Search

Nutrition Literacy (NL) positively impacts diet quality and has the potential to promote health and prevent nutrition-related chronic diseases. Brazil is one of the countries with the highest rates of nutrition-related chronic diseases. Nevertheless, in Brazil, few studies have explored the NL levels of its population. To provide remote access to the Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument for Brazilians (NLit-Br) and assess Brazilian bank employees, we conducted a study to estimate the validity of the NLit-Br online and to investigate whether bank employees have an adequate NL level. In the first step, we randomly assigned 21 employees from three financial institution branches to two groups to complete NLit-Br paper and online versions. After an interval period, both groups completed the NLit-Br with an opposite delivery method (paper vs. online). We compared the validity of the digital and paper versions of the NLit-Br by the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), and the reliability by Kuder–Richardson formula 20. Second, we evaluated 1174 bank employees using the NLit-Br online version. We found an excellent absolute agreement (ICC ≥ 0.75) between the paper and online versions. The questionnaire had good internal consistency (KR-20 = 0.64). The sample was characterized as mostly male (61.0%), married/cohabitant (73.8%), and white (69.8%), with high household income (85.2%), and graduated or postgraduate (97.4%). The mean age of the population was 42.1 (SD = 7.6) years. Subjects predominantly had possibly inadequate NL (62.3%). The online NLit-Br total score was significantly associated with gender, age, and household income (p < 0.05). Women and individuals with higher incomes had a higher degree of NL. Subjects over 50 years old had a lower degree of NL. There was no significant association between the NLit-Br score and the participants’ education. The NLit-Br online is a valid instrument to assess NL remotely. The population studied showed a high prevalence of inadequacy of the NL. Therefore, there is a need for targeted actions to improve the NL of bank employees.

This study aimed to analyze the content of the District Food and Nutrition Policy’s public consultation, present the participants’ profiles, and report the systematization of the analysis performed. This is a documentary, exploratory, cross-sectional study with a qualitative and quantitative approach. The initial sample consisted of 115 inputs, with 59 exclusions and 56 retained for the content analysis described by Bardin and multivariate analysis by frequency (p

The present study aimed to verify the instrument’s reliability and validity for assessing children and adolescents’ risk perception, knowledge, and food safety practices in the school context. Moreover, it aimed to test the hypothesis that both application methods (paper and pencil (PAPI) and online) are valid. The instrument comprised three questionnaires and followed a strict protocol to combine online and PAPI models, resulting in five application forms. The sample consisted of 439 Brazilian students from 10 to 14 years old (y/o). The results related to reliability and validity indicated that the knowledge questionnaire presented adequate stability and discriminant validity coefficients. The self-reported practices questionnaire obtained acceptable coefficients of stability and internal consistency. Regarding risk perception data, it was observed that students attribute a low probability of Foodborne Diseases (FBD) outbreaks occurrence and low severity of possible symptoms. In addition, students demonstrated insufficient knowledge and inadequate practices on issues related to failures associated with the time and temperature of preparation, storage, and exposure of food, contamination of food, and consumption of unsafe food. In this context, the reproducibility and validity indices need to be interpreted and discussed correctly, and young people in food safety actions are a priority in facing FBD.

Scope review to summarize evidence on the process of formulating public policies on food and nutrition.

The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize lactic acid bacteria with probiotic potential in silages of different species of forage plants, cocoa beans, and artisanal salami. The obtained isolates were submitted to the following evaluations: (i) screening for tolerance to pH 2 and bile salts, (ii) genotypic identification of isolates, (iii) survival in simulated gastric and pancreatic conditions, (iv) antimicrobial activity, (v) antibiotic susceptibility and safety, and (vi) properties associated with adhesion capacity. A total of 82 isolates were obtained and were screened for pH 2.0 tolerance and capacity to growth in the presence of bile salts (1.0 and 2.0%). Only 19 strains simultaneously presented tolerance to pH 2.0 and bile salts. These 19 strains were evaluated for genetic profile by Box-PCR. Subsequently, the selected strains were subjected to partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The species Lactobacillus plantarum was prevalent. The identified strains were evaluated for survival under simulated gastric and pancreatic conditions. Some strains have shown tolerance in both conditions. Different strains showed variations in antimicrobial activity, susceptibility to antibiotics, and properties associated with adhesion (hydrophobicity, autoaggregation, coaggregation, and adhesion to CaCo2 cells). All strains were negative for hemolysis, DNase, gelatinase, and biogenic amine synthesis activity. The L. plantarum SBR64.7 strain can be considered the most promising for it presented the lowest viability reduction when exposed to gastric and pancreatic juices.

