Institute Of Food Research Articles

Propuesta metodológica para explorar la compra de alimentos saludables y sostenibles en servicios de alimentación

ObjectiveDescribe the methodology used to explore sustainability and nutritional aspects of institutional food service purchasing. MethodThe source of information is the purchasing list. This document includes information on the ingredients used to prepare meals, such as the quantity (kg), variety (n), origin (local farmers or other suppliers) and type of production (organic or conventional) of food items. ConclusionThe described methodology allows obtain a wider vision of the quality of the meals offered in the food services. In addition to nutritional aspects, this methodology incorporates the perspective of sustainability.

Variability in commercial and institutional food waste generation and implications for sustainable management systems

Disposing food waste in landfills leads to significant greenhouse gas emissions and lost economic and environmental resources, motivating the need for alternative treatment processes to convert waste to energy and value-added products. Developing the networks and infrastructure required to make these processes economically viable depends on high quality information about the volume and characteristics of food waste requiring treatment. Traditionally, food waste generation estimates have come from limited empirical studies and theoretical tools that predict the volume of food waste that will result from different types and intensities of economic activity. Resulting estimations are quick and don’t require extensive investment to collect, but only provide single, static snapshots of expected waste generation. In reality, however, food waste would vary depending on the season, geography, and type and magnitude of the waste generating activity. This study provides an analysis of this potential variability using empirical data from commercial and institutional food waste generators in New York State and a publicly available database of food waste estimates. Results show that 57 % of food waste generated within the region comes from only 4 % of commercial facilities. Moreover, statewide generation varies monthly by approximately 37 % and significantly across different regions due to concentrations of facility locations. Study findings underscore how policy or facility siting decisions based on a single, static food waste estimation may not capture the full complexity of food waste management. Future work can improve common estimation approaches and methods for collecting empirical data to support robust policy.

Family farming in times of Covid-19

Abstract Family farming plays a vital role in the global food supply. The mobility restriction measures adopted internationally to contain Covid-19 are necessary to control the pandemic progress. However, they can impair food production and distribution. This paper aims to discuss the effects of the Covid-19 containment measures on the production and distribution of family farming food, and strategies to strengthen this sector. Sanitary and social distancing requirements, the interruption of supply to institutional markets, the closure of local farmers’ markets, or people’s declining food demand are hampering family farming food production’s flow and shrinking family farmers’ income. This situation can jeopardize the food sovereignty and nutritional security of the population in the medium and long term. Access to Personal Protective Equipment, the reorganization of local farmers’ markets, investment in new technologies for direct commercialization, guarantee of minimum income, and the strengthening/expansion of institutional food purchases are some of the strategies that can contribute to overcome the new challenges imposed on family farming as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. We conclude the article by arguing that the support to and enhancement of the family farming sector are strategic to ensure food supply and to strengthen food and nutrition sovereignty and security.

Pengetahuan, Sikap Dan Personal Hygiene Tenaga Penjamah Makanan Di Ruang Pengolahan Makanan

Background. According to Fatmawati, et al. (2013), one of the basic principles of organizing institutional food is the organization of foods that implement hygiene and sanitation in accordance with applicable regulations. One of the factors that support the principle of hygiene and sanitation in the provision of food is the factor of personal food hand hygiene. Personal hygiene is a clean, safe and healthy behavior of food handlers to prevent food contamination from food preparation to food serving. Some important procedures for food handlers, namely washing hands before and after handling food, using complete personal protective equipment and personal hygiene and health. This study aims to determine the description of knowledge, attitudes and personal hygiene of food handlers in the food processing room of the Tabanan General Hospital. Research Methods. This type of research is observational descriptive and in terms of time, including the type of cross-sectional study. Data collection methods used were questionnaire and observation. Research Result. The sample used was all food processing staff at the Nutrition Installation of the Tabanan General Hospital as many as 14 people. Most of the food processing staff were female (64%), were in the age range between 30-49 years (79%), the last education was secondary education (86%) and had worked for more than 3 years (100%). The average overall knowledge, attitude and application of personal hygiene of food handlers are included in both categories. Knowledge and attitudes of all food processing staff are included in the good category because ISO 9001: 2015 has been applied. Likewise, the application of personal hygiene before and after ISO 9001: 2015 shows that all food processing personnel apply personal hygiene well.

