Mexican Food Research Articles

Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Healthy Eating in Middle-Aged Hispanic Men (P04-125-19)

ObjectivesDietary behaviors contribute to an increased risk of cardiometabolic disease in Hispanic men. Few studies have assessed Hispanic men’s perspectives on healthy eating. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify perceived barriers and facilitators to healthy eating in middle-aged, Hispanic men of Mexican descent. MethodsSix focus groups (FGs) with Hispanic men were primarily conducted in Spanish (n = 5 FGs), audio-recorded, transcribed, then translated verbatim to English. A grounded theory approach was used to identify common themes. ResultsParticipants (n = 34; mean age: 54.4 ± 7.0 years) primarily self-identified as Mexican (71%) or Mexican-American (10%). In preliminary findings, the main barriers to healthy eating were competing responsibilities (n = 6 FGs), lack of nutrition knowledge (n = 6 FGs), cultural factors (n = 5 FGs), habits (n = 5 FGs), and available food choices (n = 5 FGs). A demanding work schedule was considered a barrier because it contributes to “eating on the run” and the selection of fast or convenient foods. Cultural factors perceived as barriers to healthy eating included the need to have food at social gatherings and the “Mexican diet.” Food at gatherings was perceived as leading to an increased availability of unhealthy food items and the consumption of large portions. “Mexican foods”, including tortillas, tacos, pozole, meat and cooking fats were considered unhealthy but central to the diet. Family (n = 5 FGs), health reasons (n = 6 FGs), portion control (n = 5 FGs), and nutrition education (n = 5 FGs), were reported as facilitators to healthy eating. Men reported the importance of longevity to support their family as an essential motivator to engage in healthy eating. Participants (n = 3 FGs) also indicated their spouse/partner enabled healthy eating by providing healthy food choices and encouragement or support. Health reasons (e.g., a diagnosis of diabetes or cardiovascular disease, improving health) were an important catalyst to improving eating habits. ConclusionsFindings suggest that MA men have an active interest in behavior change affecting healthy eating habits. Our research provides invaluable insight to construct tailored strategies to improve dietary behavior in this vulnerable population. Funding SourcesNational Institute of Aging.

Mexican Households’ Food Store Shopping Patterns and Healthfulness of Purchases (P18-117-19)

ObjectivesTo determine the patterns of food shopping in Mexico by store-type, and whether these are associated with the healthfulness of food purchases. MethodsUsing data from the Nielsen Mexico Consumer Panel Survey 2012–2015 (households (HH) = 5500), in each year we performed a k-means cluster analysis using households percentage of food and beverage purchases from each store type (i.e., convenience stores, traditional shops, supermarkets, wholesalers, and others). Separate clusters were derived for foods and beverages. We present the unadjusted mean volume (per capita/day) of less healthy and healthier products purchased in each cluster. ResultsThree distinctive patterns emerged for both foods and beverages, and these were consistent over time: a cluster in which most beverages were made at traditional stores (e.g., small tiendas [“Traditional” pattern]), supermarkets (“Supermarket” pattern), or both traditional stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores (beverages only) or wholesalers (foods only) (“Mixed” pattern).For beverages, the Traditional pattern was most prevalent (60% of HH); and households in this pattern purchased twice as many less healthy beverages as healthy beverages (710 ml vs 371 ml) overall. In the Supermarket beverage pattern (26% of HH), the relative volume of healthier and less healthy beverages was similar. In the Mixed beverage pattern (14% of HH), purchases of healthier beverages were higher than purchases of less healthy beverages (550 ml vs 364 ml) overall.For foods, households in the Supermarket pattern (38% of HH) and in the Mixed pattern (35% of HH), purchased a similar relative volume of healthier and less healthy foods. Households in the Traditional pattern (28% of HH) however, purchased more healthier foods than less healthy foods (75 g vs 54 g) overall. ConclusionsMexican households mainly rely in three combinations of stores to obtain their foods and beverages, which are associated with the healthfulness of their purchases of packaged products. Understanding the shopping behavior in Mexico can provide evidence to develop interventions that improve the healthfulness of the Mexican food environment and inform current policies. Funding SourcesBloomberg Philanthropies and the Mexican National Council of Science and Technology Scholarship (CONACyT).