The school meal promotes healthy eating habits through nutritionally adequate preparations. Consequently, it prevents obesity and malnutrition, favoring learning. This systematic review aimed at investigating the methods for evaluating the acceptance of school menus offered by school feeding programs (SFPs) around the world. Specific search strategies were conducted on PubMed, Lilacs, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Global. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Meta-Analysis Statistical Assessment and Review Instrument. A total of 89 studies were included. The countries with the highest number of studies were Brazil (n = 42), South Korea (n = 13), and the United States (n = 12). The most used methods (69.66%) were numerical scales, with a higher prevalence for the 5-point scale (50.56%). Other methods included questionnaires and/or interviews with objective and/or subjective questions (44.94%); and mathematical formulas and/or visual estimates evaluating the consumption of food and leftovers (40.45%). The prevalent use of the 5-point hedonic scale may be due to its low cost, simplicity, ease of elaboration, application speed, and student understanding. Mathematical formulas and/or visual estimation were used by about 40% of the studies, but it is difficult to compare studies.

The consumption of green banana (GB) products is booming because of their nutritional and physiological benefits to human health. However, there have been no studies on the quality of these products after they are processed and stored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether production and storage affect the sensory and physicochemical characteristics of green banana biomass (GBB). We performed microbiological tests (total coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella spp., aerobic psychrotrophic bacteria, molds, yeasts, and Staphylococcus aureus); centesimal composition analysis (moisture, protein, ash, lipid, and fiber); and vitamin C, total phenolic content, and resistant starch analysis using official methods. The tests were performed on GBB samples (pressure-cooked for 5 or 10 min) that were stored in freezing (−12 °C) or refrigerated conditions (4 °C). We evaluated the color using a ColorQuestXE Spectrophotometer, and we conducted sensory analysis by the Check-all-that-apply test. We then used statistical tests to analyze the data. Five-minute pressure-cooking preserved the functional components, such as vitamin C, phenolic content, and fiber, better than the longer cooking process (10 min). There was no difference in acceptance attributes between the two cooking times. Refrigeration was better than frozen storage for vitamin C and fiber content, but it did not affect the resistant starch and phenolic content. Refrigerated GBB had the best sensory test results for flavor, texture, and overall acceptance. The refrigerated storage of GBB seems to be the best option for consumer acceptance and maintenance of nutrients and bioactive compounds (vitamin C, resistant starch, and phenolic content).

This study aimed to test the validity of the cross-cultural adapted Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument for Brazilians (NLit-Br). An observational cross-sectional study was performed in chronic disease clinics from the Brazilian Public Health System in two phases: (1) linguistic and cultural adaptation and (2) validity testing. Six registered dietitians and thirty adult patients diagnosed with at least one chronic disease participated in the study using the nutrition literacy assessment instrument (NLit-Br) and the short assessment of health literacy for Portuguese-speaking adults (SAHLPA-18). Sample descriptive variables: age, sex, race, income, education, and occupation. To adapt the instrument to the Brazilian Portuguese and Brazilian culture, we tested cognitive interviewing and the Scale Content Validity Index (S-CVI) with a group of dietitians and patients. To test the tool’s validity, health literacy (SAHLPA-18) was used as a construct that presents similarities and differences with nutrition literacy (NLit-Br). The correlation of NLit-Br and the SAHLPA-18 was tested (Spearman’s Rho). Internal consistency was measured by Kuder–Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20). The NLit-Br content validity (S-CVI = 0.85) and internal consistency (KR-20 = 0.868) were confirmed. Additionally, NLit-Br presented a significant and robust correlation with SAHLPA-18 (r = 0.665, p < 0.001). Therefore, the NLit-Br was considered a linguistic, cultural, and valid instrument to measure Brazilian’s nutrition literacy.

Food waste (FW) is a current, complex, and widely debated issue in various spheres of society. Globally, about 2.6 trillion dollars per year is lost because of wasted food. Part of FW is preventable, and it is necessary to identify where it occurs. In most cases, FW occurs at the end of the production chain (meal preparation and distribution). Identifying the main food service failures on FW is important for developing efficient strategies for reducing them. Therefore, this study aimed to perform a narrative review of the impacts caused by FW in food services considering the three dimensions of sustainability (social, economic, or environmental). Multiple reasons were identified in this review that impacts those three dimensions, such as the cost of wasted raw material, use of cleaning material, the energy consumption, salary of food handlers, the water footprint, the amounts of rest-intake, production waste, energy density wasted, use of organic food, and food donation. Identifying these aspects can contribute to reduce FW impacts for better sustainable development, develop tools to measure FW, and assist food service managers in minimizing FW.