Keep them coming back: The role of variety and aesthetics in institutional food satisfaction

Institutional food service settings can deliver higher levels of support for healthy eating; yet institutional food outlets are not a customer favorite. Changing food service provisioning within institutional settings is likely to create expectations for a more enjoyable experience and improve diner satisfaction, which in turn can foster increases in attendance. This study modified the food servicescape in a military dining setting, by changing the physical setting (or servicescape), variety and presentation of foods, and examined the impact of changes on customer satisfaction. Using a cross-sectional pretest/posttest survey design with (n = 421) diners, followed by modelling with PLS-SEM, a strong relationship was found between food variety and satisfaction; and a moderate relationship between facility aesthetics and satisfaction. These predictors explained 58% of variance in satisfaction. This study shows how diner satisfaction can be improved in institutional food service outlets; providing a demonstration of the impact of food servicescape changes in a real-world institutional food setting.

Institutional markets: commercialization and qualification of organic products

In order to encourage the production of healthy food, with ecological prudence, institutional food markets began to demand in their contracting products from organic agriculture. However, there are many difficulties of farmers in raising the logistics costs of their production, otherwise they will lose money through negligence. This study aimed toanalyze marketing channels for organic products from family farms engaged in supplying school lunches (PNAE) in order to propose an alternative to sustaining logistics costs in this process. The research was exploratory and descriptive, using aqualitative approach, based on a systematic literature review and a case study of a cooperative that receives and sells products from organic farmers to supply the PNAE, combined with a documentary analysis. The data were analyzed using content analysis. The results showed that logistics costs have a direct influence on the formation of the final price of products from organic farming, particularly those related to transport costs and administrative costs. The information presented may serve on the one hand, for Executing Entities at the moment of composing the reference prices of the products published in public calls, and on the other for farmers,so they can make a more informed assessment of the predefined prices.Keywords: institutional markets; organic agriculture; price formation; logistic costs.LEITÃO, Fabrício Oliveira; SILVA, Warley Henrique; DEL GROSSI, Mauro Eduardo. Mercados institucionais: comercialização e aferição de produtos orgânicos. Estudos Sociedade e Agricultura, v. 27, n. 3, p. 590-616, out. 2019.Submitted in February 2019.Accepted in August 2019.

The Correlation between Perception on Dormitory Food and Nutrient Intake of Young Athletes Residing at Athlete’s Dormitory

Young athletes who go to training centers under the Department of Youth and Sport may fulfill their dietary needs from meals provided in the accommodation facilities, yet they can also access foods outside the dormitories. Perception on institutional food can influence one’s food intake and nutritional adequacy. This study used cross-sectional design and involved 24 athletes of martial sports from Student Education and Training Center (PPLP) Central Java Indonesia who resided in Jatidiri athlete’s hostel Semarang. Variables were measured using questionnaire, food record form, and body weight measurement whereas data were analyzed using Pearson and Spearman correlation test. Perception on dormitory foods had no correlation with intake of energy, macronutrient, vitamin C, and calcium from dormitory food (p>0.05) but it had significant correlation with intake of energy, protein, and fat from meals outside the dormitory (p<0.05). Menu improvement is proposed to increase the intake of dormitory meals.

Study Questions for the Certified Pesticide Applicator Examination: Natural Areas Weed Management

The following questions are intended to help prepare you for taking the Natural Areas Weed Management Certified Pesticide Applicator Examination. It should be used along with IFAS publications SP 295 Natural Area Weed Management - A Training Manual for Restricted Use Pesticide Applicators and SP 257 Identification & Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas, which can be obtained from the IFAS Extension Book store by calling 800-226-1764 (local 359-392-1764) or from http://ifasbooks.ufl.edu. For some questions you will need a copy of a Garlon 4 herbicide label, which can be obtained from http://www.cdms.net/manuf/manuf.asp. Answers to all questions can be found in these publications. You will greatly improve your ability to achieve a passing examination score by locating the answers to the study questions and writing them down. This document is SS-AGR-255, one of a series of the Agronomy Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Instituteof Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published August 2005.

Effect of leadership style and organizational climate on employees' food safety and hygiene behaviors in the institutional food service of schools.

