UK Food Research Articles

Nutrients or processing? An analysis of food and drink items from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey based on nutrient content, the NOVA classification and front of package traffic light labelling.

UK front of package labelling (FOPL) informs consumers on the nutrient content of food. However, FOPL does not consider food processing, and with the UK government being urged to act on ultra-processed food (UPF), whether UPF should be added to FOPL is unclear. This study compared food and drink in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) Intake24 database based on FOPL, nutrient content and NOVA classification, to understand whether UPF are covered by dietary recommendations for foods high in fat, salt and sugar. NDNS items were coded into minimally processed food (MPF), processed culinary ingredients, processed food and UPF according to the NOVA classification and FOPL traffic lights. UPF contained greater energy, fat, saturated fat (SF), total sugar (TS) and salt than MPF. UPF had a greater odds of containing red FOPL and an unhealthier overall FOPL score (OR:4·59 (95 % CI: 3·79, 5·57); OR:7·0 (95 % CI: 6·1, 8·2), respectively) and lower odds of containing green FOPL (OR:0·05 (95 % CI: 0·03, 0·10)), compared with MPFs. For items with no red FOPL, UPF still contained greater energy, fat, SF, TS and salt than MPF. However, several UPF have healthier FOPL scores. UPF had an unhealthier nutritional profile and FOPL score than MPF. For items with no red FOPL, UPF still had an unhealthier profile than MPF, with a higher energy density. Importantly, not all UPF were unhealthy according to FOPL. These results indicate partial overlap between FOPL, nutrient content and NOVA classification of UK food and drink products, with implications for UK food and drink labelling.

Dietary index based on the Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system and risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Nutri-score is now widely available in food packages in Europe. To study the overall nutritional quality of the diet in relation to risks of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort METHODS: We collected dietary data at baseline from validated food frequency questionnaires. We used a dietary index based on the UK Food Standards Agency modified nutrient profiling system (FSAm-NPS-DI) underlying the Nutri-Score label, to measure the nutritional quality of the diet. We estimated the association between FSAm-NPS-DI score, and CD and UC risks using Cox models stratified by centre, sex and age; and adjusted for smoking status, BMI, physical activity, energy intake, educational level and alcohol intake. We included 394,255 participants (68.1% women; mean age at recruitment 52.1 years). After a mean follow-up of 13.6 years, there were 184 incident cases of CD and 459 incident cases of UC. Risk of CD was higher in those with a lower nutritional quality, that is higher FSAm-NPS-DI Score (fourth vs. first quartile: aHR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.24-3.36; p-trend: <0.01). Among items of the FSAm-NPS-DI Score, low intakes of dietary fibre and fruits/vegetables/legumes/nuts were associated with higher risk of CD. Nutritional quality was not associated with risk of UC (fourth vs. first quartile of the FSAm-NPS-DI Score: aHR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.69-1.21; p-trend: 0.76). A diet with low nutritional quality as measured by the FSAm-NPS-DI Score is associated with a higher risk of CD but not UC.

Engaging with 'less affluent' communities for food system transformation: a community food researcher model (FoodSEqual project).

The UK food system is distorted by inequalities in access, failing the people most in need, yet it should provide access to safe, nutritious affordable food for all citizens. Dietary patterns are associated with socio-demographic characteristics, with high levels of diet-related disease mortality attributed to poor dietary habits. Disadvantaged UK communities face urgent public health challenges, yet are often treated as powerless recipients of dietary and health initiatives. The need for food system transformation has been illustrated within recent UK government policy drivers and research funding. The Food Systems Equality project is a research consortium that aims to 'co-produce healthy and sustainable food systems for disadvantaged communities'. The project focusses on innovating food products, supply chains and policies, placing communities at the centre of the change. Tackling the above issues requires new ways of working. Creative approaches in food research are known to empower a wider range of individuals to share their 'lived food experience' narratives, building relationships and corroborating co-production philosophies, thus promoting social justice, and challenging more traditional positivist/reductionist 'biomedical' approaches for nutrition and food studies. This review paper critiques the use of community-centric approaches for food system transformation, focusing on one, a community food researcher model() as an exemplar, to highlight their utility in advocating with rather than for less affluent communities. The potential for creative methods to lead to more equitable and lasting solutions for food system transformation is appraised, consolidating the need for community-driven systemic change to foster more progressive and inclusive approaches to strengthen social capital. The paper closes with practice insights and critical considerations offering recommendations for readers, researchers, and practitioners, enabling them to better understand and apply similar approaches.

