Knowledge of Food Production Methods Informs Attitudes toward Food but Not Food Choice in Adults Residing in Socioeconomically Deprived Rural Areas within the United Kingdom

Some 1% of the UK population derives their potable water from 140,000 private water supplies (PWSs) regulated by Local Authorities. The overwhelming majority of these are very small domestic supplies serving a single property or a small number of properties. Treatment for such supplies is rudimentary or non-existent and their microbiological quality has been shown to be poor in every published study to date. Private water supplies serving commercial enterprises such as hotels, restaurants, food production premises and factories are more frequently treated and subject to closer regulation in the United Kingdom. As a result, it has been assumed that these larger commercial supplies are less likely to experience elevated faecal indicator and pathogen concentrations at the consumer tap which have been observed at small domestic supplies. This paper reports on intensive monitoring at seven commercial private water supplies (six of which were treated) spread throughout the UK serving hotels, holiday parks and food production enterprises. Daily sampling of ‘potable’ water, both at the consumer tap and using large volume filtration for Giardia and Cryptosporidium spp. was conducted over two six week periods in the spring and autumn of 2000. This allowed the effects of short term episodic peaks in faecal indicator and pathogen concentration to be quantified. All the supplies experienced intermittent pathogen presence and only one, a chlorinated deep borehole supply, fully complied with UK water quality regulations during both periods of sampling. Poor microbiological water quality typically followed periods of heavy rainfall. This suggests that the design and installation of such systems should be undertaken only after the likely range of raw water quality has been characterised, which requires a thorough understanding of the effects of flow and seasonality on raw water quality. There is no reason to suspect that the monitored sites are uncharacteristic of other commercial supplies and the results reinforce public health concerns related to domestic supplies. Furthermore, the pattern of contamination is highly episodic, commonly lasting only a few days. Thus, the relatively infrequent regulatory monitoring of such supplies would be unlikely to identify the poor water quality episodes and does not provide the data necessary for public health protection. Although some statistical relationship was found between faecal indicator organisms and the presence of pathogens, the use of FIOs in assessments of regulatory compliance may not always provide a reliable measure of public health risk, i.e. indicator absence does not preclude pathogen presence. The results of this study suggest that a risk assessment system similar to the WHO ‘Water Safety Planning’ approach might offer a more appropriate regulatory paradigm for private water supplies.

Download Full-text

The Commercialisation of British Turkey Production

Rural History ◽

10.1017/s0956793309990057 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 209-228 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

JOHN MARTIN

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

Disease Control ◽

Mass Production ◽

Small Scale ◽

Supply Side ◽

Seasonal Activity ◽

Production Sector ◽

Production Methods ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Improved Methods

AbstractSince the 1930s turkey production in the United Kingdom has been transformed from a small scale, seasonal activity catering exclusively for the Christmas market, to an intensive mass production sector dominated by all year round producers, of which Bernard Matthews is the best known. This revolution in production methods reflects improved methods of disease control, enhanced nutritional understanding, and the development of more productive strains of turkeys with better conformation. These supply side changes have been accompanied by a succession of very successful marketing campaigns to persuade consumers of the merits of eating turkey throughout the year. This article investigates the reasons for the commercialisation of the turkey industry since the 1930s.

Download Full-text

Mapping the genetic and environmental aetiology of autistic traits in Sweden and the United Kingdom

10.1101/2020.04.14.031518 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Zoe E. Reed ◽

Henrik Larsson ◽

Claire M.A. Haworth ◽

Dheeraj Rai ◽

Sebastian Lundström ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Environmental Influences ◽

Twin Studies ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Spatial Approach ◽