This study took the employees working in the institutional food service of schools in northern Taiwan as subjects to explore the influences of leadership style and organizational climate on food safety and hygiene behaviors. In this study, 400 questionnaires were distributed and 324 valid questionnaires were collected, for a valid return rate of 81%. The results showed that leadership style and organizational climate positively correlate with employees' behaviors with respect to food safety and hygiene. Transactional and transformational leadership have a significantly positive effect on organizational climate. Organizational climate has a significantly positive impact on employees' food safety and hygiene behaviors. Transactional and transformational leadership have a significantly positive effect on employees' food safety and hygiene behaviors, but the difference between the two factors is not obvious. Organizational climate has a complete mediating effect on the process of transactional and transformational leadership affecting food safety and hygiene behaviors.

Impact Study of Institutional Food Supplementation on Nutritional Status of Pre-school Children

Aims: To assess the Nutritional status of urban and semi-urban pre-school children of Dharwad, at baseline and after institutional supplementation. 
 Study Design: Nutritional status of the pre-school children was assessed based on anthropometry and clinical examination. Urban pre-school children were treated as control and semi-urban pre-school children were supplemented with institutional food for three months (experimental). Nutritional status were measured before and after institutional food supplementation.
 Place and Duration of Study: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Community Science, University of Agricultural Science, Dharwad, Karnataka, India. The experiment was conducted between July 2017 and July 2018. 
 Methodology: A sample size of 100 pre-school children (3-6 years) were selected, out of which, 50 children from urban and another 50 children from semi-urban school were randomly selected from Dharwad district. Nutritional status of the pre-school children was assessed based on anthropometry and clinical examination. Nutritional status were measured before and after institutional food supplementation, in both schools.
 Results: Results revealed that, at baseline nutritional status were higher in urban pre-school children compare to semi-urban pre-school children, but after supplementing with the institutional food, significant improvement in anthropometric measurements were observed in semi-urban group and they were on par with the urban children in terms of nutritional status.
 Conclusion: The weight for age is an indicator of current nutritional status, whereas height for age is an indicator of past nutritional status, so height improvement was observed in urban group and weight improvement was observed in semi-urban group. Finally concluded that food intervention can go long way in changing the current malnutrition scenario.

\u201cIf you can, change this system\u201d -Pregnant asylum seekers\u2018 perceptions on social determinants and material circumstances affecting their health whilst living in state-provided accommodation in Germany - a prospective, qualitative case study

BackgroundPregnant women and new mothers seeking asylum are highly vulnerable and have special needs, yet there is dearth of research related to this group in Germany. This paper reports on material circumstances and behavioural factors as social determinants of asylum seekers’ health during pregnancy and early motherhood. The study aim was to gain in-depth insights into these women’s experiences and perceived needs with a focus on material circumstances whilst living in state-provided accommodation in one federal state in Southern Germany.MethodsA qualitative, prospective approach was taken with individual semi-structured interviews of participants during pregnancy and up to the six-week postnatal assessment, aiming at interviewing each woman twice during pregnancy and once after giving birth. Two female interviewers performed interviews assisted by female professional interpreters on the telephone. Interviews were recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim. An inductive approach was taken to perform content analysis of interview material.Results21 interviews were performed with nine women seeking asylum in pregnancy and early motherhood. Content analysis of women’s perceived health-related needs revealed significant health challenges due to considerable constraints in two major themes each with associated categories: a) material circumstances and b) behavioural factors. Participants’ experiences of living conditions included significant challenges in terms of housing and neighbourhood quality e.g. poor hygiene standards with fear of disease and restless sleep due to threats of violence. Consumption potential was severely limited because of a minimal living allowance. Food was a major preoccupation for all participants. Catering services in state-provided accommodation were perceived as unsatisfactory and neglecting religious practices. Institutional food provided adequate calorific intake but participants reported loss of appetite due to bland food, limited variety, little choice and unfamiliar tastes. Self-catering was prohibited further exacerbating this problem.ConclusionsPregnant asylum seekers and new mothers living in state-provided accommodation experienced major restrictions related to material circumstances in this study. Key results identified housing and neighbourhood quality, consumption potential and nutrition as social determinants of health which women perceived to adversely affect their health, especially during pregnancy and early motherhood.

산업체 급식서비스 요인이 환경친화성, 고객만족 및 고객충성도에 미치는 영향 -밀레니얼세대의 인식을 중심으로-

산업체 급식서비스 요인이 환경친화성, 고객만족 및 고객충성도에 미치는 영향 -밀레니얼세대의 인식을 중심으로-

Predictive Model for Growth of Bacillus cereus at Temperatures Applicable to Cooling of Cooked Pasta.