Tackling diet inequalities in the UK food system: is food insecurity driving the obesity epidemic? (The FIO Food project).

By 2050 the number of adults living with obesity in the UK will rise with approximately one in four in the adult population. This rising trend is not equitable, with higher prevalence in socially disadvantaged groups. There is an apparent paradox of not being able to provide food for the family to eat, a feature of food insecurity and living with obesity. With the current cost-of-living crisis, there is a challenge to afford both food and fuel bills. Environmentally sustainable and healthy diets are proposed to improve public health and reduce the impact of the food system on the environment, while also improving diet quality. However, healthier foods tend to be nearly three times more expensive than unhealthy foods, and this provides a challenge for citizens on low incomes. In this review, we explore some of the evidence for solutions in the retail food environment to support the UK food system to be safe, nutritious, environmentally friendly and fair for all. We highlight the value of co-production in research, to give value and power to the lived experience to address these inequalities. Our multidisciplinary research approach within the FIO Food research grant will generate new insights into modifiable and potentially impactful changes to the UK food system, specifically for the retail food sector. We believe that the co-creation, design and delivery of research with those living with obesity and food insecurity will help to transform the UK food system for health and the environment in this vulnerable group.

Identification of tax options for high fat, sugar, salt foods for the HEALTHEI Project: a mixed-methods study

BackgroundThe health economic analysis incorporating effects on labour outcomes, households, environment, and inequalities (HEALTHEI) explores which food taxes would have greatest benefits to health, labour, and work outcomes; household expenditure; environmental sustainability; and inequalities within the UK food system. Work package 1 includes a rapid review and workshops, aiming to explore the effects of price increases in food and non-alcoholic beverages to facilitate the specification of food taxes and research design. MethodsIn this mixed-methods study, we first did a rapid review to examine relevant published evidence. A preplanned framework ensured a systematic approach, in which we searched PubMed, HMIC, Scopus, Google, Mintel/Mintel Food and Drink, and Business Source Ultimate for papers published in English from Jan 1, 2010, to Nov 2, 2022. This review was followed by three online workshops (in March, 2023), which used interactive padlets to explore food systems, food taxation policy, tax rationales, and a rapid review infographic. 14 stakeholders from non-governmental organisations (n=10), academia (n=2), the Civil Service (n=1), and a local authority (n=1) took part (gender or ethnicity were not recorded). A stakeholder recruitment grid was developed to ensure representation across public sectors and disciplines of public health, nutrition, environment, and economics. FindingsThe rapid review identified six tax options with a broadly positive impact on consumption and health (high fat, high sugar, high salt, “junk food”, sugar-sweetened-beverages, and meats plus sugar-sweetened beverages). It generated five core rationales for a food tax: change consumption, reduce or prevent harm, change product affordability, raise revenue, and industry impact. Using the workshop feedback, health inequalities, economics, ease of implementation and animal welfare were additional key areas for a so-called real-world application of tax. Stakeholders questioned the taxes in the current economic and political climate. InterpretationThe work highlights the need to develop an impactful food tax option that encompasses the five core rationales identified in the findings. The workshops identified key areas to explore further to understand the feasibility, impact, and logistics of implementing future food taxes. Being unable to deliver workshops in person due to difficulties of participants travelling to London was a limitation. However, switching online allowed for varied and well attended workshops. FundingNational Institute of Health Research (Ref: NIHR133927).

Estimation of integrated price elasticities for alcohol and tobacco in the United Kingdom using the living costs and food survey 2006-2017.

