Cooking Practices Research Articles

Cooking With Kids: A Preliminary Conceptual Model of Child Involvement in Home Food Preparation and Diet Quality

Abstract Objectives Developing culinary skills in children is an increasingly popular approach to health promotion, and parents can play a critical role in this by involving children in food preparation. Yet little is known about how parents cook with their children or the pathways linking child food involvement and downstream health. Our objective was to develop a conceptual framework of this process. Methods The framework was developed through data, investigator, and theory triangulation. We leveraged a re-analysis of observations of parents preparing meals with their children in the home (n = 15) consensus-building discussions between members of the research team and experts in related fields, and from the extant scientific literature. Results We identified three interrelated ways child involvement in food preparation can be optimized to support downstream health: 1) skill building, 2) positive environment, and 3) teaching. Through modeling cooking practices, exposure to new tasks/foods, and encouragement, parents transmit cooking skills to their children tailored to their home food environment. Additionally, parents nurture child autonomy and receptivity to learning by creating a positive emotional climate during food preparation. This creates an optimal setting for children to learn complex cognitive skills, such as those related to executive functioning (EF), which are critical to ensuring other forms of knowledge learned (e.g., measurement and counting) transfer to academic success in the real-world across subjects like reading, science, and math. As better EF is linked to higher dietary quality and lower weight, the combination of cooking/food skills with improved EF executive functioning will synergistically support healthy eating. Conclusions By involving children in food preparation, parents can facilitate the development of healthy cognitive skills and eating behaviors, which have been shown to influence health into adulthood across a variety of domains. Investment in cooking education for kids should be accompanied by parallel training for parents on how to optimally engage children in food preparation at home. Funding Sources This research was supported in part by the USDA/ARS under Cooperative Agreement No. 58-3092-0-001.

On account of trans fatty acids and cardiovascular disease risk – There is still need to upgrade the knowledge and educate consumers

AimsTrans fatty acids (TFAs) are unsaturated lipids either of industrial origin or naturally occurring in ruminant meat and milk. TFAs generated through food processing (industrial) is the main source in our diet and studies provide converging evidence on their negative effect on cardiovascular health. Since April 2021, the European Commission has put into effect a regulation for TFAs providing maximum 2% of total fat in all industrially produced foods. In light of this development, we review the evidence regarding the health attributes of different types of TFAs, their dietary sources and current intakes, and we describe the history of TFA-related legislative actions in an attempt to anticipate the efficiency of new measures. Data synthesisThe PubMed database was searched including original research (observational and intervention studies), systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Scientific reports of competent authorities and organizations have also been screened. ConclusionsTrans-fat elimination provides a fine example of how evidence has led to the application of horizontal regulatory measures regarding legal food ingredients in order to protect consumers’ health. In EU Member States, TFAs currently provide on average less than 1% of energy (1%E) and intakes marginally exceed recommendations primarily among young adults. Large dietary surveys however provide evidence for additional, less-well known sources of TFAs in the diet. Raising public awareness of “hidden” trans-fat found naturally in foods such as cheese, as well as of the trans-fat generated through traditional cooking practices is needed, if the goal to eliminate trans-fat from the diet is to be met.

Moveable Gardens: Itineraries and Sanctuaries of Memory ed. by Virginia D. Nazarea and Terese V. Gagnon

