Meeting the global protein supply requirements of a growing and ageing population.

Human dietary patterns are a major cause of environmental transformation, with agriculture occupying ~ 50% of global land space, while food production itself is responsible for ~ 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of freshwater use. Furthermore, the global population is also growing, such that by 2050, it is estimated to exceed ~ 9 billion. While most of this expansion in population is expected to occur in developing countries, in high-income countries there are also predicted changes in demographics, with major increases in the number of older people. There is a growing consensus that older people have a greater requirement for protein. With a larger and older population, global needs for protein are set to increase. This paper summarises the conclusions from a Rank Prize funded colloquium evaluating novel strategies to meet this increasing global protein need.

Key predictors of food security and nutrition in Africa: a spatio-temporal model-based study.

There is voluminous literature on Food Security in Africa. This study explicitly considers the spatio-temporal factors in addition to the usual FAO-based metrics in modeling and understanding the dynamics of food security and nutrition across the African continent. To better understand the complex trajectory and burden of food insecurity and nutrition in Africa, it is crucial to consider space-time factors when modeling and interpreting food security. The spatio-temporal anova model was found to be superior(employing statistical criteria) to the other three models from the spatio-temporal interaction domain models. The results of the study suggest that dietary supply adequacy, food stability, and consumption status are positively associated with severe food security, while average food supply and environmental factors have negative effects on Food Security and Nutrition. The findings also indicate that severe food insecurity and malnutrition are spatially and temporally correlated across the African continent. Spatio-temporal modeling and spatial mapping are essential components of a comprehensive practice to reduce the burden of severe food insecurity. likewise, any planning and intervention to improve the average food supply and environment to promote sustainable development should be regional instead of one size fit all.

"If the food is finished after my brother eats then we (girls) sleep hungry." Food insecurity and dietary diversity among slum-dwelling adolescent girls and boys in Pakistan: A mixed methods study.

To explore gender differences in food insecurity (FI) and minimum dietary diversity (MDD) among adolescent girls and boys in a slum community in Karachi, we employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods study that included a survey of 391 girls and boys of 10-19 years of age and followed by semi-structured interviews of eight purposely selected food insecure adolescents. Survey data was analyzed by Cox proportional algorithm and adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for associated factors of FI and thematic analysis was undertaken for qualitative work. Meta inferences for mixed methods study were drawn by joint display analysis of survey results juxtaposed to qualitative findings. Overall, FI among adolescents was prevalent (46.5%) which was not different between boys (52.7%) and girls (47.3%) (APR 0.8, (95% CI 0.6, 1.2); p-value-0.4). MDD (5/10 food groups consumed) was achieved by only 23.0% and it was also not different between boys (25.1%) and girls (20.9%) (p-value-0.3). The survey found no significant difference in FI and MDD between boys and girls however, qualitative findings provided insight into the cultural practices at mealtimes that prefer boys. Qualitative results contrasted the survey results and revealed the increased vulnerability of girls towards FI and low MDD compared to boys due to gender norms.

Changing the availability and positioning of more vs. less environmentally sustainable products: A randomised controlled trial in an online experimental supermarket.

Food purchasing behaviours are shaped by the choices available to shoppers and the way they are offered for sale. This study tested whether prominent positioning of more sustainable food items online and increasing their relative availability might reduce the environmental impact of foods selected in a 2x2 (availability x position) factorial randomised controlled trial. Participants (n = 1179) selected items in a shopping task in an experimental online supermarket. The availability intervention added lower-impact products to the regular range. The positioning intervention biased product order to give prominence to lower-impact products. The primary outcome was the environmental impact score (ranging from 1 "least impact" to 5 "most impact", of each item in shopping baskets) analysed using Welch's ANOVA. Secondary outcomes included interactions (analysed via linear regression) by gender, age group, education, income and meat consumption and we assessed intervention acceptability (using different frames) in a post-experiment questionnaire. Compared to control (mean = 21.6), mean eco quintile score was significantly reduced when availability & order was altered (-2.30; 95%CI: 3.04; -1.56) and when order only was changed (-1.67; 95%CI: 2.42; -0.92). No significant difference between availability only (-0.02; 95%CI: 0.73; 0.69) and control was found. There were no significant interactions between interventions or by demographic characteristics. Both interventions were acceptable under certain frames (positioning emphasising lower-impact products: 70.3% support; increasing lower-impact items: 74.3% support). Prominent positioning of more sustainable products may be an effective strategy to encourage more sustainable food purchasing. Increasing availability of more sustainable products alone did not significantly alter the environment impact of products selected.