Evidence shows that price is an important policy lever in reducing consumption of alcohol and tobacco. However, there is little evidence of the cross-price effect between alcohol and tobacco. This paper uses an econometric model which estimates participation and consumption elasticities, on data from the UK Living Costs and Food Survey 2006-2017 and extends the literature by, for the first time, estimating joint price elasticities for disaggregated alcohol and tobacco products. This paper presents new price elasticities and compares them to the existing literature. The own-price elasticity estimates are all negative for both participation and consumption. There is no pattern to the estimates of cross-price elasticities. The elasticity estimates, when used in the Sheffield Tobacco and Alcohol Policy Model, produce bigger changes in consumption for the same change in price compared to other elasticity estimates in the existing literature. Consumption of alcohol and tobacco are affected by the prices of one another. Policymakers should bear this in mind when devising alcohol or tobacco pricing policies.

Food Insecurity, Disability and Age

Abstract Background Food insecurity is a growing public health concern. Disabled people are at higher risk of food insecurity than non-disabled people. Evidence suggests this diminishes for older people. We examine how the relationship between disability and food insecurity varies at different ages and explore the extent to which socio-economic factors account for and modify the relationship. Methods Data came from the fourth and fifth waves of the UK's Food Standards Agency's Food and You survey (n = 6,187), which contain data on disability and household food insecurity. We explored predicted probabilities of food insecurity from logistic regression models between disabled and non-disabled people for 10-year age cohorts. Stratified analyses, further explored differences in vulnerability to food insecurity at working age and 65+. Results Predicted probability of food insecurity for disabled people declined with age, as did the gap in risk between disabled and non-disabled people. The predicted probability of food insecurity among disabled people under 65 was 23% (95% CI: 19%-27%), whereas for disabled people 65+, it was 5% (95% CI: 3%-7%). Among people of working age, socio-economic factors explained some, but not all, of the increased risk of food insecurity associated with disability. Disabled people in full-time work were still significantly more likely to be food insecure than non-disabled people in work: 15% (95% CI: 11%-20%) vs 8 % (95% CI: 6%-9%) respectively. Among older adults, disabled people with savings were not at significantly higher risk of food insecurity, whereas those without savings were: 0.4% (95% CI: 0.4%-1%) vs 5% (95% CI: 3%-7%), respectively. Conclusions Findings indicate the increased risk of food insecurity for disabled people is partially explained by socio-economic factors. However, there is a need for further research to explain unobserved risk factors for food insecurity among disabled people of working age especially. Key messages • Socioeconomic factors play an important role in disabled people's increased risk of food insecurity. • Observed socioeconomic factors alone do not fully explain increased risk of food insecurity among working age disabled people. More research is needed.

UK food system vulnerability to climate change: scoping review of food system indicators

Abstract Background Climate change poses a future risk to the UK's food supply and food security, both in terms of domestic production and imports. Direct climate impacts on crop yields affect food production, nutrient composition and bioavailability whereas indirect supply chain impacts affect access and affordability of food. Indicators and methods for measuring the UK food system vulnerability are essential for understanding climate change impacts. Aim To identify potential indicators for monitoring climate change impacts on food systems (relevant to UK) and compare with current UK processes for impact monitoring. Methods A scoping review was conducted to identify climate-related food system indicators across 4 domains: food supply, food environment, food consumption and food waste. Nine electronic databases were searched for published articles in peer-reviewed journals. Grey literature searches included Google Scholar, Government websites and organisations. Thematic analysis of indicators was carried out by food system domain, methods, spatial level and outcome. Results After screening 5,260 articles, 54 papers were analysed and presented 752 climate-related food system indicators. Most indicators were in the food supply (n = 505) or food consumption (n = 139) domain. Thematic analysis of indicators revealed key themes as crop yields, water availability, biodiversity and soil health, production and supply, imports/exports, supply chain disruption, food price impacts, affordability, nutrition, food security, food waste. A vast range of indicators are available to monitor UK food system vulnerability to climate change, however, currently only climate impacts on food supply processes are extensively monitored compared with impacts to food environment or consumption. Conclusions To support policy makers in implementing food system interventions to mitigate the impacts of climate change, data, indicators and monitoring mechanisms are critical for UK decision-making. Key messages • To support policy makers in implementing food system interventions to mitigate the impacts of climate change, data, indicators and monitoring mechanisms are critical for UK decision-making. • Monitoring the climate impacts on food systems and food security requires systematic, rigorous data collection across all domains of the food system to protect health.