Reviewed by: Moveable Gardens: Itineraries and Sanctuaries of Memory ed. by Virginia D. Nazarea and Terese V. Gagnon Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo Virginia D. Nazarea and Terese V. Gagnon (Eds.) Moveable Gardens: Itineraries and Sanctuaries of Memory. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2021, pp. 301. (ISBN-13: 978-0-8165-4221-5 paperback) This edited book represents the latest efforts of anthropologists to understand how a wide variety of displacements (war, migration, precarity, late capitalist modernity and so on) lead people to re-engage with plant life in ways that create meaning and sustain biodiversity. The book offers a series of examinations into how quotidian practices of gardening, seed saving, and cooking serve as ways to restore a sense of social and cultural continuity, and to connect the lost past with newly found lives and places. The introductory chapter, written by the editors Virginia D. Nazarea and Terese V. [End Page 215] Gagnon, offers a beautifully written overview of the approach. They remind us that biodiversity “thrives best in marginal places, those small out-of-the way spaces where a sense of identity can be drawn from assemblages of plants and other cohabitants” (p. 3). What happens when this sort of life is disrupted? The book tackles this question in two sections, one with a series of chapters exploring “itineraries,” which is about plant-human engagements in movement, and one focused on Sanctuaries, more emplaced efforts of belonging. The volume is firmly rooted in anthropology and began as a session at the 2017 American Anthropological Association meetings. Yet this journal has decided to have it reviewed since it will be of interest to geographers and Latin Americanists. Foundational references include debates on the topic of multispecies relationships and ontological challenges, such as those by Ann Lowenhaupt Tsing (2015), and Donna Haraway (2016). Some relevant concepts and phrases that will surely become increasingly relevant emotional anchors for us all in this climate crisis era are “ecological grief,” “global mourning,” and “ecological memory” (p. 11). At this moment, there is probably not a reader who has not personally experienced some semblance of these feelings and practices. Some commentators maintain that edited books are always uneven in content and quality. I think a more accurate rendition of this old saw is that we, as readers, always gravitate to some chapters more than others. Space does not allow me to comment on all of the twelve chapters, so I will just discuss a few of my favorites. The first substantive chapter, by Terese Gagnon offers an excellent close-up ethnographic view of Karen refugees who have fled the mountain regions of southeast Myanmar for upstate New York. Engagement with the “materiality of biodiversity” (p. 19), in the form of tending gardens, preparing and eating homeland foods and foraging for food plants allows them to hold on to identity and collective memory, but it is not seamless, as the Karen refugees want to do this on their own terms. For instance, they refuse to garden in raised beds, a common structure in urban community gardens, but one which they experience as foreign, unnatural and distant from the earth. For various reasons, as Gagnon explains, the refuge is liminal and the sanctuary remains shaky. Another fascinating discussion is provided by Guntra A. Aistara’s chapter, Tomatoes Out of Time. Here the focus shifts to how post-socialist European governments establish biopolitical regimes to regulate tomatoes, which can be seen as “alien invaders” and carriers of disease. In this scenario, “multi-species biopolitics” is under state jurisdiction and clashes with cultural memory and traditional seed and plant practices. The section on emplaced sanctuaries includes fascinating looks at particular food, kitchen and eating practices, but a notable chapter is provided by Tracey Heatherington’s examination of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Longyearbyen, Norway. The seeds of the world, or more accurately, the secondary back up samples of these seeds, are stored here in air tight packages enveloped in non-descript boxes. Sci-fi futurism is already here, in the form of this seed warehouse located in the middle of a permafrost zone, and this chapter imaginatively includes a [End Page 216] comparative analysis of how two classic...

Proximate composition, microbiological quality and presence of total aflatoxins and aflatoxin B1 in the flesh of three snails’ species (Achatina achatina, Achatina fulica and Archachatina marginata) from a selected locality of Yaoundé, Cameroon

The increasing need for animal proteins has led to an interest in non-conventional protein sources such as snails. Although several species of snails are locally reared and highly prized by Cameroonians, there is a lack of information regarding their composition and safety. This work aimed at assessing the chemical composition, the microbiological quality and the total aflatoxins (AFs) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contents of the fleshes from three snails’ species traditionally reared in the city of Yaoundé, Cameroon. Samples of Achatina achatina (10), Achatina fulica (10) and Archachatina marginata (10) were randomly collected from a selected farm in Mimboman quarter of Yaoundé and their chemical composition and microbiological quality were evaluated through AOAC and ISO methods, respectively. Their levels of AFs and AFB1 were assessed using competitive ELISA. The results showed that snail fleshes were a good source of proteins and iron with the one from A. achatina containing the highest protein (15.26%) and iron (7.80 mg/100g) contents. Microbiological analyses revealed that the total aerobic counts of the different samples of snail fleshes were all higher than 6 Log CFU/g thus suggesting a reduced shelf life of the raw product. The safety issue of the snail fleshes is questionable as they contained pathogens such as coliforms and Staphylococcus spp. at levels higher than the norms. Although yeasts and moulds were found in snail fleshes at loads ranging from 3.5 to 4.17 Log CFU/g, their AFs and AFB1 contents were respectively below 0.22 and 0.44 ppb, values that are lower than that of raw food intended for human consumption. This study demonstrated the potential of snails as an alternative protein source from animal origin and suggests that particular attention should be paid by the government to sensitize the farmers on good hygiene and farming practices and the consumers on good cooking practices.