Supporting each other: Older adults' experiences empowering food security and social inclusion in rural and food desert communities.

Older adults vulnerable to food insecurity are at risk of poor psychological and physical health. Poor public infrastructure or proximity to food sources can exacerbate risk of food insecurity. Reduced statutory services for social care has heightened the responsibility on third sector organisations and community-led volunteering, essential to supporting healthy ageing in place and reducing the inequalities of ageing. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how older adults' volunteering with a third sector organisation focused on food access supports food security and builds social capital for socially or economically marginalised older adults within rural and food desert communities. The study aims to bridge the knowledge gap of how volunteering in vulnerable geographies affects food insecurity and community. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven older (55+) volunteer 'meal makers' working with the third sector organisation Food Train and its 'Meal Makers' project. Interview recordings were transcribed and thematically analysed. Ecomap methodology was used to illustrate the lived experiences of older adult volunteers as told through the interviews. Two themes were identified by Thematic Analysis: (1) Networks, connectedness, and exposure to social capital, and (2) Supplementary support. This study finds that older adult volunteers are well placed within community interventions supporting food insecure older adults in rural or food desert communities. Ecomaps demonstrated that high social capital volunteers can mediate food access barriers and highlighted points of local knowledge and social connection. Volunteer engagement provides opportunities for food secure older adults to share local knowledge and build networks of food support and social inclusion for food insecure older adults. Older age volunteering should be advocated as a multi-faceted intervention promoting mutual health and wellbeing in volunteer and beneficiary.

Food Purchasing Behavior of Predominantly Minority Families in an Urban Supermarket Voucher Pilot Program.

The objective of this exploratory community-based trial was to examine the usage and behavior of underserved urban residents participating in a 2-month food voucher program. $70 supermarket vouchers were provided each month for 2 months to participants enrolled in selected child daycare centers in East Harlem, New York, and receipts were collected to examine purchases. Participants were from low-income households with at least 1 child 5 years and younger (n = 113). Participants spent the most on meat, fish, poultry, and eggs (29.7%); fruits and vegetables (15.9%); and cereal and bakery products (15.1%). Fruit and vegetable purchases and dairy purchases were higher in foreign-born participants than in US-born participants. Furthermore, future models should consider the potential benefit of unrestricted vouchers in supporting differences in dietary needs and preferences.

Characterisation and causal model of the holistic dynamics of the integral sustainability of the agri-food system.

The transformation of the food and industrial agricultural production system into adaptative and sustainable systems capable of being productive within social, environmental, and economic limits is a crucial factor in reducing the risk to food security and to economic growth. However, the analysis structure of the effect of these variables in sustainable environments remains unknown, whereby the technology and processes are considered as variables of the equivalent critical level as those already described. The purpose of this study is to design a model that enables the characterisation of the agri-food sector based on the determination of sustainable variables from a sustainable and integral systemic approach. Tools, such as the viable system model, are employed to analyse the dynamics and generate the balanced scorecard, to which the items of learning and continuous improvement are added. Lastly, the impact of the principles of sustainability versus the variation of sustainability in the agri-food system is revealed, which is useful in determining the appropriate levels to guarantee a balance in the foundations of circularity. From a systemic approach, this model can be adopted by agronomists and scientists to design alternative strategies for the management of food sustainability.

What does 'co-production' look like for food system transformation? Mapping the evidence across Transforming UK Food Systems (TUKFS) projects.

Co-production is a collaborative way of working which emphasises the exchange of diverse forms of knowledge in an equal partnership for equal benefits. Co-produced research is a key strategic aim of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Transforming UK Food Systems (TUKFS) Strategic Priorities Fund; this research programme brings together researchers, policymakers, industry and communities to create positive change in the way food is produced, accessed and consumed. However, more generally, there are diverse understandings of co-production and a lack of consensus on what 'good practice' looks like. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and map examples of co-production methods employed across the TUKFS programme. Two creative workshops (n = 15 participants), conversations with TUKFS researchers and stakeholders (n = 15), and systematic analysis of project documents were used to critically explore co-production activities within six TUKFS projects. A range of co-production activities were identified. Findings highlighted areas of 'messiness' and complexity, challenges associated with applying co-production approaches and practical solutions. Four key shared principles for co-production were identified: (1) Relationships: developing and maintaining reciprocity-based partnerships; (2) Knowledge: recognising the contribution of diverse forms of expertise; (3) Power: considering power dynamics and addressing imbalances; and (4) Inclusivity: ensuring research is accessible to all who wish to participate. Opportunities for reflection and reflexivity were considered crucial across all these areas. Findings contribute important insights towards a shared conceptual understanding of co-production for food system transformation research. This paper makes recommendations for researchers, practitioners, academic institutions and funders working in this area of research and practice.