Flavour, emulsifiers and colour are the most frequent markers to detect food ultra-processing in a UK food market analysis.

To elucidate which markers of ultra-processing (MUP) and their combinations are best suited to detect ultra-processed food (UPF). The study was based on the 206 food and 32 beverage items of the Oxford WebQ which encompass all major foods consumed in the UK. For each Oxford WebQ question, ingredient lists of up to ten matching different commercial products (n 2146) were researched online using data from the two market leaders of groceries in the UK sorted by relevance (Tesco) and by top sellers (Sainsbury's), respectively. According to the NOVA classification, sixty-five MUP were defined, and if the ingredient list of a food product was positive for at least one MUP, it was regarded as UPF. The percentage of UPF items containing specific MUP was calculated. In addition, all combinations of two to six different MUP were assessed concerning the percentage of identified UPF items. Cross-sectional analysis. None. A total of 990 products contained at least one MUP and were, therefore, regarded as UPF. The most frequent MUP were flavour (578 items, 58·4 % of all UPF), emulsifiers (353 items, 35·7 % of all UPF) and colour (262 items, 26·5 % of all UPF). Combined, these three MUP detected 79·2 % of all UPF products. Detection rate increased to 88·4 % of all UPF if ingredient lists were analysed concerning three additional MUP, that is, fibre, dextrose and firming agent. Almost 90 % of all UPF items can be detected by six MUP.

A critical exploration of the diets of UK disadvantaged communities to inform food systems transformation: a scoping review of qualitative literature using a social practice theory lens

The UK food system affects social, economic and natural environments and features escalating risk of food insecurity. Yet it should provide access to safe, nutritious, affordable food for all citizens. Disadvantaged UK communities [individuals and families at risk of food and housing insecurity, often culturally diverse] have often been conceptualised in terms of individual behaviour which may lead to findings and conclusions based on the need for individual change. Such communities face public health challenges and are often treated as powerless recipients of dietary and health initiatives or as ‘choiceless’ consumers within food supply chains. As transforming the UK food system has become a national priority, it is important a diverse range of evidence is used to support understanding of the diets of disadvantaged communities to inform food systems transformation research.A scoping review of UK peer reviewed qualitative literature published in MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Web of Science between January 2010 and May 2021 in English. Eligibility criteria were applied, a data extraction table summarised data from included studies, and synthesis using social practice theory was undertaken.Forty-five qualitative studies were reviewed, which included the views of 2,434 community members aged between 5 and 83. Studies used different measures to define disadvantage. Synthesis using social practice theory identified themes of food and dietary practices shaped by interactions between ‘material factors’ (e.g. transport, housing and money), ‘meanings’ (e.g. autonomy and independence), and ‘competencies’ (e.g. strategies to maximise food intake). These concepts are analysed and critiqued in the context of the wider literature to inform food systems transformation research.This review suggests to date, qualitative research into diets of UK disadvantaged communities provides diverse findings that mainly conceptualise disadvantage at an individual level. Whilst several studies provide excellent characterisations of individual experience, links to ‘macro’ processes such as supply chains are largely missing. Recommendations are made for future research to embrace transdisciplinary perspectives and utilise new tools (e.g., creative methods and good practice guides), and theories (e.g., assemblage) to better facilitate food systems transformation for disadvantaged communities.

Cultural Influences on African Migrant Pregnant and Postnatal Women's Dietary Behaviours and Nutrition Support Needs in the UK.