Household Air Pollution Concentrations after Liquefied Petroleum Gas Interventions in Rural Peru: Findings from a One-Year Randomized Controlled Trial Followed by a One-Year Pragmatic Crossover Trial.

Background:Household air pollution (HAP) from biomass fuel combustion remains a leading environmental risk factor for morbidity worldwide.Objective:Measure the effect of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) interventions on HAP exposures in Puno, Peru.Methods:We conducted a 1-y randomized controlled trial followed by a 1-y pragmatic crossover trial in 180 women age 25–64 y. During the first year, intervention participants received a free LPG stove, continuous fuel delivery, and regular behavioral messaging, whereas controls continued their biomass cooking practices. During the second year, control participants received a free LPG stove, regular behavioral messaging, and vouchers to obtain LPG tanks from a nearby distributor, whereas fuel distribution stopped for intervention participants. We collected 48-h kitchen area concentrations and personal exposures to fine particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter (), black carbon (BC), and carbon monoxide (CO) at baseline and 3-, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-months post randomization.Results:Baseline (kitchen area concentrations vs. ; personal exposure vs. ), CO (kitchen vs. ; personal vs. ), and BC (kitchen vs. ; personal vs. ) were similar between control and intervention participants. Intervention participants had consistently lower concentrations at the 12-month visit for kitchen (, , and ) and personal exposures (, , and ) to , BC, and CO when compared to controls during the first year. In the second year, we observed comparable HAP reductions among controls after the voucher-based intervention for LPG fuel was implemented (24-month visit , BC, and CO kitchen mean concentrations of , , and and personal exposures of , , and , respectively), and average reductions were present among intervention participants even after free fuel distribution stopped (24-month visit , BC, and CO kitchen mean concentrations of , , and and personal exposures of , , and , respectively).Discussion:Both home delivery and voucher-based provision of free LPG over a 1-y period, in combination with provision of a free LPG stove and longitudinal behavioral messaging, reduced HAP to levels below 24-h World Health Organization air quality guidelines. Moreover, the effects of the intervention on HAP persisted for a year after fuel delivery stopped. Such strategies could be applied in LPG programs to reduce HAP and potentially improve health. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10054

Cooking outdoors or with cleaner fuels does not increase malarial risk in children under 5\xa0years: a cross-sectional study of 17 sub-Saharan African countries

BackgroundSmoke from solid biomass cooking is often stated to reduce household mosquito levels and, therefore, malarial transmission. However, household air pollution (HAP) from solid biomass cooking is estimated to be responsible for 1.67 times more deaths in children aged under 5 years compared to malaria globally. This cross-sectional study investigates the association between malaria and (i) cleaner fuel usage; (ii) wood compared to charcoal fuel; and, (iii) household cooking location, among children aged under 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).MethodsPopulation-based data was obtained from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for 85,263 children within 17 malaria-endemic sub-Saharan countries who were who were tested for malaria with a malarial rapid diagnostic test (RDT) or microscopy. To assess the independent association between malarial diagnosis (positive, negative), fuel type and cooking location (outdoor, indoor, attached to house), multivariable logistic regression was used, controlling for individual, household and contextual confounding factors.ResultsHousehold use of solid biomass fuels and kerosene cooking fuels was associated with a 57% increase in the odds ratio of malarial infection after adjusting for confounding factors (RDT adjusted odds ratio (AOR):1.57 [1.30–1.91]; Microscopy AOR: 1.58 [1.23–2.04]) compared to cooking with cleaner fuels. A similar effect was observed when comparing wood to charcoal among solid biomass fuel users (RDT AOR: 1.77 [1.54–2.04]; Microscopy AOR: 1.21 [1.08–1.37]). Cooking in a separate building was associated with a 26% reduction in the odds of malarial infection (RDT AOR: 0.74 [0.66–0.83]; Microscopy AOR: 0.75 [0.67–0.84]) compared to indoor cooking; however no association was observed with outdoor cooking. Similar effects were observed within a sub-analysis of malarial mesoendemic areas only.ConclusionCleaner fuels and outdoor cooking practices associated with reduced smoke exposure were not observed to have an adverse effect upon malarial infection among children under 5 years in SSA. Further mixed-methods research will be required to further strengthen the evidence base concerning this risk paradigm and to support appropriate public health messaging in this context.

Protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of LPG cookstoves compared to usual cooking practices to reduce perinatal mortality and morbidity in rural Bangladesh called Poriborton: the CHANge trial

BackgroundHousehold air pollution is a leading health risk for global morbidity and mortality and a major health risk in South Asia. However, there are no prospective investigations of the impact of household air pollution on perinatal morbidity and mortality. Our trial aims to assess the impact of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking to reduce household air pollution exposure on perinatal morbidity and mortality compared to usual cooking practices in Bangladesh.HypothesisIn a community-based cluster randomised controlled trial of pregnant women cooking with LPG throughout pregnancy, perinatal mortality will be reduced by 35% compared with usual cooking practices in a rural community in Bangladesh.MethodsA two-arm community-based cluster randomised controlled trial will be conducted in the Sherpur district, Bangladesh. In the intervention arm, pregnant women receive an LPG cookstove and LPG in cylinders supplied throughout pregnancy until birth. In the control or usual practice arm, pregnant women continue their usual cooking practices, predominately traditional stoves with biomass fuel. Eligible women are pregnant women with a gestational age of 40–120 days, aged between 15 and 49 years, and permanent residents of the study area. The primary outcome is the difference in perinatal mortality between the LPG arm and the usual cooking arm. Secondary outcomes include (i) preterm birth and low birth weight, (ii) personal level exposure to household air pollution, (iii) satisfaction and acceptability of the LPG stove and stove use, and (iv) cost-effectiveness and cost-utility in reducing perinatal morbidity and mortality. We follow up all women and infants to 45 days after the birth. Personal exposure to household air pollution is assessed at three-time points in a sub-sample of the study population using the MicroPEM™. The total required sample size is 4944 pregnant women.DiscussionThis trial will produce evidence of the effectiveness of reduced exposure to household air pollution through LPG cooking to reduce perinatal morbidity and mortality compared to usual cooking practices. This evidence will inform policies for the adoption of clean fuel in Bangladesh and other similar settings.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618001214224. Prospectively registered on 19 July 2019

Influence of Heating during Cooking on Trans Fatty Acid Content of Edible Oils: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Consumption of trans fatty acids (TFA) is associated with adverse health outcomes and is a considerable burden on morbidity and mortality globally. TFA may be generated by common cooking practices and hence contribute to daily dietary intake. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between heating edible oils and change in their TFA content. A systematic search of experimental studies investigating the effect of various methods of heating on TFA content of edible oils was conducted in Medline and Embase since their inception up to 1 October 2020 without language restrictions. Comparable data were analysed using mixed multilevel linear models taking into account individual study variation. Thirty-three studies encompassing twenty-one different oils were included in this review. Overall, heating to temperatures <200 °C had no appreciable impact on different TFA levels. Between 200 and 240 °C, levels of C18:2 t (0.05% increase per 10 °C rise in temperature, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.05%), C18:3t (0.18%, 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.21%), and total TFA (0.38%, 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.55%) increased with temperature. A further increase in total TFA was observed with prolonged heating between 200 and 240 °C. Our findings suggest that heating edible oils to common cooking temperatures (200 °C) has minimal effect on TFA generation whereas heating to higher temperatures can increase TFA level. This provides further evidence in favour of public health advice that heating oils to very high temperatures and prolonged heating of oils should be avoided.

Development and assessment of health education program regarding food safety among food handlers at Ain Shams university hospitals, Cairo, Egypt

Background: Food safety at hospitals is of significant importance for the recovery and wellbeing of patients. Reasons beyond unsafe food at hospitals may be related to consumption of food contaminated with microorganisms or their toxins, which may result from unsafe sources, inadequate cooking or unhygienic practices during food preparation, handling and storage. Objectives: to identify the baseline knowledge and food handling practices of food safety among the food handlers in Ain Shams University Hospitals (ASU), and to develop a health education program about food safety for the food handlers and assess its outcome in ASU Hospitals. Method: one arm intervention study was carried out at the kitchens of ASU hospitals. All food handlers (n=75) in ASU hospital kitchens were recruited in this study. The study was carried out in three phases, the first phase was evaluation of baseline knowledge and practices of participants using self-administered questionnaire and on site observation checklist (Pre-intervention phase), the second phase was health education program for food handlers (Intervention phase) which included several activities such as power point lecture, demonstration, playing video, interactive discussion and distribution of brochures.