On the tip of the brain: Understanding when negative reputational events can have positive reputation spillovers, and for how long

AbstractResearch SummaryThis study contributes to the reputation spillover literature by showing how a crisis caused by a firm's capability failure enhances the reputations of its rivals. We consider how the combination of rivals' characteristics that increase their associability with the focal firm and the extent to which the crisis is salient in the minds of stakeholders can lead to positive reputation spillovers, and we also explore how long the positive reputation spillover lasts. Using a natural experiment based on the Escherichia coli outbreak in Chipotle's Seattle restaurants, we find that the reputations of other restaurants in the Seattle region were enhanced when the E. coli breakout was more salient and thus cognitively available, but only for Mexican restaurants that were geographically proximal to a Chipotle. Managerial SummaryIn this study we conducted a natural experiment based on Chipotle's 2015 E. coli breakout to explore how a firm's capability failure affects the reputation of its competitors. We found that failures due to firm practices that differentiate the firm from others in its industry result in positive reputation spillovers, but only for the firms that are the most similar, and only for as long as the failure is salient to stakeholders. Thus, the benefit to firms from a competitor's failure is only temporary, and will not be experienced equally.

Social class and children’s food practices in Mexican migrant households

This article uses qualitative data from children and parents to explore how children’s food practices in Mexican migrant households vary by social class in the United States. Irrespective of social class, children and parents expressed similar values associated with Mexican food, perceptions of unhealthy “American” diets, and difficulties in incorporating Mexican food practices into their diets. However, we show parents in working-class families to exert less control over children’s food practices than those in middle-class families. Experiences of families whose social class changed with migration suggest that resources and social class identity post-migration likely shape children’s food practices.

Profile of inspectors and protocols applied to imported food in inspections stations

AbstractTo characterize food inspection agents, facilities and protocols in the importation of food, a questionnaire was applied to agents at six Mexico's entry ports, 91 (76%) agents returned complete questionnaires. Data analysis was by χ2. Over 80% of agents had bachelor's degree; 75% with two or less years on the job; 81%, 35 years old or younger; and, 52 to 79% examined other products besides food of animal origin. Over 60% of the agents took more than 20 minutes for document and shipment inspections and 10% run their inspections at temperatures above the recommended for food conservation with 33% of them unaware of the negative consequences in food safety when breaking food cold chain at the inspection process. Six sources of food cold chain break while under inspection were identified. Agents require further training on maintenance and importance of food cold chain and protocols should be improved.Practical applicationsThe core of this study is to provide a discussion of the profile of Mexican food inspectors, facilities, and implementation of inspection protocols related to the maintenance of the food cold chain, to define a baseline upon which the need of training on specific strategies of shipment handling to keep food safety and quality.

Affordability of Food and Beverages in Mexico between 1994 and 2016.

We estimated the affordability of food and beverages by energy density and nutrient quality in Mexico and tested for differential trends in affordability over time and by income quintile. We used the National Income and Expenditures Survey from 1994 to 2016, and information on the caloric and nutrient content of food and beverages from Mexican food composition tables. We estimated food energy density (kcal/kg) and nutrient quality of food and beverages using the nutrient-rich food index (NRFI). Affordability of food and beverages was defined as household monthly income needed to purchase 1000 kcal. The affordability index was expressed by quintiles of energy density and quintiles of the NRFI and by income quintile over time. We found that more energy-dense foods and food and beverages with lower nutrient quality were more affordable compared to healthier food and beverages. Food categories with lower energy density and a higher NRFI became less affordable over time for most income groups, but the burden was higher for lower-income households. A comprehensive national strategy should be implemented to make healthier options more affordable and discretional foods and beverages with lower nutrient quality less affordable.

Metaleptic Mourning

In February 2003 my close friend Jeff Hubbard died in a car accident, taking the curve of an icy metro Detroit highway exit ramp too fast late one weekend night. He was twenty years old and had been living at home with his parents since we graduated from high school, working odd jobs—a host at a Mexican restaurant, a temporary letter carrier for the USPS—and helping take care of his young nephew. I was in college in New York, and a friend called to give me the news. I knew that I needed to go home to Michigan for the funeral to believe that it had really happened.

