Conclusion: Several factors affect stunted growth in children aged 6-24 months old in Bawean island. Children who experience all of the factors mentioned above have a 91.5% possibility of being stunted. Among the other factors, babies not exclusively breastfed are 190,019 times more likely to be stunted.

Homemade Food Allergen Extracts for Use in Skin Prick Tests in the Diagnosis of IgE-Mediated Food Allergy: A Good Alternative in the Absence of Commercially Available Extracts?

Introduction: The skin prick test (SPT) is the first step in the diagnosis of an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy. The availability of commercial food allergen extracts is very limited, resulting in a need for alternative extraction methods of food allergens. The objective of this study was to compare the SPT results of homemade food allergen extracts with commercially available extracts. Methods: Adult patients with a suspected food allergy were included. Food allergen-specific symptoms were scored using a questionnaire. SPTs were performed with homemade and commercially available extracts (ALK-Abelló, Kopenhagen, Denmark) from almond, apple, hazelnut, peach, peanut, and walnut. Serum-specific IgE was measured with ISAC or ImmunoCAP™. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) between the SPT results of both extract methods were calculated. The proportion of agreement with food allergen-specific symptoms was analyzed. Results: Fifty-four patients (mean age 36; range 19–69 years; female/male: 42/12) were included. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) between the SPT results of both extract methods were strong for hazelnut 0.79 (n = 44) and walnut 0.78 (n = 31), moderate for apple 0.74 (n = 21) and peanut 0.66 (n = 28), and weak for almond 0.36 (n = 27) and peach 0.17 (n = 23). The proportion of agreement between SPT results and food allergen-specific symptoms was comparable for homemade and commercially available extracts, except for peach; 0.77 versus 0.36, respectively. Conclusion: In the diagnostic procedures to identify an IgE-mediated food allergy, homemade extracts from hazelnut and walnut appear to be a good alternative in the absence of commercially available food allergen extracts.

Assessment of Processed Meat Consumption in Children (6 -10 Years Old): Sample of an Elementary School in Istanbul, Turkey

ABSTRACT Introduction: Processed meat has undesirable effects on overall diet quality especially in children and adolescents because the high consumption could increase the prevalence of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. This study was carried out to evaluate the processed meat consumption of children (between 6-10 ages) and to observe their parents' attitudes on processed meat consumption and purchasing. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 297 children in the 1st to 4th classes of an elementary school in İstanbul and their parents. Children processed meat consumption and parents’ opinion about processed meat, attitudes during shopping were analyzed. Chi-square, Spearman correlation, Kruskal Wallis (Tamhane) analyses were applied with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results were assessed in 95% confidence interval (CI) and p &lt; 0.05 significance level. Results: The first parents’ attitude during shopping was analyzed expiration date. The price tag on the package was the last attitude. Body Mass Index (BMI) of children and processed meat consumption wasn’t related statistically (p&gt;0.05), but increasing age was statistically related to higher processed meat consumption (p&lt;0.05). Parents of children who believe in the adverse effect of processed meat consumed less (p&lt;0.05). Conclusions: Most of the parents decreased processed meat consumption because of its adverse health effect. Parents prepared lunch boxes and preferred homemade food for their children. While the educational level of parents decreased, the amount of processed meat consumption of children increased.

Роль продуктов прикорма в формировании вкусовых предпочтений и нутритивного статуса детей

Objective. To evaluate the influence of different patterns of complementary feeding on the formation of nutritional behavior and nutritional status in children between 6 and 12 months old. Patients and methods. The study included 86 practically healthy children; the duration of observation was 10.65 ± 3.65 weeks. Children in the study group (n = 46) received only commercially produced complementary foods; children in the comparison group (n = 40) received both commercially produced and homemade foods. In the study group, parents accurately followed the recommendations on the order, timing, and amount of introduction of complementary foods. Tolerance and nutritional behavior were assessed using specially designed questionnaires. The dynamics of nutritional status against the background of complementary feeding were evaluated. Results. Most of the children tolerated the introduced complementary food products, both commercially produced and homemade, and had average parameters of physical development and nutritional status. Skin manifestations of food allergy (19.6% in the study group, 17.5% in the comparison group) to the following commercially produced complementary foods were revealed: dairyfree buckwheat porridge and any milk porridge, cauliflower, pumpkin, zucchini; and to homemade foods: fish, strawberries, pumpkin. Dyspepsia in the form of increased/decreased frequency of defecation was detected in 13 and 22.5% of children in the study group and comparison group, respectively. Uncontrolled introduction of complementary foods in the comparison group (early introduction of fruit or berry puree, milk porridge, cottage cheese) was accompanied by a 3.5-fold increase in the number of children with excess body weight during the observation period. Rapid substitution of one product with another when a child refused to eat the complementary food product did not allow a positive attitude towards new foods to be formed. In the study group, 10 (66.6%) out of 15 children with an initially negative attitude towards complementary foods agreed to eat the previously unpreferable product, in the comparison group – 1 child out of 4 (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion. The timing and order of introducing complementary foods is essential for children to develop proper eating behavior and optimal food preferences. Key words: food preferences, complementary foods, breastfeeding, eating behavior