In the fight against foodborne diseases, expanding access to information for different groups is needed. In this aspect, it is crucial to evaluate the target audience’s particularities. This study constructed and validated an instrument containing three questionnaires to identify the level of knowledge, practices, and risk perception of food safety by low-income students between 11 and 14 years old. The following steps were used: systematic search of the databases, conducting and analyzing focus groups, questionnaires development, and questionnaires analysis. After two judges’ rounds, the final version was reached with 11 knowledge items, 11 practice items, and five risk perception items. The content validation index values were higher than 0.80. The adopted methodology considered the students’ understanding and perceptions, as well the appropriate language to be used. Besides, it allowed the development of questionnaires that directly and straightforwardly covers the rules set by the World Health Organization for foodborne disease control called Five Keys to Safer Food (keep clean, separate raw and cooked, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures, and use safe water and raw materials). Its use can result in a diagnosis for elaborating educational proposals and other actions against foodborne illness in the most vulnerable population.

This study aimed to associate Eating Competence (EC) with food consumption and health outcomes in the Brazilian adult population. Researchers developed a questionnaire to associate EC with sociodemographic information, health outcomes, and food consumption. Data on body weight and height was referred to by participants in the questionnaire, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated and classified. A question to evaluate the perception of body size was included. After constructing the questionnaire items, content validation and semantic evaluation were performed following the Delphi method with a group of judges composed of 26 health professionals. The judges evaluated the sociodemographic information, health outcomes, and food consumption items associated with the eating competence instrument (previously validated in Brazilian-Portuguese). The final version of the questionnaire was composed of 33 items. Our results confirmed good reliability, responsiveness, and internal consistency. A total of 1810 Brazilians answered the questionnaire. Most of the participants were female, up to 40 years old, with a high education level and high income. Most of the participants did not report diabetes or hypertension. The EC total score did not differ among males and females. Individuals up to 40 years old presented a lower total score. The increase in educational level and income also increased EC total score. Excess weight individuals showed lower EC compared to the normal weight/underweight. Individuals who consumed fruits and/or vegetables five or more days/week presented the best scores for total EC.

This study aimed to translate and validate the Satter Eating Competence Inventory (ecSI2.0TM) from English to Brazilian Portuguese. The process included three steps: (i) translation and back-translation of the original ecSI2.0TM to Brazilian Portuguese; (ii) evaluation of its reproducibility; (iii) a pilot study to validate the Brazilian version of the Satter Eating Competence Inventory (ecSI2.0TMBR) for a selected sample of the Brazilian adult population (internal consistency and factor validity). The reproducibility (test–retest reliability) was verified using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) obtained by the responses of 32 Brazilian adults. All domains of the ecSI2.0TMBR and the total score showed ICC > 0.8. Considering the entire questionnaire, none of the domains presented significant divergences among the participants’ responses (p < 0.001). In the pilot study with 662 individuals, 74.9% (n= 496) were female, mean age was 40.33 ± 12.55, and they presented a higher level of schooling and income. Analyses revealed Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0.869 for the ecSI2.0TMBR total scale, 0.793 for Eating Attitudes, 0.527 for Internal Regulation, 0.728 for Food Acceptance, and 0.822 for Contextual Skills. In general, the ecSI2.0™BR presented good acceptability, showing total floor and ceiling effects of ≤0.6%. Factor validity was examined by confirmatory factor analysis. The four domains presented a good fit in the confirmatory factor analysis: RMSEA = 0.0123 (95% CI: 0–0.0266); CFI = 0.998; χ2 = 75.9; df = 69; p = 0.266. The ecSI2.0TMBR is the first tool designed to measure eating competence (EC) in the Brazilian population, showing good reproducibility and internal consistency. We expect the ecSI2.0TMBR will support innovative research to investigate the association of EC and health outcomes, as well as new strategies based on emerging behavioral theories to enhance nutritional education policy.

