Consumption Of Traditional Foods Research Articles

Association between dietary patterns and overweight/obesity: a Brazilian national school-based research (ERICA 2013–2014)

The aim of this study was to identify dietary patterns and verify their association with overweight/obesity. This was a cross-sectional study conducted with a probabilistic sample of 71,298 Brazilian adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years, who participated in the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents (ERICA). ERICA is a multicenter school-based countrywide cross-sectional study, conducted in 2013–2014. Food consumption was estimated with a single 24-h dietary recall, and factor analysis was conducted to identify dietary patterns. To test the association between dietary patterns and overweight/obesity, we performed logistic regression analyses. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 25.4% (95% CI 24.3–26.6). Three dietary patterns were identified: “traditional Brazilian” (beans, rice and meat), “unhealthy” (sugar sweetened beverages, processed foods, desserts and cakes, and milk and cheese), and “coffee and bread” (bread, oils and fat, coffee, and processed meat). Adolescents in the highest tertile of the “traditional Brazilian” pattern had lower odds of overweight/obesity (OR 0.85; 95% CI 0.74–0.98; p = 0.033) compared with adolescents in the first tertile. “Coffee and bread” and “unhealthy” dietary patterns were not associated with overweight/obesity. Brazilian adolescents with higher scores on the “traditional Brazilian” pattern had lower odds of being overweight/obese. To promote and enhance the consumption of traditional Brazilian foods may help prevent overweight/obesity in this population.

Environmental chemical exposures among Greenlandic children in relation to diet and residence

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to identify geographic, dietary, and other predictors for childhood exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and methylmercury in Greenlandic children. The study includes cross-sectional data from 367 Greenlandic children aged 7 to 12 years examined during 2012–2015. A parent or guardian participated in a structured interview, and a blood sample from the child was analysed for PFASs, PCBs and total mercury. Predictors for the environmental exposures were identified using linear regression. Area of residence was found to have the strongest explanatory power, accounting for 24% to 68% of the variance in the serum concentrations. Information about diet was available for two-thirds of the children, and among these, consumption of traditional Greenlandic food accounted for 2% to 10% of the variance in the biomarker concentrations. Models including all predictors associated with at least one of the environmental chemicals explained 19% to 54% of the total variance. In conclusion, area is a likely proxy for a traditional marine diet, and together area and diet constitute the most important predictors of exposure to methylmercury, PCBs and PFASs among Greenlandic children.

How Do Commercial Children’s Foods Influence Their Growth and Development? A Map of Commercially Available Children’s Foods in Honduras

Background: The premature consumption of processed foods with high sugar and sodium content over the course of life has been associated with an increased risk of suffering from chronic diseases starting in adolescence or early adulthood. Methods: There was an examination of the nutritional labelling of processed products for young children (n = 140) available in the Honduran market to evaluate their nutritional quality with regard to sodium and sugar content, pursuant to various international recommendations. Results: 54% of the products evaluated derive more than 20% of their calories from sugar. The categories that to a large degree exceed the recommended sugar content range are fruit drinks (80%) and dessert purees (65%). The average price per product serving is lower than one US dollar ($0.81). 46% and 6% of the products place sugar and salt, respectively, among the first five positions in their ingredient lists. Conclusions: Processed foods for infants and young children generally exceed the recommended sugar content, but due to their low cost and easy access, they are displacing traditional food consumption, contributing to increasing childhood obesity and chronic disease in the early stages of life.

Satisfacción Y Motivación De La Gastronomía Regional En Escárcega, Campeche

Gastronomy is part of the cultural, social, environmental and economic history of villages and their inhabitants. It is considered one of the economically active activities in the development of each locality, reinforcing tradition in rural areas as part of the same culture and tradition of the people. Therefore, this research has as a general objective to analyze the satisfaction and motivation of people who taste traditional cuisine in the municipality of Escarcega, Campeche, Mexico. As well as tastes and preferences regarding the main dishes that are offered. For the achievement of the objective of this basic research, of descriptive type, a questionnaire was used randomly applied to 1,280 people over 18 years old in the 5 main restaurants of the city, validated by the Cronbach alpha coefficient showing a value of 7, indicating that this instrument has an acceptable degree of reliability, the results were plotted in the Excel 2010 program. As a result, among the dishes that most motivate to consume in the municipality of Escarcega are Pan de cazon, shrimps empanadas, shrimps al coco and the traditional panuchos campechanos, there are a number of people who prefer the consumption of traditional foods in fondas, regional food shops, mainly because of their price that is usually cheaper than a formal dish, but above all, because of the tradition of these foods that have been consumed by generations and that are a fundamental part of preserving their gastronomic traditions.

