Types Of Bags Research Articles

Take it or leave it: How an opt-out strategy for doggy bags affects consumer food waste behavior and restaurant evaluations

Plate leftovers are an extensive source of food waste in restaurants. One solution to reduce this waste would be that consumers take plate leftovers home (i.e., use doggy bags). Yet, existing social norms in many countries and feelings of shame currently inhibit consumers from using doggy bags. The present research examines whether switching to an opt-out system, whereby consumers are offered a doggy bag by default, can decrease these feelings of shame and positively affect doggy-bag uptake. Yet, next to these positive effects, negative firm-related consequences may occur. Consumers may perceive a limitation in their freedom of choice, which can negatively affect their evaluations of the restaurant and its service staff. A series of five experiments (total n = 1166) shows that an opt-out strategy increases doggy-bag uptake more (on average 74% uptake compared to 27% for an opt-in strategy) than offering an explicit choice to consumers (average 49% uptake), but that an opt-out strategy indeed has negative effects on restaurant and service staff evaluations. Our research also shows that by (1) giving consumers a subordinate choice (e.g., a choice between different types of doggy bags) and by (2) providing friendly service when presenting the doggy bags, restaurants can ensure an effective doggy-bag uptake without detrimental effects on restaurant or service staff evaluations, or on household food waste. These findings provide new and valuable insights for research on food waste and on influence strategies towards sustainable behaviors.

Life cycle assessment of the food waste management with a focus on the collection bag.

The organic fraction (mainly food waste) is typically the most abundant of the separately collected waste streams. The research aims at investigating the influence of different types of collection bag on the environmental performances of the food waste management chain in Italy. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) between two alternative systems based on paper or bioplastic collection bags was carried out. It included the collection bags manufacturing and distribution, their use at the household, the transportation of collected food waste and its subsequent anaerobic digestion, including the valorisation of useful outputs and the management of residues. The two systems were modelled mainly with primary data related to the current management system and to tests performed on bags. The LCA was performed with two different modelling approaches applied in the environmental product declaration (EPD) system and in the product environmental footprint (PEF) studies, respectively. In the scenario representing the average conditions, higher environmental impacts are shown by the use of bioplastic bags compared to paper ones with the EPD approach (+257%/+576%). With the PEF approach, the differences between the two systems are lower (-55%/+133%). Moreover, paper bags could allow for further impact reductions assuming a decrease of the food waste collection frequency, allowed by higher weight losses and a lower generation of leachate and odour during the household storage.

Traditional Woven Bags from Hakkâri Province

Until the 1970s, when village roads were just beginning to open in the rural areas of Hakkâri, carrying was mainly reliant on animal and human power. Sacks, some types of saddlebags, sacks and ‘têr’ were used for carrying loads by horse or mule while bags, some types of saddlebag and ‘parzun’ were used for carrying goods using manpower. Traditional ethnographic artifacts from thirty-two settlements in Hakkâri province were investigated within the scope of this field study. Besides decoration and material, we can see various types of woven bags in terms of function. Namely, they can be listed as shepherds’ (farmhands) bags, shepherds’ salt bags, wheat seed bags, scythe sharpening tools bags, women’s back packs, women’s shoulder bags and ornamental bags. There are around six thousand certificated and approximately four thousand with no certificate weavers in Hakkâri province; however, there have been almost no attempts to motivate them to make weavings in response to today’s consumers’ desires and demands. The aim of this study is to contribute to the scientific studies carried out in the field and to promote the economy of the locals while protecting traditional crafts of the region thus preserving the art works of Hakkâri province for future generations.

Leaf litter and rock bag surveys allow for detection and DNA barcoding characterization of diet composition of dusky salamanders

