Distilling the curriculum: An analysis of alcohol industry-funded school-based youth education programmes

Background and aim For decades, corporations such as the tobacco and fossil fuel industries have used youth education programmes and schools to disseminate discourses, ideas and values favourable to their positions, and to pre-empt regulation that threatens profits. However, there is no systematic research into alcohol industry-funded youth education programmes. This article serves to address this important gap in the literature. Methods Using a discourse theoretical approach informed by poststructural discourse theory and critical discourse analysis, we analysed teaching materials from three school-based youth education initiatives which focus on alcohol consumption and health harms: Drinkaware for Education, The Smashed Project (funded by Diageo), and Talk About Alcohol (Alcohol Education Trust). These materials, some of which are disseminated internationally, are provided to schools through intermediary bodies in receipt of alcohol industry funding. Findings The analysis found that these materials drew from and presented discourses of personal responsibility, moderate alcohol consumption, and involved a narrowing of the problem definition and causes. The locus of the problem is located by the discourses within individuals including youth, with causes of youth alcohol consumption repeatedly presented as peer pressure and ‘poor choices’, with little or no mention of alcohol industry marketing or other practices. All programmes promoted familiarisation and normalisation of alcohol as a ‘normal’ adult consumer product which children must learn about and master how to use responsibly when older. The discourses constructed in these materials closely align with those of other alcohol industry corporate social responsibility discourses which employ selective presentation of harms, including misinformation about cancer, and ambiguous terms such as “responsible drinking”. Furthermore, the role of alcohol price, availability and access, and the impacts of alcohol and the industry on inequities were not articulated within the discourses. The research was limited to an analysis of teaching materials and further research is needed to explore their impact on youth, teachers and wider discourses and social norms. Conclusion Alcohol industry-sponsored youth education programmes serve industry interests and promote moderate consumption while purportedly educating children about harms and influences of alcohol use. There are considerable conflicts of interest in the delivery of alcohol education programmes funded by the alcohol industry and intermediary bodies in receipt of such funding. Alcohol education materials should be developed independent from industry, including funding, and should empower children and young people to understand and think critically about alcohol, including harms and drivers of consumption, and effective interventions needed to protect them and others from alcohol-related harms. Independent organisations can use this analysis to critique their materials to strengthen alignment with meeting student and public health interests. The ongoing exposure of children and young people to such conflicted and misleading materials needs urgent attention from policymakers, practitioners, teachers and parents, and resources dependent on industry support should cease being used in schools.

The Influence of Various Factors and Changes in the Concentration of the Substrate on the Action Enzymes of Microbial Origin

Использование ферментных препаратов микробного происхождения в промышленности имеет устойчивую тенденцию к увеличению, при этом 2/3 текущего объема составляют ферменты для пищевой промышленности, а их основная доля приходится на спиртовую отрасль. При этом потребность спиртовой отрасли России в комплексных ферментных препаратах составляет около 7 тыс. т, доля отечественных препаратов составляет менее 15%. Объектами исследований служили ферменты микробного происхождения, плесневые грибы, затор спиртового производства. Осахаривание проводили при температуре 57…58 °С, длительность брожения при этом составляла 62 ч. Установлено, что для достижения максимального действия фермента, при других постоянных условиях, требуется сравнительно большая концентрация субстрата. У большинства ферментов вне клетки она выше, чем концентрация данного вещества в организме, то есть фермент действует менее эффективно, чем в искусственно созданных условиях, где он насыщается субстратом. В зависимости от активности расход грибной культуры может колебаться в определенных пределах. Скорость и глубина гидролиза углеводов сырья определяются активностью глубинной культуры плесневого гриба. Таким образом, свойства ферментов определяются главным образом особыми свойствами белков. При этом в молекуле белка изменяется укладка пептидных цепей, что приводит к потере характерных свойств белка. Способность ферментов в благоприятных условиях пережить материнские клетки и проявлять свое действие вне клетки позволяет широко использовать биологические катализаторы в различных отраслях пищевой промышленности. The use of enzyme preparations of microbial origin in industry has a steady tendency to increase, with 2/3 of the current volume being enzymes for the food industry, and their main share is in the alcohol industry. At the same time, the need of the alcohol industry in Russia for complex enzyme preparations is about 7 thousand tons, the share of domestic preparations is less than 15%. The objects of research were enzymes of microbial origin, mold fungi, mash of alcohol production. Saccharification was carried out at a temperature of 57…58 °C, the duration of fermentation was 62 hours. It was found that to achieve the maximum effect of the enzyme, under other constant conditions, a relatively high concentration of the substrate is required. For most enzymes outside the cell, it is higher than the concentration of a given substance in the body, so the enzyme acts less efficiently than in artificially created conditions, where it is saturated with a substrate. Depending on the activity, the consumption of the mushroom culture can fluctuate within certain limits. The rate and depth of hydrolysis of raw carbohydrates are determined by the activity of the deep culture of the mold. Thus, the properties of enzymes are determined mainly by the special properties of proteins. In this case, the folding of peptide chains in the protein molecule changes, which leads to the loss of the characteristic properties of the protein. The ability of enzymes to survive mother cells under favorable conditions and to exert their action outside the cell makes it possible to widely use biological catalysts in various branches of the food industry.