A model was developed to predict the growth of Bacillus cereus from spores during cooling of cooked pasta. Cooked pasta was inoculated with a cocktail of four strains of heat-shocked (80 °C/10 min) B. cereus spores to obtain a final spore concentration of approximately 2 log CFU/g. Thereafter, growth was determined at isothermal temperatures starting at 10 °C and every three degrees up to 49 °C. Samples were removed periodically and plated on mannitol egg yolk polymyxin agar. The plates were incubated for 24 hr at 30 °C. Baranyi, Huang, and modified Gompertz primary growth models were used to fit growth data. The modified Ratkowsky secondary model was used to fit growth rates determined by the primary growth models with respect to temperature. All three primary models fitted the growth data well. The modified Ratkowsky secondary model adequately fit growth rates generated by the three primary models (R2 values ranging from 0.96 to 0.98). After acceptable prediction zone (APZ) validation and goodness of fit statistical analyses, it was determined that the Baranyi primary growth model was best suited for these data. For both single-rate exponential cooling and biphasic linear cooling model validation, all Baranyi model predictions (n = 24 and 28, respectively) fell within the APZ (-1.0 to 0.5 log CFU/g). The model will assist institutional food service settings to determine the safety of cooked pasta subjected to longer cooling times or stored at improper temperatures. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Predictive model can be used to estimate extent of microbial growth during cooling of cooked pasta and in designing HACCP program and setting of critical control levels. Retail food industry would need fewer challenge studies to validate the safety of their products. The model will provide regulatory agencies and food industry with an objective means of assessing the microbial risk and ensuring that the public is not at risk of acquiring food poisoning.

Effect of grape seed extract on heat resistance of Clostridium perfringens vegetative cells in sous vide processed ground beef

The heat resistance (57.5–65 °C) of a three-strain cocktail of Clostridium perfringens vegetative cells in sous vide processed ground beef supplemented with 0–3% grape seed extract (GSE) was quantified. The surviving cell population was enumerated on tryptose–sulfite–cycloserine agar. The decimal reduction (D)-values in beef that included no GSE were 67.11, 17.15, 4.02, and 1.62 min at 57.5, 60, 62.5, and 65 °C, respectively. Addition of 1.0% GSE resulted in concomitant decrease in heat resistance as evidenced by reduced bacterial D-values. The D-values in beef with added 1.0% GSE were 62.89, 13.70, 3.47 and 1.46 min at 57.5, 60, 62.5, and 65 °C, respectively. The heat resistance was further decreased when the GSE concentration in beef was increased to 2 or 3%. The z-values in beef with or without GSE were similar, ranging from 4.41 to 4.56 °C. The results of this study would be beneficial to the retail and institutional food service establishments in estimating re-heating time and temperature for sous vide processed ground beef to ensure safety against C. perfringens.

From contracts to culture: Exploring how to leverage local, sustainable food purchasing by institutions for food systems change

In recent years, certain hospitals, schools, and campuses across Canada have shown that they can transform their practices to serve more local and sustainable food. These changes have often been led by visionary champions, and in some cases aided by supportive public policies or programs. Yet the presence of these isolated success stories has so far not proven sufficient to tip a critical mass of institutions towards sustainability. There is great potential in leveraging institutional foodservices, with an estimated $8.5 billion market sales in Canada in 2016 (fsStrategy, 2016), to shift systems towards greater sustainability. In 2014, Food Secure Canada and the McConnell Foundation launched an action-research project and embarked on a learning journey to explore two key questions: how can food service operations and procurement practices be changed to increase local, sustainable institutional procurement; and how can this work be scaled. In 2014–2016, eight institutional food projects across Canada came together as a national Learning Group. Drawing from their experiences working in different contexts and scales, our action research project identified program and policy innovations to leverage systems change. This article explores how institutions currently buy food, and reveals the systemic barriers to increasing local, sustainable food procurement. We share lessons learned about the interplay of menus, food service operations, contracts, institutional demand, and food culture that helped to overcome these barriers. We identify enabling, peer-based learning and support as particularly relevant in a national context for the scaling out, up, and deep of local, sustainable food procurement.