Weight Gains from Trade in Foods: Evidence from Mexico

In this paper, we investigate the effects of trade in foods on obesity in Mexico. To do so, we match data on Mexican food imports from the U.S. with anthropometric and food expenditure data. Our findings suggest that exposure to food imports from the U.S. can explain up to twenty percent of the rise in obesity prevalence among Mexican women between 1988 and 2012. Pro-obesity effects are driven by areas more exposed to unhealthy food imports. We also find evidence in favour of a price mechanism. By linking trade flows to obesity, the paper sheds light on an important channel through which globalisation may affect health.

Gastropolitiche messicane. Il processo di riconoscimento UNESCO e l’idea di nazione

In 2010 the “Traditional Mexican cuisine” has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, in this way becoming the first national cuisine to obtain such recognition. Nevertheless, the process leading to the successful inscription on the list has not been an easy one, since an earlier Mexican candidacy had been previously rejected in 2005. A close reading of the official documents supporting the two candidacies reveals the contradictory nature of the discourses centred around a “national” cuisine, an ideological construct which has a long history – starting at least at the beginning of the 19th century – and which is often essentialized through processes of ancestralization based on a debatable use of colonial historical sources. The first candidacy was rejected mainly because of the lack of a clearly identifiable concrete manifestation of a too abstract Mexican cuisine. Therefore, the second request was centred on a specific regional example – the “Michoacan Paradigm” – presented, quite paradoxically, as a metonym of the national gastronomic tradition as a whole. The nationalistic discourse that undergoes this process has been further reinforced by the temporal coincidence of the 2010 inscription with the celebrations for the Bicentennial of the Mexican Independence and the Centennial of the Mexican Revolution.

Beyond Food Security: Challenges in Food Safety Policies and Governance along a Heterogeneous Agri-Food Chain and Its Effects on Health Measures and Sustainable Development in Mexico

This work describes the relevance of food policies and governance to reach food safety issues along a heterogeneous food chain, in the context of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) food security definition. Using personal interviews with agents in the food chain, and secondary data from 2014–2018, this exploratory research demonstrated that: (a) Mexican food policies regarding food safety are oriented to the exports markets and/or high income producers-consumers; (b) this has split the agri-food chain in two: one serving international and/or high income consumers, and another serving domestic markets; (c) the agri-food chain that serves domestic markets experiences regulatory budget shortfalls, lacks coordination in food regulations across its agents, and brings about alternate informal markets that put peoples’ health and financial stability at risk, especially those lower-income consumers. Only 0.7% of producers, 12.5% of supermarkets and 42.8% of restaurants have some type of food safety certifications. This is worsened by the way public resources have been distributed, focused, prioritized, and planned. If the differences between big, medium and small producers continue to increase, it will increase regional and individual inequality, leading to two different countries: one developed and one developing, challenging its sustainable development.

Rebooting Roseanne: Feminist Voice across Decades

Rebooting Roseanne: Feminist Voice across Decades

Meet the First Authors.

Meet the First Authors.

Fluoride Levels in Mexican Foods and Beverages

INTRODUCTIONThe sources of fluoride exposure for the Mexicans are foods, beverages, fluoridated salt and naturally fluoridated water. The main objetive of this study was to estimate the concentrati...

