Marketing Of Food Products Research Articles

Fast Sensitive and Accurate Analysis of the Most Common Synthetic Food Colorants in 65 Egyptian Commercial Products Using New HPLC–DAD and UPLC-ESI–MS/MS Methods

Overexposure to food colorants above the allowed daily intake (ADI) level can provoke hyperactivity and other disturbed behaviors especially in children. Two new methods were developed to separate five synthetic colorants, which were Tartrazine (E102), Sunset Yellow (E110), Allura Red (E129), Carmoisine (E122), and Brilliant Blue (E133). They are labeled on a large variety of commercial food products in the Egyptian market without mentioning their definite concentrations. Therefore, there was a real need to determine these colorants with simple, accurate, and fast methods. This is the first study to determine these colorants in a wide variety of food products present in the Egyptian market. The HPLC approach with photodiode array detection was developed to quantify these colorants, on a C18 column, with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and water containing 1% ammonium acetate (pH 6.8), separation was carried out using a gradient program. The colorants were eluted and efficiently separated within 9 min. Then, as a complementary technique to HPLC, the UPLC-ESI–MS/MS approach was developed for identification and accurate mass measurement of the colorants found in high concentrations, the colorants were obtained simultaneously in negative mode, the run time was only 3 min. These developed methods were validated according to ICH recommendations and they were applied to analyze 65 food products including jelly powder, puddings, ice cream powders, concentrated soft drink powders, carbonated drinks, chewing gums, and sugar confectionery.

Determination of consumers’ attitude and behaviours about probiotic products: a case study of TR63 Region in Turkey

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, TR63-Doğu Akdeniz Bölgesinde yer alan Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, Osmaniye illerinde yaşayan tüketicilerin probiyotik gıdalara yönelik bilgi düzeyleri, tutumları, davranışları ve tüketim eğilimlerini tespit etmektir.Yöntem ve Bulgular: Bu amaçla, TR63 Bölgesinde 600 tüketici ile anket çalışması yapılarak, tüketicilerin probiyotik ürünler hakkındaki genel tutum ve davranışları belirlenmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, tüketicilerin probiyotik gıdaları satın alma oranları yüksek olmakla birlikte (%66.80), evde yapılan probiyotik ürünleri daha sağlıklı buldukları belirlenmiştir. Araştırma kapsamında görüşülen tüketicilerin %74.80’i evde en az bir çeşit probiyotik ürün ürettiği belirlenmiş olup, evde en çok üretilen ürünler sırasıyla, yoğurt, ayran, lahana/salatalık turşusu ve kefirdir.Genel Yorum: Son yıllarda dünyada olduğu gibi Türkiye’de de tüketicilerin fonksiyonel ürünlere olan talebinde artış yaşanmaktadır. Günümüzde sağlıklı bir yaşam sürdürmek ve artan sağlık problemlerini önlemek için tüketiciler fonksiyonel ürünlere yönelmektedirler. Probiyotik ürünler, fonksiyonel ürünler arasında önemli bir yere sahip olup, tüketiciler tarafından en çok tüketilen foksiyonel ürünlerdir. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, tüketicilerin probiyotik gıdaların yararları hakkındaki farkındalıklarının yüksek olduğu ve bu ürünleri güvenerek tükettikleri belirlenmiştir. Bu sonuçların yanı sıra, fiyatlarının daha ucuz olması halinde tüketicilerin daha fazla probiyotik gıda ürünü satın almaya gönüllü oldukları belirlenmiştir.Çalışmanın Önemi ve Etkisi: Araştırma kapsamında elde edilen bulgular ile tüketicilerin probiyotik ürünlerde tercihleri, öncelikleri ve tüketim sıklıkları belirlenmiş olup, araştırmada elde edilen bulgular ile söz konusu ürünlerin tüketiminin artırılması ve pazarlama olanaklarının geliştirilmesine yönelik gıda sanayisine ve hızla büyüyen fonksiyonel gıda ürünleri pazarına katkı sağlanması beklenmektedir.

Harassment of health professionals by the infant food industry at scientific events.