Creating a local food procurement community of practice: The Alberta Flavour Learning Lab

In order for local food initiatives (LFIs) to have a transformative effect on the larger food system, greater levels of economic, organizational and physical scale are needed. One way for LFIs to reach the scale necessary to generate a more significant impact is through increased institutional procurement of local foods. But how do people and organizations come together to generate the social infrastructure required to shift food purchasing practices and processes? This field report shares the story of an innovative community of practice consisting of institutional food buyers, large-scale distributors, regional retailers, processors, producers, researchers, municipal and provincial government representatives within the Edmonton city-region that formed for the express purpose of “creating a positive community impact by getting more local foods on more local plates”. In describing the formation and first three years of the Alberta Flavour Learning Lab we examine the unique characteristics of this community of practice that has aided the development of a common framework for learning, understanding and joint action. In addition to the accomplishments to date, we also discuss the challenges faced by the Learning Lab and the strategies used to overcome them.

Programas institucionais de aquisição de alimentos e organizações de produtores: catalisadores para a transformação de sistemas de abastecimento de alimentos de pequenos produtores

Os pequenos agricultores (ou agricultores familiares) são os principais responsáveis pela produção de alimentos em grande parte dos países em desenvolvimento. No entanto, a capacidade de acesso ao mercado é geralmente limitada, representando um dos principais obstáculos para a melhoria de seus modos de vida. Neste contexto, intervenções estatais que visam aumentar a demanda por produtos da agricultura familiar por meio de compras públicas de alimentos representam um importante instrumento para promover o acesso destes produtores ao mercado. Ao mesmo tempo, tais intervenções podem contribuir para o desenvolvimento e transformação dos sistemas locais de fornecimento de alimentos. As organizações de pequenos produtores, na qualidade de instrumento de ações coletivas, podem desempenhar um papel importante nesse processo. Esse estudo se baseia na experiência brasileira do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) e do Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA), assim como na iniciativa Compras para Progresso (P4P) do Programa Mundial de Alimentos das Nações Unidas. Ele tem como objetivo explorar o papel dos programas institucionais de compras públicas de alimentos e das organizações de produtores na promoção de oportunidades de comercialização para pequenos produtores e como catalisadores para a transformação de sistemas locais de fornecimento de alimentos da agricultura familiar.

Food safety in the institutional food (meal) service

Food safety in the institutional food (meal) service

Food safety performance and risk of food services from different natures and the role of nutritionist as food safety leader.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the food safety performance of food services and its associated factors. The study involved 84 food businesses in the city of Santos as follows: street food kiosks and beach kiosks (street food), commercial restaurants, hospitals and school meal services (institutional food services). A food safety checklist with 81 items was applied. The overall percentage of adequacy was lower in street food kiosk (49.7%) and beach kiosk (62.0%) than in restaurants (69.7%), hospitals (83.9%) and schools (86%). Institutional and commercial restaurants showed higher scores of food safety performance than street food services, mainly regarding risker practices. The variables positively associated with food safety performance in commercial restaurants were: presence of a nutritionist as leader and adequate structure. These results show that street food services need, in a mediate way, the implementation of new strategies and regulations to improve food safety. A nutritionist acting as food safety leader may improve the food safety performance at commercial restaurants.

Improving hospital food menu quality: an experimental approach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether the negative impressions consumers hold toward institutional food can be remedied by subtle changes in menu descriptions. While an expectancy-disconfirmation explanation would suggest this, a negativity bias explanation would suggest otherwise.Design/methodology/approachThe authors test the research question using an experimental 2 × 2 full factorial design, with data collected from 100 university students.FindingsThe results show that when hospital menus are made somewhat fancier in their description, consumers evaluate the food as more attractive and menu variation to be greater. This implies that the judgments are more likely to be based on an expectancy-disconfirmation process that on being subject to negativity bias.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors study perceived attractiveness and menu variation, but future research should include taste perceptions and consumption volume.Practical implicationsInstitution managers could improve consumer perceptions of how attractive the food being served is, and the perceived variation in their menus, by subtly changing the course descriptions to become fancier. However, as such, a strategy based on an expectancy-disconfirmation process, institution managers should beware not to sweeten the pill too much, i.e., making promises they cannot keep may backfire if one makes the menus too fancy compared to what is delivered.Originality/valueThe authors extend current knowledge on menu label effects by addressing them for food suppliers, which are inherently associated with low food quality. The authors also show that when managers apply such strategies, the effect is due to a disconfirmation process rather than a negativity bias.