Black women in the UK face significantly higher risks of overweight and obesity and adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to women from other ethnic groups. Maternal nutrition plays a pivotal role in influencing the health outcomes of women and their children, especially during preconception and pregnancy. Cultural and environmental factors significantly influence the dietary experiences of African women after migration. This study explored the unique nutrition-related challenges faced by African migrant pregnant and postnatal women in the UK, and their nutrition support needs. Interviews were conducted with 23 African migrant women living in the UK, who were either pregnant or had a pregnancy within the past 3 years. These were analysed thematically, resulting in five overarching themes: food rituals and beliefs, pregnancy cravings, limited access to culturally appropriate food, limited access to culturally appropriate and evidence-based nutritional guidance, and the focus on healthy weight. The study identified challenges that African migrant women face in balancing their cultural heritage with the UK food environment and dietary recommendations, including potential implications on their health and pregnancy outcomes. It emphasised the importance of addressing these challenges through culturally sensitive approaches and tailored interventions, to enable informed decision making and enhance health outcomes for these women.

Relationships between supermarkets and food charities in reducing food insecurity: lessons learned

Over the past decade there has been a growth of UK food charity and in turn the growth of supermarkets’ partnerships with food charities; this policy and practice paper explores these relationships, based on our findings from the 2021 project, ‘Supermarket corporate social responsibility schemes: working towards ethical schemes promoting food security’. We review the project’s findings, present practical recommendations, and identify lessons that can be applied to the current cost of living crisis.

Emulsifiers in ultra-processed foods in the UK food supply.

Ultra-processed foods (UPF), including those containing food additive emulsifiers, have received research attention due to evidence implicating them in the pathogenesis of certain diseases. The aims of this research were to develop a large-scale, brand-level database of UPF in the UK food supply and to characterise the occurrence and co-occurrence of food additive emulsifiers. A database was compiled sampling all products from the food categories contributing to energy intake from UPF in the UK from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008-2014). Every food in these categories were identified from online supermarket provision from the 'big four' supermarkets that dominate the market share in the UK, comprising Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons. Major supermarkets in the UK. A total of 32 719 food products in the UK supermarket food supply were returned in searches. Of these, 12 844 products were eligible and manually reviewed for the presence of emulsifiers. Emulsifiers were present in 6642 (51·7 %) food products. Emulsifiers were contained in 95·0 % of 'Pastries, buns and cakes', 81·9 % of 'Milk-based drinks', 81·0 % of 'Industrial desserts' and 77·5 % of 'Confectionary'. Fifty-one per cent of all emulsifier-containing foods contained multiple emulsifiers. Across emulsifier-containing foods, there were a median of two emulsifiers (IQR 2) per product. The five most common emulsifiers were lecithin (23·4 % of all products), mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (14·5 %), diphosphates (11·6 %), and xanthan gum and pectin (8·0 %). Findings from this study are the first to demonstrate the widespread occurrence and co-occurrence of emulsifiers in UPF in the UK food supply.

Iodine and plant-based diets: a narrative review and calculation of iodine content.

An increasing number of food-based recommendations promote a plant-based diet to address health concerns and environmental sustainability in global food systems. As the main sources of iodine in many countries are fish, eggs and dairy products, it is unclear whether plant-based diets, such as the EAT-Lancet reference diet, would provide sufficient iodine. This is important as iodine, through the thyroid hormones, is required for growth and brain development; adequate iodine intake is especially important before, and during, pregnancy. In this narrative review, we evaluated the current literature and estimated iodine provision from the EAT-Lancet reference diet. There is evidence that those following a strict plant-based diet, such as vegans, cannot reach the recommended iodine intake from food alone and are reliant on iodine supplements. Using the EAT-Lancet reference diet intake recommendations in combination with iodine values from UK food tables, we calculated that the diet would provide 128 μg/d (85 % of the adult recommendation of 150 μg/d and 51–64 % of the pregnancy recommendation of 200–250 μg/d). However, if milk is replaced with unfortified plant-based alternatives, total iodine provision would be just 54 μg/d (34 % and 22–27 % of the recommendations for adults and pregnancy, respectively). Plant-based dietary recommendations might place consumers at risk of iodine deficiency in countries without a fortification programme and where animal products provide the majority of iodine intake, such as the UK and Norway. It is essential that those following a predominantly plant-based diet are given appropriate dietary advice to ensure adequate iodine intake.