Developing the DIGIFOOD Dashboard to Monitor the Digitalization of Local Food Environments: Interdisciplinary Approach.

BACKGROUND: Online food delivery services (OFDS) enable individuals to conveniently access foods from any deliverable location. The increased accessibility to foods may have implications on the consumption of healthful or unhealthful foods. Concerningly, previous research suggests that OFDS offer an abundance of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods, which are heavily promoted through deals or discounts. OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we describe the development of the DIGIFOOD dashboard to monitor the digitalization of local food environments in New South Wales, Australia, resulting from the proliferation of OFDS. METHODS: Together with a team of data scientists, we designed a purpose-built dashboard using Microsoft Power BI. The development process involved three main stages: (1) data acquisition of food outlets via web scraping, (2) data cleaning and processing, and (3) visualization of food outlets on the dashboard. We also describe the categorization process of food outlets to characterize the healthfulness of local, online, and hybrid food environments. These categories included takeaway franchises, independent takeaways, independent restaurants and cafes, supermarkets or groceries, bakeries, alcohol retailers, convenience stores, and sandwich or salad shops. RESULTS: To date, the DIGIFOOD dashboard has mapped 36,967 unique local food outlets (locally accessible and scraped from Google Maps) and 16,158 unique online food outlets (accessible online and scraped from Uber Eats) across New South Wales, Australia. In 2023, the market-leading OFDS operated in 1061 unique suburbs or localities in New South Wales. The Sydney-Parramatta region, a major urban area in New South Wales accounting for 28 postcodes, recorded the highest number of online food outlets (n=4221). In contrast, the Far West and Orana region, a rural area in New South Wales with only 2 postcodes, recorded the lowest number of food outlets accessible online (n=7). Urban areas appeared to have the greatest increase in total food outlets accessible via online food delivery. In both local and online food environments, it was evident that independent restaurants and cafes comprised the largest proportion of food outlets at 47.2% (17,437/36,967) and 51.8% (8369/16,158), respectively. However, compared to local food environments, the online food environment has relatively more takeaway franchises (2734/16,158, 16.9% compared to 3273/36,967, 8.9%) and independent takeaway outlets (2416/16,158, 14.9% compared to 4026/36,967, 10.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The DIGIFOOD dashboard leverages the current rich data landscape to display and contrast the availability and healthfulness of food outlets that are locally accessible versus accessible online. The DIGIFOOD dashboard can be a useful monitoring tool for the evolving digital food environment at a regional scale and has the potential to be scaled up at a national level. Future iterations of the dashboard, including data from additional prominent OFDS, can be used by policy makers to identify high-priority areas with limited access to healthful foods both online and locally.

Association of food insecurity with changes in diet quality, weight, and glycemia over two years in adults with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes on medicaid.

Little is known about longitudinal associations between food insecurity (FI) and diet, weight, and glycemia in people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In a secondary analysis of Medicaid-enrolled health center patients with prediabetes or T2D in Boston, Massachusetts (N = 188), we examined associations between food security (FS) and measures of diet quality, weight, and hyperglycemia. FS (10-item USDA FS module) was ascertained at baseline, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up and categorized as persistently secure, intermittently insecure, or persistently insecure. Associations between FS category and changes in Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-20), body mass index (BMI), and hemoglobin A1c (A1c) from baseline to year 2 were assessed using multivariate generalized linear models. Participants had median (p25, p75) age of 52 (42, 57); 71.8% were female and 62.8% Hispanic. Over follow-up, 32.4% were persistently food secure, 33.0% intermittently insecure, and 34.5% persistently insecure. Baseline mean (SD) HEI-20, BMI, and A1c were 55.8 (14.5), 35.9 (8.7) kg/m2, 7.1% (1.6) and did not differ by FS category. FS category was not associated with changes in HEI-20, BMI, and A1c at 2 years (all p > 0.05). Results suggest that Medicaid-enrolled adults with prediabetes or T2D, regardless of FS status, would benefit from dietary and weight management interventions.