Management of Conflicts of Interest in WHO’s Consultative Processes on Global Alcohol Policy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) has engaged in consultations with the alcohol industry in global alcohol policy development, including currently a draft action plan to strengthen implementation of the Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. WHO’s Framework for Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA) is an organization-wide policy that aims to manage potential conflicts of interest in WHO’s interactions with private sector entities, non-governmental institutions, philanthropic foundations and academic institutions. Methods We analysed the alignment of WHO’s consultative processes with non-state actors on "the way forward" for alcohol policy and a global alcohol action plan with FENSA. We referred to publicly accessible WHO documents, including the Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behaviours Unit website, records of relevant meetings, and other documents relevant to FENSA. We documented submissions to two web-based consultations held in 2019 and 2020 by type of organization and links to the alcohol industry. Results WHO’s processes to conduct due diligence, risk assessment and risk management as required by FENSA appeared to be inadequate. Limited information was published on nonstate actors, primarily the alcohol industry, that participated in the consultations, including their potential conflicts of interest. No minutes were published for WHO’s virtual meeting with the alcohol industry, suggesting a lack of transparency. Organizations with known links to the tobacco industry participated in both web-based consultations, despite FENSA’s principle of non-engagement with tobacco industry actors. Conclusion WHO’s consultative processes have not been adequate to address conflicts of interest in relation to the alcohol industry, violating the principles of FENSA. Member states must ensure that WHO has the resources to implement and is held accountable for appropriate and consistent safeguards against industry interference in the development of global alcohol policy.

Analysis of the accuracy and completeness of cardiovascular health information on alcohol industry-funded websites

Background The Alcohol Industry (AI), and the Social Aspects/Public Relations Organisations (SAPRO) it funds, has been shown to mis-represent the risk of alcohol with respect to cancer and pregnancy. It is theorized that the AI would position alcohol as ‘heart healthy’ to further undermine public perceptions of risks from drinking. Methods A comparative analysis (including content, thematic and context analyses) of cardiovascular health information published on the websites of AI-funded (n = 18, such as ‘Drinkaware’ and the ‘Distilled Spirits Council of the US’) and non-AI-funded (n = 18, such as ‘NHS.uk’) organizations based in multiple high-income jurisdictions. Results Websites of non-industry-funded health organizations were more likely than AI/SAPRO websites to label alcohol as a risk factor for a range of important cardiovascular diseases (such as myocardial infarction, congestive cardiac failure, hypertension and stroke). Conversely, AI/SAPRO websites were more likely to suggest alcohol was protective in the development of some heart conditions. AI/SAPRO websites frequently referenced the J-shaped curve as proof of benefit from moderate alcohol consumption; suggested a balance between the benefits and harms from drinking; positioned alcohol as consistent with a ‘healthy lifestyle’; and framed drinking as a social norm. Conclusions AI-funded health organizations mis-represent the evidence on cardiovascular effects of moderate alcohol consumption. Healthcare professionals should appreciate the role of funding source in biasing content, and exercise caution when directing patients to content funded by the AI. Tighter regulation of messaging that AI/SAPRO’s provide to the public is required, to avoid the dissemination of harmful misinformation.

Food as harm reduction during a drinking session: reducing the harm, or normalising harmful use of alcohol? A comparative analysis of alcohol industry and non-alcohol industry-funded advice

Background: The aim of this study was to critically analyse information concerning the relationship between alcohol and food consumption provided via alcohol industry (AI) funded and non-AI-funded health-oriented websites, to determine the role it plays within the alcohol information space, and how this serves the interests of the disseminating organisations. Methods: Information on food as a harm reduction measure while drinking alcohol was extracted from the websites of 15 AI-funded corporate social responsibility (CSR) organisations. As a comparison group, non-AI-funded health websites were also searched (n=16 websites with food and alcohol-related content). Information on both the webpages themselves, and downloadable information sheets was included. Critical discourse analysis (CDA) was used to allow the text analysed to be situated within the broader political and social context. Analysis was carried out iteratively, involving continuous comparison within and between websites. Discursive themes were identified by three researchers. Identified discursive elements were discussed to reach a consensus, and a final coding framework was then developed. “Tone” analysis was used to assess whether the overall tone within individual websites were considered to be pro-alcohol consumption, neutral or discouraging of alcohol consumption.Results: There were some commonalities across AI and non-AI-funded websites, whereby both appeared to normalise alcohol consumption and to encourage use of food as a measure to enable sustained drinking, to avoid drinking in a way that results in short-term harms, and to prevent or “cure” a hangover. The fact that both AI-funded and non-AI-funded organisations shared many of these narratives is particularly concerning. However, discourse of food and alcohol that served to promote “moderate” drinking as beneficial to health, was used exclusively by AI-funded organisations, focusing on special occasions and individual blaming. Conclusions: Alcohol consumption, including heavy and harmful consumption, is frequently normalised within the online information space. Emphasising food consumption may have the effect of supporting consumers to drink for longer periods of time. Health professionals and independent health organisations should challenge why AI-funded organisations, with a major conflict of interest, and a history of health misinformation, are often given the responsibility for disseminating health information to the public.

Isocitric Acid Production from Ethanol Industry Waste by Yarrowia lipolytica

There is ever increasing evidence that isocitric acid can be used as a promising compound with powerful antioxidant activity to combat oxidative stress. This work demonstrates the possibility of using waste product from the alcohol industry (so-called ester-aldehyde fraction) for production of isocitric acid by yeasts. The potential producer of isocitric acid from this fraction, Yarrowia lipolytica VKM Y-2373, was selected by screening of various yeast cultures. The selected strain showed sufficient growth and good acid formation in media with growth-limiting concentrations of nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and magnesium. A shortage of Fe2+ and Ca2+ ions suppressed both Y. lipolytica growth and formation of isocitric acid. The preferential synthesis of isocitric acid can be regulated by changing the nature and concentration of nitrogen source, pH of cultivation medium, and concentration of ester-aldehyde fraction. Experiments in this direction allowed us to obtain 65 g/L isocitric acid with a product yield (YICA) of 0.65 g/g in four days of cultivation.