Energy and nutrient supply according to food insecurity severity among Mexican households

Studies from Latin America have shown that food insecurity reduces dietary diversity. However, dietary diversity measures do not account for the energy and nutrient supply in households. The objective of our study was to know whether there are differences in food, energy and nutrients supplies in Mexican households according to their food insecurity level. We analyzed the database of the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey performed in Mexico in 2014. The modified Latin-American and Caribbean Food Security Scale was used to determine the existence of household food security or insecurity. Participants registered foods and beverages available at their homes during the previous week. The supply of energy and nutrients was estimated using Mexican and American food composition references. Mexican food secure households had greater supply of healthy (e.g., fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and seafood, and fresh meats) and unhealthy (e.g., processed meats, fries, sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, and alcoholic beverages) foods. By contrast, food insecure households rely on cheap staple food (e.g. maize, rice, pulses, eggs, and sugar). There was a linear relationship between the energy density and severity of food insecurity. Households with mild and moderate food insecurity had greater total energy supplies than households with food security and severe food insecurity. Food insecure households had greater supplies of carbohydrates, cholesterol, iron, and magnesium, but lower supplies of protein, fat, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, calcium, and sodium. Most of the results suggest that food insecure households are exposed mostly to negative aspects of the nutrition transition because they have greater access to energy and lower availability of some micronutrients.

Has the growth in “fast casual” Mexican restaurants impacted weight gain?

The United States is witnessing a boom in fast casual restaurants owing to the recent growth of ethnic restaurants throughout the country. This study examines the effects of proximity to a Mexican restaurant—the dominant type of ethnic fast casual restaurant—on maternal and child health. I match data on the complete residential addresses of all mothers who gave birth in the Miami metropolitan area between 1990 and 2009 to a time series of all establishments (restaurants and stores) selling food and drink. This unique data set allows me to use mother fixed effects and to exploit the variation over time of the food environment to identify the effects on maternal weight gain and childbirth outcomes. The results show that living in proximity to a Mexican restaurant is associated with an 8% lower likelihood of excessive weight gain among US-born mothers. These effects are concentrated in low-income neighborhoods and among members of disadvantaged groups (e.g., low-skilled, young, and African-American individuals). However, the results show no protective effect for foreign-born mothers. Lastly, there is no evidence of significant effects on other maternal outcomes or on various child health metrics at birth.

Phytochemical characterization of Izote (Yucca elephantipes) flowers.

Flowers of the Izote (Yucca elephantipes) are traditionally consumed in different dishes in the Mexican cuisine. Although the use of the flowers in Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico is quite popular, there are no scientific reports of their physicochemical properties and phytochemical composition of petals, carpels and stamens. As part of our research program on characterization of edible wild plants, we have analysed the composition and content of phenolic com-pounds in methanol crude extracts of petals, carpels and stamens from Y. elephantipes. The petals exhibited eighteen phenolic compounds, including 4-coumaric acid, rutin, ferulic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin 3-glucoside, trans-cinnamic acid, among others. The principal phenolic compound found in petals, carpels and stamens was 4-coumaric acid, with 1154.20, 526.19 and 484.50 μg/g, respectively. In addition, carpel and petals were found to be rich in fatty acids, including linoleic, oleic, and palmitic acid. The petals also contained the highest amount of total dietary fiber. Based on these results, the flowers of Y. elephantipes appear to be a good source of phenolic compounds. This information may be useful in identifying these types of flowers and contribute in future research related to their use in the food area.

Balance oferta-demanda de Maíz (Zea Mays l.) en México con Programación Lineal.

The corn consumption in Mexico has a cultural origin. Because of the corn is the basis of the Mexican food, also, the corn is used to prepare corn flour, syrup, ethanol, etc. The main states corn producers in Mexico ́s are: Jalisco, Sinaloa, Michoacán, Mexico State and Guanajuato, states that even when they are well distributed in the country there is a supply and demand unbalance. With this situation, the big producers have the necessity to take the corn to other states in the country and it has a cost that increases the product price. With the purpose to establish alternatives that moderate the supply and demand corn imbalance in Mexico, to make a better production distribution, in this research, there were elaborated two transport models with linear programming using the LINDO software: one with the production available and other with the potentialities of each state. The highest supply was in Sinaloa and the lowest in Campeche. The highest demand in Estado de Mexico and the lowest in Oaxaca. It was concluded that, Mexico can satisfy its total corn demand producing its highest potential available, with the use of technology and doing better planning.