Food insecurity in people living with obesity: Improving sustainable and healthier food choices in the retail food environment-the FIO Food project.

At both UK and global level, dietary consumption patterns need to change to address environmental, health and inequality challenges. Despite considerable policy interventions, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United Kingdom has continued to rise with obesity now a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Obesity prevalence is greater among those on lower incomes and the current UK food system, including government policy, does not effectively address this. Current behavioural approaches, without the support of structural changes in the system, may even widen the inequalities gap. Hence, using behavioural insights from those living with obesity and food insecurity, the project will explore potential avenues that can be applied in the food system to promote healthier choices in the food retail environment. The National Food Strategy report recommends that the UK food system should ensure "safe, healthy, affordable food; regardless of where people live or how much they earn". However, the association between food insecurity and the development of obesity is not well understood in relation to purchasing behaviours in the UK retail food environment, nor is the potential effectiveness of interventions that seek to prevent and reduce the impact of diet-induced health harms. The FIO Food (Food insecurity in people living with obesity - improving sustainable and healthier food choices in the retail food environment) project provides a novel and multi-disciplinary collaborative approach with co-development at the heart to address these challenges. Using four interlinked work packages, the FIO Food project will combine our knowledge of large-scale population data with an understanding of lived experiences of food shopping for people living with obesity and food insecurity, to develop solutions to support more sustainable and healthier food choices in the UK retail food environment.

P22-027-23 Menu Design in the UK Food Service Sector: Nudging Consumers Towards More Environmentally Sustainable Food Choices (Study Protocol)

P22-027-23 Menu Design in the UK Food Service Sector: Nudging Consumers Towards More Environmentally Sustainable Food Choices (Study Protocol)

Athletes Perceived Level of Risk Associated with Botanical Food Supplement Use and Their Sources of Information.

Athletes should carefully consider the use of botanical food supplements (BFSs) given the current lack of substantiation for botanical nutrition and health claims under EU and UK food laws. In addition, athletes may be at an increased risk of doping violations and other adverse outcomes potentially associated with BFS use; however, little is known about athletes' intake, knowledge, or perceptions in relation to BFS use. An online cross-sectional survey of n = 217 elite and amateur athletes living on the island of Ireland was conducted using Qualtrics XM to assess intake, knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions. General food supplements (FSs) were reported by approximately 60% of the study cohort, and 16% of the supplements reported were categorized as BFS. The most frequently consumed BFSs were turmeric/curcumin (14%), Ashwagandha (10%), and Beetroot extract (8%). A higher proportion of amateur athletes would source information about BFSs from less credible sources, such as fellow athletes, or from internet sources or their coach, compared to elite athletes. Those who sourced information about botanicals from fellow athletes (p = 0.03) or the internet (p = 0.02) reported a lower perceived level of risks associated with BFS use. This study therefore suggests that amateur athletes may be more likely to source information from less credible sources compared to elite athletes who may have more access to nutrition professionals and their knowledge/advice. This may have potential adverse implications for amateur athletes, e.g., Gaelic games players, who are included within the doping testing pool but who may not have access to evidence-based nutrition advice.

Can transillumination improve the detection of deep pectoral myopathy in turkey carcases when compared with postmortem inspection alone?