Designing a Contextualized Food-Based Strategy to Improve the Dietary Diversity of Children in Rural Farming Households in Central Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Food-based strategies have a high potential of improving the diet quality and reducing the prevalence of nutrient deficiencies in agriculture-dependent communities. Their design is however complex with trade-offs that are rarely systematically presented to allow replication and efficient contextualization. OBJECTIVE: The systematic design of a food-based strategy to improve the dietary diversity of children in rural farming communities in Uganda. METHODS: The intervention mapping protocol was used to provide a systematic approach to developing theory-based and evidence-based intervention methods and strategy. RESULTS: The priority behavioral and environmental determinants identified were related to food production, consumption, and efficacy while the personal determinants focused on knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, attitude, and outcome expectations. The aim of the resulting strategy was set to improve the availability, accessibility, and consumption of diverse foods, with a particular focus on production diversity, production practices, market access, and market diversity. Behaviour change methods were selected to enhance ability and self-efficacy, strategic goal setting, and provision of feedback. The strategy focused on household groups for learning, demonstration, practice, and social support. The validation showed that the determinants and actors incorporated in the strategy were important and relevant for improving the productivity, food availability, dietary diversity, livelihoods, and health of rural farming households and communities. CONCLUSION: Application of the protocol yielded a contextualized food-based strategy that can be adjusted for use in other smallholder contexts in developing countries by piloting implementation plans based on the strategy; reassessing the key determinants and implementing the revised strategy; or replicating the whole design process.

Plain language titleDesigning a Food-Based Strategy to Improve the Dietary Diversity of Children in Farming Households in Central UgandaPlain language summaryFood-based strategies have a high potential of improving the diet quality of communities that depend on agriculture for their food and livelihoods. However, the design of food-based strategies is complex and rarely systematically presented to allow replication and efficient contextualization. The intervention mapping protocol was used to systematically design a food-based strategy to improve the dietary diversity of children in rural farming communities in Uganda. Through this process, the main factors influencing dietary diversity were identified. The factors were related to food production and consumption, knowledge, skills, self-assuredness, attitude, and the expected outcomes. The developed strategy was designed to improve the availability, accessibility, and consumption of diverse foods. The strategy mainly focused on the diversity of foods produced by households, the production practices used, household access to markets, and the diversity of foods available in these markets. Household groups were central to the selected behavior change methods as they would provide an environment for learning, demonstration, practice, and provide social support. The strategy and its development process can be used as per the implementation plan or further adjusted for use in other smallholder settings in developing countries.

Research on cooperative advertising strategies for dual channel supply chain of fresh agricultural products considering carbon reduction efficiency under retailer leadership.

With the development of low-carbon economy and the dominant position of retailers, through the establishment and comparison of three cooperative advertising models: model of supplier's independent advertising, model of supplier's independent advertising and model of retailer's and supplier's cooperative advertising, this paper studies the cooperative advertising decision-making of fresh agricultural products supply chain with two channels, and the demand of both channels is affected by the level of advertising investment, the proportion of advertising cost sharing and the efficiency of carbon emission reduction. The results show that when supplier and retailer adopt the two-way cooperative advertising mode, the demand and profit level of the two channels reach the optimal level. Numerical analysis shows that carbon emission reduction efficiency has an important impact on profits and market demand, which is closely related to cooperative advertising strategy.

Machine learning-based life cycle assessment for environmental sustainability optimization of a food supply chain.

Effective resource allocation in the agri-food sector is essential in mitigating environmental impacts and moving toward circular food supply chains. The potential of integrating life cycle assessment (LCA) with machine learning has been highlighted in recent studies. This hybrid framework is valuable not only for assessing food supply chains but also for improving them toward a more sustainable system. Yet, an essential step in the optimization process is defining the optimization boundaries, or minimum and maximum quantities for the variables. Usually, the boundaries for optimization variables in these studies are obtained from the minimum and maximum values found through interviews and surveys. A deviation in these ranges can impact the final optimization results. To address this issue, this study applies the Delphi method for identifying variable optimization boundaries. A hybrid environmental assessment framework linking LCA, multilayer perceptron artificial neural network, the Delphi method, and genetic algorithm was used for optimizing the pomegranate production system. The results indicated that the suggested framework holds promise for achieving substantial mitigation in environmental impacts (potential reduction of global warming by 46%) within the explored case study. Inclusion of the Delphi method for variable boundary determination brings novelty to the resource allocation optimization process in the agri-food sector. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1759-1769. © 2024 SETAC.

A Systems Innovation Perspective on Implementation and Sustainment Barriers for Healthy Food Store Interventions: A Reflexive Monitoring in Action Study in Dutch Supermarkets.