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVETo analyze the receipt of sponsorships from breast-milk substitute companies by health professionals in scientific events.METHODSMulticenter study (Multi-NBCAL) performed from November 2018 to November 2019 in six cities in different Brazilian regions. In 26 public and private hospitals, pediatricians, nutritionists, speech therapists, and a hospital manager were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive analyses were carried out regarding the health professionals’ knowledge about the Norma Brasileira de Comercialização de Alimentos para Lactentes e Crianças de Primeira Infância, Bicos, Chupetas e Mamadeiras (NBCAL – Brazilian Code of Marketing of Infant and Toddlers Food and Childcare-related Products), companies sponsoring scientific events, and material or financial sponsorships received, according to profession.RESULTSWe interviewed 217 health professionals, mainly pediatricians (48.8%). Slightly more than half of the professionals (54.4%) knew NBCAL, most from Baby-friendly Hospitals. Most health professionals (85.7%) attended scientific events in the last two years, more than half of them (54.3%) sponsored by breast-milk substitute companies, especially Nestlé (85.1%) and Danone (65.3%). These professionals received sponsorships in the events, such as office supplies (49.5%), meals or invitations to parties (29.9%), promotional gifts (21.6%), payment of the conference registration fee (6.2%) or ticket to the conference (2.1%).CONCLUSIONThe infant food industries violate NBCAL by harassing health professionals in scientific conferences, offering diverse material and financial sponsorships.

Designing legislative responses to restrict children’s exposure to unhealthy food and non-alcoholic beverage marketing: a case study analysis of Chile, Canada and the United Kingdom

IntroductionIntroducing legislation that restricts companies from exposing children to marketing of unhealthy food and beverage products is both politically and technically difficult. To advance the literature on the technical design of food marketing legislation, and to support governments around the world with legislative development, we aimed to describe the legislative approach from three governments.MethodsA multiple case study methodology was adopted to describe how three governments approached designing comprehensive food marketing legislation (Chile, Canada and the United Kingdom). A conceptual framework outlining best practice design principles guided our methodological approach to examine how each country designed the technical aspects of their regulatory response, including the regulatory form adopted, the substantive content of the laws, and the implementation and governance mechanisms used. Data from documentary evidence and 15 semi-structured key informant interviews were collected and synthesised using a directed content analysis.ResultsAll three countries varied in their legislative design and were therefore considered of variable strength regarding the legislative elements used to protect children from unhealthy food marketing. When compared against the conceptual framework, some elements of best practice design were present, particularly relating to the governance of legislative design and implementation, but the scope of each law (or proposed laws) had limitations. These included: the exclusion of brand marketing; not protecting children up to age 18; focusing solely on child-directed marketing instead of all marketing that children are likely to be exposed to; and not allocating sufficient resources to effectively monitor and enforce the laws. The United Kingdom’s approach to legislation is the most comprehensive and more likely to meet its regulatory objectives.ConclusionsOur synthesis and analysis of the technical elements of food marketing laws can support governments around the world as they develop their own food marketing restrictions. An analysis of the three approaches illustrates an evolution in the design of food marketing laws over time, as well as the design strengths offered by a legislative approach. Opportunities remain for strengthening legislative responses to protect children from unhealthy food marketing practices.

Biochemical properties of triticale. Triticale sprouts in food technology

The growing demand for agricultural and food products is forcing agricultural producers to provide agricultural production growth. The development of new food products based on grain seedlings is one of the directions of the market for functional food products. Triticale is a relatively new grain crop that can take its rightful place among traditional grain crops and in food production. One of the promising areas for using grain crops is the production of grain seedlings, which are characterized by a high content of vitamins, antioxidants, enzymes, microelements. The selection of modern varieties of triticale and methods of obtaining seedlings from grain will allow to determine promising directions for the use of triticale in the food industry, which, in turn, will contribute to the popularization of this culture as grains for processing.

