Breaking the dry ice: A case of accidental carbon dioxide poisoning due to dry ice inhalation

Background: Solid dry ice undergoes sublimation to gaseous carbondioxide (CO2 ) at room temperature. Symptoms of exposure include headache, dizziness, unconsciousness, seizures, even coma and death based on concentrations of CO2 inhaled. We present a case of accidental poisoning due to dry ice inhalation. Case: 35-year-old Caucasian male with a history of depression and tobacco use was brought into the emergency department after he was found unconscious in the walk-in freezer at the fast-food center he was working at. On contacting his coworkers, we were told that the walk-in freezer was out of order, and they had packed it with dry ice. On examination, the patient was tachypneic, tachycardic and was saturating at 89% on room air. Physical examination was normal. Blood work showed acute hypoxic respiratory failure with metabolic acidosis with lactic acid 13.1 mmol/l. Carboxyhemoglobin level was elevated at 5.3% (normal level and smokers 3 to 5%). The patient significantly improved with supplemental oxygen and fluid boluses and was discharged in the next 24 hours. Conclusion: Exposure to dry ice in confined spaces and warm temperatures can lead to carbon dioxide poisoning. Accurate and detailed history taking helps recognize this potentially fatal medical emergency Keywords: dry ice poisoning; carbon dioxide poisoning; accidental poisoning; inhalation toxicity.

Empowerment, love, and connection: Lessons learned from the Farmacy Project, a food-is-medicine program in Rutland, Vermont

Senior high school student volunteer Tyler Carroll walks out to the car that has pulled up along the back of the renovated former iron works building, the site of the Vermont Farmers Food Center, in downtown Rutland, Vermont. Tyler says, “Hi! Can I get your name, please?” Tyler then takes one bag from the table covered with bagged farm shares and puts one in the customer’s back seat, thanking them as they drive off with their local goods. The members are here to receive their produce prescription through the Farmacy Project, a program that provides 150 individuals in the county with 15 weeks of fresh produce grown exclusively by local Rutland county farms. Finishing up its sixth year in 2021, the program has become a standard in the area, working with healthcare providers who identify individuals with chronic diet-related health conditions who could benefit from a “food as medicine” produce share. This project intersects community health and local agriculture. Many, although not all, members may be food insecure as well, as reflected in the 68% of members this year who were food insecure based on the results of the two-item food insecurity questionnaire of the U.S. Household Food Security Survey.

Marketing strategies for functional food products

Functional foods are experiencing a growing demand worldwide as consumers seek ways to take control of their health. Despite this growing demand, the lack of a standard definition for functional food for formal categorization and regulation results in many functional food products run into hurdles for consumer acceptance, as many people are not familiar with the concept, and scientific evidence that could increase legitimacy of these products is not widely available. Of the 15 steps the Functional Food Center has outlined for development of functional food products, marketing a product to educate people is closely related to consumer acceptance and is therefore an important step to study to increase success of functional food products. This review article will focus on recent studies that examine carrier/ingredient combinations, information channels, credibility, and consumer targeting and how they can impact consumer intent to purchase or accept functional foods. These studies build off hypotheses tested in pre-existing studies or bring in novel determinants to consider. Finally, advice on marketing based on the results in the included papers and from an industry expert will be discussed.Keywords: Functional Food Marketing, Carrier/Ingredient Combinations, Perceived Fit, Information Channels, Credibility, Consumer Targeting, Advertising, Consumer Acceptance, Purchase Intent

Marketing strategies for functional food products

Functional foods are experiencing a growing demand worldwide as consumers seek ways to take control of their health. Despite this growing demand, the lack of a standard definition for functional food for formal categorization and regulation results in many functional food products run into hurdles for consumer acceptance, as many people are not familiar with the concept, and scientific evidence that could increase legitimacy of these products is not widely available. Of the 15 steps the Functional Food Center has outlined for development of functional food products, marketing a product to educate people is closely related to consumer acceptance and is therefore an important step to study to increase success of functional food products. This review article will focus on recent studies that examine carrier/ingredient combinations, information channels, credibility, and consumer targeting and how they can impact consumer intent to purchase or accept functional foods. These studies build off hypotheses tested in pre-existing studies or bring in novel determinants to consider. Finally, advice on marketing based on the results in the included papers and from an industry expert will be discussed.Keywords: Functional Food Marketing, Carrier/Ingredient Combinations, Perceived Fit, Information Channels, Credibility, Consumer Targeting, Advertising, Consumer Acceptance, Purchase Intent