The menu offered in restaurants must meet different aspects of quality. Cultural elements are related to their acceptance and can contribute to the preservation of habits, sustainable agricultural systems, and the maintenance of biodiversity and sustainability, among other factors. In this context, this research proposes an instrument for classifying menus regarding the presence/absence of regional foods called the identifier of regional foods presence (IRFP) as a new perspective to evaluate sustainable menus. For this, lists of regional preparations and ingredients were prepared for each Brazilian region. Sequentially, we submitted the dishes/ingredients to a developed decision tree for the classification of foods into regional or national foods. The score, based on the presence/absence of regional foods, considered the components of a menu, with zero attributed to a lack of regional ingredients/dishes. For national dishes/ingredients, researchers attributed a minimum score equal to ten. One regional food gave a score of50 to the menu, and with more than one regional food, a daily menu scored 100. The final menu evaluation was based on the mean scores of the menus in each restaurant. Scores between 0–49.9 were considered inadequate; 50–74.9, adequate; and excellent between 75–100. The IRFP was applied to 111 menus with data collected from all the offered dishes. In total, the study evaluated data from 774 recipes from the menus of 37 restaurants located in the five Brazilian regions with a similar operating system. ANOVA was used to verify if there was a statistical difference between the mean score of each Brazilian region (p < 0.05). The average score obtained by the IRFP in menus from Brazilian community restaurants was 80.3 ± 30.9 (excellent), showing a significant difference between the Northeast and Southeast Regions, with a more significant presence of regional foods in the Northeast (87.7 ± 28.7). The use of the IRFP in menus was shown to be easy in its application, contributing to a stimulation of the use of regional items and, consequently, to the direct and indirect benefits generated for the food system and the local population.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of chia gel after different conditions of storage as an egg replacer in chocolate cake. Chia gel was made in a proportion of 1:10, cooked (100⁰C), for ...

We evaluated if foodservices (members of the Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants) adopt the proposed procedures of the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and the Sanitation Standa...

The consumption of raw vegetables is related to health benefits. However, these foods might be source of foodborne diseases. The objective of the present study was to perform a microbiological and parasitological evaluation of the leafy vegetables commercially sold in five regions of Brazil at public wholesale markets. The 12 types of leafy vegetables (144 samples) were curly lettuce, looseleaf lettuce, red lettuce, chives, coriander, kale, basil, arugula, parsley, iceberg lettuce, chicory, and bean sprouts. The prevalences of total coliforms (88 to 100%) and thermotolerant coliforms (37 to 100%) were high, but Salmonella was not detected in any of the analyzed samples. All open markets sold vegetables contaminated with enteroparasites, mainly Entamoeba sp., Balantidium coli, Strongyloides sp., Ascaris sp., Enterobius vermicularis, and Ancylostomidae. Contamination was detected in all the regions (north, northeast, central west, southeast, and south) and types of vegetables, with higher prevalences in the northeast region, mainly in basil, lettuce, and chives. Contamination of vegetables by potentially pathogenic microorganisms is a national problem, and the distribution centers should improve quality control of these commercial vegetables. Considering the high frequency of enteroparasites and bacteria and the potential risk of disease transmitted by vegetables, we suggest greater enforcement of the sanitary surveillance of food offered to the public.

Green banana puree (GBP) was used to replace fat at different levels (0%–100%) in pound cakes, followed by sugar reduction (0%–50%). Sensory profile by Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) tests and acceptance were applied to settle the best formulation in each step. The cakes with the best acceptances were characterized by physical and textural analyses. GPB cakes with sugar reductions of 20% and 40% showed the highest acceptance. According to CATA, replacing fat with GBP causes changes in color, slice size, compaction, and some attributes of odor, flavor, and texture. Sugar reduction impaired the appearance acceptance and led to a higher proportion of big alveoli, beige or dark beige color, mild taste, and wheat flour flavor. The reduction of sugar led to the increase of the cake cooking factors. The control cake sample had the lower specific volume. The cakes with GBP presented higher firmness (20%: 9.4 N; 40%: 11.2 N) and springiness (20%: 51%; 40%: 51%) than the control (6.6 N, 44.1%). GBP replacement and reduction of sugar increased luminosity, color saturation and hue angle in the crust of the product. Results indicate that GBP replacing fat is feasible at 25% with a reduction of 20% and 40% of sugar.

We evaluated the energy density (ED) of the preparations offered at community restaurants (CRs). 723 preparations offered 37 CRs were analyzed. Technical Preparation File (TPF) was compiled and the...

The objective of this study was to develop a frozen probiotic fermented milk enriched with Green Banana Biomass (GBB). L. paracasei LBC81 survival in frozen fermented milk was determined at on the 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of storage at −18°C. The survival of L. paracasei LBC81 was also evaluated during the application of successive freezing and thawing cycles, and also when exposed to acid stress (pH 3.0) and bile salts (0.3%). In terms of L. paracasei LBC81 survival, the incorporation of GBB in fermented milk did not significantly compromise (p > .05) the viability of this strain over the 28 days of storage, exposure to freezing and thawing cycles and during exposure to acid stress conditions and by the presence of bile salts. We have concluded that it is possible to develop a frozen probiotic fermented milk enriched with GBB. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The shelf life of fermented milk is of only 28 days, because the microorganism continues to grow under refrigerated conditions and, consequently, the acidity of the product increases. In addition to affecting sensory acceptance, acidity also compromises the survival of potential probiotic culture. Thus, the development of frozen fermented milk enriched with green banana biomass is an alternative to extending the product shelf life during the storage period. This extension of the shelf life of frozen fermented milk enriched with GBB will also be subject to maintenance of the population of L. paracasei between 10⁶ to 10⁸ CFU/g of the product, in order to ensure consumer health benefits.