KEY FEATURES OF BRAND MANAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR IN THE MARKET OF FOOD PRODUCTS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

The paper analyzes the key features related to brand market positioning in the food industry companies and the key features of customer behavior in the market of food products in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The research goals presented in the paper are the following: 1) to establish the presence of certain branding strategies among the respondents in the food industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina; 2) to define the features that marketing managers deem important when positioning the brand in the market of food products; 3) to identify the features important for customers when making purchasing decisions in the market of food products. When it comes to the strategies of brand development pursued by the surveyed food producers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the research results show that the most used is F-branding strategy, followed by C-branding and P-branding strategies, while the least used strategies are T-branding and PT-branding. The top 5 features that the marketing managers of the surveyed food producers see as most important when positioning the brand in the market are: quality, price, package, “healthy” product label, and tradition. The top 5 features that the customers on the market of food products see as most important when purchasing products are: quality, “healthy” product label, price, “made in BiH” label, and product similarity to a famous foreign brand.

물류창고 부지의 사업성 분석에 관한 연구

This study tries to analyze the business feasibility of the logistics warehouse land in the southern area of Gyeonggi-do, where there is the highest density of logistics warehouses, and to suggest the directions for securing a stable quantity of goods and providing an optimal distribution service. Firstly, the logistics centers in the metropolitan areas account for about 60% of domestics ones, and have been on the sharp rise since 2018. In the case of the south eastern area where traditional logistics warehouses are concentrated, the supply of logistics facilities has been on the constant rise. Recently, supply in the western area is also on the increase. Anseong, the city that meets good conditions of traffic to the metropolitan areas, faces high demands of logistics and distribution. Given that, the city is expected to have an advantageous position for logistics facilities. Secondly, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in non-contact online sales and the rapid growth of the market of fresh food products. Unfortunately, it is predicted that it is hard to secure lessees of freezing and chilling warehouses in 2023. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to new supply. Thirdly, logistics warehouses are expected to become favorable investment assets of institutional investors continuously. However, as more restrictions on supply are made by difficulties in securing land and permission and enhanced SG, it is necessary to achieve regular supply.

Harnessing Food Product Reviews for Personalizing Sweetness Levels.

Sweet taste is innately appealing, ensuring that mammals are attracted to the sweetness of mother’s milk and other sources of carbohydrates and calories. In the modern world, the availability of sugars and sweeteners and the eagerness of the food industry to maximize palatability, result in an abundance of sweet food products, which poses a major health challenge. The aim of the current study is to analyze sweetness levels, liking, and ingredients of online reviews of food products, in order to obtain insights into sensory nutrition and to identify new opportunities for reconciling the palatability–healthiness tension. We collected over 200,000 reviews of ~30,000 products on Amazon dated from 2002 to 2012 and ~350,000 reviews of ~2400 products on iHerb from 2006 to 2021. The reviews were classified and analyzed using manual curation, natural language processing, and machine learning. In total, ~32,000 (Amazon) and ~29,000 (iHerb) of these reviews mention sweetness, with 2200 and 4600 reviews referring to the purchased products as oversweet. Oversweet reviews were dispersed among consumers. Products that included sucralose had more oversweet reviews than average. 26 products had at least 50 reviews for which at least 10% were oversweet. For these products, the average liking by consumers reporting oversweetness was significantly lower (by 0.9 stars on average on a 1 to 5 stars scale) than by the rest of the consumers. In summary, oversweetness appears in 7–16% of the sweetness-related reviews and is less liked, which suggests an opportunity for customized products with reduced sweetness. These products will be simultaneously healthier and tastier for a substantial subgroup of customers and will benefit the manufacturer by expanding the products’ target audience. Analysis of consumers’ reviews of marketed food products offers new ways to obtain informative sensory data.