Influência da folga financeira na estrutura de capital em empresas de alimentos brasileiras, chilenas e mexicanas

Este estudo teve como objetivo examinar a influência da folga financeira na estrutura de capital das empresas de alimentos brasileiras, chilenas e mexicanas. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, documental e quantitativa. O período de estudo compreende os anos de 2009 a 2013, tendo como amostra 29 organizações. Os resultados mostram a folga financeira como fator determinante da estrutura de capital das empresas de alimentos nos três países, apresentando influência negativa sobre o endividamento de curto prazo (no Brasil, Chile e México) e total (no Brasil), bem como positiva sobre o endividamento de longo prazo (no Chile e México). Desta forma, pode-se identificar que as empresas tendem a constituir folga financeira com recursos próprios inicialmente, aderente à teoria pecking-order, mas quando não possível por este meio, utilizam recursos de terceiros de longo prazo para usufruir dos benefícios vinculados a folga financeira. Além disso, as relações encontradas são mais próximas entre empresas chilenas e mexicanas comparativamente as organizações brasileiras.

POTENTIALS OF CUMINUM CYMINUM IN MICROBIAL CONTROL

Cumin is one of the important spices known for their distinctive aroma, cumin seeds are sprinkled over popular North African, Middle East, Western, Chinese, Indian, Cuban and Northern Mexican cuisines. The spice is native to middle-east, Asian region, and now grown all over the world for its flavorful seeds. The plant is the small flowering herb belonging to the family of Apiaceae of the genus Cuminum, and scientifically known as Cuminum cyminum. It is an important condiment and spice crop grown in India for its aromatic-seed. India is the leading country in the world in production, consumption and export of cumin. It is grown in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Cumin is used as condiment for flavor and in medicines. Though cumin is one of the important spice crops with high economic returns, it has not yet gained commercial significance in most of the areas favorable for its cultivation. RS-l variety of cumin plant is recommended for Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. Cumin plays an important role in human health owing to their anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, antiviral activities. Furthermore, it is anti-diuretic and anti-oxidant. Considering the above facts our study was carried out to observe & evaluate the effect of extracts from cumin against microbial population considering both bacterial & fungal forms. Cumin-acetone fractions were extracted with Soxhlet and considered for tests against Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and the fungi (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium notatum, Mucor indicus). All the observations showed positive results by appearance of clear zone of inhibition on cultured petri plates for bacteria. However, Work on fungal species are on progress. Further, studies are going on MIC and analysis of the extract, which may provide us new ideas in the study of bio-active agents.

Rizobacterias y hongos micorrízicos arbusculares asociados con chile poblano en la sierra nevada de Puebla, México

En las partes bajas de la Sierra Nevada, Puebla, México, pequeños agricultores cultivan uno de los chiles más tradicionales en la cocina mexicana, el chile poblano. La variabilidad en las prácticas agrícolas y las características del suelo, conducen a diversos microambientes de producción, originando una variación en las poblaciones de microorganismos benéficos. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue cuantificar las poblaciones microbianas [hongos totales (HT), bacterias totales (BT), bacterias solubilizadoras de fosfato (BSP), bacterias fijadoras de nitrógeno (BFN), bacterias productoras de auxinas (BPA) y hongos micorrízicos arbusculares (HMA)] y la producción de frutos en plantaciones de chile poblano cultivado en campo abierto. Mediante diluciones seriadas y siembra en medios específicos se cuantificaron HT, BT, BSP, BFN y BPA. La colonización por HMA se determinó por el método de clareo y tinción con azul tripano. Las poblaciones más altas de BT y BPA fueron encontradas en el sitio siete (Huejotzingo), suelo con alto contenido de fósforo (428.8 mg kg-1), los HT, BSP y BFN fueron mejores en el sitio uno (San Matías Tlalancaleca), éste sitio no presentó las mejores características del suelo, pero si mayor altitud, el cual se correlacionó positivamente con estos microorganismos. La colonización micorrízica fue mejor en el sitio nueve (Huejotzingo), en un suelo con bajo contenido en fósforo (44.3 mg kg-1) y pH moderadamente alcalino (7.6). El rendimiento de frutos fue más alta en el sitio 8 (Huejotzingo), quien presentó mayor contenido de materia orgánica (1.48%) y nitrógeno total (0.07%) en suelo.