Kg Of Food Research Articles

Inadequacy of Meals Served and Food Waste in a Portuguese University Canteen

This study aims to evaluate food waste and the adequacy of portions served in a Portuguese university canteen. The sample included 10278 meals. Portions served and food waste (plate waste and leftovers) were measured through physical weighing. Portion inadequacy was determined, considering the Dietary Reference Values proposed by the European Food Safety Authority. The portions of all meal components served were inadequate. Meat, fish, salads and vegetables were those in the most inadequate portions (p < 0.001), with the quantities of meat and fish served being well above the recommended level (+77%) and the quantities of salad and vegetables below the recommended level (−37.7%). During the study period, 1253.6 kg of food was wasted, representing a daily average of 65.9 kg of food waste (20.8%). It was estimated that 126.6 g of food was wasted per consumer per day. Salads and vegetables represented the food category with high food waste values (41.4%), mainly from plate waste (29.6%). Our findings show an inadequacy in terms of the portions served for all meal components. High food waste values were found, for vegetable soup, vegetables, salads and fruit; these were the items most rejected by consumers, compromising the achievement of nutritional goals for the lunches served in the university canteen.

An evaluation of the Birchwood Junk Food Café, Skelmersdale.

Food waste is an issue of global concern requiring worldwide action. In the UK, £19 billion worth of food is wasted every year. A variety of initiatives have been developed to redistribute surplus food to those in need. The Birchwood Junk Food Café in Skelmersdale combines the reduction of food waste with community and societal benefits. The University of Manchester and the Birchwood Centre conducted an evaluation of the café including a customer satisfaction survey, a long-form health and wellbeing survey and qualitative interviews. Each day the café produces a three-course menu for the public on a 'pay-as-you-feel' basis. During an 18-month period, the café intercepted 32729kg of food that would otherwise have gone to waste, served over 1500 people, with 3500 covers, 60 different dishes and 1200 volunteer hours. Customer satisfaction was extremely high with 88% being repeated visitors and 86% rating the café as excellent. Volunteers include youth from the local Birchwood Centre, who gain valuable experiences. Customers benefit from social interactions and additional community cohesion. The café offers an unique opportunity to impact on the wider community and provides support and structure for the volunteers.

Testing two forms of rodenticide baits based on brodifacoum in vitro on Norway rats Rattusnorvegicus

The chemical method is the most common to control rodents. Fast acting rodenticides (zinc phosphide and krysid) and slow-acting rodenticides divided into first- and second-g eneration anticoagulants are used for deratization practice. The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of rodenticidal activity of brodifacum for two forms of rodenticidal baits in order to control rodents in settlements and adjacent territories, on agricultural land and reduce their harm. In case of high numbers, they carry such dangerous diseases as plague, typhoid fever, paratyphs, encephalitis, rabies, tuberculosis, tularemia, etc. Fleas and ticks parasitizing mouse-like rodents transmit pathogens to pets and humans. The economic damage caused by rodents is high. They destroy and spoil food and fodder, destroy the seedlings of agricultural crops. In a year, a gray rat eats 2024 kg of food and pollutes 10 times more products. In total, two forms of baits based on brodifacoum were prepared against rodents. We proposed and tested the rodenticidal activity of the forms of baits developed in loose and soft forms. The assessment established that both forms had high biological activity, reaching 90.17 and 89.67 %. Consumption rates of poisoned baits in the form of soft briquettes were lower compared to grain baits, showing high efficiency and saving the food base for preparation of poisoned rodenticidal baits.

Food and organic waste diversion in industrial, commercial, and institutional (IC&I) sectors: A Canadian pilot project

The purpose of this study was to assess the impacts of a pilot project convened by the Circular Innovation Council that collected source-separated organic waste and donatable food from industrial, commercial, and institutional (IC&I) waste generators in a Canadian community. These sectors usually do not receive municipal source-separated organics collection services, and there is little publicly available data on the amounts of organic waste generated in these sectors. In the first year, 53 businesses participated in the pilot project, although some entered or left the project during this time. Participating businesses were provided with green bins to source-separate their food and organic waste and were provided free collection services once a week during the first phase of the pilot. Participants were also supported in donating surplus food to local organizations. We observed that in its first year of operation, the pilot diverted 230,637 kg of food / organic waste from landfill and recovered the equivalent of 39,447 meals (at an estimated value of $131,803.76). We estimated that the long-term care / hospital sub-sector and grocery stores generated the highest amounts of food / organic waste. In its first year, the pilot project averted 182,000 kg of emissions from landfill through the donation of surplus food and 2,360,000 kg of emissions through the diversion of food and organic waste to compost and anaerobic digestion. Supporting dedicated food recovery and organics collection services to IC&I generators therefore has the potential to reduce large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, and to provide food for emergency food systems.