Genetic And Environmental Factors ◽

The Uk

AbstractBackgroundAutistic traits are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, and are known to vary geographically in prevalence. But to what extent does their aetiology also vary from place to place?MethodsWe applied a novel spatial approach to data on autistic traits from two large twin studies, the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden (CATSS; N=16,677, including 8,307 twin pairs) and the Twins Early Development Study in the UK (TEDS; N=11,594, including 5,796 twin pairs), to explore how the influence of nature and nurture on autistic traits varies from place to place.ResultsWe present maps of gene- and environment- by geography interactions in Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK). Our results suggest that there is higher heritability and lower non-shared environmental influences on autistic traits in more densely populated areas. For example, we observe greater heritability in the more populated and urban areas in southern Sweden and near the main cities in the UK. Non-shared environmental influences are less consistent across the two countries and although these influences tend to be higher in more rural areas, there are also areas of greater influence around cities.ConclusionsWe hope this systematic approach to aetiological interactions will inspire research to identify previously unknown environmental influences on the aetiology of autistic traits. By doing so, we can gain greater understanding of how these environments draw out or mask genetic predisposition and other environmental influences and could lead to health and social policy innovations to support those with ASD and autistic traits.

Download Full-text

The Bottom-Up Development Model as a GovernanceInstrument for the Rural Areas. The Cases of Four Local Action Groups (LAGs) in the United Kingdom and in Italy

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13169123 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (16) ◽

pp. 9123

Author(s):

Giuseppe Gargano

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

Rural Development ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Local Level ◽

Union Leader ◽

Local Action ◽

Bottom Up ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Local Partnerships ◽

Action Groups

The present research which originates from the author’s PhD dissertation awarded at the School of Politics of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 2019, explores the comparative evolution of rural development policies and Local Action Groups (LAGs) in the United Kingdom (Argyll and the Islands LAG—Scotland and Coast, Wolds, Wetlands and Waterways LAG—England) and in Italy (Delta 2000 LAG—Emilia-Romagna Region and Capo Santa Maria di Leuca LAG—Puglia Region) in a multi-level governance framework. LAGs and in particular their public–private local partnerships have become common practice in the governance of rural areas. This governance operates within the European Union LEADER approach as a tool designed to generate the development of rural areas at local level. In order to establish the implications of the LAG practices, the following main objectives for this research have been established: (1) to explore the utility of EU strategies for rural development; (2) to explain how LAGs structure, institutional arrangements and working are positioned in the layers of MLG framework; (3) to carry out a comparative evaluation of the LAGs working in the different nations and their subnational contexts. Some significant findings from the case studies are summarized in relation to these themes: the key characteristics and the outcomes associated with the LAG working mechanisms and what do we draw about the emergence, operation and performance of local partnerships. The core argument of the research is that the partnership approach has given the rural development actors a governance platform to help increase beneficial interactions and economic activity in each of these LAGs, but it is the bottom-up leadership of key local actors, seizing opportunities provided by the EU funding, which have been the most important factors for the LAG successes.

Download Full-text

Methods Of Increasing Food Production In The United Kingdom

World Population and World Food Supplies ◽

10.4324/9780429296802-3 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 59-77

Author(s):

E. John Russell

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

Food Production ◽

The United Kingdom

Download Full-text

Assessing the Direct Resource Requirements of Urban Horticulture in the United Kingdom: A Citizen Science Approach

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13052628 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 2628

Author(s):

Miriam C. Dobson ◽

Philip H. Warren ◽

Jill L. Edmondson

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

Weed Control ◽

Citizen Science ◽

Pest Control ◽

Food Production ◽

Household Level ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Resource Requirements ◽

Citizen Science Project ◽

Urban Horticulture

Interest in urban food production is growing; recent research has highlighted its potential to increase food security and reduce the environmental impact of food production. However, resource demands of urban horticulture are poorly understood. Here, we use allotment gardens in the United Kingdom to investigate resource demands of urban horticultural production across the country. We conducted a nationwide citizen science project using year-long allotment ‘diaries’ with allotment gardeners (n = 163). We analysed a variety of resources: transportation; time; water use; inputs of compost, manure and topsoil; and inputs of fertilisers, pest control and weed control. We found that, overall, an allotment demands 87 annual visits, travelling 139 km to and from the plot; 7 fertiliser additions; 4 pest control additions; and 2 weed control additions. On average, each kilogram of food produced used 0.4 hours’ labour, 16.9 L of water, 0.2 L of topsoil, 2.2 L of manure, and 1.9 L of compost. As interest in urban horticultural production grows, and policy makers build urban horticultural spaces into future sustainable cities, it is of key importance that this is carried out in a way that minimises resource requirements, and we demonstrate here that avenues exist for the diversion of municipal compostable waste and household-level city food waste for this purpose.

