School nutrition professionals' experiences with food safety and special diets in school meals during the initial COVID-19 pandemic

Federally funded school meals can help alleviate food insecurity and meals are required to be modified when medically necessary (i.e., food allergies, special diets). The COVID-19 pandemic caused many schools across the USA to close, but schools quickly modified meal serving models. The purpose of this study was to understand how school nutrition professionals were ensuring food safety and providing special diets through these modified serving models. A survey was distributed to a convenience sample (n=504). At the time of the survey, most respondents (68.31%) had been involved in COVID-19 emergency feeding for 3-4 weeks. Results indicated that while most child nutrition professionals did not find food safety easier or more difficult during the initial onset of COVID-19, about 1/3 of respondents were not taking food temperatures during meal service and were not able to obtain the equipment necessary for holding hot foods. Most respondents (60.23%) also indicated that they were not accommodating children with special diets. From a qualitative analysis of open-ended questions relative to special diet accommodation, themes indicated participants had challenges obtaining specialty items, had little time to make accommodations, or had a limited supply from vendors to accommodate these diets. To prevent food insecurity and to maintain health during the pandemic, specific solutions for at-risk populations, like those who experience food allergies, must be considered.

REHABILITATION AFTER CORONAVIRUS INFECTION

Миллионы людей по всему миру заболели коронави русом нового типа. Согласно многочисленным исследованиям, осложнения Сovid-19 вызывают легочный фиброз. В начале эпидемии, например, было неясно, обратимы ли эти изменения или нет. Во всем мире, в нашей стране, во всех санаториях внедрены новые реабилитационные программы для пациентов, инфицированных коронавирусом. Дыхательные упражнения, терренкуры, плавание, специальные диеты, соляные пещеры все это помогает восстановить дыхание. Millions of people around the world have contracted a new form of the disease, coronavirus. According to numerous studies, complications of covid-19 cause pulmonary fibrosis. At the beginning of the epidemic, for example, it was unclear whether these changes were reversible or not. All over the world, in our country, all sanatoriums have introduced new rehabilitation programs for patients infected with coronavirus. After all, it is very important to fight this virus, as well as to recover after getting sick with this virus. Breathing exercises, terrenkurs, swimming, special diets, salt caves all this helps to restore the respiratory system.

Resurrecting the nepeš

Our culture’s approach to dementia typically focuses on preserving the person as they once were. Mental exercises, special diets, and entire memory care facilities are designed to maintain the “previous person.” As important as this is to family and friends, it can be challenging and burdensome to the person who is living with dementia, a person who may not recall, or want to recall, their past life. This essay asserts that the emphasis on maintaining the previous person (and the resultant de-emphasis on honoring the new person) often results from a belief in our innate permanence, particularly the belief in our immortal, immutable soul. Because of this insistence on innate immortality, we tend to undervalue those who fail to live up to the expectations of permanence. The author calls for a renewed emphasis on nepeš, ancient Israel’s concept of the mortal, fleeting human life. By acknowledging our impermanence, we may be able to better identify with and value those who live with dementia and design environments that honor and enable people who are becoming someone new.

Wonders of International Gastronomy: French, Italian, Hungarian, Indian and Chinese Cuisine

With the growing importance of gastronomic science, gastronomic workshops are also playing an important role worldwide. These workshops do not only specialize in the preparation and presentation of healthy eating, sports nutrition, or special diets. Gastronomy experts and nutritionists are also turning to the cuisines of nations with increasing curiosity. In order to provide a comprehensive overview of this, we present the characteristics of French, Italian, Hungarian, Indian, and Chinese cuisine in our manuscript. In addition, we prepare and present dishes that also serve as the basis of gastronomic workshops in accordance with international cuisines. These dishes include: Croassant with almond plant-based drink; Home-made pizza with basil, tomatoes and mozzarella; Hungarian Bean Soup; Home-made kebab with spicy chicken; Chinese noodles. We hope to contribute to the knowledge of international gastronomy and to the global health development with the prepared food.