Investigation of Protein Food Waste and Related Costs in Nutrition Unit Within Private Brazilian School

Rest-intake is the amount of food that returns in the plates of the diners. The daily recording and evaluation of the quantity is important to define strategies to reduce waste, increase productivity and sustainability of the food and nutrition unit (FNU). Study carried out at a private school in the city of Rio de Janeiro, 500 lunches are served daily for students/employees, always with two protein options. Data collection took place for 20 days, in August and September/ 2019 and only the amounts of the rest of the protein intake were considered. For comparison and improvement confirmation, data from previous period was used when buffet was unlimited for all food including proteins. In the total of 1,565 kg of food served there was a rest of 58.64 kg, which is equivalent to 451 meals monthly. On average, the FNU had a percentage of waste close to 14% during unlimited buffet, which was improve to a waste level at 3.75%. The new waste outcome of the FNU is within what the literature data considers optimal, with remark that data collected are only for protein. It would be necessary to analyze all the rest-intake to determine with accuracy, but the wasted amount of protein, the most expensive input of preparations, indicates that the waste is higher than the ideal. From unlimited to limited buffet option, huge improvement in protein waste management was shown (ca. 10%), however, with some additional modifications including amount of chicken per portion as well as presents of chicken and beef as most liked proteins, would potentially further improve, and reduce protein waste.

Desempenho zootécnico, grau de esteatose e potencial genotóxico de lambaris Astyanax lacustris alimentados com diferentes níveis de L-carnitina

ABSTRACT L-carnitine perform a major role in transporting long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are oxidized. It has been used in animal diets to decrease fat and increase muscle protein. The aim of this study was to evaluate the zootechnical performance, degree of steatosis in the liver, and genotoxic potential in Astyanax lacustris fed with different levels of L-carnitine (LC). Yellowtail tetra juveniles (n = 140) were distributed in 20 tanks of 70 L, with seven fish in each, in a water recirculation system with controlled temperature (27±0.1⁰C). The treatments with different levels of L-carnitine supplementation were: 0 (control), 250, 500, 750, and 1000 mg of LC per kg of food. The diets were provided twice a day for 60 days. The results showed that the different levels of LC did not affect (P>0.05) weight gain, survival, viscerosomatic index, and the liver hepatocytes showed a normal appearance. However, the use of LC supplementation showed genotoxic potential with a significant difference (P<0.05) for cell alterations when compared to the control at concentrations above 500mg kg-1.

Experience of eradicating parasites of laboratory rats in conventional vivarium

The purpose of the research is to test different dehelminthization schemes of laboratory rats infected with cestodes Rodentolepis nana and nematodes Syphacia muris and evaluate the significance of combined environment disinfection measures. The practical experience of eradication (helminth eradication) in animals in a conventional vivarium was described.Materials and methods. Experiments were conducted to study the efficacy of anthelmintics and administration schemes against cestode and nematode infections in laboratory rats. In the first experiment, praziquantel was used at a dose of 10 mg/kg to treat rats infected with R. nana. In the second experiment, the comparative efficacy of fenbendazole, albendazole, and pyrantel was evaluated against syphaciosis at the recommended dosages of 20, 10, and 12.5 mg/kg, respectively. Each drug was given orally, individually, twice with an interval of 7 days. The third experiment tested different schemes for treating syphaciosis with fenbendazole. One group of rats was given the drug orally individually using an esophageal tube at a dose of 20 mg/kg once a day for 7 consecutive days. Other groups were given fenbendazole daily with food for 7 days (150 mg fenbendazole per 1 kg of food). In all three experiments, all animals were divided into groups, and their cells underwent a complex of additional disinfection measures, and those kept in cages without disinfection.Results and discussion. Praziquantel showed 100% efficacy at a single dose of 10 mg/kg in R. nana therapy. In animals without additional disinfection procedures, cestode eggs were again recorded starting from day 14 after the drug administration. In the group of animals with disinfection measures, pathogens were not detected during the experiment. Double administration of fenbendazole, albendazole and pyrantel in the recommended dosages against syphaciosis did not result in eradicated nematodes in the animals. The disinfection did not affect the obtained results. Fenbendazole administered daily for 7 days ensured helminth eradication in animals. However, on day 7 after the therapy, Syphacia sp. eggs were again found in the groups that received the drug individually intragastrically through a tube, regardless of whether their cells were disinfected. The animals that received fenbendazole with food and were regularly disinfested remained free from nematodes throughout the experiment until the additional disinfection measures were cancelled. In the absence of disinfection, released helminth eggs were recorded on day 14 after therapy.