Plant Antioxidants in the Oxidative Mayonnaise Spoilage Study

The article presents the data systematization results on the plant antioxidants use in mayonnaise, that is a popular seasoning at home and in the food industry. The objective disadvantage of fat-containing products is the process of self-oxidation under the influence of a number of factors changing the organoleptic properties of mayonnaise, reducing nutritional value, safety and shelf life. Manufacturers solve the lipid oxidation problem of fat-containing products and the fat phase of mayonnaise by using officially registered antioxidants / oxidation inhibitors mainly of synthetic origin. Due to the increased demand for natural antioxidants caused by the growing market of food products with natural food additives, one of the promising approaches to the mayonnaise oxidation prevention is the use of isolated individual substances and plant extracts with the high antioxidant activity. The paper systematizes the examples of the plant antioxidants use in the mayonnaise composition described in modern scientific literature, reveals the features of their influence on the oxidative spoilage process and organoleptic indicators. A man indicated that plant extracts containing polyphenolic substances, vitamins, carotenoids, α-tocopherol and terpenes inhibit the mayonnaise oxidative spoilage process, acting as primary antioxidants slowing down the lipid oxidation onset, and secondary – reducing the oxidation rate. The research proved the plant antioxidants ability to suppress targets of oxidant activity – hydroxyl radical, superoxide, singlet oxygen lipid radical, lipid peroxides and metals of variable valence.

Comparative characterization of the gluten and fructan contents of breads from industrial and artisan bakeries: a study of food products in the Spanish market.

BackgroundThe consumption of wheat/gluten is associated with adverse reactions for human health. Gluten and fructans are identified as the major compounds triggering and worsening adverse reactions to wheat, which are increasing, and as a consequence, avoidance of gluten/wheat is the common strategy of many individuals of the western population. Although bread is a product of daily consumption, there is a lack of information on the gluten and fructan contents and the influence of artisanal or industrial processes.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to carry out a comparative characterization between artisan bakeries and hypermarkets in Spain for gluten and fructan contents in daily sold breads.DesignA total of 48 types of bread highly consumed in Spain sold in artisan bakeries (long fermentation) and hypermarkets (short fermentations) were selected for comparing the gluten and fructan contents. Methods such as reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), R5 monoclonal antibody (moAb), and fructans protocols were used for the quantification of these compounds.ResultsGreat variation for the content of gluten and fructans has been found between all bread categories. Although breads produced using long fermentation (artisan bakeries) contain significantly lower gluten, they have higher fructans than those using short fermentations (hypermarkets). Durum wheat breads had the lowest content of gluten. Moreover, spelt breads from artisan bakeries had the lowest content of fructans but not those from hypermarkets.DiscussionIn this study, we report the comparative characterizarion of the breads of the Spanish market. These food products presented variation in the amount of gluten and fructans, ligated in most of the cases to the nature of the providers: artisan bakeries against hypermarkets. Depending on the type of bread, the differences for the daily consumption of gluten and fructan can be 4.5 and 20 times, respectively.ConclusionsWe found strong differences for gluten and fructan contents among breads. These information may contribute to designing strategies to improve the management of gluten and fructans in bread.

Impact of migrant and returning farmer professionalization on food production diversity

Since the 2000s, there has been an increasing number of returning and migrant farmers across China. In 2012, China initiated a program for fostering professional farmers, which has caused greater changes for farmers and led to an agricultural shift towards commercial production. Migration has been recognized as a crucial factor affecting the diversity of agricultural production. However, scant attention has been paid to how different types of farmers influence agricultural diversification. Therefore, this study examines the influence of migrant farmers, returning farmers, and local non-migrant farmers on food production diversity. This study collected farm-level data on food production and farmers’ characteristics and applied a negative binomial regression model to estimate the impacts of different types of farmers on agricultural development. The results show that farms operated by migrant farmers had a significantly lower level of food production diversity while farms operated by returning farmers had no significant difference in food production diversity, using farms operated by local non-migrant farmers as the reference category. The variation in agricultural production diversity lies in differences in food production purposes, agricultural and market skills, and various risk-related capacities among the different types of farmers. Farm-level production specialization does not necessarily reduce food diversity and agrobiodiversity at the rural community and regional level.