Cadmium Tissue Concentrations in Kidney, Liver and Muscle in Moose (Alces alces) From First Nations Communities in Northern Alberta

The consumption of traditional foods, including moose, is vitally important to Canada’s indigenous communities for dietary, social, and cultural reasons. Cadmium is a key contaminant of concern in moose as it accumulates primarily the organs, with the kidney accumulating more than the liver. The objectives of this study were to identify relationships between cadmium concentrations in the kidney, liver and muscle tissue of moose, and to estimate benchmark consumption quantities that are associated with minimal health risk for three First Nation communities: the Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation, the Swan River First Nation and Cold Lake First Nations. Moose quality studies were conducted with the Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation in 2012, the Swan River First Nation in 2014 and the Cold Lake First Nations in 2016, all located in Alberta, Canada. The measured cadmium tissue concentrations from these studies were found to be comparable to those reported in the 2016 Alberta First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study and other North American studies. The results of our study suggest that linear relationships exist between cadmium concentrations in kidney and liver tissue, which can be used as a tool to predict organ concentrations in moose from northern Alberta. First Nations communities can use this information to predict cadmium tissue concentrations in both kidney and liver in the absence of actual, measured cadmium concentrations. Benchmark consumption quantities that are associated with minimal risk were estimated for the different tissue types.

Cadmium and Mercury Exposure among Dene/Métis Communities of the Northwest Territories, Canada

In northern Indigenous communities, eating traditional foods (which include locally harvested wild game, fish, game birds, and plants) is associated with improved nutritional status. However, traditional foods can occasionally increase human exposures to contaminants. To mitigate potential risks from elevated contaminant levels in fish and wildlife, public health officials regularly respond to the results from environmental monitoring programs by designing notices that advise individuals to limit their consumption of particular traditional foods. For example, elevated mercury (Hg) levels in Walleye, Northern Pike, and Lake Trout in some subarctic lakes led to the release of a series of consumption notices by the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Health and Social Services. Also, high levels of cadmium (Cd) in the organs of moose from the Southern Mackenzie Mountains, Canada resulted in consumption notices recommending people to limit their consumption of kidney and liver of moose harvested from this region.Since 2016, a community-based human biomonitoring project has been run in nine Dene/Métis communities of the Dehcho and Sahtú regions of the Northwest Territories Mackenzie Valley (n=538). This project included dietary assessments (e.g., 24-hour Recall, Food Frequency Questionnaire) as well as hair, urine and blood sampling to characterize contaminant exposures among participants. Although Hg and Cd levels in traditional foods from the Northwest Territories are occasionally elevated, the results from this biomonitoring research show exposures to these metals to be generally similar to those observed in other populations in Canada. These results are supporting ongoing efforts at the community and territorial level to design follow up plans in response to environmental monitoring data.

Iron Status and Its Associations with Blood and Plasma Divalent Metals among Children Aged 3 to 19 Years Old from Four First Nation Communities in Quebec

OBJECTIVES: In First Nations communities, iron deficiency (ID) is a frequent pediatric condition with diverse adverse outcomes. Iron is a divalent metal that share absorptive pathways with cadmium (Ca), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in the gastrointestinal tract; ID upregulates their uptake and the likelihood of toxic levels in humans. The present study examines associations between ID status, its determinants, and other divalent metals among indigenous youth. METHODS: The 2015 First Nation Youth Environment and Health (JES! -YEH!) pilot study was conducted among children (3 to 19 y, n = 198) from four First Nations communities in Quebec. Blood and urine samples and anthropometric measurements were collected. Serum ferritin (SF), blood Cd, Pb, Mn, Co, plasma Zn urinary cotinine and hs-CRP levels were measured. Determinants (including traditional and market food consumption) were assessed using an interview-administered questionnaire, based on which nutritional intakes were calculated. Descriptive analyses and Structural Equation Models were used to test associations.RESULTS: There was a high prevalence of ID (21.8%). Fruit and juice consumption – via vitamin C intake - were the only food variables positively associated to SF (coefficient [95% CI]: 0.22 [0.11, 0.45]; 0.54 [0.28, 0.80]). Blood Mn was significantly higher than in the Canadian Health Measures Survey. SF was in turn inversely associated to blood Co and Mn (-0.26 [-0.34, -0.19]; -0.15 [-0.20, -0.11]). As a whole, fruits and juice consumption were inversely associated with blood Mn (-0.02 [-0.03, -0.01], -0.04 [-0.08, -0.01]) and Co (-0.03 [-0.06, -0.01], -0.07 [-0.14, -0.02]), via their positive association to vitamin C intake and SF. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that dietary interventions fostering higher consumption of foods naturally rich in vitamin C, which is known to enhance iron absorption, could decrease ID and ultimately, restore blood Mn and Co homeostasis.

