Examination of marketing mix performance in relation to sustainable development of the Poland's confectionery industry.

The conventional concept of marketing mix does not take into account the idea of sustainable development. The basic objective of this examination is to analyze and evaluate the performance of selected marketing mix elements from the perspective of the Poland's confectionery industry's sustainable development. The questionnaire survey was designed for this purpose. The purpose of the research questions was to evaluate a degree of development for selected elements of marketing mix from the perspective of sustainable development of the Poland's confectionery industry. Thus, a novel development ratio based on the distance from exemplary performance was proposed. Next, aseminal approach to pairwise comparisons technique was applied for the importance evaluation of each survey question in order to provide a weighted average Mean Development Ratio (MdeR) for each element of marketing mix. In this process the seminal methodology for pairwise comparisons was applied i.e. a non-heuristic approach to pairwise comparisons technique with verifiable accuracy and reliability. In consequence, assuming that all elements of marketing mix have some designated importance in the process of sustainable development, a total weighted average MdeR for performance of all elements of marketing mix was computed and evaluated. Noticeably, the total weighted average MdeR for performance of all elements of marketing mix cannot be considered as satisfactory from the perspective of sustainable development of the Poland's confectionery industry.

The effects of an abrupt increase in taxes on candy and soda in Norway: an observational study of retail sales.

BACKGROUND: Fiscal policies are used to promote a healthier diet; however, there is still a call for real-world evaluations of taxes on unhealthy foods and beverages. We aimed to evaluate the effect of an abrupt increase, of respectively 80 and 40%, in the excising Norwegian taxes on candy and beverages on volume sales of candy and soda. We expected sales to fall. METHODS: We analyzed electronic point of sale data covering approximately 98% of volume sales of grocery stores in Norway. In two pre-registered models with weekly (log-)sales of taxed candy and soda from 3884 individual stores, we modeled the difference between the jump (discontinuity) in the trend around the time of the increase in taxes and the corresponding jump in the trend in a control season from the previous years (Model 1). In addition, we modeled the difference between the intervention and the control season in their changes in average sales (Model 2). RESULTS: Model 1 showed a 6.1% (one-sided 95% CI: not applicable (NA), 23.4, p-value = 0.26) increase and a - 3.9% (95% CI: NA, 4.9, p-value = 0.23) reduction in the differences in the jump in the trends, for candy and soda, respectively. The second model showed a relative decrease of - 4.9% (95% CI: NA, 1.0, p-value = 0.08) in the average sales of candy and an increase of 1.5% (95% CI: NA, 5.0, p-value = 0.24) in sales of soda. Supplementary analyses suggested that the results were sensitive to clustering on the time dimension. CONCLUSIONS: When using two different quasi-experimental designs to model changes in volume sales of taxed candy and soda, we were not able to detect reductions in sales that coincided with an increase in the taxes. Variation across time makes it difficult to detect potentially small changes in sales even when using an entire country's worth of sales data on the level of individual stores. We speculate that the tax increases were too modest to affect the prices to alter sales sufficiently.

Food Marketing in Facebook to Thai Children and Youth: An Assessment of the Efficacy of Thai Regulations.

To assess the marketing of food on Facebook in relation to Government regulations and the industry's self-regulatory codes in Thailand, Facebook pages of 30 of the most popular food brands with young people in Thailand and consumer engagement (number of likes, shares, and comments) were recorded and had their marketing content transcribed during the month of December 2017. We coded the contents into 17 marketing techniques and conducted content analysis of these posts in relation to Government regulations and the industry's self-regulatory codes. A total 752 posts were identified in one month. Retail food brand pages had the highest figures for engagement by Facebook viewers. The most common marketing techniques were the use of pictures (632 posts), followed by branding elements (569 posts) and hashtags (438 posts). Out of a total of 228 spot advert posts, all confectionery adverts and almost all (99.5%) soft drink adverts did not display the advertising license number and none of the confectionery adverts displayed the warning messages as required by law. Confectionery, retail food, and soft drink advertising violated the industry's self-regulatory codes. The food brand Facebook pages in Thailand do not comply with Government regulations and the industry's self-regulatory codes. The Government, civil society organizations, and academia should monitor these violations and improve enforcement.

[Determinants of non-essential energy-dense food consumption in Mexican population (Ensanut 2012).] / Determinantes del consumo de alimentos no básicos de alta densidad energética en población mexicana (Ensanut 2012).