BACKGROUND: Healthy food store interventions (HFIs) are an important health-promotion tool, but face implementation and sustainment barriers. This paper aims to explore the underlying factors that produce these barriers using an innovative systems innovation perspective, through the case study of a multi-component HFI. The HFI was implemented in a minor, national, cooperative supermarket chain, in the Netherlands, a competitive market where price-based competition is the norm. METHODS: The HFI was implemented for 6-12 months, in six stores. It was implemented by the researchers, and maintained by store employees. The study applied a Reflexive Monitoring in Action (RMA) approach, meaning that the researchers monitored stores' adherence to the HFI, via store visits, to identify potential issues. Subsequently, the researchers interviewed the store managers responsible for the intervention, to have them reflect upon the barriers leading to these adherence issues, underlying systemic factors, and potential solutions. The stores implemented these solutions, and during the next monitoring visit the researchers evaluated whether the barrier had been resolved. RESULTS: We found that the HFI often clashed with regular activities of the stores (eg, competing over the same spaces) and that store managers generally prioritized these regular activities. This prioritization was based on the greater commercial value of those regular activities (eg, selling unhealthy products) according to store managers, based on their beliefs and assumptions about commerce, health, and consumer preferences. Due to the limited resources of supermarkets (eg, people, time, space), and the HFI often not fitting within the existing structures of the stores as easily as traditional practices, store managers often neglected the HFI components in favor of regular store activities. CONCLUSION: Our findings illustrate the systemic factors that produce implementation barriers for HFIs, and the dynamics by which this production occurs. These insights help future researchers to anticipate and respond to such barriers.

Climate-adaptive crop distribution can feed food demand, improve water scarcity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Optimizing crop distribution stands as a pivotal approach to climate change adaption, enhancing crop production sustainability, and has been recognized for its immense potential in ensuring food security while minimizing environmental impacts. Here, we developed a climate-adaptive framework to optimize the distribution of staple crops (i.e., wheat, maize, and rice) to meet the multi-dimensional needs of crop production in China. The framework considers the feasibility of the multiple cropping systems (harvesting more than once on a cropland a year) and adopts a multi-dimensional approach, incorporating goals related to crop production, water consumption, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By optimizing, the total irrigated area of three crops would decrease by 7.7 % accompanied by a substantial 69.8 % increase in rain-fed areas compared to the baseline in 2010. This optimized strategy resulted in a notable 10.0 % reduction in total GHG emissions and a 13.1 % decrease in irrigation water consumption while maintaining consistent crop production levels. In 2030, maintaining the existing crop distribution and relying solely on yield growth would lead to a significant maize production shortfall of 27.0 %, highlighting a looming challenge. To address this concern, strategic adjustments were made by reducing irrigated areas for wheat, rice, and maize by 2.3 %, 12.8 %, and 6.1 %, respectively, while simultaneously augmenting rain-fed areas for wheat and maize by 120.2 % and 55.9 %, respectively. These modifications ensure that production demands for all three crops are met, while yielding a 6.9 % reduction in GHG emissions and a 15.1 % reduction in irrigation water consumption. This optimization strategy offers a promising solution to alleviate severe water scarcity issues and secure a sustainable agricultural future, effectively adapting to evolving crop production demands in China.

Estratégias governamentais para a garantia do direito humano à alimentação adequada e saudável no enfrentamento à pandemia de Covid-19 no Brasil / Government strategies to ensure the human right to adequate and healthy food facing the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil

Resumo A pandemia de Covid-19 revelou a existência de ameaça concreta e imediata à segurança alimentar e nutricional (SAN), em especial de grupos vulnerabilizados. O estudo buscou identificar as estratégias governamentais implementadas no Brasil para prover o Direito Humano à Alimentação Adequada e Saudável em contextos de elevada vulnerabilidade social frente à Covid-19. Foi realizado um estudo transversal, com análise de documentos oficiais publicados entre 20 de março e 30 de julho de 2020 pela União, Distrito Federal, estados e capitais brasileiras, com foco em medidas que assegurem disponibilidade e acesso físico ou financeiro a alimentos. As estratégias implementadas envolvem fundamentalmente distribuição de alimentos e garantia de renda mínima. Foram instituídas: Renda Básica Emergencial (União); Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA) e auxílio financeiro emergencial (estados); programas de doação emergencial de alimentos (estados e municípios). Medidas existentes foram adaptadas frente à pandemia, como o Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE), o Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos (PAA) nacional, a distribuição de alimentos e de cestas básicas. Embora importantes, essas estratégias têm alcance limitado e são insuficientes para assegurar a SAN.