Salamanders are vital components of many aquatic ecosystems food webs and are often found in diverse habitats, including both urban and semi-rural environments. The northern dusky salamander, Desmognathus fuscus is a common salamander found throughout the southeastern United States and is an important predator of aquatic macroinvertebrates. However, very little is known about either diet or suitable survey techniques for this species in human altered habitats, which may vary based on level of urbanization (e.g., are either spring-fed, derived from ponds, modified ditches, etc.). Therefore, we used multiple survey methods (leaf litter bags, novel rock bags, and quadrat sampling) to quantify relative abundance of D. fuscus on Wingate University's campus, in Wingate, North Carolina. We also collected and identified aquatic invertebrates from bag sampling and diet items obtained from gastric lavage of adult salamanders from quadrat sampling. Leaf litter bags contained the highest relative abundance of salamanders (47) compared to rock bags (14), with quadrat sampling yielding primarily adult salamanders. We noted a significant difference among our two sites sampled in salamander relative abundance (Man-Whitney U test = 67.5, p < 0.001), possibly due to reduced water quality, canopy cover, or less available habitat. Aquatic worms represented the most frequent potential food item sampled from both bag types (61.9%), followed by Diptera nymphs (13.7%). Potential food items from leaf and rock bags as well as gastric lavage samples collected from Desmognathus were further identified using DNA barcoding. These food items included a variety of both aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates (annelid worms, springtails, chironomids, carpenter ants, shore flies, wasps, and wood lice). These results indicate urban salamanders may forage both in the stream and in the riparian zone or advantageously consume insects which fall into the stream. This study adds to our body of knowledge on the ecology of salamanders in urban stream environments.

Versatile diaper bag design consideration in view of functional requirement

diaper bags are one of the most important types of functional bags, which have become indispensable for the mother and the child. In the past, the mother used any type of bags that contain wide pockets to carry her belongings and the child’s, such as school bags and small travel bags, and with the development of bag technology, the mother’s bags appeared And the child has different designs and types, including large bags that can be carried while traveling, including medium bags to transport them for short distances when shopping or taking a picnic, as well as Versatilebags that meet more than one purpose to facilitate the mother’s carrying of her belongings while carrying the child . The current research aims to study and analyze the stages of designing and preparing models patterns for a Versatile diaper bag, and to identify the most important modern scientific methods used in the manufacture of mother's bags, and to identify their types, basic and auxiliary materials, as well as the machines used in the manufacture of Versatile diaper bags, and to study the foundations of And the stages of its manufacture, and an analysis of the most important problems and difficulties facing the manufacture of Versatile diaper bags and the development of proposed solutions for them. The research depends on the descriptive analytical method by conducting the theoretical study with the application by implementing a Versatile diaper bag that meets the functional and design requirements. The research found that there are few factories specialized in the manufacture of mother’s bags by following the sound scientific foundations. Therefore, it is necessary to study and analyze the steps of designing and producing mother’s bags with sound scientific foundations, and work to develop methods of their production, which contributes to raising the competitiveness of the mother’s bag industry in Egypt.

Diversity of Semar Pockets (Nepenthes sp.) at Palangka Raya University

Background: This study is a pilot project on the effectiveness of flora, especially the type of semar bag (Nepenthes sp) found at the University of Palangka Raya (UPR). The research aims to identify semar bag plants at the University of Palangka Raya. The initial observations found at least more than one type of semar bag that lives in the peat forest of the UPR campus. The study was conducted in August-November 2020. Methods: Semar bag diversity data is collected by cruising methods. The data was analyzed using literature studies to be further identified using a sealed bag identification manual. Results: The study found three species of semar bags found in the forest campus of Palangka Raya University. The bag is a type of Nepenthes mirabilis (Lour.) Druce, Nepenthes gracilis Korth., and Nepenthes rafflesiana Jack. Morphological characters that distinguish these three species are the morphology of leaves and pouches. The range of environmental parameter values is air temperature 28-38oC, medium-open coverage, humidity 62-98%, and soil pH 5-7.5. Conclusions: This study's results are expected to be a database of flora biodiversity in Central Kalimantan.

Research Status of Dust Reduction Technology in Coal Handling System of Thermal Power Plant

Aiming at the dust control of coal handling system in thermal power plant, the research status of dust reduction related theory and technology was summarized. This paper introduced the research progress of dust and air separation mechanism and multiphase flow simulation technology in dust removal and suppression, as well as the features and application of dust removal technologies such as wet dust suppression, bag type dust removal, high voltage electrostatic dust removal, unpowered dust reduction and others. The technical route of dust reduction in coal handling system of thermal power plant was advised, which provides reference for dust control in coal handling system.