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the sociodemographic profile associated with the probabilities of consumption of nonessential energy-dense foods (ANBADE), taxed since 2014. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the National Health and Nutrition Survey (Ensanut) 2012. ANBADE group was identified and probit models were estimated for the probabilities of consumption (PC) and of belonging to the high quintile of consumption after adjusting for total energy intake (PAC), as a function of sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: School-aged children have a PAC 10.7 percentage points (pp) higher vs. preschool-aged. Belonging to households with the highest expenditures or education of the head of the household are associated with a PC 3.3 or 3.2 pp higher vs. households with lower expenditures or education of the head, respectively. Living in metropolitan areas is associated with a PAC 5.2 pp higher vs. rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: The study identified the sociodemographic conditions associated with the largest PC or PAC of ANBADE, which may be considered in the design and evaluation of food policy.

OBJETIVO: Caracterizar el perfil sociodemográfico que se asocia con las probabilidades de consumo de alimentos no básicos de alta densidad energética (ANBADE), gravados desde 2014. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se utilizó la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (Ensanut) 2012. Se identificó el grupo de ANBADE y se estimaron modelos probit sobre las probabilidades de consumo (PC) y de alto consumo después de ajustar por energía total (PAC), en función de características sociodemográficas. RESULTADOS: Los escolares tienen 10.7 puntos porcentuales (pp) más PAC frente a los preescolares. Pertenecer a hogares con el mayor gasto o escolaridad del jefe se asocia con una PC 3.3 y 3.2 pp mayor en comparación con los hogares de menor gasto o escolaridad del jefe, respectivamente. Vivir en localidades metropolitanas se asocia con una PAC 5.2 pp mayor frente a localidades rurales. CONCLUSIONES: El estudio identificó las condiciones sociodemográficas que se asocian con las mayores PC o PAC de ANBADE, que podrán considerarse en el diseño y evaluación de la política alimentaria.

Determinantes del consumo de alimentos no básicos de alta densidad energética en población mexicana (Ensanut 2012) / Determinants of non-essential energy-dense food consumption in Mexican population (Ensanut 2012)

Resumen: Objetivo: Caracterizar el perfil sociodemográfico que se asocia con las probabilidades de consumo de alimentos no básicos de alta densidad energética (ANBADE), gravados desde 2014. Material y métodos: Se utilizó la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (Ensanut) 2012. Se identificó el grupo de ANBADE y se estimaron modelos probit sobre las probabilidades de consumo (PC) y de alto consumo después de ajustar por energía total (PAC), en función de características sociodemográficas. Resultados: Los escolares tienen 10.7 puntos porcentuales (pp) más PAC frente a los preescolares. Pertenecer a hogares con el mayor gasto o escolaridad del jefe se asocia con una PC 3.3 y 3.2 pp mayor en comparación con los hogares de menor gasto o escolaridad del jefe, respectivamente. Vivir en localidades metropolitanas se asocia con una PAC 5.2 pp mayor frente a localidades rurales. Conclusiones: El estudio identificó las condiciones sociodemográficas que se asocian con las mayores PC o PAC de ANBADE, que podrán considerarse en el diseño y evaluación de la política alimentaria.

Abstract: Objective: To characterize the sociodemographic profile associated with the probabilities of consumption of nonessential energy-dense foods (ANBADE), taxed since 2014. Materials and methods: We used the National Health and Nutrition Survey (Ensanut) 2012. ANBADE group was identified and probit models were estimated for the probabilities of consumption (PC) and of belonging to the high quintile of consumption after adjusting for total energy intake (PAC), as a function of sociodemographic characteristics. Results: School-aged children have a PAC 10.7 percentage points (pp) higher vs. preschool-aged. Belonging to households with the highest expenditures or education of the head of the household are associated with a PC 3.3 or 3.2 pp higher vs. households with lower expenditures or education of the head, respectively. Living in metropolitan areas is associated with a PAC 5.2 pp higher vs. rural areas. Conclusions: The study identified the sociodemographic conditions associated with the largest PC or PAC of ANBADE, which may be considered in the design and evaluation of food policy.

Communicating quantitative evidence of policy effectiveness and support for the policy: Three experimental studies.

