Processed Foods

Supermarkets have become important in food retail in both developed and developing countries. Supermarkets in developed countries are expanding to developing countries such as Latin America and Asia resulting in transformation of the agro-food systems. As elsewhere in the world, supermarkets are also expanding rapidly in Africa. The growth and expansion of supermarkets is mainly spearheaded by South African supermarkets and has been facilitated by trade liberalization, increased economic growth, positive political changes, regional integration arrangements, increased urbanisation, increased per capita income and middle class population groups and liberalization of foreign direct investment. The increased foreign direct investment (FDI) by South African supermarkets into SADC and the rest of Africa may be impacting on firms, households and the economy in the host nations in various ways. As much as the FDI by South African firms bring the much-needed capital for development, the impa...

Foods which are not regarded asbeing favourable to maintaining health is referred as unhealthy foods. The unhealthy foods  are  exposed  in  different  forms  as  junk  foods,  fast  foods,  processed  foods,  ready  to  eat  foods,  conventional  foods  and canned foods. Something useless, old and harmful to health are considered as cheat foods under unhealthy foods. The usage of these cheat foods become popular in this busy world due to quick & easy accessibility and became alternatives to time consuming food preparation methods, appealing or enjoyable but of little or no real value. There are many methods and ingredients which are  making  the  foods  unhealthy.  Being  focused  towards  the  career  oriented  and  goal  reaching  stage  by  the  people,  these unhealthy foods are getting more pampered and got a prioritized level in this unhealthy food lifestyle of modern era, which was resulted  in  many  effects  on  health  such  as  metabolic  disorders,

Food consumption pattern in India is rapidly changing from unprocessed, unbranded low quality food products to the processed, packaged products. About 200 working and 200 non-working women were selected by convenience sampling method from Nagpur City, Maharashtra, India. The data on purchasing of processed food and reading food labels was collected using interview cum questionnaire method. The results of the study showed that the average age of working women was 39.39 + 6.15 years and non-working women was 38.36 + 5.7 years. The average monthly income of working and non-working women was Rs.38,12 + 19,55 and Rs. 40,62 + 20,82 respectively. There are multiple factors that affect the consumers' behaviour towards the purchasing of processed foods. Children (21.4%) were the major users in working women category whereas all the family members (26.7%) were the major consumers of processed food from non-working women category. TV/Radio/Internet (media) were the main source of informati...

Although Mozambique has considerable agricultural potential, rural poverty remains extremely high. This paper examines the extent to which global and domestic price distortions affect agricultural production and national poverty. We develop a computable general equilibrium (CGE) and micro-simulation model of Mozambique that is linked to the results of a global model. This framework is used to examine the effects of eliminating global and national price distortions. Model results indicate that agriculture is adversely affected by current trade distortions due to policies in the rest of the world. While a removal of all merchandise trade distortions would reduce import prices, it would also raise agricultural production and reduce poverty. By contrast, removing only agricultural price distortions abroad would have little effect on Mozambique’s agricultural sector. Model results indicate that Mozambique’s own distortions are also biased against agriculture, with producers of processed ...

Fast and processed currently win around the globe. LMICs are
equally vulnerable. Educational intervention, proper public
policy planning regarding processed food, preservatives,
additives, and more research regarding overall food
consumption may be the answer for this critical health threat.

The study shows that the perceived healthfulness of processed organic foods, compared to their conventional counterparts, can be altered by slight variations in how promotional messages are framed. A sample of US organic shoppers (N = 375) was exposed to advertisements promoting processed organic (and processed conventional) foods by highlighting either virtue or vice aspects of the products. An interaction between the type of processed food (organic, non-organic) and the type of promotional message (vice, virtue) was observed. Processed organic foods were perceived as more healthful than non-organic equivalents only when advertisements emphasized vice-related aspects of the product. Following exposure to virtue-framed advertisements, organic and non-organic products were seen as equally healthful. The result was replicated conceptually using different vice and virtue products, rather than framing the same product as virtue and vice. The paper concludes by presenting theoretical, pr...

The study focused on analysing animated comics in order to exemplify the way in which children’s need for imaginative stories may perpetuate dislike towards healthy foods. Representative episodes from ten popular animated comics’ series were reviewed and all food-related scenes and accompanying comments were analysed. Scenes presenting food in its natural form, as vegetables and fruits, were found to be considerably fewer compared to those depicting processed foods. Furthermore, vegetables and fruit were sometimes presented as being unfamiliar and unappealing food items, in contrast to candy, cakes and convenience foods which were depicted as being associated with joyful events.