This study aimed to (i) compare the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices (KAP) and observed food safety practices of food truck (FT) food handlers, (ii) evaluate the microbiological quality of food and water samples collected from these vehicles, and (iii) establish a score classification for the KAP instrument according to the food contamination probability assessment. This study was conducted in three stages with 40 food truck food handlers conveniently sampled in the Federal District, Brazil, through structured interviews, application of an observational checklist for the assessment of handlers&rsquo, practices and the collection of food and water samples for determination of microbiological quality. FTs that are likely to exhibit food contamination and are at a high risk of foodborne diseases if at least one of the following situations occur: (1) if a food handler scores &le, 6 in the knowledge section, (2) if a food handler scores &le, 5 in the attitudes section, or (3) if a food handler scores &le, 6 in the self-reported practices section. On the other hand, FTs in which handlers score higher than the cutoff points in all the sections are unlikely to exhibit food contamination and are at a low risk of foodborne diseases. The findings of this study are the first step to understand food handlers&rsquo, point of view and the initial diagnosis to guide educational strategies in the FT sector.

This study aimed to investigate food truck consumers&rsquo, profile, choices, preferences, and food safety importance perception. We conducted structured interviews with a convenient sample of 133 food truck consumers in the Federal District, Brazil. Most of the participating consumers were married (52%) and female (56%), who had completed at least tertiary school (81%). The interviews revealed that most food truck consumers eat from food trucks once or twice a week (96%), usually near home (74%), and have an average per capita expenditure of approximately US $5 to US $9.99 (70%). Hamburgers and sandwiches are the most popular food among consumers (72%). Consumers indicated that taste (30%) was the most important reason to choose a food truck and that poor vehicle hygiene (30%) was the main point assigned for not opting for a food truck. Food hygiene and vendors&rsquo, personal hygiene were considered important by consumers when eating from food trucks (78% and 80%, respectively). Considering all food truck consumers interviewed and the questions about food safety importance perception, the minimum score was 1 and the maximum was 2.9, with a mean score of 1.68 (SD = 0.46), indicating a high level of perceived importance. The instrument of food safety importance perception presented a Cronbach&rsquo, s alpha coefficient of 0.73, indicating good internal consistency. No significant differences were observed in the food safety importance perception scores in gender (0.192), marital status (0.418), level of education (0.652) or food safety training (0.166). However, significant differences were found in the food safety importance perception scores for age (0.026) and the presence of children (0.001). The findings of this study indicate that there remains the need for consumers to comprehend their role in the food supply chain. Food safety and food handling practices are of public concern, and strategies are required to prevent foodborne diseases. Future public health interventions aiming to increase consumer knowledge and awareness of food safety should be emphasized.

This study aimed to develop an Eco-Inefficiency (Ely) formula to verify the cost of the economic, environmental, and social impact of waste, applicable to food services (FS). Six stages were performed: identification of the terms that characterize food waste, definition of constructs influenced by food waste, identification of the variables that make up each construct, indicators capable of measuring the impact generated by food waste, definition of the mathematical formula, and EIy pilot test. The formula was based on eco-efficiency but focused on food waste. The constructs were translated into three dimensions of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic. Researchers created a score for the dimensions and the entire evaluation, based on a literature review. Water footprint, cleaning material, food production waste, the amount of rest-intake, and the amount of distribution leftover were evaluated on the environmental impact. The economic dimension variables were energy consumption to produce the wasted food, cost of raw material used in wasted food, and food handlers’ wages for the economic impact measurement. The social impact variables were: energy density (ED), rest-intake (kcal/g), distribution of leftover ED (kcal/g), use of organic food, and food surpluses’ donation. With an EIy application in each item, we have the item’s score in each dimension. The higher value of an item, the higher is its influence on the dimension, allowing us to identify those with the most significant impact in the restaurant. The Environmental dimension presented the most significant problems in the assessed scenario. The eco-inefficiency formula identifies food waste’s main critical points, allowing us to trace strategies to reduce food waste.