Sociodemographic differences in motives for food selection: results from the LoCard cross-sectional survey

Background Although sociodemographic differences in dietary intake have been widely studied, the up-to-date evidence on the corresponding variations in motives for food selection is limited. We investigated how sociodemographic characteristics and special diets in households are associated with the relative importance of various food motives. Methods Participants were members of the S Group loyalty card program across Finland who consented to release their grocery purchase data to be used for research purposes and responded to a web-based questionnaire in 2018 (LoCard study). Self-reported information on sociodemographic factors (age, gender, marital status, living situation, education, household income), special diets in household and food motives (Food Choice Questionnaire) were utilized in the present analyses (N = 10,795). Age- and gender-adjusted linear models were performed separately for each sociodemographic predictor and motive dimension (derived by factor analysis) outcome. The importance of each sociodemographic predictor was evaluated based on an increase in R2 value after adding the predictor to the age- and gender-adjusted model. Results Age emerged as a central determinant of food motives with the following strongest associations: young adults emphasized convenience (∆R2 = 0.09, P < 0.001) and mood control (∆R2 = 0.05, P < 0.001) motives more than middle-aged and older adults. The relative importance of cheapness decreased with increasing socioeconomic position (SEP) (∆R2 = 0.08, P < 0.001 for income and ∆R2 = 0.04, P < 0.001 for education). However, the price item (“is good value for money”) depicting the concept of worth did not distinguish between SEP categories. Considerations related to familiarity of food were more salient to men (∆R2 = 0.02, P < 0.001) and those with lower SEP (∆R2 = 0.03, P < 0.001 for education and ∆R2 = 0.01, P < 0.001 for income). Respondents living in households with a vegetarian, red-meat-free, gluten-free or other type of special diet rated ethical concern as relatively more important than households with no special diets (∆R2 = 0.02, P < 0.001). Conclusions We observed sociodemographic differences in a range of food motives that might act as barriers or drivers for adopting diets that benefit human and planetary health. Interventions aiming to narrow SEP and gender disparities in dietary intake should employ strategies that take into account higher priority of familiarity and price in daily food selection in lower-SEP individuals and males.

Reserves to increase beef production and their use

The studies were carried out on three groups of superreplacement heifers of the Simmental breed, which were impregnated at the body weight of 360 kg. In the first group there were 32 unimpregnated heifers, in the second – 28 heifers, in the third – 30 heifers. The heifers of the first group after growing at the age of 18 months were taken for meat. 56 heifers gave the crop. The heifers were transferred for reproduction, and the bull-calves were put on cultivation and further fattening. To obtain well-fed animals, special diets were made so that the average daily gain was at least 650-700 g. After calving, the cows of the second group were taken for meat, and the cows of the third group were put on a 3-month fattening, and then taken for meat. The pre-slaughter weight of animals of the first group was 52 kg lower than that of animals of the second group and 104.7 kg lower than that of the third group. The difference was statistically significant at P>0.999. The interior fat mass was higher in the carcasses of cows of the second group by 1.1 and 3.2 kg compared to the animals of the third and first groups. The carcass yield was almost at the same level slightly ahead of the animals of the first group. Their slaughter yield was 60.1%, in other groups – 58.8-59.6%. The meatiness ratio was slightly higher in animals of the first group. The carcass weight of the first-calf heifers of the third group was 27.4 kg higher than that of the second group. Compared to the first group, this figure is higher by 52.6 kg. Specific carcass meat weight of the animals of the third group was 82.75%, which is higher than in the second and first groups by 0.41-0.85%, respectively. Heavy cowbanes weighing 32.6 and 40.4 kg were obtained from the animals. The skin of animals of the third group was 3.5-21.6 dm2 larger in area than of the animals of the second and first groups. Feeder bull-calves (n=27) had a removable mass of 532 kg. Heavy (282.3 kg) carcasses of good morphological composition were obtained from them. The sales revenue from first-calf heifers (second group) was higher than fattened heifers by 10.4%, and in comparison with fattened animals after calving (third group) it was lower by 9.4%. From the sale of one cow with a crop, 2.9 times more profit was received than from the sale of a heifer.