This research paper analyses the emerging patterns, determinants and examines the policy implication of processed food export in Nigeria from 1995 to 2014 as potential for reducing large post-harvest losses, increase in processed food export, employment generation and diversification of Nigeria's economy. The research was based on inter-cross country data based on Nigeria's performance on processed food with the use of OLS regression. The results shows a positive relationship between processed food exports and world demand which impacts economic growth development of rural areas through the provision of infrastructures. Nigerian government are urged to build infrastructures in the rural areas and processed food industries based on the specific increase their budget allocation to the agricultural sector, create enabling environment for youth to participate in this field. Acquire deemphasize the value of middle men in fertilizer distribution.

In Mexico, maize tortillas are consumed on a daily basis, leading to possible aflatoxin exposure. In a survey of 396 2-kg samples, taken over four sampling days in 2006 and 2007 from tortilla shops and supermarkets in Mexico City, aflatoxin levels were quantified by HPLC. In Mexico, the regulatory limit is 12 µg kg−1 total aflatoxins for maize tortillas. In this survey, 17% of tortillas contained aflatoxins at levels of 3–385 µg kg−1 or values below the limit of quantification (<LOQ) and, of these, 13% were >12 µg kg−1 and 87% were below the regulatory limit. Average aflatoxin concentrations in 56 contaminated samples were: AFB1 (12.1 µg kg−1); AFB2 (2.7 µg kg−1); AFG1 (64.1 µg kg−1) and AFG2 (3.7 µg kg−1), and total AF (20.3 µg kg−1).

F1rst is proud to announce our new programme, 'Processed Indian Traditional Foods Research Promotional Programme' that is aimed to encourage Masters students in food science/bioscience to pursue their PhD studies in the Processed Indian Traditional Foods area, http://firstmr.com/html/IndustryPlatforms/StudentPromotion-2016.html. 
The main ambition of this programme is to encourage excellence amongst students keeping in mind the enormous requirement of high-quality food scientists for the Indian processed food industry in the near future. 

F1rst is very happy that the industry, currently spearheaded by TATA Trusts and Nestlé, is sponsoring this very worthwhile programme and our aim is to involve more players from the food industry in the coming years to support this cause.

Exposure to excess nitrite is a potential health risk for humans. One hundred meat and processed foods and 100 vegetable samples purchased from New Zealand retail outlets were prepared as for consumption and analysed for nitrite and nitrate concentration using a standard, validated methodology. Nitrate concentrations ranged from less than the limit of detection (LOD = 5 mg kg-1) in cheddar cheese and cream cheese-based dips to 3420 mg kg-1 in lettuce. Nitrite was detected in half the processed foods and meats analysed (levels up to 119 mg kg-1), but detected in only one vegetable sample above the LOD (broccoli at 27 mg kg-1 nitrite). Concentration data were combined with 24 h dietary recall information to generate 4398 individual adult daily exposure scenarios for exogenous nitrite and nitrate including a contribution from water assessed from 1021 drinking water samples. The mean adult daily intake of exogenous nitrate and nitrite from food and water combined was 16 and 13% of the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), respectively, and therefore should not pose a health risk for the average consumer. A maximally exposed New Zealand adult is estimated to have an intake of up to seven times the ADI for nitrate. When the endogenous conversion of nitrate to nitrite is taken into account, approximately 10% of people with an average rate of conversion and half of all people with a high rate of conversion are estimated to exceed the ADI. Either the ADI is inappropriate and needs to be re-evaluated, or those individuals who have a high rate of conversion of nitrate to nitrite are at risk to adverse effects of nitrite exposure.

To raise awareness among policymakers and health practitioners about unhealthy diets, this document examines dietary patterns in selected Latin American countries using household surveys. The analysis shows that a large percentage of households in the countries examined have inadequate diets. Not only are calorie intakes higher than recommended to maintain a healthy weight, but the diets are also rich in fats, particularly saturated fats, sugars and sodium, and poor in fruits and vegetables. These unhealthy diets are present in both rural and urban areas and in households at different income levels. These dietary patterns are likely to increase the risks for developing non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancer, and diabetes mellitus. These diseases are increasingly representing the main causes of death and disability in Latin America, and thus there is an urgent need to increase efforts to promote healthy diets. There are cost-effective inter...

Processed foods or modified raw foods made by the addition of hormones, additives, preservatives, other chemical or heat treatments that alter the natural healthy enzymes, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. In comparison to raw and unprocessed foods processed foods are usually safer, durable and with high level of bioactivity of nutrients. At present, the advancement in food processing methods and techniques is necessary to meet the challenges of food security & safety, nutrition demand and availability of food at the global level. Therefore, the present review comprises the information on different aspects of food processing and the effects of food products on sustainable health of humans by means of several examples of processed foods with change in their nutritional values before
and after processing. It is also a well known fact that understanding the chemical basis, structure and texture of foods to be processed can help processing industries to develop novel food products. In support of this fact this article also deals with the future trends and possible changes in food processing industries with the combination of traditional and modern technologies to get the desired nutritional and other qualities in food.