Increasing the prices of products that harm health is an effective intervention for changing behaviour to improve health but public support for such interventions is generally low. The current paper investigates whether communicating evidence of a policy's effectiveness at tackling the focal problem could increase support. Across three studies we develop an infographic for communicating quantitative evidence of the effectiveness of a hypothetical tax to tackle childhood obesity. We investigate first, whether communicating evidence of effectiveness increases (a) perceived effectiveness (Studies 1,2,3) and (b) support for the policy, and second, whether any increase in perceived effectiveness mediates an increase in support (Studies 1 & 3). In all three studies (combined N = 9654) communicating evidence of effectiveness for the intervention increased perceived effectiveness. In Study 1, communicating evidence did not change support for the policy. Variations of the infographic were developed in Study 2 with one emerging as clearer and easier to comprehend. This infographic was therefore used in Study 3 in which it increased support for the tax from 45% to 49%, an effect that was mediated by perceived effectiveness. The effect sizes were small but probably meaningful at a population level. The results of these three studies suggest the potential for presenting quantitative evidence of intervention effectiveness to increase public support. Much uncertainty remains about the most effective ways of presenting this evidence, whether similar effects are achieved by presenting unquantified evidence and whether larger effects might be achieved by presenting information other than effectiveness.

The computational form of craving is a selective multiplication of economic value.

Craving is thought to be a specific desire state that biases choice toward the desired object, be it chocolate or drugs. A vast majority of people report having experienced craving of some kind. In its pathological form craving contributes to health outcomes in addiction and obesity. Yet despite its ubiquity and clinical relevance we still lack a basic neurocomputational understanding of craving. Here, using an instantaneous measure of subjective valuation and selective cue exposure, we identify a behavioral signature of a food craving-like state and advance a computational framework for understanding how this state might transform valuation to bias choice. We find desire induced by exposure to a specific high-calorie, high-fat/sugar snack good is expressed in subjects' momentary willingness to pay for this good. This effect is selective but not exclusive to the exposed good; rather, we find it generalizes to nonexposed goods in proportion to their subjective attribute similarity to the exposed ones. A second manipulation of reward size (number of snack units available for purchase) further suggested that a multiplicative gain mechanism supports the transformation of valuation during laboratory craving. These findings help explain how real-world food craving can result in behaviors inconsistent with preferences expressed in the absence of craving and open a path for the computational modeling of craving-like phenomena using a simple and repeatable experimental tool for assessing subjective states in economic terms.

Cadmium and lead in cocoa powder and chocolate products in the US Market.

Cocoa powder and chocolate products are known to sometimes contain cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) from environmental origins. A convenience sample of cocoa powder, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and cocoa nib products was purchased at retail in the US and analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to assess Cd and Pb concentrations. Cd and Pb were evaluated in relation to the percent cocoa solids and to the reported origin of the cocoa powder and chocolate products. Cd ranged from 0.004 to 3.15 mg/kg and Pb ranged from

Dissociation from beloved unhealthy brands decreases preference for and consumption of vegetables.

Many people form strong bonds with brands, including those for unhealthy foods. Thus, prompting people to dissociate from beloved but unhealthy food brands is an intuitively appealing means to shift consumption away from unhealthy options and toward healthy options. Contrary to this position, we demonstrate that dissociating from unhealthy but beloved brands diminishes people's interest in consuming vegetables because the dissociation depletes self-regulatory resources. Across three experimental studies, we manipulate dissociation from two beloved brands both implicitly (studies 1-2) and explicitly (study 3) and observe effects on both preference for vegetables (studies 2-3) and actual vegetable consumption (study 1). In study 1, participants consumed fewer vegetables following dissociation from (vs. association with) a beloved candy brand. Study 2 demonstrates that the effect of depletion on preference for vegetables is more pronounced for those who strongly identify with the brand, as these individuals are most depleted by the dissociation attempt. Finally, study 3 illustrates that the difficulty experienced when trying to dissociate from beloved brands drives the observed effects on vegetable preference and consumption for those who strongly (vs. weakly) identify with the brand.

Energy and nutrient density of foods in relation to their carbon footprint.