In-kitchen aerosol exposure in twelve cities across the globe.

Poor ventilation and polluting cooking fuels in low-income homes cause high exposure, yet relevant global studies are limited. We assessed exposure to in-kitchen particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) employing similar instrumentation in 60 low-income homes across 12 cities: Dhaka (Bangladesh); Chennai (India); Nanjing (China); Medellín (Colombia); São Paulo (Brazil); Cairo (Egypt); Sulaymaniyah (Iraq); Addis Ababa (Ethiopia); Akure (Nigeria); Blantyre (Malawi); Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania) and Nairobi (Kenya). Exposure profiles of kitchen occupants showed that fuel, kitchen volume, cooking type and ventilation were the most prominent factors affecting in-kitchen exposure. Different cuisines resulted in varying cooking durations and disproportional exposures. Occupants in Dhaka, Nanjing, Dar-es-Salaam and Nairobi spent>40% of their cooking time frying (the highest particle emitting cooking activity) compared with∼68% of time spent boiling/stewing in Cairo, Sulaymaniyah and Akure. The highest average PM2.5 (PM10) concentrations were in Dhaka 185±48 (220±58) μg m-3 owing to small kitchen volume, extensive frying and prolonged cooking compared with the lowest in Medellín 10±3 (14±2) μg m-3. Dual ventilation (mechanical and natural) in Chennai, Cairo and Sulaymaniyah reduced average in-kitchen PM2.5 and PM10 by 2.3- and 1.8-times compared with natural ventilation (open doors) in Addis Ababa, Dar-es-Salam and Nairobi. Using charcoal during cooking (Addis Ababa, Blantyre and Nairobi) increased PM2.5 levels by 1.3- and 3.1-times compared with using natural gas (Nanjing, Medellin and Cairo) and LPG (Chennai, Sao Paulo and Sulaymaniyah), respectively. Smaller-volume kitchens (<15m3; Dhaka and Nanjing) increased cooking exposure compared with their larger-volume counterparts (Medellin, Cairo and Sulaymaniyah). Potential exposure doses were highest for Asian, followed by African, Middle-eastern and South American homes. We recommend increased cooking exhaust extraction, cleaner fuels, awareness on improved cooking practices and minimising passive occupancy in kitchens to mitigate harmful cooking emissions.

A Farm-to-Fork Quantitative Microbial Exposure Assessment of β-Lactam-Resistant Escherichia coli among U.S. Beef Consumers.

Integrated quantitative descriptions of the transmission of β-lactam-resistant Escherichia coli (BR-EC) from commercial beef products to consumers are not available. Here, a quantitative microbial exposure assessment model was established to simulate the fate of BR-EC in a farm-to-fork continuum and provide an estimate of BR-EC exposure among beef consumers in the U.S. The model compared the per-serving exposures from the consumption of intact beef cuts, non-intact beef cuts, and ground beef. Additionally, scenario analysis was performed to evaluate the relative contribution of antibiotic use during beef cattle production to the level of human exposure to BR-EC. The model predicted mean numbers of BR-EC of 1.7 × 10−4, 8.7 × 10−4, and 6.9 × 10−1 CFU/serving for intact beef cuts, non-intact beef cuts, and ground beef, respectively, at the time of consumption. Sensitivity analyses using the baseline model suggested that factors related to sectors along the supply chain, i.e., feedlots, processing plants, retailers, and consumers, were all important for controlling human exposure to BR-EC. Interventions at the processing and post-processing stages are expected to be most effective. Simulation results showed that a decrease in antibiotic use among beef cattle might be associated with a reduction in exposure to BR-EC from beef consumption. However, the absolute reduction was moderate, indicating that the effectiveness of restricting antibiotic use as a standalone strategy for mitigating human exposure to BR-EC through beef consumption is still uncertain. Good cooking and hygiene practices at home and advanced safety management practices in the beef processing and post-processing continuum are more powerful approaches for reducing human exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in beef products.