Survey of vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in traditional native Alaskan meats, fish, and oils

Greater consumption of traditional foods has been associated with improved vitamin D status in Arctic and sub-Arctic populations, including Alaskan Native Americans. However, lack of vitamin D food composition data impairs epidemiological studies on health outcomes, and development of specific dietary recommendations. Vitamin D, including 25(OH)D3 was quantified in samples of native fish, fish eggs, meats (caribou, goose, whale, seal) and traditionally prepared whale and seal oil collected from Alaskan tribes. Vitamin D3, 25(OH)D3, and vitamin D2 were assayed in alkaline-saponified samples by UPLC-MS, after derivatization with 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazole-3,5-dione, with in-house control materials and/or NIST SRM® 1546a Meat Homogenate included in each analytical batch. All but the land animals and bearded seal meat contained ≥2 μg vitamin D3/100 g, with >10 μg/100 g in steelhead trout; dried sheefish, whitefish, smelt; smoked/dried salmon; fermented sheefish eggs; whale and seal oils. Large between-sample differences in bearded seal oil suggested possible effects of season and/or maturity on vitamin D content. 25(OH)D3 was >0.3 μg/100 g in many foods, notably smoked salmon, beluga whale skin/fat and oil and spotted seal (but not other seal) oil, with the highest levels in dried beluga whale meat, skin/fat, and oil (up to 1.2). Vitamin D2 was <0.2 μg/100 g in all foods.

Risk tradeoffs associated with traditional food advisories for Labrador Inuit

The traditional Inuit diet includes wild birds, fish and marine mammals, which can contain high concentrations of the neurotoxicant methylmercury (MeHg). Hydroelectric development may increase MeHg concentrations in traditional foods. Consumption advisories are often used to mitigate such risks and can result in reduced intake of traditional foods. Data from a dietary survey, MeHg exposure assessment and risk analysis for individuals in three Inuit communities in Labrador, Canada (n = 1145) in 2014 indicate reducing traditional food intake is likely to exacerbate deficiencies in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins B12 and B2. Traditional foods accounted for < 5% of per-capita calories but up to 70% of nutrients consumed. Although consumption advisories could lower neurodevelopmental risks associated with an increase in MeHg exposure (90th-percentile ∆IQ = − 0.12 vs. − 0.34), they may lead to greater risks of cardiovascular mortality (90th-percentile increase: + 58% to + 116% vs. + 25%) and cancer mortality (90th-percentile increase + 2% to + 4% vs. no increase). Conversely, greater consumption of locally caught salmon mostly unaffected by hydroelectric flooding would lower all these risks (90th-percentile ∆IQ = + 0.4; cardiovascular risk: − 45%; cancer risk: − 1.4%). We thus conclude that continued consumption of traditional foods is essential for Inuit health in these communities.

Cultural Perspective of Traditional Cheese Consumption Practices and Its Sustainability among Post-Millennial Consumers

(1) Background: The consumption of traditional foods has been linked to economic, social, and environmental sustainability; therefore, the main challenge of a changing marketplace is to ensure that young generations continue consuming traditional products. The current study uses a consumer culture theory (CCT) perspective to examine the following: (1) the way individuals use their traditional products to identify themselves with the culture and to feel that they are a part of the community, (2) the underlying values that turn young consumers into loyal customers of hellim/halloumi cheese, and (3) its implications to hellim/halloumi producers. (2) Methods: A qualitative research method is applied to study the perceptions of post-millennials towards traditional cheese products from a cultural perspective. (3) Results: The results of the study reveal that loyalty towards traditional food products amongst post-millennials is build based on (1) the memories that surround the food, (2) the rituals that preparing and eating a food involve, and (3) the identity that it builds, allowing people feel sense of belonging to their ethnic group. (4) Conclusions: Loyalty amongst post-millennials towards traditional food products tends to be emotional, rather than rational or behavioral. It allows us to present both theoretical and managerial implications. It also calls for more empirical research to understand the changing marketplace and post-millennials’ consumption habits.