PBM PENGEMBANGAN USAHA CATERING KELOMPOK RAHAYU PRIMA SUMBER RAHAYU MOYUDAN SLEMAN YOGYAKARTA

Catering Business Group The Rahayu Prima Sumber Rahayu Group is located in the hamlet of Goser, Sumber Rahayu, Moyudan Sleman Yogyakarta, and consists of women who are farmers who are engaged in the home catering business. The problem in the Catering Business Group of the Rahayu Prima Sumber Rahayu Group is developing a processed menu made from catfish and in developing its marketing area. This is due to the knowledge in food processing that comes from catfish, the less attractive packaging and the lack of marketing aspects. The purpose of this Pbm is to develop the Catering Business Group of the Rahayu Prima Sumber Rahayu Group which is economically independent in processing food menus made from catfish, as well as expanding the aspect of online marketing and improving people's welfare. The methods used to achieve these goals are in the form of interviews, training, and mentoring. PbM activities include: training and practice of processed products made from catfish, training and online marketing assistance and provision of packaging tools for processed food products made from catfish. The outputs of PbM activities are processed food products made from catfish, provision of marketing tools, website creation for online marketing of food products made from catfish, books on product processing and online marketing of food made from catfish, scientific publications in journals and proceedings as well as online news.

Republication : Aliments ultra-transformés : le système NOVA est-il robuste ?

La classification NOVA répartit les aliments en quatre groupes (de 1, peu transformé à 4, le plus transformé). Sa fiabilité et sa reproductibilité ont été très peu explorées alors qu’elle est très utilisée. Nous avons étudié la cohérence entre utilisateurs (environ 170 professionnels) de l’affectation de 120 aliments du commerce et 111 aliments génériques dans les groupes NOVA. La cohérence des affectations (κ de Fleiss) était de 0,32 (aliments du commerce) et 0,34 (aliments génériques). Des clusters d’aliments présentant des distributions d’affectations similaires ont été définis par classification hiérarchique. Parmi les aliments du commerce, un cluster réunissait 90 aliments très largement affectés à NOVA4 (91 % des affectations) et, parmi les aliments génériques, trois clusters contenaient des aliments principalement affectés à NOVA 1 (79 %), NOVA2 (75 %) et NOVA4 (70 %), respectivement. Les affectations étaient particulièrement hétérogènes pour 30 aliments du commerce et 28 aliments génériques (25 % du total dans les deux cas). Les critères actuels de la classification NOVA ne permettent pas d’affecter de manière non ambiguë un aliment à un groupe. Ce système doit être amélioré, en raison de son utilisation en recherche et dans les politiques publiques. In the NOVA classification system, descriptive criteria are used to assign foods to one of four groups based on processing-related criteria. Although NOVA is widely used, its robustness and functionality remain largely unexplored. We determined whether this system leads to consistent food assignments by users. French food and nutrition specialists completed an online survey in which they assigned foods to NOVA groups. The survey comprised two lists: one with 120 marketed food products with ingredient information and one with 111 generic food items without ingredient information. We quantified assignment consistency among evaluators using Fleiss’ κ (range: 0–1, where 1 = 100% agreement). Fleiss’ κ was 0.32 and 0.34 for the marketed foods ( n = 159 evaluators) and generic foods ( n = 177 evaluators), respectively. The consistency of the assignments, as assessed by Fleiss’ κ, was 0.32 (commercial foods) and 0.34 (generic foods). Clusters of foods with similar assignment distributions were defined by hierarchical ascending classification. Among the 120 commercial foods, one cluster contained 90 foods that were predominantly assigned to NOVA4 (91% of the assignments) and, among the 111 generic foods, three clusters contained foods that were predominantly assigned to NOVA 1 (79% of the assignments), NOVA2 (75%) and NOVA4 (70%), respectively. Assignments were particularly heterogeneous for 30 commercial and 28 generic foods (25% of the total in both cases). Although assignments were more consistent for some foods than others, overall consistency among evaluators was low, even when ingredient information was available. These results suggest current NOVA criteria do not allow for robust and functional food assignments.

Evaluation of the Antimicrobial, Thermal, Mechanical, and Barrier Properties of Corn Starch-Chitosan Biodegradable Films Reinforced with Cellulose Nanocrystals.