This study evaluated the in vitro effect of 3.0, 6.0, and 9.0% of green banana pulp (GBP) incorporation in fermented milk on the survival of Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei LBC 81 subjected to acid stress conditions and in the presence of bile salts. Tolerance to acid stress in pH 2.0 and in the presence of 0.30% of bile salts was evaluated right after the incorporation of the fermented milk in each of these conditions, and also during 3 and 4 h of exposure, respectively. The addition of GBP (3.0%) gives a protective effect on L. paracasei LBC 81 when exposed to stress conditions evaluated, while of 9.0% there is a marked decrease of L. paracasei LBC 81. In the absence of GBP, a decrease of L. paracasei LBC 81 is observed, but lower in the presence of GBP (9.0%).

This study aimed to validate an evaluation instrument for food trucks (FTs) regarding its internal consistency and to establish a score classification according to the food contamination probability assessment. The instrument was applied in 44 food trucks (convenience sample), along with microbial analysis, in the Federal District, Brazil. After its application, sample collection and statistical analysis, the evaluation instrument was reduced to a 22-item final version. FTs were divided into three groups according to their ready-to-eat foods. Food trucks from Group A (hot and cold sandwiches) presented the highest percentage of contamination. The lowest percentage of contamination was observed in food trucks from Group C (regional and international cuisine). The application of the validated evaluation instrument to the 44 food trucks revealed that none achieved 100% adequacy. The reproducibility analysis exhibited an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) value of 0.780 (CI 95%: 0.597, 0.880), indicating good reproducibility of the instrument. The reliability assessment presented a Kuder&ndash, Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20) value of 0.627 and a Cronbach&rsquo, s alpha coefficient of 0.634, indicating good internal consistency. The proposed classification score was obtained by assigning 1 point for each item with an inadequate response, and the final score may vary between 0 and 20 points. Food trucks with up to 11 points exhibit low probability of contamination and low risk of foodborne diseases, while food trucks scoring 12 or more points exhibit a high probability of contamination and high risk of foodborne diseases. The evaluation instrument will allow effective assessment of the hygienic&ndash, sanitary practices and conditions of food trucks and potentially ensure consumers&rsquo, access to safe food.

Despite the growing demand for green banana (GB) products, there is no review study regarding their potential health benefits. We aimed to compare the health benefits among different GB products by a systematic review. We researched six electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) from inception to March 2019. We found 1009 articles in these databases. After duplicate removal, we screened 732 articles’ titles and abstracts, and selected 18 potentially relevant studies for full-text reading. We added five records from the reference list of the fully-read articles and seven suggested by the expert. Twelve articles were excluded. In the end, 18 studies were considered for this systematic review. Ten studies were conducted with green banana flour and eight with the green banana pulp/biomass. Most of the GB health benefits studied were related to the gastrointestinal symptoms/diseases, followed by the glycemic/insulin metabolism, weight control, and renal and liver complications associated to diabetes. Only one study did not confirm the health benefit proposed. It is necessary to standardize the GB dose/effect to different age groups and different health effects considering the GB variety and ripeness level. Further studies are necessary to present better detailing of GB product and their health effects considering all the raw-material characteristics.

The rise of food trucks as an eating out option requires knowledge of this sector. Balancing the reality of the food truck sector with access to safe food should guide actions and public policies to cater to its peculiarities. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the Brazilian food truck vendors’ profile regarding their socioeconomic status and compliance with food safety rules. From the 118 food truck vendors registered in the Brazilian Federal District, 30% (n = 35) participated in the study. We conducted structured interviews from December 2017 to April 2018. We ranked compliance levels according to a five-point Likert scale based on calculated compliance scores. The interviews revealed that food truck vendors were mostly married males, who had completed at least a tertiary education level, and wanted to start up their own businesses. The compliance levels depict good compliance with food safety rules (overall compliance (OC)-score = 0.69, on a 0 to 1 scale). The food trucks assessed in this study distinguished themselves from the street food and food retail sectors due to their operational structure and the complexity of food production processes. Those particular features should be considered to ensure adequate and effective sanitary control and inspections, as well as to reduce the probability of microbial growth and food contamination and the consequent risk of foodborne illnesses.