Body mass index, eating habits, and various lifestyle changes in young adults during the two years of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The aim of this study was to find out the perceived impact of 2 years of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on various lifestyle behaviors (LSBs) and changes and their effect on body mass index (BMI) of young Saudi adults. This was a descriptive exploratory study conducted in January 2022 on 1724 students (aged 16-21 years) from multiple colleges of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The main tools of the study were: BMI and an online 30-item LSB and changes structured questionnaire, which assessed LSB and perceived changes, 1 month immediately preceding and 2 years after the COVID-19 outbreak. Our study results showed that 48% of the subjects gained weight after the pandemic. Screen time (ST) increased from 6.8 h before pandemic to 9.2 h/24 h after pandemic outbreak (P < 0.0001). However, no significant association was observed between excessive ST and increased BMI. A significant decrease in physical activity was seen after the outbreak (P < 0.001), which was positively but insignificantly associated with increased BMI (P = 0.3). A significant increase in the frequency of food intake was observed; 18.7% of the subjects reported taking ≥ 4 meals/day before the epidemic compared to 32.1% during the pandemic (P = 0.001). Decreased intake of homemade food, increased intake of junk food, and increased number of the meals/day were significantly related with increased BMI (P < 0.05). The strongest risk factor for increased BMI after the outbreak of the pandemic was ≥4 meals/day (OR=1.6; P = 0.048). After 2 years of the pandemic, 48% of the young adults perceived they had gained weight, which was strongly associated with self-reported increase in the number of meals/day (≥4). These observations could aid the development of nutritional recommendations to maintain the health of young adults during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Working Woman in Eighteenth-Century Vilnius: Possibilities and The Character of Work

The topic of this study is “A Working Woman in Eighteenth-Century Vilnius: Possibilities and The Character of Work”. The aim of this study is to analyse the labour possibilities and character for 18th century women in Vilnius. In order to reveal these aspects the following issues were explored: ascertainment of the nature of women’s labour; ascertainment of the wages payed and wage dynamics for women’s labour; ascertainment of the social status and marital status of women part of the working women. In the 18th century women’s labour can be ascribed to the “service sector”. This type of labour was mostly unqualified work and did not require a lot of physical strength and can be divided into two categories – hire and trade. The duration of hired work was varied. The wages for women who worked for hire in short durations was calculated by day. Such hire work can be characterized as being seasonal and is observed in agricultural labour, which women were hired for during summer and autumn. Women serving in convents were hired for long-term labour. They worked and lived in these institutions all year long. While serving in convents women carried out the same jobs as maids working on private household properties (various household chores). These women were not paid with money alone because the institutions provided them with tenancy, maintenance, clothing and foot-wear as well.The specifics of labour for women working as wet-nurses differed from other labour workers. This type of labour could only be performed by women who had recently had given birth to their own children and were not discouraged by the risks that came with nursing foundlings.Women’s wages were usually lower than men’s and they sometimes got paid more than double the amount of women’s wages. The highest wages were paid out to wet-nurses because of the high health risks that came with nursing children abandoned by their parents. A stable income was guaranteed for women who were serving in convents and working as wet-nurses. Women working for short-term hire got paid with one-off payments and only once they have completed their tasks [job]. However, single-day labour work wages were higher. It is unknown how much money women in trade were making. However it is known that they made up 35 to 90 percent of the city’s official tax paying traders. These statistics reveal that women were trading various products – from shoes to various metal objects as well as food and vegetables.The type of labour force women were a part of could have also been determined by their marital status. Unmarried, young aged women most often served in convents and older women with families tended to favour short-term work for hire. Trade was favoured most often by married women (or widows), who could sell not just their home-made food products and home-grown fruits and vegetables but also their artisan spouse’s (or parents) produced ware at local market places.