Abstract The Covid-19 pandemic revealed a concrete and immediate threat to food and nutrition security (FNS), especially for vulnerable groups. This study aimed to identify government strategies implemented in Brazil to provide the Human Right to Adequate and Healthy Food in high social vulnerability contexts during the Covid-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was carried out, with analysis of official documents published between March 20 and July 30, 2020, by the Federal Government, Federal District, Brazilian states, and capitals, focusing on measures to ensure availability and physical or financial access to food. Strategies implemented mainly involve food distribution and minimum income assurance. The following were implemented: Basic Emergency Income (Federal Government); Food Acquisition Program (PAA), and emergency financial aid (states); emergency food donation programs (states and municipalities). Existing measures were adapted to the pandemic, such as the National School Food Program (PNAE), the National Food Acquisition Program (PAA), and the distribution of food and staple food baskets. While essential, these strategies have limited scope and are insufficient to ensure FNS.

Comparison of different household food security assessment methods in the rural area of a Brazilian city / Comparação dos diferentes métodos de avaliação da segurança alimentar e nutricional domiciliar na zona rural de uma cidade brasileira / Comparación de los diferentes métodos de evaluación de la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional domiciliar en el área rural de una ciudad brasileña

To evaluate and compare household food security situations in the rural area of a Brazilian city by three different methods: Availability of food energy at home, nutritional status and Perception of food insecurity. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 79 families living in 19 rural communities in a small city in Minas Gerais, Brazil, including a total of 272 residents. Families were selected by drawing lots, respecting the proportionality of families per community. The inclusion criteria included living in rural areas, inhabiting a selected household, and using food products available for consumption, by purchase and production. During family visits, nutritional status was analyzed by anthropometry, the perception of food insecurity by Food Insecurity Scale (EBIA) and availability of food energy at household for 30 days. Results: Of the 79 families of family farmers, 12.7% were considered to be unsafe for availability of food energy at household, 24.0% due to the presence of low weight at the household and 49.5% by EBIA. There was a low correlation among the methods, with differences between them (Kendall W 0.162 p <0.001). Food insecurity was associated to the presence of at least one individual aged less than 18 years old in the household. Food security classified according to EBIA was associated with an increase in the number of people living in the household, the production of vegetables and fruits. Conclusions: No single indicator can cover several dimensions of food security. Food Security involves a broad and multifaceted approach; therefore, its thorough evaluation requires different classification methods.

O objetivo do artigo é avaliar e comparar a situação de segurança alimentar domiciliar por três diferentes métodos, em área rural de uma cidade brasileira: disponibilidade de energia alimentar em casa; estado nutricional; e percepção de insegurança alimentar. Trata-se de estudo transversal realizado com 79 famílias residentes em 19 comunidades rurais de um município de Minas Gerais, totalizando 272 moradores. Durante as visitas familiares, o estado nutricional foi analisado por antropometria, a percepção de insegurança alimentar pela Escala de Insegurança Alimentar (Ebia) e a disponibilidade de energia alimentar no domicílio por 30 dias. Os resultados mostraram que, das 79 famílias de agricultores familiares, 12,7% foram consideradas inseguras para a disponibilidade de energia alimentar, 24,0% devido à presença de baixo peso em casa e 49,5% por Ebia. Houve baixa correlação entre os métodos, com diferenças entre eles (Kendall W 0,162 p <0,001). A insegurança alimentar esteve associada à presença de pelo menos um indivíduo com idade inferior a 18 anos no domicílio. A segurança alimentar classificada de acordo com a Ebia foi associada a um aumento no número de pessoas que vivem no domicílio, na produção de vegetais e frutas. Concluiu-se que nenhum indicador isolado pode cobrir várias dimensões da segurança alimentar, a qual envolve uma abordagem ampla e multifacetada; portanto, sua avaliação completa requer diferentes métodos de classificação.