Gluten cross-contamination in gluten-free food may jeopardize treatment of celiac patients. Considering the deficit of appropriate instruments to enable the implementation of safe production practices for gluten-free food, this study aimed to evaluate the application of a check-list elaborated for gluten cross-contamination prevention in food services. The instrument was applied in 60 Brazilian food services. Interobserver reproducibility and internal consistency of the check-list were tested. A score classification was created for establishments according to the food contamination risk assessment. Subsequent to the application and statistical analysis, the original instrument was reduced to a 30-item check-list. In the reproducibility analysis, none of the 30 items showed significant divergence among the evaluators (p &gt, 0.05 in the Cochran Q test). The 30-item version of the check-list presented Kuder&ndash, Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20) = 0.771, indicating good internal consistency. The proposed classification score is obtained by adding 1 point for each item with an &ldquo, adequate&rdquo, response, therefore, the final score may vary between 0 and 30 points. Establishments with up to 15 points exhibit risk of gluten contamination, while establishments with a score above 16 points exhibit low risk of contamination. The check-list displayed good reproducibility and internal consistency, suggesting that it could be a useful gluten contamination control instrument in food services.

This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of gluten contamination in naturally gluten-free meals from food services in the Federal District, Brazil. This is an exploratory cross-sectional quantitative study in which a total of 180 samples of naturally gluten-free dishes were collected from 60 food services in Brazil. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for the quantification of gluten. As established by the Codex Alimentarius, the threshold of 20 ppm of gluten was considered as the accepted upper gluten level for gluten-free food. A total of 2.8% (95% CI: 0.3–5.2%) gluten contamination was found in the samples. Among the 60 food services, 6.7% (95% CI: 2.7–10.6%) displayed at least one contaminated food in our sample. The occurrence of gluten contamination in naturally gluten-free preparations was uncommon and low on a quantitative basis.

This study aimed to explain the elaboration process of a risk-based instrument to evaluate the hygienic and sanitary conditions and grading of food services in the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Twenty-four Brazilian experts were invited for this elaboration. They were asked to determine the likelihood of different food handling situations that could lead to an outbreak. The nominal group technique was used for this purpose. A draft of the evaluation instrument was then created, based on Brazilian good manufacturing practices regulation and the opinion of the food safety experts. The draft evaluation instrument was used to evaluate 354 food services located in 10 cities that will host games as part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 141 food services in seven state capitals that will not host the games. In 25 establishments, the application of the evaluation instrument was conducted by two health surveillance auditors at the same time to measure the inter-rater reliability using the kappa statistic. For each item a raw score was determined by the experts and adjusted based on the results of a factor analysis. Approximately 55% of the items exhibited almost perfect agreement, with values between 0.81 and 1.00, and another 26% agreed substantially. The lowest raw score assigned was 10, and the highest was 240. Factor loadings ranging from 0.0001 to 0.6274 were determined for each of the items. Based on the assigned scores, the overall scores of the establishments could range from 0 (all items in compliance with the law) to 2565.95 (all items inadequate) resulting in five classification categories when using the evaluation instrument. In summary, an evaluation instrument to be applied to food services to permit the evaluation and grading of food service establishments regarding the sanitary aspects of food handling has been developed. The release of the results of the evaluation and grading of the food services has the potential to improve the food services in the areas covered by the Brazilian sanitary legislation.

Conditions associated to the consumption of gluten have emerged as a major health care concern and the treatment consists on a lifelong gluten-free diet. Providing safe food for these individuals includes adapting to safety procedures within the food chain and preventing gluten cross-contamination in gluten-free food. However, a gluten cross-contamination prevention protocol or check-list has not yet been validated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform the content validation and semantic evaluation of a check-list elaborated for the prevention of gluten cross-contamination in food services. The preliminary version of the check-list was elaborated based on the Brazilian resolution for food safety Collegiate Board Resolution 216 (RDC 216) and Collegiate Board Resolution 275 (RDC 275), the standard 22000 from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 22000) and the Canadian Celiac Association Gluten-Free Certification Program documents. Seven experts with experience in the area participated in the check-list validation and semantic evaluation. The criteria used for the approval of the items, as to their importance for the prevention of gluten cross-contamination and clarity of the wording, was the achievement of a minimal of 80% of agreement between the experts (W-values ≥ 0.8). Moreover, items should have a mean ≥4 in the evaluation of importance (Likert scale from 1 to 5) and clarity (Likert scale from 0 to 5) in order to be maintained in the instrument. The final version of the check-list was composed of 84 items, divided into 12 sections. After being redesigned and re-evaluated, the items were considered important and comprehensive by the experts (both with W-values ≥ 0.89). The check-list developed was validated with respect to content and approved in the semantic evaluation.