A comparative analysis of factors influencing haemoglobin content in RBC units

Background and objectivesThe increment in a patient’s haemoglobin level is based upon the haemoglobin content of the transfused RBC units. The total haemoglobin present in the blood bags can vary because of the blood donor, processing method, volume and type of bag used. The study is done to analyse the factors causing variation of haemoglobin content in RBC units. Materials and MethodsA total of 260 RBC units were tested for the haemoglobin content and analysed with the donor variables (age, gender, weight & capillary haemoglobin). The blood bags were then separated into two groups based on the donor capillary haemoglobin (normal 12.5–15.0 g/dL vs high 15.1–18.0 g/dL), volume (350 vs 450 mL), processing method (Platelet rich plasma vs buffy coat) and further analysis was carried out. ResultsThe mean haemoglobin content was 54.7 g ranging from 34.2–80 g per unit. The factors which significantly influenced (p < 0.0001) were capillary haemoglobin, gender and weight of donor, volume of blood collected and the processing method. There was a significant difference (p < 0.0001) in haemoglobin content between the two groups in all the three categories (capillary haemoglobin, volume and processing method). Regression analysis showed all three of them contributed to 80 % variability of haemoglobin content in the RBC unit. ConclusionThe marked variation of haemoglobin content in our study revealed that there is a need for standardizing RBC unit. Labelling of units with haemoglobin content and transfusion based on it will result in better patient care.

↵​​Effect of Hermetic Storage on Seed Quality Maintenance of Dolichos Bean [Lablab purpureus (L.) var Typicus Prain

Background: Dolichos bean is one of the important vegetable legume crops. During storage, protection of seed from bruchid attack is a major problem worldwide. Once the bruchid attacks, the extent of damage could be up to 100%, leading to both quantitative and qualitative loss by making it unfit for consumption. Existing traditional methods are less effective or impractical and the use of chemical methods can be harmful to the farmers and consumers. So, there is urgent need of hermetic storage method for seed quality maintenance. Keeping in view, the present study was carried out to investigate on hermetic storage practices for seed quality maintenance. Methods: Triple-layer PICS technology, a chemical-free hermetic storage was evaluated for storage of dolichos bean to moisture content, germination and quality. Four different types of storage bags viz., jute bags, polythene bags, triple layer PICS bags and jute bags treated with chlorpyrifos were used for evaluating their efficacy in managing dolichos bean seed attributes. The data on various parameters pertaining to seed characteristics and changes in biochemical composition of dolichos bean seeds stored in different bags was recorded at every two month intervals for 3 times (2,4, and 6 months) by using standard protocols. Complete Randomized Design (CRD) (Snedecor and Cochran, 1967) was used for the data analysis. The data was subjected to statistical analysis as per the methods suggested by Panse and Sukhatme (1985). Result: Results on moisture content showed that, in case of storage in PICS bags, there was no decrease in seed moisture content at 2, 4 and 6 months respectively and germination percent in triple-layer PICS bag at 2, 4 and 6 months storage was highest among all bag types. Test weight (g), protein content (%) and carbohydrate content (%) at 2, 4 and 6 months storage respectively were higher in triple layer PICS bag. The mean fat content recorded was highest in jute bag (1.25%) and lowest in triple layer PICS bag (0.63%). Our study concludes that the triple layer PICS bags hermetic technology is efficient in managing maintaining same level of moisture content percent, germination percent and test weight compared to other bags over 3 different periods of storage. The triple layer PICS bags are also highly useful for retaining carbohydrate percent and protein percent at almost the same levels compared to initial values.

The catechins profile and antioxidant activity in different types of green tea bags

Tea and mainly green tea as a rich source of antioxidants has been widely known for some time. The antioxidant capacity of tea including green tea is mainly due to its catechins content. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the ORAC value and the catechins content. Regular and decaffeinated commercial green tea bags commonly consumed in the United Kingdom (UK) have been examined using Reversed-Phase High-pressure Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC). Teabags were purchased from different local supermarkets in the UK and extracted with natural mineral water at temperature 100°C for 9 minutes at the pre-adjusted pH 4. The level of four catechins (Epi-structured) for the thirteen types of green tea were separated and determined by HPLC analysis, i.e. ()-epigallocatechin (EGC), ()-epicatechin (EC), ()-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and ()-epicatechin gallate (ECG). The standard graphs were validated using certified reference catechins supplied by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC). The levels of total catechins and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) values varied from 34.61to 204.55 mg/g, 830.19- 4197.81 Trolox equivalents/g tea bags for thirteen types of green teas respectively. It was clear from the results of this study that there was a significant linear and positive correlation (r = 0.951, df = 12, p &lt; 0.05) is found to exist between the total catechins contents and ORAC values. It can be concluded that the results of catechins measurements coupled to this; the well-known ORAC assay was successfully modified to measure the antioxidant capacity of the green tea extracts throughout this study. Furthermore, the higher the level of catechins the higher is the antioxidant capacity of the tea. This may stimulus consumers in selecting the type of tea and tea brewing times, exhibiting more health benefits. Nevertheless, the differences between the studied brands are owing to shelf life, production and storage conditions.&#x0D; &#x0D;