A microsimulation of spatial inequality in energy access: A bayesian multi-level modelling approach for urban India

Access to sustained clean cooking in India is essential to addressing the health burden of indoor air pollution from biomass fuels, but spatial inequality in cities can adversely affect uptake and effectiveness of policies amongst low-income households. Limited data exists on the spatial distribution of energy use in Indian cities, particularly amongst low-income households, and most quantitative studies focus primarily on the effect of economic determinants. A microsimulation approach is proposed, using publicly available data and a Bayesian multi-level model to account for effects of current cooking practices (at a household scale), local socio-cultural context and spatial effects (at a city ward scale). This approach offers previously unavailable insight into the spatial distribution of fuel use and residential energy transition within Indian cities. Uncertainty arising from heterogeneity in the population is factored into fuel use estimates through use of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. The model is applied to four cities in the South Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and comparison against ward-level survey data shows consistency with the model estimates. Ward-level effects exemplify how specific wards compare to the city average and to other urban areas in the state, which can help stakeholders design and implement clean cooking interventions tailored to the needs of those households.

Removal of Toxic and Essential Nutrient Elements from Commercial Rice Brands Using Different Washing and Cooking Practices: Human Health Risk Assessment

This study determined the influence of different cooking procedures on the removal of toxic elements (TEs) including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) along with other nutrient elements from different commercially available rice brands sold in Bangladeshi markets. We observed 33%, 35%, and 27% average removal of As, Cd, and Pb accordingly from rice when cooked with a rice to water ratio of 1:6 after washing 5 times. We also found a significant reduction in essential elements: Zn (17%), Cu (10%), Mn (22%), Se (49%), and Mo (22%), when rice cooking was performed as in traditional practice. Daily dietary intakes were found to be between 0.36 and 1.67 µg/kgbw for As, 0.06 and 1.15 µg/kgbw for Cd, and 0.04 and 0.17 µg/kgbw for Pb when rice was cooked by the rice cooker method (rice:water 1:2), while in the traditional method (rice:water 1:6) daily intake rates ranged from 0.23 to 1.3 µg/kgbw for As, 0.04 to 0.88 µg/kgbw for Cd, and 0.03 to 0.15 µg/kgbw for Pb for adults. The HQ and ILCR for As, Cd, and Pb revealed that there is a possibility of noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risk for As but no appreciable risk for Cd and Pb from consumption of rice.

Assessment of the energy needs for cooking local food in Uganda: A strategy for sizing thermal energy storage with cooker system

Energy for cooking accounts for a significant part of the daily energy needs in developing countries. Cooking energy is mainly based on biomass (firewood and charcoal), both in urban and rural areas. Several studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of changing to other fuels for cooking, in terms of health, environment, sustainability and cost. Another strategy is to develop cooking solutions based on renewable energy technologies, to facilitate the use of intermittent solar and wind energy sources for cooking. The design of the new technologies, like the oil based heat storage and the associated cooker solution then requires knowledge of the energy required for cooking for the particular storage and cooker concept.Energy needs for cooking local food items in Uganda have been determined from laboratory cooking tests and from a survey on institutional cooking practices at selected schools in Uganda. The food items cooked include dry beans, rice, cassava, plantains (matooke), maize flour, fresh beans and sweet potatoes. The total energy used for cooking, boiling, and simmering was measured and time taken recorded. The moisture content and specific heat capacity of the food items were documented and used to estimate theoretical energy requirement for cooking. The effect of soaking dry beans on the energy required to cook was investigated. Results showed that for high moisture content food items like matooke more energy is required to boil than to simmer. On the other hand, for dry food items (beans), more energy is required after boiling to fully cook the food items.For an oil based thermal energy storage solution, supplying hot oil to a dedicated cooker, the results indicate that 14 L hot oil at temperatures of about 200 °C can be sufficient for the daily cooking energy needs for a household of 5 persons. The quantity of oil required can be reduced significantly if there is a pump to enable oil recirculation as cooking progresses. Furthermore, to enable up scaling to institutional use, the school survey done revealed that about 2.6 kg of firewood is used to cook 1 kg of dry beans and about 1 kg of firewood used for 1 kg of maize flour.