Physiological response of freshwater crayfish, Astacus leptodactylus exposed to polyethylene microplastics at different temperature

Not long after plastic-made material became an inseparable part of our lives, microplastics (MPs) found their way into ecosystems. Aquatic organisms are one of the groups impacted by man-made materials and plastics; however, the varied effects of MPs on these organisms have yet to be fully understood. Therefore, to clarify this issue, 288 freshwater crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus) were assigned to eight experimental groups (2 × 4 factorial design) and exposed to 0, 25, 50, and 100 mg polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) per kg of food at 17 and 22 °C for 30 days. Then samples were taken from hemolymph and hepatopancreas to measure biochemical parameters, hematology, and oxidative stress. The aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and catalase activities increased significantly in crayfish exposed to PE-MPs, while the phenoxy-peroxidase, gamma-glutamyl peptidase, and lysozyme activities decreased. Glucose and malondialdehyde levels in crayfish exposed to PE-MPs were significantly higher than in the control groups. However, triglyceride, cholesterol, and total protein levels decreased significantly. The results showed that the increase in temperature significantly affected the activity of hemolymph enzymes, glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol contents. The semi-granular cells, hyaline cells, granular cell percentages, and total hemocytes increased significantly with the PE-MPs exposure. Temperature also had a significant effect on the hematological indicators. Overall, the results showed that temperature variations could synergistically affect the changes induced by PE-MPs in biochemical parameters, immunity, oxidative stress, and the number of hemocytes.

Food waste in primary schools: Evidence from peri-urban Viet Nam

Schools are a major source of food waste and an important setting for achieving dietary improvements. Few studies explore the links between food waste and nutrition. This study measured individual plate waste of about 1700 primary school children in peri-urban Viet Nam, adding to evidence on school food waste in low- and middle-income countries. We used survey data to explore whether food waste is associated with personal characteristics such as sex, knowledge and attitudes about nutritious foods. Qualitative interviews and focus groups with teachers, parents, food providers and children helped identify potential causes of food waste. The average student wasted 23% of the food served (approximately 85 g) during lunch, which roughly equates to 15.3 kg of food in a school year. Vegetables were wasted most: children left almost half of their portion unconsumed. Boys wasted less food than girls. Better knowledge and attitudes about fruits and vegetables are associated with less waste of these foods. A large portion was associated with a higher share of wasted food, suggesting the potential trade-off between efforts to cut food waste and efforts to increase consumption of nutritious foods. Students were dissatisfied with the quality of the dishes, especially vegetables were evaluated as undercooked, served too cold and too oily. To reduce food waste, it is critical for schools to prepare food in line with students’ preferences. Food waste reduction could be treated as an intermediate step towards ultimate policy goals such as healthier food consumption.

Addition of chromium propionate in dog food: metabolic, immunological, and oxidative effects

ABSTRACT Chromium is a trace element essential in metabolising carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins and is involved in other biological functions. Therefore, this study determined whether chromium propionate supplementation in dogs improves haematologic, metabolic, immune/inflammatory, and antioxidant biomarkers. A commercial product (Labex® Chromium) containing 0.4% chromium was used at 500 g/ton of food, which provided an additional calculated amount of 2 mg of chromium per kg of food. We used ten beagles divided into two treatments: the chromium group (supplemented with 0.380 mg of chromium/dog/day; T-CHR) and the control group comprised dogs fed a basal diet (no chromium supplementation). The experiment included two periods of 28 days, with an interval of 15 days, i.e. the dogs in the control group in the first period were in the chromium group in the second period (all dogs underwent all treatments in a crossover design). Dogs supplemented with chromium had higher serum mineral levels on days 14 and 28 (P ≤ 0.001). The group in the chromium group showed significantly higher numbers of total leukocytes and lymphocytes and concentrations of total protein, globulin, thio-proteins, and catalase activity in blood than the control group. Serum urea concentrations and TBARS (lipid peroxidation) were lower (P ≤ 0.05) in the chromium group. Tendencies towards lower concentrations of reactive oxygen species were observed on day 28 in the T-CHR group (P = 0.10). Chromium supplementation increased the concentration of cytokines in serum (tumour necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-α], IFN-γ, and IL-10) and C-reactive protein (P ≤ 0.05). Dogs in the chromium group had higher gamma globulin concentrations than controls (P ≤ 0.001). These findings suggest that supplementation with chromium propionate (2 mg/kg) in food positivity modulates metabolic, antioxidant, and immune indicators in dogs.

HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND DAY OF THE WEEK AND THE LEVEL OF WASTED FOOD

Background. Food waste occurs in the entire food chain, but to the greatest degree in households. For this reason, it is important to know both the causes of this unfavourable phenomenon and its scale in the area of consumption. The aim of the study was to determine the volume of wasted food in 500 households and per household, taking into account five product groups, and to examine the relationship between the ousehold size and consecutive days of the week on the mass of wasted food. The study was carried out in 2019 on a representative, nationwide random quota sample of 500 households, at respondents' homes, for seven consecutive days. It consisted of two modules: an interview conducted by an interviewer (the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews method) and a paper diary in which a person designated in a given household recorded the amount of food wasted on each subsequent day. Results and conclusions. Based on the study, it was found that in one week, an average of 3.9 kg of food was wasted in each household, of which over one-third of the average mass included inedible parts generated during food preparation. In an average household, fruit and vegetables were food products that were wasted during the week in the highest quantities, followed by bread and dairy products. It was found that in Polish households most food products and semifinished products were thrown away from a refrigerator and/or kitchen cupboards on Saturday. The dishes prepared at home and wasted to the highest degree were soups, which were disposed of mainly on Wednesday. More food was wasted in households with more than three people, compared to households with one and two people.

Environmental, Economic, and Nutritional Impact of Food Waste in a Portuguese University Canteen

High food waste values have been reported in university canteens in different countries. This study aims to evaluate food waste related to the consumption stage in a Portuguese university canteen and its environmental, economic, and nutritional impact. Data collection was performed at a Portuguese university with about 7000 students. Food waste (leftovers and plate waste) was assessed over 10 days by physical weighing. The Ecological Footprint Accounting methodology was used, combined with an assessment of the ecological footprint. The energy and nutritional contents of meals wasted were estimated using the software Nutrium® 4.0. The economic impact of food waste was obtained considering the daily meal price. During study period, 4374 meals were evaluated, corresponding to 1599 kg of food produced. A total of 189.5 kg of food was wasted, being higher for plate waste (164.1 kg) than for leftovers (25.3 kg). The meat group presented the highest total waste value (78.1 kg). Daily food waste represented an economic loss of €140 and an ecological footprint of 0.1 gha. About 8% of energy, 11% of protein, 9% of fat, and 5% of carbohydrates were lost per meal. The high food waste values observed (about 13.4%) estimate a monthly economic loss of €3080, an ecological footprint of 2.8 gha, and a total food waste of 417 kg.

65 The Role of Livestock as up-Cyclers of Food by-Products and Waste

Abstract Food waste is a global dilemma with environmental, social and economic consequences. Environmental impacts of wasted food are substantial as it comprises the single largest category of organic matter in municipal landfills. Therefore, redirection of food waste from landfills is necessary to improve global food security and environmental sustainability issues. Livestock, with their capacity to “up-cycle” relatively low-quality feedstuffs into high quality protein, are an essential element of this solution. However, challenges regarding utilization of food waste for livestock production include regulatory restrictions, safety concerns and logistics associated with collection, transport and handling. Moreover, identifying industries with significant loss and waste resources along the supply chain, quantifying availability, and effective communication and coordination are necessary steps for large-scale diversion of food loss and waste to livestock feed. In Canada, Loop Resources is a one-of-a-kind organization that enables food wholesalers, retailers, and producers to divert unsaleable food away from landfill to local food banks and livestock farmers. They are working with retailers to divert 2.5 – 3.5 million kg of food waste/month to over 2500 farms across Canada. However, today’s diversity of by-products and urban setting for much of our food waste requires a diversity of solutions. Producer and processor incentives to recover more food will require investment to improve infrastructure and create market opportunities. Research to facilitate safe incorporation of food waste in animal feed is also a critical step toward changes in policy and regulation. In addition, comprehensive LCA-type assessments will shed light on the environmental benefits of replacing feed grains or forages with by-products or food waste. Finally, a coordinated approach requiring input from producers, food processors, feed suppliers, researchers, policy makers and retailers, is critical for the development of successful strategies for inclusion of food loss and waste in livestock diets.