You work as an official veterinarian in a small turkey abattoir. The plant inspection assistants would like to begin using a light source to transilluminate turkey carcases to improve the detection of deep pectoral myopathy (also known as Oregon disease). This methodology would be used in conjunction with the legally required postmortem inspection. The plant inspection assistants would like to adopt this approach because it is mentioned in the relevant rejection cards provided within the Manual for Official Controls published by the UK Food Standards Agency. They ask for your opinion as you will ultimately be responsible for the postmortem inspections. You wonder whether there is any evidence that the addition of a light source would result in more accurate disease screening than postmortem examination alone. In [turkeys at risk of deep pectoral myopathy], does [shining a light through the carcass followed by postmortem inspection compared with postmortem inspection alone] result in [more accurate disease screening]? The search strategy can be viewed at https://bestbetsforvets.org/bet/588, and is also available as a supplement to this article on Vet Record's website at https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/20427670/2023/192/12 Search last performed: 14 May 2023 None of the articles returned by the literature search directly answered the question posed in this evidence evaluation. This highlights the need for research directly comparing these diagnostic methods to determine whether additional exposure to light improves disease screening accuracy. In the absence of peer-reviewed evidence, other information sources, such as government reports, could be used when deciding which diagnostic screening approach would be the most effective. However, there needs to be an appreciation of the costs and benefits associated with integrating any new processes during the meat inspection process. As the prevalence of deep pectoral myopathy in turkeys is reportedly low and using transillumination may be more time consuming than postmortem examination alone, this approach may potentially be more suited to low- to medium-throughput abattoirs. The ‘Evaluating The Evidence’ section of Vet Record aims to answer specific clinical questions using a systematic approach to identify and succinctly summarise the relevant evidence from the scientific literature. The shortcomings of this evidence are also taken into account, thereby enabling vets to incorporate the best available evidence from the literature when making clinical decisions. Please contact us at [email protected] if you have an article you would like us to consider for publication in this section. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

Food fraud and mitigating strategies of UK food supply chain during COVID-19.

Covid-19 had shown the vulnerability of the food supply chain and fraudsters may take advantage of the pandemic whilst the population needed a continuous supply of safe and quality food. The lack of monitoring and policing in the food supply chain may encourage fraudsters to upscale their operations. Previous studies had warned of a surge in fraudulent products due to COVID-19. This raised the question on whether food fraud had increased during the pandemic? This study aims to investigate food fraud during COVID-19 and how the food supply chain develops mitigating strategies against fraudulent activities. A mixed-method approach including survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted among UK food businesses. Two hundred and two agri-food businesses responded to the survey and 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The majority of the food businesses did not experience an increase of food fraud activities during COVID-19. Two thematic domains and ten sub-themes were identified from the data set. There was a heightened sense of anticipation and preparation for increased fraudulent activities during the pandemic. The main risk mitigating strategies included horizon scanning; developing and maintaining supplier relationship and assurance; understanding product characteristics, testing capabilities, conducting vulnerability assessments and training. Practical and cost-effective strategies for small and medium food businesses were recommended. This is the first empirical study on food fraud and mitigating strategies of the UK food supply chain during the pandemic. Our findings provide evidence for informing the policies and practices of the food regulatory authorities as well as best practices to protect the UK food supply chain against food fraud during exogenous shocks like COVID-19.

Illegal slaughter of sheep for “smokies” production and for the Muslim sacrifice of Qurbani in the UK: animal welfare and food safety implications

Purpose It is the expectation of Halal consumers that the meat they buy in retail shops and restaurants are ethically and legally reared and slaughtered in approved premises to protect animal welfare and public health. While this may be the case in multinational and well-established supermarkets due to due diligence on the part of retailers, there is evidence to suggest that some independent retail shops and ethnic restaurants in the UK partake in selling meat from illegally slaughtered animals. It is a crime that involves many players, but usually masterminded by rural entrepreneurs, including rogue farmers who supply the animals for illegal slaughter and further processing into smokies, or as part of the Islamic festival of Qurbani, in makeshift abattoirs. The purpose of this paper is to highlight illegal slaughter of sheep for the Halal market and how these impacts on food integrity and animal welfare.Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines the legality of slaughter in accordance with UK animal welfare and food safety legislations. The documentary research approach is adopted to examine available information on the activities of organised criminal gangs in the production of smokies and their possible involvement in Qurbani fraud.FindingsThis paper demonstrates the involvement of some rogue farmers who are facilitating the smokies trade and illegal slaughter of sheep during the Qurbani sacrifice. It is worth noting that while these illegal activities occur in the Halal sector, the perpetrators are not always Muslims. The processing of illegally slaughtered sheep takes place in unhygienic conditions which is of food safety, public health concern and may violate the religious rules around slaughter.Originality/valueIllegal slaughter for the Muslim sacrifice of Qurbani is underreported, this paper aims to highlight the animal welfare and food safety aspects of this type of slaughter, in addition to those slaughtered for smokies production.