The Effect of Carrying School Bag on Electromyographic Activity of Muscles and Biomechanical Parameters of Walking in Iranian Students: a Systematic Review Study

Context: Carrying a backpack with an inappropriate weight and non-optimal postures play a pivotal role in developing musculoskeletal pain. Studies have shown that school bags affect muscle activity and biomechanical variables in children and adolescents. Accordingly, the present study aimed to systematically review the effect of school bags on electromyographic activity of muscles and kinematic and kinetic parameters during walking in Iranian students. Methods: Relevant articles were searched through Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, MagIran, and SID databases. Original articles in Persian and English published in peer-review journals were selected without time limitation. Eligible studies were divided based on various biomechanical factors that were examined. Results: A total of 1975 articles were found in the mentioned databases. Twelve studies were eligible based on the inclusion criteria in this study. In general, it seems as though weight, type, the height of placement of schoolbag, slope of the surface, and the manner of carrying the schoolbag had significant effects on the trunk, neck, ankle, and knee angles, length and frequency of steps, symmetry index, and vertical forces. Additionally, the weight and type of the bag had significant effects on the electromyographic activity of rectus abdominus, paraspinal, and lower limb muscles. Conclusions: Factors such as weight, the slope of the surface, method of carrying, and schoolbag height of placement could affect the kinetic and kinematic variables whereas the weight of the bag and the type of school bag could affect the electromyographic activity of the muscles in Iranian students.

Cold-stored leukoreduced whole blood: Extending the time between donation and filtration has minimal impact on in vitro quality.

Leukoreduced whole blood (LR-WB) has received renewed attention as alternative to component-based transfusion in trauma. According to the manufacturer's instructions, leukoreduction should be carried out within 8h after collection. This study assessed impact of (1) WB collection bag, (2) LR filtration, and (3) timing of filtration on in vitro quality. WB collected into different vendor bags was held at room temperature for <8h or >16 h but <24 h prior to LR. In vitro quality was assessed before and after filtration, and throughout 3 weeks of storage at 4°C. Cell count and hemoglobin levels were determined by hematology analyzer, platelet activation, and responsiveness to ADP by surface expression of P-selectin by flow cytometry, hemolysis by HemoCue, and metabolic parameters by blood gas analyzer. Hemostatic properties were assessed by rotational thromboelastometry. Plasma protein activities and clotting times were determined by automated coagulation analyzer or quantitative immunoblotting. Bag type had no impact on WB in vitro quality. LR by filtration had some impact, but is aligned with data in the literature. The time between donation and filtration resulted in some statistically significant differences in metabolic activity, platelet yield, platelet activation, and factor protein activity initially; however, these differences in in vitro quality attributes decreased throughout 21-day cold storage. WB hold time showed only a minor impact on WB in vitro quality, so it may be possible for blood processing facilities to explore extended hold times prior to filtration in order to provide greater operational flexibility.

Technical note: Stability of tris pH buffer in artificial seawater stored in bags

Abstract. Equimolal tris (2-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-propane-1,3-diol) buffer in artificial seawater is a well characterized and commonly used standard for oceanographic pH measurements. We evaluated the stability of tris pH when stored in purportedly gas-impermeable bags across a variety of experimental conditions, including bag type and storage in air vs. seawater over 300 d. Bench-top spectrophotometric pH analysis revealed that the pH of tris stored in bags decreased at a rate of 0.0058±0.0011 yr−1 (mean slope ±95 % confidence interval of slope). The upper and lower bounds of expected pH change at t=365 d, calculated using the averages and confidence intervals of slope and intercept of measured pH change vs. time data, were −0.0042 and −0.0076 from initial pH. Analyses of total dissolved inorganic carbon confirmed that a combination of CO2 infiltration and/or microbial respiration led to the observed decrease in pH. Eliminating the change in pH of bagged tris remains a goal, yet the rate of pH change is lower than many processes of interest and demonstrates the potential of bagged tris for sensor calibration and validation of autonomous in situ pH measurements.