Hollow-Fiber Liquid-Phase Micro-Extraction Method for the Simultaneous Derivatization, Extraction, and Pre-concentration of Organotin Compounds from Packed Fruit Juices

Organotin compounds are widely employed as pesticides and fungicides in agriculture and as stabilizers for the industrial manufacture of polyvinyl chloride and other polymers. Accordingly, these endocrine disruptors can be found in a variety of foods and beverages. In the present study, we describe the optimization of a hollow-fiber liquid-phase micro-extraction approach for the simultaneous derivatization, extraction, and pre-concentration of butyltin species from commercial fruit juices with the aim of investigating their migration from the packaging. The best extraction efficiencies were achieved by using hexane as the acceptor solvent and a polypropylene fiber length of 2 cm, whereas the agitation speed, extraction temperature, and total extraction time were set at 1100 rpm, 25 ºC, and 10 min, respectively. Using these optimal conditions, the method was satisfactorily validated in terms of linearity (5–1000 µg L−1), limits of detection (0.8–1.8 µg L−1), recovery (80.5–92.1%), intraday precision (10.2–13.1%), inter-day precision (11.0–15.5%), matrix effect (83.2–91.8%), accuracy (85.2–95.2%), specificity, and carryover. The application of this technique to commercial samples obtained from a local market demonstrated that levels of organotin species in packed fruit juices are negligible, in agreement with the limits established by the European Food Safety Authority (0.14 mg of total organotin compounds per kg of food).

Metabolic Food Waste as Food Insecurity Factor-Causes and Preventions.

The Metabolic Food Waste MFW (kg of food) first developed in 2016 as a new indicator by Serafini and Toti, indicates the amount of food consumed above the nutritional requirements, and the impact of this overconsumption on the environment. It is necessary to identify the causes and to develop potential methods to prevent and reduce MFW, at the same time as increasing consumer awareness about unsustainable diets and changing diet habits towards more environmentally conscious consumption patterns. This study was conducted by collecting and analysing existing reports and studies regarding nutritional requirements, consumer behaviour related to food consumption and food waste, environmental impacts of food waste, and the concept of Metabolic Food Waste. The process of data collection involved searching the studies available online, using keywords related to the subject of MFW and overconsumption. The references in the initial studies consulted were also analysed in order to further identify new data relevant to overconsumption and MFW. The materials studied and analysed related to the environmental impact of MFW were published by E. Toti and M. Serafini in 2016 and 2019; additionally, in order to understand the causes of overconsumption numerous studies were reviewed regarding consumer behaviour, the relationship between economic development and overconsumption, mental health and dietary habits, physical context and dietary habits, genetic predisposition, also childhood and early adulthood environment. By analysing and corroborating external data available for food waste, nutritional requirements, and the environmental impact of food waste and consumer behaviour, we identified as primary causes for MFW the lack of nutritional education and little understanding of the nutritional requirements amongst all categories of consumers, poor access to appropriate food resources or reduced availability of fresh produced food. We conclude that for the quantification of the negative impact of MFW on both the environment and human health we need decisive action to raise consumer awareness for healthy and sustainable diets, together with a uniform worldwide distribution system for nutritious food.

Development and investigative studies on solar hot case food warmer for food safety at offices/institutes.

The paper presents the design, development and investigative studies into the use of a solar hot case/food warmer. The solar hot case can prove to be highly useful to the persons who carry hot food to their workplaces for lunch and eat it 4-5 h later. It can help keep food warm and infection free, by maintaining the food at an elevated temperature. The solar hot case has been developed with a total aperture area of 0.673 m2. The energy requirements for food warming have been calculated and found to be around 62 kJ in summer and 90 kJ in winter for an average lunch box of mass 0.25 kg containing 0.4 kg of food. The design of the solar hot case has been prepared on the basis of the food warming calculations to allow around ten lunch boxes to be warmed simultaneously. A computer program based on the solar radiation geometry and an ASHRAE model has been prepared to study the energy available in various months and to estimate the solar energy interception by the solar hot case. The results show that the energy absorbed by the system at an instant varies from around 300 to 1400 kJ/m2h in winter and 1000-2000 kJ/m2h in summer. Experimental in-field observations related to the temperature profiles of the developed system are also reported.

Food Waste of Italian Families: Proportion in Quantity and Monetary Value of Food Purchases.