Packaging materials play an essential role in the preservation and marketing of food and other products. To improve their conservation capacity, antimicrobial agents that inhibit bacterial growth are used. Biopolymers such as starch and chitosan are a sustainable alternative for the generation of films for packaging that can also serve as a support for preservatives and antimicrobial agents. These substances can replace packaging of synthetic origin and maintain good functional properties to ensure the quality of food products. Films based on a mixture of corn starch and chitosan were developed by the casting method and the effect of incorporating cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) at different concentrations (0 to 10% w/w) was studied. The effect of the incorporation of CNC on the rheological, mechanical, thermal and barrier properties, as well as the antimicrobial activity of nanocomposite films, was evaluated. A significant modification of the functional and antimicrobial properties of the starch–chitosan films was observed with an increase in the concentration of nanomaterials. The films with CNC in a range of 0.5 to 5% presented the best performance. In line with the physicochemical characteristics which are desired in antimicrobial materials, this study can serve as a guide for the development this type of packaging for food use.

Food shopping preferences in the context of logistic chains of food supplies on the example of consumers from the Podkarpackie voivodeship

The article focuses on consumers' dilemmas regarding the choice of food products. Growing consumer awareness is reflected in everyday choices and has both economic and public health significance. Public awareness is generating a tendency to pay attention to health aspects by choosing fresher, better quality and less processed products. Consumers are increasingly interested in short food supply chains and shortening the time it takes to move food “from the field to the table”. Purchasing behavior is conditioned, inter alia, by the individual hierarchy of values professed by the consumer, in which short food supply chains are identified with better quality, lower price and reduced trade margins. Preferences for local and regional products are also observed. The market provides such opportunities, as legal changes introduced in Poland in 2016–2017 enabled farmers to legally sell food products directlyin an unprocessed as well as processed state. Such sales are carried out in short supply chains. A similar phenomenon is also observed among farmers in many EU countries. Short food supply chains play an important role in the process of creating market advantage of agricultural producers, as food products are quickly delivered to the final recipient. Local markets become very important in this case and direct selling, which lost its importance at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, is gaining popularity again. Logistical food supply chains are considered in various scientific fields. They combine organizational and technical, economic, social as well as cultural, and health dilemmas. The aim of this study was to identify preferences of food supply chains in the context of consumer behavior of the inhabitants of south-eastern Poland. The survey was conducted using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) method. The survey shows that respondents associate food quality with the length of the supply chain, in the declarative sphere, they prefer short food supply chains, but do not use them. A sizeable proportion of respondents said they were willing to pay slightly more for safe and wholesome food. Research has confirmed that the modern consumer increasingly recognizes the importance of the healthiness of products, and links this to shortening the food supply chain.

Socio-environmental considerations and organic food consumption: An empirical investigation of the attitude of Indian consumers

This study aims to examine the role of socio-environmental factors in forming a favorable attitude of consumers towards the consumption of organic foods. We developed the research instrument by pooling items from literature, followed by a pilot test. We collected the final data and statistically analyzed the same to validate the proposed model. Notably, we analyzed the proposed inter-relationships between the factors using SEM. The results suggest that the constructs of ethical beliefs, health consciousness, and concern for local farmers do have a significant and positive influence. Largely, the findings offer valuable insights to both marketers and producers in devising marketing strategies related to the promotion of organic food products in the Indian market.

Sistem Informasi Penilaian Kinerja Sales Lapangan dengan Metode Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) dan 360º

PT. MGT BANDUNG is a leading company in the marketing and distribution of Japanese food, Western and local food products in Indonesia. In evaluating performance at PT. MGT BANDUNG there are no systems and methods applied, this makes it difficult for companies to make measurable assessments.Therefore the company needs to build an employee performance appraisal information system to assist in conducting a systematic performance appraisal and applying methods so that the calculations can be more accurate and measured. With the employee performance appraisal system in this case the Field Sales Division, an analysis and design of a performance appraisal information system was carried out with the 360º method and Simple Additive Weighting (Saw). The system design method uses tools namely UML (Unified Modeling Language), Use case diagrams, activity diagrams, Class diagrams, and Sequence Diagrams. As well as applications used in making desktop-based systems. The programming language used is VB.NET and the SqlServer programming language. The results achieved in this paper are an information system to assess the performance of field sales at PT. MGT BANDUNG. From the results of the application of performance evaluation information systems in the field sales division with the Simple Additive Weighting (Saw) method and 360º method at PT. MGT BANDUNG management is easier to determine the performance appraisal of each employee with more accurate calculations. By using an alternative weighting C1 30%, C2 50%, and C3 20%.