Evaluation of offline sampling for atmospheric C3-C11 non-methane hydrocarbons

The concentration variation of C3-C11 non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) collected in several types of commercial flexible bags and adsorption tubes was systematically investigated using a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) system. The percentage loss of each NMHC in the polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) bags was less than 5% during a 7-hr storage period; significant NMHCs loss was detected in aluminum foil composite film and fluorinated ethylene propylene bags. The thermal desorption efficiency of NMHCs for adsorption tubes filled Carbopack B and Carboxen1000 sorbents was greater than 95% at 300℃, and the loss of NMHCs in the adsorption tubes during 20-days storage at 4℃ was less than 8%. The thermal desorption efficiency for C11 NMHCs in the adsorption tube filled with Carbograph 1 and Carbosieve SⅢ absorbents was less than 40% at 300℃, and pyrolysis of the absorbents at 330℃ interfered significantly with the measurements of some alkenes. The loss of alkenes was significant when NMHCs were sampled by cryo-enrichment at -90℃ in the presence of O3 for the online NMHC measurements, and negligible for enrichment using adsorption tubes at 25℃. Although O3 scrubbers have been widely used to eliminate the influence of O3 on NMHC measurements, the loss of NMHCs with carbon numbers greater than 8 was more than 10%. Therefore, PVF bags and adsorption tubes filled Carbopack B and Carboxen1000 sorbents were recommended for the sampling of atmospheric NMHCs.

Optimization of a natural low-calorie antioxidant tea prepared from purple corn (Zea mays L.) cobs and stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bert.)

Purple corn (Zea mays L.) is a crop native to Peru and also widely cultivated in some countries around the world. It contains anthocyanins and other phenolic compounds that help reduce the incidence of a variety of chronic diseases. Here, a natural low-calorie antioxidant purple corn cob and stevia-based tea was optimized after being developed from five ingredients: purple corn cob (PCc), quince (Q), stevia (S), cinnamon (C) and cloves (Cv). A corn fiber filtration bag was selected to package single doses of the tea mixtures, based on the porosity, solid leakage during preparation and infusion absorption spectrum of four different types of bag. The tea was then optimized using an I-optimal mixture design to maximize the antioxidant capacity (AC) and total monomeric anthocyanin (TMA) content of the infusions. The optimum formulation given by the regression model consisted of decimal fractions of 0.8672 for PCc, 0.0464 for Q and 0.0864 for S, with a desirability of 91.2%, AC of 9.51 ± 1.21 μmol TE/mL and TMAs of 98.49 ± 6.00 mg C3GE/L, which were validated. The C and Cv contents were set at 0.0333 and 0.0025 of the total mixture, respectively.

Deep-sea plastisphere: Long-term colonization by plastic-associated bacterial and archaeal communities in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Marine plastic pollution is a global concern because of continuous release into the oceans over the last several decades. Although recent studies have made efforts to characterize the so-called plastisphere, or microbial community inhabiting plastic substrates, it is not clear whether the plastisphere is defined as a core community or as a random attachment of microbial cells. Likewise, little is known about the influence of the deep-sea environment on the plastisphere. In our experimental study, we evaluated the microbial colonization on polypropylene pellets and two types of plastic bags: regular high density polyethylene (HDPE) and HDPE with the oxo-biodegradable additive BDA. Gravel was used as control. Samples were deployed at three sites at 3300 m depth in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean and left for microbial colonization for 719 days. For microbial communities analysis, DNA was extracted from the biofilm on plastic and gravel substrates, and then the 16S rRNA was sequenced through the Illumina Miseq platform. Cultivation was performed to isolate strains from the plastic and gravel substrates. Substrate type strongly influenced the microbial composition and structure, while no difference between sites was detected. Although several taxa were shared among plastics, we observed some groups specific for each plastic substrate. These communities comprised taxa previously reported from both epipelagic zones and deep-sea benthic ecosystems. The core microbiome (microbial taxa shared by all plastic substrates) was exclusively composed by low abundance taxa, with some members well-described in the plastisphere and with known plastic-degradation capabilities. Additionally, we obtained bacterial strains that have been previously reported inhabiting plastic substrates and/or degrading hydrocarbon compounds, which corroborates our metabarcoding data and suggests the presence of microbial members potentially active and involved with degradation of these plastics in the deep sea.