Traditional and regional food as seen by consumers – research results: the case of Poland

Purpose This paper seeks to describe the perceptions and motives for acquiring traditional and regional products by Polish consumers. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the state of regional and traditional food production in Poland and identify the prospects of its development. Design/methodology/approach Both secondary and primary data were used. The sample size included 1,067 respondents selected based on their place of residence and sex. The five-point Likert scale was used to measure the participant attitudes following the construction and validation procedure. Cronbach’s α test was used to evaluate the reliability of the measuring scale, estimated at 0.85, indicating the accuracy of the scales used. Statistica 13 – including t-test, ANOVA and regression analysis – was a software program used to carry out statistical analysis. Prior to the analysis, multivariate normality was examined by testing each variable for normal distribution. Findings The research showed the existence of a statistical relationship between the sex of respondents and the suggested traditional food consumption patterns such as organoleptic qualities, high quality, and finally, curiosity and trying new foods. Sex did not statistically influence the responses for the remaining factors. Originality/value The increased interest in traditional and regional food products is a manifestation of new food-related tendencies and is implied by the desire to exhibit behaviors and values resulting from cultural heritage. Polish consumers are becoming wealthier, better educated, more aware of both tangible and intangible product attributes, and they are having more opportunities to expose their social preferences when shopping. The importance of food attributes such as traditional and regional food certificates, source of origin or the image of the producer (e.g. respecting ethical behavior) is growing. This research is significant not only because of its theoretical input, but its applied value as well.

Inuvialuit Social Indicators: Applying Arctic Social Indicators Framework to Study Well-Being in the Inuvialuit Communities

The Northern Review 47 (2018): 167–185This study of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) socio-economic well-being used the established indicators framework, which was developed by the Arctic Social Indicators (ASI) project under the auspices of the Arctic Council. The assessment was conducted for the following six domains: health and population, material well-being, cultural vitality, closeness to nature, education, and fate control. The analysis revealed considerable internal differences within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in Canada’s western Arctic, especially between Inuvik and other communities in the Northwest Territories (NWT). With respect to most indicators, the ISR was better off than other NWT regions—with the exception of the capital city Yellowknife (unemployment, engagement in traditional activities, land claims status, and fate control)—or close to average (incomes, dependency on government transfers, consumption of country food, and education). The ISR fared worse than other NWT regions with respect to language retention and out-migration rates. In comparison with Inuit communities in Nunavut, the ISR had a generally higher level of material well-being, but demonstrated low language retention, lower consumption of traditional food, and inferior fate control status. The analysis shows that although the Inuvialuit Settlement Region appears to have variable levels of socio-economic well-being across most of the six domains, with some positive trends, it still faces considerable social challenges and has to deal with interregional inequalities. The most important problems revealed in this study are a continuing gap between the ISR and Yellowknife with respect to material well-being; disparities among the ISR communities (Inuvik vs. all other); potential shortage and leakage of human capital in outlying communities; and low language retention compared to other Inuit regions.

Factors associated with the consumption of traditional foods in central Mexico

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the factors associated with the consumption of traditional foods (TFs) in central Mexico.Design/methodology/approachA total of 512 surveys were applied to consumers in central Mexico. The survey included a free word association with TF and an example, the food choice questionnaire, and the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents. A binary logistic regression was carried out comparing regular TF consumers with non-regular TF consumers.FindingsMen tend to eat TFs in more regular way than women. People with heavier consumption habits associate TF with “authenticity/way of doing”, “origin” and “habit”, which are reinforced both by TF examples and the FCQ variables. Foods considered traditional were classified as cooked (elaborated under specific recipes of gastronomic heritage) and uncooked. Both groups comprise central foods, basic in the Mexican diet, in which maize, chili and beans are outstanding.Research limitations/implicationsThe study did not comprehend the whole country and not consider specific food categories.Practical implicationsProvides important information on the factors that drive consumption of TFs in Mexico, information that may be useful in valorisation processes.Social implicationsResults may support the commercialisation of these foods, and lead to an improvement in the livelihoods of producers of TFs.Originality/valueIn Mexico, the study of consumers has not been addressed. Therefore, this is a pioneer study that documents the factors associated with the consumption of TFs.