Objetivo: evaluar y comparar la situación de seguridad alimentaria domiciliaria en el área rural de una ciudad brasileña mediante tres métodos diferentes: disponibilidad de energía alimentaria en el domicilio, estado nutricional y percepción de inseguridad alimentaria. Métodos: estudio transversal realizado con 79 familias residentes en 19 comunidades rurales de un municipio de Minas Gerais, que abarca un total de 272 habitantes. Las familias fueron seleccionadas por sorteo y se respetó la proporcionalidad por comunidad. Los criterios de inclusión fueron residir en áreas rurales, vivir en un domicilio seleccionado y usar alimentos disponibles para el consumo. Durante las visitas familiares, el estado nutricional fue analizado por antropometría, la inseguridad alimentaria percibida por la escala de inseguridad alimentaria (EBIA) y la disponibilidad de energía alimentaria en casa por treinta días. Resultados: de las 79 familias de agricultores familiares, el 12,7% se consideró con inseguridad de disponibilidad de energía alimentaria, del cual el 24% tenía presencia de bajo peso en el domicilio y el 49,5% en EBIA. Hubo una baja correlación entre los métodos, con diferencias entre ellos (Kendall W 0,162 p <0,001). La inseguridad alimentaria estuvo asociada a la presencia de por lo menos un individuo con menos de 18 años en casa. La seguridad alimentaria clasificada de acuerdo con EBIA estaba asociada a un aumento en el número de personas que vivían en casa, en la producción de hortalizas y frutas. Conclusiones: ningún indicador aislado puede cubrir varias dimensiones de la seguridad alimentaria. La seguridad alimentaria implica un enfoque amplio y multifacético, por lo que su evaluación completa requiere diferentes métodos de clasificación.

Contaminação de temakis à base de salmão cru adquiridos no estabelecimento e por delivery / Contamination of raw salmon temakis purchased at the establishment and by delivery

O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a existência de contaminação microbiológica de temakis de salmão cru, comercializados por restaurantes com entrega delivery e retirados no local. Foram analiasadas 18 amostras de temakis de 8 restaurantes e de formas distintas (4 com retirada no local e 4 com entrega delivery), em dois dias da semana. A temperatura foi aferida no momento da coleta. No laboratório, as amostras foram colocadas no caldo BHI (Brain Heart Infusion) e depois inoculadas no Ágar MacConkey; para verificação da presença de bactérias Gram-negativas, e no Ágar Padrão de Contagem (PCA), para determinação das Unidades Formadoras de Colônias (UFC/mL), a identificação das bactérias foi feita a partir dos testes propostos no Enterokit B. Todas as amostras apresentaram crescimento de bactérias Gram-negativas, com prevalência de Citrobacter freundii, Serratia marcescens e Proteus spp, e em uma amostra ocorreu o crescimento de Salmonella spp. Na maioria dos estabelecimentos, a temperatura dos produtos aferida no momento da coleta apresentou-se acima do preconizado pela legislação, sendo estas superiores na entrega de temakis por delivery. A contaminação dos temakis ocorreu tanto na entrega delivery quanto ao serem retirados no local, sendo que a temperatura de segurança, descrita na legislação vigente, não foi atendida, principalmente nos alimentos com entrega delivery.(AU)

The objective of this work was to verify the existence of microbiological contamination of raw salmon temakis, marketed by restaurants with delivery services and withdrawn on the spot. Eighteen samples were analyzed of 8 restaurants in different ways (4 with withdrawal on the spot, and 4 with delivery services), on two days of the week. The temperature was measured at the time of collection. In the laboratory, the samples were placed in BHI broth (Brain Heart Infusion), and then inoculated into MacConkey Agar; for the determination of the Colony Forming Units (CFU / mL), the identification of the bacteria was done from the tests proposed in Enterokit B. All samples showed growth of Gramnegative bacteria, with prevalence of Citrobacter freundii, Serratia marcescens and Proteus spp, and in one sample the growth of Salmonella spp. In most establishments, the temperature of the products measured at the time of collection was higher than that recommended by the legislation, being higher in the delivery of temakis delivery. The contamination of the temakis occurred both in the delivery delivery and when being removed in the place, and the temperature described in current legislation, was not met, especially in foods with delivery services.

Antecedentes e elementos da vinculação do programa de alimentação escolar do Brasil com a agricultura familiar / Antecedentes y elementos de la vinculación del programa de alimentación escolar de Brasil con la agricultura familiar / Background and elements of the linkage between the Brazilian school feeding program and family farming

Resumo: Desde 2009, legislação do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar do Brasil (PNAE) institucionaliza a sua vinculação com a agricultura familiar ao estabelecer a obrigatoriedade de que, pelo menos, 30% do total dos recursos financeiros repassados pelo governo federal aos estados e municípios para a alimentação escolar devem ser utilizados na compra de produtos diretamente desse setor. Este estudo analisa o processo de construção desta legislação mediante contextualização histórica, focando nos elementos relacionados à compra da agricultura familiar e, também, apresenta uma representação gráfica com os principais elementos da vinculação: objetivos, público-alvo, ações implementadas e resultados esperados. Foram entrevistados atores envolvidos na construção da legislação. As análises evidenciam que a compra da agricultura familiar pelo PNAE é uma iniciativa de amplo alcance, do ponto de vista conceitual, de execução e de resultados. Também se evidenciou que, para o seu êxito, é fundamental uma ampla articulação entre os atores e órgãos dos vários setores envolvidos, assim como múltiplas estratégias implementadas pelas distintas esferas de governo. Dessa maneira, setores da educação, agricultura, planejamento, compras e sociedade civil devem articular-se em nível nacional, estadual e local. Os resultados deste estudo demonstram que iniciativas como essas, de compras institucionais da agricultura familiar, que estão sendo implantadas atualmente em vários países, configuram-se como importante estratégia de segurança alimentar e nutricional, de cumprimento do direito humano à alimentação adequada e de promoção do desenvolvimento sustentável a longo prazo.