Comparison of two in situ reference methods to estimate indigestible NDF by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy in alfalfa

Undigested forage neutral detergent fiber (uNDF) from long-term ruminal in situ incubations are used to estimate indigestible neutral detergent fiber (iNDF). Measurement of iNDF is important in forage evaluation because it defines the potentially digestible pool of neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) can be calibrated to in situ reference sets to rapidly predict uNDF. Our objective was to compare uNDF estimates after 240 h of incubation when two types of bags were used in the in situ reference method. The bags compared were 4 cm × 5 cm Ankom F57 bags (25 micron pore size), and 5 cm × 10 cm Ankom in situ bags (50 micron pore size). Alfalfa samples from Pennsylvania and Wisconsin (n = 144) of different varieties and harvest intervals were used. One-half or two gram samples, respectively, were weighed into the small and large bags in triplicate. Mass to surface area was 0.05 and 0.02 g/cm2 for the small and large bags, respectively. The iNDF content after 240 h incubation was evaluated by two types bags in three rumen-cannulated Holstein cows. Each dried and ground forage was also scanned to determine the visible–near-infrared-reflectance spectra with a FOSS 6500 spectrophotometer. Prediction equations were developed for each bag type using modified partial least square regressions. The estimated iNDF fraction from small and large bags were 13.75% and 9.97%, respectively (SED = 0.39, P < 0.001). The coefficient of determination for calibration (R2), cross-validation (1 - VR), calibration standard deviation (SEC), and interactive authentication standard deviation (SECV) was 0.94, 0.92, 0.85 and 0.98 for values determined with the small bag and 0.88, 0.85, 1.12 and 1.27 for iNDF for values determined with the large bag, respectively. Results indicate that iNDF varies among alfalfa cultivars and NIRS can be used to quickly and quantitatively estimate iNDF content in alfalfa. Bag type influences 240h NDF residues. NIRS predictions of iNDF from the small bag calibration set had higher R2 and lower SEC and SECV than the large bag calibrations.

Perspectives of spinal health within the school setting in a South African rural region: A qualitative study.

Spinal pain is one of the leading causes of morbidity globally. There is an increase in the number of children and adolescents who experience spinal pain and the lifetime prevalence of adolescent spinal pain varies between countries. In Africa, one in two adolescents experiences spinal pain and the prevalence is increasing. This study reports on the knowledge and perspectives of school-attending children, adolescents, teachers, and parents/guardians regarding spinal health. We conducted a descriptive qualitative case study with an interpretative and phenomenological approach. Data coding, management and analysis was done using ATLAS.ti computer software. Ninety-three participants (66 women and 27 men) were enrolled in the study. The barriers associated with students' spinal health were multifactorial, including low levels of physical activity, dangerous gameplay, sports risks, poor ergonomics, school bags, insufficient knowledge, and pregnancy risks. Participants proposed strategies to improve spinal health including the provision of students' lockers, advice on appropriate school bag types, embedding spinal education in the curriculum, general advocacy for spinal health, and integration of technology in teaching and learning. There is a need for further engagement on school-based spinal health promotion programs that consider local socio-economic, educational, and cultural factors.

Structure of New Types of Filter Bags out of Textile Waste.(Dept.T)

Structure of New Types of Filter Bags out of Textile Waste.(Dept.T)

Link between redemption of a medical food pantry voucher and reduced hospital readmissions.

This study investigated the relationship between redeeming a voucher at hospital-based Medical Food Pantry (MFP) and hospital readmissions in Greenville, NC. Admitted patients at Vidant Medical Center identified as food insecure were given a voucher to the MFP. A retrospective chart review identified demographic information, type of insurance, voucher provision, and redemption dates, food bag type and number of subsequent hospital readmissions for all patients issued a voucher (n = 542) between June 21, 2018 and July 1, 2019. Negative binomial regression analysis assessed the relationship between readmissions and voucher redemption. Sixty percent of patients receiving a voucher were minority (African American) with an average age of 55. Nearly half (48 percent) had Medicare. Thirty-eight percent of those vouchers that were issued were redeemed, usually within five days. Regression results indicate that the number of readmissions was higher among women and non-whites in the sample relative to men and whites. Those patients who redeemed a food voucher had a seven percent lower likelihood of being readmitted (CI, 0.05–0.27). Food insecure patients who redeemed MFP vouchers had a comparatively lower likelihood of subsequent readmissions. These findings suggest that programs targeting modifiable social determinants of health like food insecurity could improve health outcomes and reduce utilization of the healthcare system.