Revisiting the “porridge feud” in 19th century Norway: How knowledge and methods from multiple disciplines may reveal new clues to historical cooking practices

In this article, we demonstrate that approaches from food chemistry and sensory science, combined with flavour and texture descriptions made available by ethnographic accounts, provide new understanding of former culinary practices described in historical and ethnological literature. We take departure from the 19th century Norwegian “porridge feud”, a historical dispute between proponents of nutrition science and crafts-based knowledge. As a conclusion we suggest that approaches drawing on a broader set of disciplines may be productive, and probably even required, to achieve deeper understandings of the reasoning behind common cooking practices. This also has implications for collaboration, interdomain cross-pollination, and culinary practices. Science communication and the relationship between science and society are discussed through the lens of this issue in particular, and historical culinary practices in general.

Women eat, Mothers cook: motherhood and cooking practices in Western Brazilian Amazon

Resumo Este artigo objetiva descrever e discutir as maneiras como a maternidade é praticada e representada nas práticas culinárias domésticas das mulheres na Amazônia ocidental brasileira. Desenvolvemos um estudo qualitativo descritivo, conduzimos entrevistas em profundidade com 16 mulheres que eram mães e que cozinhavam em domicílio. Os dados foram analisados identificando as unidades de significância regulares, expressivas e significativas coletadas por meio das entrevistas. Essas mulheres, quando não tinham filhos, realizavam práticas culinárias atendendo suas demandas pessoais e horários do trabalho extradomiciliar. A partir da gestação, porém mais marcadamente após o parto, as mulheres modificam suas práticas culinárias se apropriando das ideias hegemônicas pré-construídas do que é ser uma mãe, desenvolvendo atividades culinárias mais rotineiras, não discricionárias, focadas no cuidado dos membros da família e com maior investimento de tempo e esforço. Estas mudanças reforçam a concepção de que a relação mãe e criança deve estar orientada para uma maternidade intensiva.

Thou shalt not waste: Unpacking consumption of local food

Consumption of local and seasonal produce has been identified as an important element of sustainable food consumption. Alternative food networks (AFNs) play an important role in local food distribution and the socio-technical innovations in this space provide for rich exploration. The aim of this paper is to investigate how households’ food practices are emerging within the new material infrastructures of two AFNs – one community supported agriculture (CSA) and one food assembly (FA), based in Ireland. A social practice theory (SPT) approach was adopted to explore the nature of meanings, competencies, and the role of these new infrastructures in relation to the consumption of local and seasonal food. A mixed-method approach of ethnographic-style in-depth interviews, non-participant observation and photo food diaries were used to explore the everyday food practices and routines of 10 CSA members (rural-based) and 10 FA customers (urban-based). The findings offer insights into the role these two AFNs play in sustainable food consumption via the meanings ascribed to 'local' food, how such foods were incorporated into routine consumption practices, and the ways in which surplus and unfamiliar foods were diverted from waste streams. The findings suggest a strong aversion to wasting local food. Food surplus or unfamiliar foods acquired via the AFNs, rather than succumbing to the waste stream becomes part of a flexible and resourceful approach to circularity. Households engaged in creative cooking and preservation practices and conduits for disposal such as the fridge and freezer played an important role in housing surplus as it awaited recovery. The higher value placed on food acquired from both AFNs safeguarded it from the waste stream and instead was creatively transformed, preserved, and otherwise recovered and revalued to re-enter the cooking space as raw material for use. This paper presents evidence of how the alternative positioning of AFNs can enable alternative consumption routines, where a reorganisation of practices occurs within the household to account for surplus or unfamiliar local produce.