Factors Associated With Dietary Quality During Initial and Later Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexico.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the global economy and modified lifestyles. The aim of our study was to identify factors associated with dietary quality, and their frequency, in Mexican adults at the initial and later stages of the pandemic.Methods: Two online surveys were conducted between June and July 2020 (n = 3,131) and between November and December 2020 (n = 1,703 including non-participants from 1st round). A diet quality score was estimated using a short instrument to measure the consumption of several healthy/unhealthy food items. Linear regression models were used to identify the association between pandemic related factors and the diet quality score, adjusted by sociodemographic characteristics. The 2nd round was weighted to represent the 1st round.Results: During the 1st and 2nd rounds only ~12% of the sample perceived that their intake of healthy food decreased, relative to before the pandemic; ~20% perceived that their intake of unhealthy foods increased. Diet quality remained similar between the 1st and 2nd round. The following factors were negatively associated with diet quality: Eating food prepared away-from-home; going out to work ≥4 times/week; decreased time for food preparation; decreased interest in eating healthy; eating more due to anxiety, depression, or boredom; food insecurity; and stockpiling junk food. Purchasing food using a mixed modality of both in-store and home delivery was positively associated with diet quality. With the exception of eating more due to anxiety (reported by 47% of participants), all these factors were reported by a minority of participants during the first round (≤15%). During the 2nd round, there was an increase in the frequency of participants who reported eating food prepared away-from-home, going out to work ≥4 times/week, having less time to prepare food, being more interested in eating healthfully, and a decrease in participants eating more due to anxiety, depression or boredom, or stockpiling junk food.Conclusions: Most participants perceived that their dietary intake improved during both initial and later stages of the pandemic. This might be related to factors associated with higher dietary quality, such as not going out to work, eating homemade food, and online grocery shopping.

Occurrence of canine mammary and skin/ subcutaneous neoplasms in and around Thrissur district of Kerala during 2017-2020: A review of 265 cases

The study was conducted in 265 clinical cases of mammary and skin/ subcutaneous neoplasms in dogs presented to University Veterinary Hospitals Mannuthy and Kokkalai during a period of 36 months from October 2017 to September 2020. Mammary neoplasms were found more in females (51.7 per cent) than in males whereas skin and subcutaneous neoplasms were found more in male dogs (48.3 per cent). The maximum occurrence of neoplasms was recorded in the age group of eight to twelve years (38.5 per cent) whereas least occurrence was noticed in the age group up to four years (9 per cent). Labrador and Rottweiler breeds were found more affected with neoplasms (38 per cent each) with highest occurrence of mammary neoplasms in inguinal mammary glands (35.03 per cent) and highest occurrence of skin/ subcutaneous neoplasms on sites involving trunk region (14.06 per cent cases). Eighty-three per cent of the neoplasm cases in the present study were pet dogs with a greater number of dogs maintained in outdoor kennels and 17 per cent of neoplasm was found in free-roaming dogs rescued from streets. Out of total 265 dogs, 37.73 per cent dogs were found to be having commercial dog food as their main feed and 32 per cent dogs were fed with a mixed diet of homemade food and commercial dog food. Among the cases, 14.71 per cent dogs had a previous history of cancer surgery

Prevalence of Iron Deficiency Anemia among Adolescent School Children of Manipur, India

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA), one of the most common types of nutritional anemia worldwide is considered a major public health problem in developing countries. Prevalence in India remains alarmingly high. Population of Manipur, a small state in the north-eastern part of India, is different with distinct race, culture, socio-demographic pattern and dietary habits. Therefore, this cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of IDA among apparently healthy school children of Manipur, India.&#x0D; Methods: Three hundred and seventy-nine blood samples (163 males and 216 females) were collected randomly from urban and rural school children in the age group of 13 to 19 years from Imphal west and Thoubal districts of Manipur respectively. Eligible participants were subjected to haemoglobin (Hb) estimation and serum ferritin (SF) assay. Moreover, a questionnaire was designed to collect demographics, food and drink habits, hygienic practices and socioeconomic status. BMI of the students were also recorded.&#x0D; Results: The overall prevalence of IDA was 23.2% (n = 88), of whom 81.81% were females (n = 72) and 18.18% were males (n = 16). Prevalence of IDA among the males and females was higher in the rural compared to urban schools but not statistically significant. Correlation between BMI and Hb was significant (p &lt; 0.05) but not with serum ferritin status. Students belonging to the middle income group had the highest prevalence of ferritin deficiency followed by the high income group and low income group respectively. Both the Hb and serum ferritin levels of students who do hand wash before meals were significantly higher than those who do not. Both hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels do not differ significantly among students who prefer home-made traditional food and junk food.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study revealed that the majority of the students, especially females, have IDA that might become worse by malnutrition, lifestyle habits, and lack of awareness. Our results suggest that IDA can be prevented by providing proper knowledge on the healthful diet, improved lifestyle, and harmful effect of IDA to the students.