Resumen: Desde 2009, la legislación del Programa de Nacional Alimentación Escolar de Brasil (PNAE) institucionaliza su vinculación con la agricultura familiar, al establecer la obligatoriedad de que por lo menos un 30% del total de los recursos financieros asignados por el gobierno federal a los departamentos y municipios para la alimentación escolar, deben ser utilizados en la compra de productos directamente de ese sector. Este estudio analiza el proceso de creación de esta legislación, mediante contextualización histórica, enfocándose en los elementos relacionados con la compra de la agricultura familiar y, también, presenta una representación gráfica con los principales elementos de la vinculación: objetivos, público-objetivo, acciones implementadas y resultados esperados. Se entrevistaron a actores involucrados en la construcción de la legislación. Los análisis evidencian que la compra de la agricultura familiar por parte del PNAE es una iniciativa de amplio alcance, desde el punto de vista conceptual, de ejecución y de resultados. También se evidenció que, para su éxito, es fundamental una amplia articulación entre los actores y órganos de los diferentes sectores involucrados, así como múltiples estrategias implementadas por las distintas esferas de gobierno. De esta manera, sectores de educación, agricultura, planeamiento, compras y sociedad civil deben coordinarse en nivel nacional, departamental y local. Los resultados de este estudio demuestran que iniciativas como estas, de compras institucionales de la agricultura familiar, que están siendo implantadas actualmente en varios países, constituyen importante estrategia de seguridad alimentaria y nutricional, de cumplimiento del derecho humano a la alimentación adecuada y de promoción del desarrollo sostenible a largo plazo.

Abstract: Since 2009, legislation of the National School Feeding Program of Brazil (PNAE) institutionalizes its linkage with family farming as it establishes the requirement that at least 30% out of the total financial resources allocated by the federal government to the states and municipalities for school feeding must be used in the purchase of products directly from this sector. This study analyzes the process of drafting this legislation, focusing on the elements related to the procurement from family farming, through a historical contextualization, and it also presents a graphical representation with the main elements of this linkage: its objectives, target population, actions implemented and expected results. Actors involved with the drafting of the legislation were interviewed. The analyses show that the procurement from family farming is a far-reaching initiative in terms of the concept, execution and results. It has also showed that a strong articulation between the actors and institutions of the different sectors involved is critical to its success. The education, agriculture, planning, procurement and civil society sectors should work articulately at national, state and local level. The results of this study demonstrate that initiatives like this, of institutional procurement from family farming, which are currently being implemented in several countries, constitute as an important strategy of food and nutrition security, for the fulfillment of the human right to adequate food and the promotion of long-term sustainable development.

Anti-foot-and-mouth disease virus effects of Chinese herbal kombucha in vivo

Abstract The foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) is sensitive to acids and can be inactivated by exposure to low pH conditions. Spraying animals at risk of infection with suspensions of acid-forming microorganisms has been identified as a potential strategy for preventing FMD. Kombucha is one of the most strongly acid-forming symbiotic probiotics and could thus be an effective agent with which to implement this strategy. Moreover, certain Chinese herbal extracts are known to have broad-spectrum antiviral effects. Chinese herbal kombucha can be prepared by fermenting Chinese herbal extracts with a kombucha culture. Previous studies demonstrated that Chinese herbal kombucha prepared in this way efficiently inhibits FMDV replication in vitro. To assess the inhibitory effects of Chinese herbal kombucha against FMDV in vitro, swine challenged by intramuscular injection with 1000 SID50 of swine FMDV serotype O strain O/China/99 after treatment with Chinese herbal kombucha were partially protected against infection, as demonstrated by a lack of clinical symptoms and qRT-PCR analysis. In a large scale field trial, spraying cattle in an FMD outbreak zone with kombucha protected against infection. Chinese herbal kombucha may be a useful probiotic agent for managing FMD outbreaks.