Safety Assessment of Dairy Microorganisms, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Isolated from Traditional Yoghurt Cultures

The traditional fermented food consumption has become very popular because of the increasing public concern about food additives. Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) species have traditionally been used as starter cultures in the production of fermented food. LAB can acquire antibiotic resistance from other bacteria in the natural environment and different resistant mechanisms via mutation. The resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is an increasingly important public health problem worldwide. In this study, antibiotic resistance of 115 Streptocoocus thermophilus and 35 Lactobacillus bulgaricus isolates obtained from traditional Turkish yogurts were tested against kanamycin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, ampicillin, rifampicin, tetracycline, vancomycin and gentamicin using disc diffusion method. Study results showed that most strains were susceptible to all the antibiotics tested while a few of them were determined to be resistant only to kanamycin, ampicillin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. When contacted in a human body, resistant strains might transfer the related genes to the pathogenic species, which may result in devastating consequences.

Traditional food consumption behaviour: the case of Taiwan

ABSTRACTFood consumption is an inevitable experience within a travel destination and has become an area of interest for both host countries and tourists. However, research regarding traditional food consumption behaviour has not always addressed consumer choice behaviour of traditional food consumption in relation to destination. This study uses the Theory of Planned Behaviour as the basis for the study of how personality traits (food neophobia and sensation-seeking) affect traditional food consumption behaviour. Findings indicated that the theory provided feasible explanations for traditional food consumption behaviour of tourists. This study also found food neophobia has an important moderating effect on the relationship between attitude-purchase intention and subjective norm-purchase intention. However, sensation-seeking was neither a predictor nor a moderator of the intention to consume traditional foods.

First foods as Indigenous food sovereignty: Country foods and breastfeeding practices in a Manitoban First Nations community

As a concept and in practice, Indigenous food sovereignty (IFS) offers insights into the social, cultural, and environmental challenges of a deficient food system. The associated poor health outcomes of this system include infant and child health issues such as early childhood caries and childhood obesity, and are a grave concern in many First Nations communities. Extant research has failed to consider the role of infant feeding traditions as an element of Indigenous food sovereignty. Breastfeeding and country food (also called traditional food or cultural food) consumption among infants has been long practiced in First Nations communities, resulting in healthier infants. The research described in this article originated with a research project called the Baby Teeth Talk study (BTT). This is a community-based trial which is testing a pre-natal/post-natal behavioural and preventive intervention for early childhood caries (ECC) among pregnant First Nations women and their infants in urban and on-reserve communities in Ontario and Manitoba. In Norway House Cree Nation, located in northern Manitoba, research participants shared stories on the methods used by caregivers for oral health care, including breastfeeding promotion. This paper reviews the literature relating to IFS, breastfeeding and the introduction of country food to infants. Through the voices of grandmothers in one community in Northern Manitoba, Canada, we connect the introduction of country food and breastfeeding to the larger IFS movement and positive health outcomes for infants, and improve the conceptualization and practice of IFS.

Healthy Roots: Building capacity through shared stories rooted in Haudenosaunee knowledge to promote Indigenous foodways and well-being

Urban and reserve-based First Nation families in southern Ontario frequently experience food insecurity as well as more limited access to traditional, more nutrient dense foods from the local environment. Healthy Roots was initiated in the community of Six Nations to promote traditional food consumption. A small number of participants eating only locally available foods reported better-controlled blood glucose, positive weight change and increased traditional food knowledge. New relationships and partnerships were also developed. Our Sustenance, a community organization that was responsible for the local farmers market, community gardens, good food box program, and other community programs, joined the Healthy Roots Committee to continue advancing the knowledge and activation of the community-based initiatives such as the development of a Haudenosaunee Food Guide. Healthy Roots may serve as a model and inspiration to other Indigenous communities looking to reconnect to their local environments and Indigenous lifeways to promote Indigenous foodways and well-being.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ANEMIA AND IRON STATUS AND THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH BLOOD MANGANESE AND LEAD AMONG CHILDREN AGED FROM 3 TO 19 YEARS OLD FROM FOUR NORTHERN FIRST NATION COMMUNITIES IN QUEBEC