Download Full-text

Airframe Production

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers ◽

10.1243/pime_proc_1947_156_011_02 ◽

1947 ◽

Vol 156 (1) ◽

pp. 24-38 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Eric Mensforth

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

Engineering Design ◽

Production Methods ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Production Development ◽

Manufacturing Resources ◽

Production Period ◽

Aircraft Production ◽

The Relationship ◽

Sufficient Concentration

In reviewing some of the factors which have influenced the production development of aircraft during the recent war, the paper focuses the analytical attention of engineers on to the very large technical and manufacturing resources employed: over forty per cent of the whole munition effort of the country. Some comparison is made between the experience of the United Kingdom and that of the U.S.A., the broad conclusion being drawn that technically production methods have been similar, that peak production (having in mind the relative populations), has been comparable, although American outputs have been much higher per man-hour. In some British factories where sufficient concentration has been possible, man-hours have also been comparable with those of the U.S.A. The paper gives some general indications of cost for various elements of aircraft production—e.g. engineering design, provision of manufacturing facilities, tooling, materials, etc.—and it discusses the relationship between the quantity made and the continual reduction of man-hours commonly experienced during the production period. The general problems are examined of meeting the Services' changing demands, of co-ordination of manufacturing through groups, and of material standardization and supply.

Download Full-text

Preferences for menu labelling formats of young adults in Brazil and in the United Kingdom

Revista de Nutrição ◽

10.1590/1678-98652017000300005 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 321-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Renata Carvalho de OLIVEIRA ◽

Ana Carolina FERNANDES ◽

Rossana Pacheco da Costa PROENÇA ◽

Heather HARTWELL ◽

Vanessa Mello RODRIGUES ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

United Kingdom ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Food Choice ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Organic Food ◽

Qualitative Information ◽

Traffic Light ◽

Numerical Information ◽

The United Kingdom

ABSTRACT Objective This pilot study was aimed at exploring preferences of young adults in two different contexts on restaurant menu labelling formats. Methods Five focus groups were conducted with 36 participants, two focus groups with 11 participants in Brazil and three focus groups with 25 in the United Kingdom. Themes originating from the content analysis of the transcriptions were organised around four possible menu labelling formats: 1) numerical information on calories; 2) numerical information on calories and nutrients; 3) traffic light system plus Guideline Daily Amounts; 4) food information with ingredients list plus highlighted symbols. Results In both countries, participants preferred the ingredients list plus symbols format, considered more comprehensive and useful to make an informed food choice. Organic food and vegetarian symbols were the ones considered most important to appear on restaurant menu labels with ingredients list. However, most participants in Brazil and in the United Kingdom rejected the information restricted to calories and calories plus nutrients formats, saying that these would not influence their own choices. Conclusion This is the first multicultural qualitative study exploring preferences of people living in different countries with different eating habits, but where menu labelling is voluntary. Results evidenced similarities in participants’ likes and dislikes for menu labelling formats in these two different contexts. Discussions showed participants in both countries prefer qualitative information than numerical information, suggesting that ingredients list and symbols provide information that people want to see on the menu.

Download Full-text

Platelet production methods in the United Kingdom

Transfusion Science ◽

10.1016/s0955-3886(96)00068-9 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 15-18

Author(s):

M.O. Gesinde ◽

D.H. Pamphilon ◽

E.A.E. Robinson

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

Production Methods ◽

Platelet Production ◽

The United Kingdom

Download Full-text