Traditional foodstuffs and household food security in a time of crisis

Religious values and social distance as activators of norms to reduce food waste when dining out

Empirical research is required to identify psychological and psychographic factors which can activate or amplify norms of foodservice customers towards food waste reduction. By surveying 446 foodservice customers in Poland, a country with a large population of religion followers, this study examines the influence of religious values on personal norms and explores the moderating effect of social distance on injunctive norms. The results indicate that religious values do not activate personal norms directly but affect them indirectly via such mediating factors as the feeling of compassion and family upbringing. Close encounters, such as family and friends, amplify the effect of injunctive norms while distant encounters, such as fellow countrymen, do not. This suggests that measures for food waste reduction should be designed to appeal to the foodservice customers' feeling of compassion. The measures should also remind foodservice customers that their (grand)parents and friends would disprove food waste.

The Evolution of Food Security: Where Are We Now, Where Should We Go Next?

Food security is one of the most challenging topics globally; however, the concept of food security has taken on additional dimensions that are general and are less detailed. This study aims to identify the intellectual structure of food security research and the changes in this structure. This paper analyzed 3169 documents from the Web of Science database through a bibliometric review. A review of the published documents shows an increasing trend over the past 46 years. In accordance with co-occurrence analysis, 125 keywords were grouped into five clusters: food security and sustainable development; food security and socioeconomic factors; food security policy and governance; coping strategies for poverty, inequality, and hunger; and modern food security management. This study identifies four streams within food security research: sustainability and environmental, socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors. The paper concludes that even though food security might investigate many significant areas, other new dimensions should still be considered. Further gaps in the literature emerge that present avenues for future research directions. Reviewing indicators and techniques of food security assessment and identifying high-risk groups should be a priority.

Dignity in Food Aid Logistics Is Also a Knowledge Management and Digital Matter: Three Inspiring Initiatives in France

Throughout the world, including in developed countries, the COVID-19 crisis has revealed and accentuated food insecurity. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations clearly defines food security as a situation of not only availability and accessibility but also social acceptability (i.e., adequacy and sustainability). In developed countries, food security remains non-achieved at all. Notably, the so-called “little deprivation” leads the working poor to rely on food aid. We argue that even doing so, they remain food insecure: food aid is socially unacceptable because, despite their work, they are kept away from classical food access paths. In this article, we present the specificities of food aid in France and state some of its limits, namely those associated with the supply chain of donated foodstuffs. We propose a monographic study relying on a mix of firsthand material (six years of fieldwork from students with associations) and secondhand material (analysis of specialized, legal, and activity reports). We describe inspiring initiatives from three French associations and mobilize the recently published analysis of dignity construction in food aid in the United States of America to argue that dignity in food aid logistics is also a knowledge management and digital matter. Indeed, the initiatives of the three considered associations show concretely how knowledge management and digital systems can enhance dignity in food aid logistics.

Traditional fermented foods and beverages in Iraq and their potential for large-scale commercialization

The tradition of making fermented foods and beverages in Iraq dates back to 7500 BC. These fermented foods and beverages are represented by meat-, milk-, vegetable-, and fruit-based products reflecting diversity of agricultural production in ancient Iraq (Mesopotamia). Although the recipes for some fermented foods and beverages were lost throughout history, those remaining foods and beverages occupy a noticeable position in modern Iraqi cuisine. In this review, knowledge and techniques for preparation of 5 traditional fermented foods, i.e. Basturma, Smoked Liban,Aushari cheese, Turshi, and Sour Khobz, and 3 fermented beverages, i.e. Shanina, Sharbet Zbeeb, and Erk Sous in Iraq, are documented. Traditional fermented foods and beverages have multiple health benefits because of high content of probiotics and bioactive compounds. Traditional fermented foods and beverages are made using the back-slopping technique which ensures safety of production and maintains organoleptic properties. The review highlights the potential of fermented foods and beverages for their large-scale commercialization.

Cultural Factors in Disaster Response Among Diverse Children and Youth Around the World

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Disasters and traumatic events are ever present globally but disproportionally impact culturally diverse low resource environments. Culture is an important context through which people experience disasters, develop adaptive strategies, and process external aid and support. This is even more critical for children and youth who are in the process of forming their cultural/ethnic identities. This review identifies literature on these important aspects of culture in disaster response.

RECENT FINDINGS

The literature supports that culture influences the experience of disasters, the development of coping and adaptational approaches, and the acceptability of external aid and support, especially mental health services. Cultural humility, awareness, and sensitivity are crucial in addressing the traumatic impact of disasters in children and youth, especially in the areas of the world that are most at risk for them.