There are different methods, instruments, and parameters for assessing menus, but there is no consensus on which is best. Therefore, the present study sought to make a systematic review of the methods, instruments, and parameters used for analyzing menus nutritionally and sensorially. A total of 421 articles were found, but only 20 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 16 specifically described methods, instruments, and parameters used for analyzing menus of noncommercial foodservice establishments. The present review compared the data disclosed by the studies and found that the nutritional aspect was usually the only item analyzed, even though investigation parameters differ. Some factors make this task more difficult, such as the absence of specific assessment criteria. Therefore, studies that identify the various aspects of the menu and relate them are needed to elucidate the use of more extensive menu planning criteria, which will consequently benefit the population by meeting global quality standards.

Typical treatment for obesity and/or other chronic degenerative diseases should always include a dietetic approach. Diet success depends on several individual aspects, such as patient's personal motivation and attitudes; unfortunately, dietary planning does not always take into account the patient's cultural habits, which minimizes the impact of the nutritional intervention. The objective of the present study was to analyze and reduce the fat content of 10 representative recipes from Brazilian regional gastronomy, maintaining their acceptability and developing a standard protocol that could be used for improving nutritional content of any type of fat-rich traditional preparation. The recipes selected were tapioca flan (pudim de tapioca) and banana pie (torta de banana) from the northern region; hominy porridge (mungunza) and corn cake (bolo de milho verde) from the northeast region; goianian pie (empadao goiano) and cassava cake (mane pelado) from the central west region; tropeiro beans (feijao tropeiro) ...

This study aimed to develop and validate a checklist instrument as a first step for the risk assessment of the hygienic-sanitary practices and conditions of food trucks. We invited sixteen experienced experts in the food safety field to take part in the process. The checklist was designed based on the Codex Alimentarius, Brazilian resolutions Collegiate Board Resolution 216, Brazilian Collegiate Board Resolution 275, Brazilian Federal District Law no. 5.627 and Brazilian Federal District Normative Instruction 11. The preliminary version of the checklist&mdash, composed of 29 items (nine sections)&mdash, was evaluated by 13 experts. They evaluated the items regarding their importance (content validation) and clarity (semantic evaluation) by the Delphi technique. The criteria for the approval of the content validation (Likert scale from 1 to 5) and semantic evaluation (Likert scale from 0 to 5) processes were as follows: a minimum of 75% agreement among the experts (W-values &ge, 0.75) and a mean grade &ge, 4. We performed the complete validation process in three rounds. The final version of the assessment instrument comprised 39 items, following suggestions from experts to add or subdivide some questions. The checklist can be used to conduct inspections of food trucks by health surveillance auditors, of food truck vendors&rsquo, decision-making processes and also as a diagnostic tool. The application of this checklist will allow the effective risk assessment of the hygienic-sanitary practices and conditions in food trucks and potentially ensure consumers&rsquo, access to safe street food.

The aims of this study were (i) to evaluate the growth kinetic of L. paracasei LBC 81 in fermented milks enriched with green banana pulp (GBP); (ii) to evaluate the effect of the incorporation of GBP on the chemical composition and the sensory acceptance; and (iii) to study the viability of the probiotic and technological properties during refrigerated storage. The amount of GBP used were 3.0, 6.0 and 9.0 g/100 g. The results show that the higher the concentration of GBP added, the shorter the time taken to reach pH 4.6. It was observed that the incorporation of GBP did not affect negatively the viability of L. paracasei LBC 81 during storage. The fermented milk elaborated with 6.0 g/100 g of GBP was the most accepted. The present study indicates that the enrichment of fermented milk with GBP favors the stability of the probiotic strain, L. paracasei LBC 81 during storage.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo verificar a ocorrencia de enteroparasitos em HMP produzidas e comercializadas no Distrito Federal (DF). Especificamente, foram analisadas amostras de alface (crespa, lisa e roxa), rucula, couve manteiga, espinafre, ervas frescas (cebolinha, salsinha, coentro e manjericao) e brotos de feijao e alfafa.

Veronica Cortez Ginani, Eleuza Rodrigues Machado, Naara Caroline Oliveira de Souza, Roberta Figueiredo Resende Riquette. Avaliacao da Eficacia de Procedimento Adotado Para Higienizacao de Hortalicas Utilizadas em Saladas Cruas Servidas em Um Restaurante Universitario. In: Anais do 12o Congresso Latinoamericano de Microbiologia e Higiene de Alimentos MICROAL 2014 [= Blucher Food Science Proceedings, num.1, vol.1]. Sao Paulo: Editora Blucher, 2014. DOI 10.5151/foodsci-microal-208 Avaliacao da Eficacia de Procedimento Adotado Para Higienizacao de Hortalicas Utilizadas em Saladas Cruas Servidas em Um Restaurante Universitario