BACKGROUND: A carbon footprint is the sum of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) associated with food production, processing, transporting, and retailing. OBJECTIVE: We examined the relation between the energy and nutrient content of foods and associated GHGEs as expressed as g CO2 equivalents. DESIGN: GHGE values, which were calculated and provided by a French supermarket chain, were merged with the Composition Nutritionnelle des Aliments (French food-composition table) nutrient-composition data for 483 foods and beverages from the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Foods were aggregated into 34 food categories and 5 major food groups as follows: meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, frozen and processed fruit and vegetables, grains, and sweets. Energy density was expressed as kcal/100 g. Nutrient density was determined by using 2 alternative nutrient-density scores, each based on the sum of the percentage of daily values for 6 or 15 nutrients, respectively. The energy and nutrient densities of foods were linked to log-transformed GHGE values expressed per 100 g or 100 kcal. RESULTS: Grains and sweets had lowest GHGEs (per 100 g and 100 kcal) but had high energy density and a low nutrient content. The more-nutrient-dense animal products, including meat and dairy, had higher GHGE values per 100 g but much lower values per 100 kcal. In general, a higher nutrient density of foods was associated with higher GHGEs per 100 kcal, although the slopes of fitted lines varied for meat and dairy compared with fats and sweets. CONCLUSIONS: Considerations of the environmental impact of foods need to be linked to concerns about nutrient density and health. The point at which the higher carbon footprint of some nutrient-dense foods is offset by their higher nutritional value is a priority area for additional research.

Coffee and chocolate in danger.

As a rapidly growing global consumer base appreciates the pleasures of coffee and chocolate and health warnings are being replaced by more encouraging sounds from medical experts, their supply is under threat from climate change, pests and financial problems. Coffee farmers in Central America, in particular, are highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change, made worse by financial insecurity. Michael Gross reports.

Determination of caffeine, myosmine, and nicotine in chocolate by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

The occurrence of the bioactive components caffeine (xanthine alkaloid), myosmine and nicotine (pyridine alkaloids) in different edibles and plants is well known, but the content of myosmine and nicotine is still ambiguous in milk/dark chocolate. Therefore, a sensitive method for determination of these components was established, a simple separation of the dissolved analytes from the matrix, followed by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS/MS). This is the first approach for simultaneous determination of caffeine, myosmine, and nicotine with a convenient SPME technique. Calibration curves were linear for the xanthine alkaloid (250 to 3000 mg/kg) and the pyridine alkaloids (0.000125 to 0.003000 mg/kg). Residuals of the calibration curves were lower than 15%, hence the limits of detection were set as the lowest points of the calibration curves. The limits of detection calculated from linearity data were for caffeine 216 mg/kg, for myosmine 0.000110 mg/kg, and for nicotine 0.000120 mg/kg. Thirty samples of 5 chocolate brands with varying cocoa contents (30% to 99%) were analyzed in triplicate. Caffeine and nicotine were detected in all samples of chocolate, whereas myosmine was not present in any sample. The caffeine content ranged from 420 to 2780 mg/kg (relative standard deviation 0.1 to 11.5%) and nicotine from 0.000230 to 0.001590 mg/kg (RSD 2.0 to 22.1%).

Improving halva quality with dietary fibres of sesame seed coats and date pulp, enriched with emulsifier.

Supplementation of halva with waste products of manufacturing, for example defatted sesame seed coats (testae) and date fibre concentrate, can improve its nutritional and organoleptic qualities. These constituents provide high fibre content and technological potential for retaining water and fat. Standard halva supplemented with date fibre concentrate, defatted sesame testae and emulsifier was evaluated for oil separation, texture and colour changes, sensory qualities and acceptability to a taste panel. Addition of both fibres with an emulsifier, improved emulsion stability and increased the hardness of halva significantly. The functional properties of sesame testae and date fibres promote nutrition and health, supplying polyphenol antioxidants and laxative benefits.

Sorbate and benzoate in Turkish retail foodstuffs.

From 2008 to 2011, surveys were conducted to determine the levels of benzoic and sorbic acids and their respective salts in 983 retail food samples which included sauces, vegetable and fruit preparations, flavoured syrups, food supplements, cereals, bakery products, jelly, synthetic cream, sprays, mustards, jam and preserves, molasses, chewing gum, confectionery, non-alcoholic beverages, tea, wine, vinegar, brine and beers. The analysis involved methanol extraction of the foodstuff and direct determination by HPLC with UV detection. Quality assurance was employed with each batch of samples. Accuracy was ensured through regular participation in proficiency tests. Over this four-year period, a total of 23 samples (2.3%), some syrups, tomato sauces and fruit contained individual or combined levels of sorbic and benzoic acids above regulatory limits. Unauthorised use of benzoic acid was also detected in a syrup sample, bakery products and fruit preserves.