Ultra-processed foods: how functional is the NOVA system?

BackgroundIn the NOVA classification system, descriptive criteria are used to assign foods to one of four groups based on processing-related criteria. Although NOVA is widely used, its robustness and functionality remain largely unexplored. We determined whether this system leads to consistent food assignments by users.MethodsFrench food and nutrition specialists completed an online survey in which they assigned foods to NOVA groups. The survey comprised two lists: one with 120 marketed food products with ingredient information and one with 111 generic food items without ingredient information. We quantified assignment consistency among evaluators using Fleiss’ κ (range: 0–1, where 1 = 100% agreement). Hierarchical clustering on principal components identified clusters of foods with similar distributions of NOVA assignments.ResultsFleiss’ κ was 0.32 and 0.34 for the marketed foods (n = 159 evaluators) and generic foods (n = 177 evaluators), respectively. There were three clusters within the marketed foods: one contained 90 foods largely assigned to NOVA4 (91% of assignments), while the two others displayed greater assignment heterogeneity. There were four clusters within the generic foods: three clusters contained foods mostly assigned to a single NOVA group (69–79% of assignments), and the fourth cluster comprised 28 foods whose assignments were more evenly distributed across the four NOVA groups.ConclusionsAlthough assignments were more consistent for some foods than others, overall consistency among evaluators was low, even when ingredient information was available. These results suggest current NOVA criteria do not allow for robust and functional food assignments.

Assessment of Concept between Rural Development Challenges and Local Food Systems: A Combination between Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis and Econometric Modelling Approach

This study investigates the influence of social, economic, and environmental impacts on the promotion and marketing systems of local food products from mountain areas in Slovenia. These impacts were assessed using an econometric modelling approach. Two econometric models were developed (one for production and one for marketing). The case studies of local food products were selected from Slovenian mountain regions, most of which were from less-favored areas (LFAs). A majority of the selected food commodities were of high quality, with or without protected designations. Data collection was carried out via interviews. Due to production limitation on mountain areas in Slovenia and other constraints in LFAs, the socio-economic and environmental impacts on success of production and marketing systems need to be clarified. These relations present a potential impact on the wider socio-economic development in the region. The empirical results, obtained using an econometric modelling approach, clearly show the importance of encouraging the socio-economic and environmental impacts in ensuring the marketing and production potentials of local food products. The result express good relationships, and cooperation between the actors in the food supply chains contributing to a successful marketing system and production system of local food products (small, average, large) is dependent on the available local labour in mountain rural areas.

Fast DNA biosensing based on isothermal amplification, unmodified gold nanoparticles, and smartphone detection

The protection of the consumer against foodborne illnesses and fraudulent practices requires methods capable of detecting critical components. Classical instrumental and DNA-based technologies have assay time, portability, and cost limitations. Thus, food control needs alternative methodologies for massive and cost-effective screening. Herein, we report an instrument-free method based on detecting genes that encode proteins related to food allergies and ingredients associated with illegal practices. Tailed recombinase polymerase amplification (tailed-RPA) provided the selective isothermal amplification of target regions. A reproducible and fast optical detection was developed based on the salt-induced aggregation of 15 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The target presence was directly observed (naked-eye detection) and quantified using a smartphone and RGB image decomposition. The advantages arise from the effective formation of a hybrid complex between non-functionalized nanoparticles and amplification products with a single-strand tail, featuring short incubation time, simplicity, and low sample and reagent volumes. As proof of concept, two targets were determined: trnL gene and ITS region. The first sequence is located in the chloroplast genome of cereals and is valuable to control the adulteration of meat products. The second is a fragment common to the three main gluten-containing cereals, applicable to the indirect detection of this allergen. The novelty also is the integration of a low-cost assay platform and a straightforward interpretation system to foster its implementation in the industry. The RPA-AuNP assay offered a good sensitivity (genomic DNA 0.8 ng), selectivity (absence of unspecific response), reproducibility (standard deviation 2–11%), and accuracy in marketed food products (100%). Therefore, a competitive biosensing system enables better control according to food industry/consumers demands from Farm to Fork strategy.