Study of Prevalence of Lifestyle Diseases and Comparison of their Risk Factors among Serving Personnel of Army

Introduction: Lifestyle diseases have multifactorial causation risk factors. Armed forces personnel although constitute healthier sections of society but are not spared from prevalent pandemic of lifestyle diseases in country. This research aims to study the prevalence of lifestyle disease to highlight the importance of keeping suitable preventive measures in place to control the epidemic of lifestyle diseases among the middle-aged army personnel. Materials and Methods: The study is a cross-sectional community-based epidemiological design of 2956 armed forces personnel, aged 35 years and above, selected by multistage random sampling. Data were collected on pretested open-ended questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test, unpaired t-test, and multiple logistic regression techniques. Results: The study revealed that consistent statistically significant association between major sociodemographic, potential behavioral, and clinical risk factors of lifestyle diseases, especially dietary risk factors, namely snacking in between meals, consumption of energy-dense foods, physical inactivity among tradesman, cooks, clerks contributing to higher prevalence of lifestyle diseases among them. The study indicates that the prevalence of overweight and prehypertensive among study sample is suggestive of alarming proportions. Conclusion: Multi-cross-sectoral-integrated strategies for provisioning of comprehensive health-care and strengthening surveillance mechanism pertaining to prevention and control of lifestyle diseases are the need of the hour. Genuine dietary modifications; improving cooking practices; sustained efforts to be physical active, stringent mechanisms to ensure definite working hours, minimize work-related stress; institutional checks on tobacco, alcohol, substance abuse; screening for lifestyle disease risk factors; addressing common risk factors are desirable lifestyle interventions.

Effectiveness of interventions to reduce household air pollution from solid biomass fuels and improve maternal and child health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Interventions to reduce household air pollution (HAP) are key to reducing associated morbidity and mortality in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs); especially among pregnant women and young children. This systematic review aims to determine the effectiveness of interventions aimed to reduce HAP exposure associated with domestic solid biomass fuel combustion, compared to usual cooking practices, for improving health outcomes in pregnant women and children under five in LMIC settings. A systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken with searches undertaken in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, GIM, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Greenfile in August 2020. Inclusion criteria were experimental, non-experimental, or quasi-experimental studies investigating the impact of interventions to reduce HAP exposure and improve associated health outcomes among pregnant women or children under 5years. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment using the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool were undertaken independently by two reviewers. Seventeen out of 7293 retrieved articles (seven pregnancy, nine child health outcome; 13studies) met the inclusion criteria. These assessed improved cookstoves (ICS; n=10studies), ethanol stoves (n=1study), and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG; n=2studies) stoves interventions. Meta-analysis showed no significant effect of ICS interventions compared to traditional cooking for risk of preterm birth (n=2studies), small for gestational age (n=2studies), and incidence of acute respiratory infections (n=6studies). Although an observed increase in mean birthweight was observed, this was not statistically significant (n=4). However, ICS interventions reduced the incidence of childhood burns (n=3; observations=41723; Rate Ratio: 0.66 [95% CI: 0.45-0.96]; I2 : 46.7%) and risk of low birth weight (LBW; n=4; observations=3456; Odds Ratio: 0.73 [95% CI: 0.61-0.87]; I2 : 21.1%). Although few studies reported health outcomes, the data indicate that ICS interventions were associated with reduced risk of childhood burns and LBW. The data highlight the need for the development and implementation of robust, well-reported and monitored, community-driven intervention trials with longer-term participant follow-up.

Analysis of Household Use of Traditional Fuels and Possible Contribution to Deforestation in Kisii County, Kenya

A large majority of Kenyans still rely on traditional fuels to meet their domestic cooking needs. The demand for traditional biomass is therefore likely to increase in the coming decades as long as they remain the most readily available and affordable in comparison to modern energy options. This research sought to analyze the household use of traditional fuels and its possible contribution to deforestation in Kisii County. The willingness of respondents to adopt alternative biofuels and energy efficient stoves and barriers encountered were also assessed. Two structured questionnaires that contained both open and close-ended questions were administered to 436 households and 40 wood fuel sellers respectively. Analysis of variance and regression analysis were used to analyze the alternative hypotheses of the study. It was established that the use of charcoal was the most prevalent compared to other fuels. Household consumption of traditional fuels contributed to an estimated loss of 39 ha of forest cover per annum. However, since 89.7% of the wood fuel used was sourced from other counties, the loss of biomass did not occur in Kisii County. Given a chance, about 63% of the respondents were willing to adopt alternative biofuels and energy efficient stoves. However, the greatest barrier to the adoption of these alternatives was the high cost of purchase. Other barriers identified included lack of government support and unwillingness to let go of traditional cooking practices. It was recommended that the Kenyan government and other stakeholders should promote local technologies for producing energy efficient stoves to make them more affordable to the populace.