Confectionery coating with an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) system.

UNLABELLED: In the confectionery coating industry, hard butters are frequently used as cocoa butter replacers. An electrohydrodynamic (EHD) system, which forms fine droplets with a relatively narrow size distribution, may be beneficial in confectionery coating to produce more even coverage. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of lecithin content and fat type on electrical resistivity and apparent viscosity, and the effect of these variables under EHD (25kV) and non-EHD coating on droplet size, width of coating area, thickness, and minimum flow rate to produce complete coverage. Total of 3 different types of fat were used: cocoa butter, cocoa butter equivalent, and lauric butter. As lecithin content increased, resistivity and apparent viscosity decreased, except all samples showed a local apparent viscosity minimum at 0.5% lecithin. EHD coating was more efficient than non-EHD as a smaller droplet size and thinner coating was formed. Due to repulsive forces between the like-charges on the droplets during EHD, it spread over wider areas which lead to a higher minimum flow rate to get complete coverage. Under EHD, increasing resistivity significantly increased the droplet size, but only at the highest resistivities. There was no correlation between resistivity and droplet size or width of coating under non-EHD. The width of coating under EHD decreased significantly as resistivity increased. Thickness and minimum flow rate to produce complete coverage, significantly correlated to resistivity, for EHD coating, and to apparent viscosity, for 2 of the 3 fat types during both EHD and non-EHD. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) spraying offers great potential improvement to the food industry especially in the confectionery area. From the quality point of view, EHD offers greater and more complete coverage than non-EHD coating. From the economic point of view, lower cost can be achieved for coated food because during EHD, smaller droplet size and thinner coating is produced.

Concentrations of selected metals in candies and chocolates consumed in southern Nigeria.

Results are presented for the determination of levels of Ca, Cd, Ni, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn, Zn Fe, Co and Mg in candies and chocolates consumed in southern Nigeria. Mean concentrations of metals in both confectionaries ranged 7.7-1405.2 µg/g¹ for Ca, <0.001-0.2 µg/g for Cd, 1.4-7.9 µg/g for Ni, 0.4-3.0 µg/g for Cr, <0.08-2.3 µg/g for Pb, 0.4-12.6 µg/g for Mn, 0.6-8.0 µg/g for Zn, 1.7-12.3 µg/g for Fe, <0.05-1.49 µg/g for Co, and 8.4-576.1 µg/g for Mg. The data showed that that these metals are not present at harmful levels. Concentrations of nickel and chromium were slightly elevated but were comparable to levels reported in similar food items elsewhere in the world.

Greater effectiveness of daily iron supplementation scheme in infants.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of weekly and daily schemes of preventive supplementation with supplementary iron to prevent iron deficiency anemia in non-anemic infants. METHODS: A prospective population study with a quantitative approach and preventive intervention was performed in the city of Viçosa, Southeastern Brazil, in 2007-8. A total of 103 non-anemic children, aged between six and 18 months of age, were selected, corresponding to 20.2% of the children registered with and cared for by Equipes de Saúde da Família (Family Health Teams). Children were divided into two supplementation groups: daily dosage recommended by the Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria (Brazilian Society of Pediatrics) (group 1, n=34) and weekly dosage recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health (group 2, n=69). Assessments were made in the beginning of the study and after six months, with hemoglobin dosage (portable ss-Hemoglobin-meter) and anthropometric and dietary assessments being performed and socioeconomic questionnaire applied. Impact indicators used were prevalence of anemia, hemoglobin variation, adherence to and side effects of supplements. RESULTS: Groups were homogeneous in terms of socioeconomic, biological and before-intervention health variables. After six months of supplementation, higher means of hemoglobin were found in group 1 than in group 2 (11.66; SD=1.25 and 10.95; SD=1.41, respectively, p=0.015); in addition to lower prevalences of anemia (20.6% and 43.5%, respectively, p=0.04). Only 'supplementation time' influenced severe anemia (p=0.009). Statistically significant differences were not found for the 'adherence to supplementation' and 'side effects' variables. CONCLUSIONS: The daily dosage recommended by the Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria was found to be more effective to prevent anemia in infants, when compared to the dosage used by the Ministry of Health. The weekly dosage recommended by the Brazilian government program needs to be reviewed to increase the effectiveness of prevention of anemia in infants cared for in public health services.