Halving per capita food waste (FW) is one of the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals. This study aims to evaluate the weight and monetary values of food waste among a sample of Italian families. In a representative sample of 1142 families, the adults responsible for food purchases and in charge of preparing meals were assessed with a self-administrated questionnaire measuring quantity and typology of FW. These data were linked with food purchases figures measured as an average of four weeks. Italian families wasted 399 kg of food per week (4.4% of the weight of food purchased), which correspond to a monetary value of €1.052 (3.8% of the overall food expenditure). Clustering the food groups according to waste quantity, typology, and monetary value made it possible to show that price has a role in the generation of food waste, as the lower the unitary cost, the higher the quantity of waste. Consequently, foods with high unitary costs were less wasted. The results of this study showed that Italian consumers are sensitive to the economic impact of waste and this should be considered in sensitization campaigns.

Phase change thermal storage: Cooking with more power and versatility

A 100 W solar panel directly powering an Insulated Solar Electric Cooker (ISEC) can slowly cook 5 kg of food over the course of a day. However, 0.4 kWh of the day’s energy can be stored in 2.5 kg of erythritol phase change material, allowing ISEC to cook more rapidly, as well as cook after sunset. We control supercooling by forcing crystallization, making erythritol an ideal thermal storage material for cooking and other thermal-storage processes, but the erythritol degrades in quality when cycled for several months over 180 °C. The efficiency of thermal storage is comparable to that of more expensive systems using battery storage and induction cooktops. ISECs can be built in low-income communities, and the best design varies depending on availability of materials, access to building technologies, and local preferences. A Global Learning Community of researchers, funding agencies, nonprofits, student groups, and local enterprises is collaboratively developing the open source technology with partners in low income communities to optimize designs, construction, and dissemination.

Effects of obesity and 10 weeks metformin treatment on liver steatosis.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of liver disease in adolescents and adults, and the risk of developing NAFLD increases with obesity. In the present study, it was shown that obesity increased fatty liver (steatosis) using an obese Zucker rat model. Metformin is an oral anti-hyperglycemic agent approved by the FDA for treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults and children >10 years of age. There is insufficient evidence regarding the effects of metformin on pediatric liver steatosis. Thus, in the present study, the effects of 10 weeks metformin treatment on liver steatosis and related serum markers for liver damage was assessed. Lean and obese (n=16 per group) 5-week old female Zucker rats were provided an AIN-93 G diet for 8 weeks to induce NAFLD, and then rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups (8 rats/group): i) lean without metformin (LC), ii) lean + metformin (LM), iii) obese without metformin (OC), and iv) obese + metformin (OM). Rats were provided ad libitum access to the diet containing metformin (1 g metformin per kg of food). Rats were weighed twice weekly and were sacrificed 10 weeks later. Serum was collected to measure the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), leptin and adiponectin. Livers were collected for histological analysis. The results showed that obese rats gained significantly more weight than lean rats in both the control and metformin treatment groups (P<0.001). OM treated rats exhibited a lower degree of liver steatosis compared with the OC rats (P<0.04). There were no significant differences in serum ALT levels between the groups. However, obesity significantly increased serum AST levels in both the control and metformin treatment groups (P=0.01). The ratio of leptin to adiponectin was increased in obese compared with the lean rats in both the control and metformin treatment groups (P<0.0001). There was no effect of metformin on serum biomarkers. In summary, short-term metformin treatment decreased liver steatosis but did not affect the serum markers of liver steatosis.

Evaluation of Food Waste at a Portuguese Geriatric Institution

Care institutions attending to older adults are responsible for their food supply, which influences their health and quality of life. Food waste at care institutions has been reported to be a matter of great concern, that requires regular monitoring. In this study, we aim to quantify food waste in the food service of an elderly institution, both as leftovers and plate waste. Data collection was performed over 15 consecutive days, at lunch and dinner served to older adults. The aggregate weighing of food was performed before and after distribution, as well as after consumption. Leftovers and plate waste were calculated by the differences in weight. During the study period, 2987 meals were evaluated, corresponding to 1830 kg of food produced, of which only 67% was consumed. For each meal, approximately 610 g of food was produced per older adult, and only about 410 g were consumed, corresponding to 150 g of leftovers and 50 g of plate waste. Food waste represented 36.1% of meals served, composed of 24.1% leftovers and 12.0% plate waste. The wasted meals would be enough to feed 1486 older adults and would correspond to annual losses of approximately €107,112. Leftovers and plate waste were above the limits of acceptability (below 6% and 10%, respectively), indicating excessive food waste. High values of leftovers are related to the food service system and staff, pointing to the need for improvements during the planning and processing of meals. On the other hand, high plate waste values are associated with consumers, indicating the low adequacy of the menu regarding to older adults’ habits and preferences.