Abstract BACKGROUND Prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency (ID) are higher among indigenous children in Canada, although few data are available in Quebec. Iron is metal that interact with the absorption of manganese (Mn) and Lead (Pb) cobalt (Co). ID is known to upregulate these metals, thereby increasing their absorption, concentration inside the body and their toxicity. OBJECTIVES The objectives of the present study are to: (i) Characterize ID and anemia prevalence and their protective/risk factors; and (ii) Study associations between blood Mn, Pb and iron status biomarkers. DESIGN/METHODS Data from The 2015 First Nation Youth Health and Environment Pilot Study was conducted among children (3 to 19 y, n = 198) from four First Nations communities in Quebec will be used in these study where, blood samples and anthropometric measures were collected, hemoglobin was measured on site using an Hemocue analyser. Protective/risk factors including education, food security, housing conditions and lifestyle and dietary habits were documented using interview-administered questionnaire to children’ parents. Serum ferritin and blood Pb, Mn, Co, Zn and Ca were measured by Modular P analyser and ICPMS. Descriptive and multiple regression statistical analyses adjusting for relevant co-variables were used. RESULTS Results showed ID and anemia prevalence of 20.7% and 17.6% respectively, among which 8.8% presented iron deficiency anemia. Moreover, up to 11.9% had elevated blood Mn (median = 15.9 µg/L, range 7.1 to 31.9 µg/L) of which 27.5% presented ID. However, blood Pb was low (median = 5.4 µg/L, range 1.8 to 50.8 µg/L). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that crystal juice intake was associated with lower ID and anemia (OR (95%): 0.50 (0.30 - 0.82) and 0.47 (0.26 - 0.87) respectively) in girls. Likewise, the presence of hunter in the household was associated with lower anemia in girls (0.09 (0.02 - 0.53)). No factors were associated with ID in boys, and for anemia, lower serum ferritin and older age was associated with higher prevalence of anemia (1.08 (1.01 - 1.14) and 1.23 (1.02 - 1.48) respectively). In adjusted models, blood Mn was negatively associated with serum ferritin concentrations (ß = -0.05; p &lt; 0.02) in girls and positively associated with blood Co (ß = 8.50; p &lt; 0.01) in boys. CONCLUSION Findings on high prevalence of ID, anemia and elevated blood Mn among children form these First Nation communities support that, community and family activities increasing traditional foods consumption improve nutritional status and suggest that foods and beverages naturally rich in vitamin C - but lower in added sugar than crystal juice - would improve iron intake in girls, which would contribute to improve their iron status, decrease anemia and restore normal Mn blood levels.

“Everyone just ate good food”: ‘Good food’ in Islamabad, Pakistan

In recent years, consumption of alternatively produced foods has increased in popularity in response to the deleterious effects of rapidly globalising and industrialised food systems. Concerns over food safety in relation to these changes may result from elevated levels of risk and changing perceptions associated with food production practices. This paper explores how the middle class residents of Islamabad, Pakistan, use the concept of ‘good food’ to reconnect themselves with nature, changing food systems, and traditional values. The paper also demonstrates how these ideas relate to those of organic, local, and traditional food consumption as currently used in more economically developed states in the Global North. Through research based on participant observation and semi-structured interviews, this paper illustrates that besides price and convenience, purity, freshness, association with specific places, and ‘Pakistani-ness’ were considered as the basis for making decisions about ‘good food’. The results show that while individuals are aware of and have some access to imported organic and local food, they prefer using holistic and culturally informed concepts of ‘good food’ instead that reconnect them with food systems. I argue that through conceptualisations of ‘good food’, the urban middle class in Islamabad is reducing their disconnection and dis-embeddedness from nature, the food systems, and their social identities. The paper contributes to literature on food anxieties, reconnections in food geography, and ‘good food’ perceptions, with a focus on Pakistan.

Wild greens knowledge and consumption: a qualitative exploration of human agency in the Southern Arizona food system

This qualitative, single case study explores the influence of the dominant food system (DFS) on the knowledge and consumption of three wild greens (amaranth, lambquarters, purslane) by 24 Latinxs living in Tucson, Arizona (AZ), USA. The three greens are each considered to be traditional Latinx foods. In addition to the natural occurrence of the wild greens, Tucson was selected as the study site due to its rich and diverse food tradition and deep agricultural history. A pattern of decline in the knowledge and consumption of the wild greens is observed according to three overlapping themes: generational awareness, consumer demand and scarcity, and accessibility. The bureaucratic controls that bring calculability, efficiency, and predictability to the DFS are found to be influential in the decline in wild green knowledge and consumption by the study participants. The downward knowledge and consumption pattern is further considered in the context of participant agency within the DFS. Implications for practice include strategies for more purposefully leveraging community settings and alternative marketplaces to revitalize the knowledge and consumption of wild greens and other traditional foods. Recommendations are also provided for future research on the effects of rationalization within the DFS on human agency and traditional food consumption.