Can functional foods reduce the risk of disease? Advancement of functional food definition and steps to create functional food products

The definition of functional foods (FFs) has been in development for many years by the Functional Food Scientists of the Functional Food Institute/Functional Food Center (FFC). The status of the FFC’s definition is currently unrecognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),but recognition is important for the safe, uniform development and disbursement of functional food products (FFPs) that could improve the health of Americans and people around the world struggling with chronic and viral diseases. If functional foods were to be properly termed using the FFC’s current definition, they would be classified as a drug according to the FDA. Thus, the FFC is in communication with governmental representatives to determine the next steps for functional foods to be properly acknowledged. To that end, the FFC is revising its current definition of functional foods to fit a more accurate and encompassing idea of the nature of what functional foods do. This includes a shift to stressing how functional foods promote optimal health, reduce the risk of chronic/viral disease, and manage their symptoms.Additionally, the process of developing a functional food product must be standardized to ensure the safety of administering bioactive compounds as a health optimization tool. This process follows the methodology of functional food science, which is a potential new form of life science proposed by the Functional Food Center. Over time, the FFC has been developing the appropriate steps to create a functional food product, however, in this article, new steps are emphasized, such as epidemiological studies and after-market research—vital steps to ensuring the safest and most efficacious product is released to the public. Functional foods are not meant to take the place of conventional medicine. They can, however, be used in conjunction with Western medicine and serve as an aid to health optimization for people with chronic/viral diseases and prioritize the management of symptoms associated with those diseases.Keywords: functional foods, bioactive compounds, biomarkers, functional food science, functional food products, epidemiological studies

Case study of a food relief grocery model: The Neighborhood Pop-Up Grocery Project

In Austin, Texas, Sustainable Food Center, in partnership with Foodshed Investors and the city of Austin, responded to the COVID-19 crisis with a mini-grocery pilot project. The Neighborhood Pop-Up Grocery Pilot Project engaged local restaurants to serve as points of access for fresh and affordable food. This model served as both a food-access and supply-chain solution, utilizing partnerships with local farmers and distributors to source food for Austin communities and restaurant partners in order to provide the food at an affordable price point. This case study outlines the novel model and describes three key takeaways from this 2020 pilot project.

Planning for Relocation Area of Street Food Vendor in Bandung City

This research aims to plan a food center area to control street vendors in the Bandung city square. The method used in this research was a descriptive qualitative method by describing the research object that was examined. The developer's method was assisted by Geographic Information System (GIS) in applying the map of the research object's area. The results of this study are the planning design of the food center areas. A designed place for buying and selling activities between street vendors and buyers can be better organized. The proposed design can accommodate street vendors and prevent problems such as traffic jams and obstacles for pedestrians. Moreover, it is expected that the accommodation made for street vendors can provide space for selling activities and be one of the food centers in Bandung.

Structural Analysis of the Equation Model on Store Atmosphere towards Hedonic Value and Consumer Impulsive Buying (Study at Majapahit Food Center)

This study aims to determine the analysis of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) of store atmosphere on Hedonic Value and Impulsive Buying of Consumers at the Majapahit Food Center. This type of research uses causality research with a sample of respondents who are consumers who visited at Majapahit Food Center Mataram. The sampling technique used the accidental sampling technique. The study population was 100 visitors to the Majapahit Food Center. Sampling using the accidental sampling technique. The data collection technique used a questionnaire with a Likert scale measuring instrument. The data analysis method used is a validity test, reliability test, using SPSS, and data analysis using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with AMOS. The results of the study stated that the store atmosphere has a positive and significant effect on Hedonic Value and the Store Atmosphere has a positive and significant effect on Impulsive Buying and Hedonic Value has a positive and significant effect on Impulsive Buying Consumers in the Majapahit Food Center Study.

Socio-cultural structure of transmigrant communities in the Salimbatu Area for accelerating regional development of Bulungan Regency, Indonesia

Bulungan Regency as the capital of North Kalimantan Province needs accelerated development to realize its vision as an industrial-based food center. Among the aspects that still need to be worked out are the availability of human resources (HR) as the main driver of the regional economy. It is hoped that the presence of the Transmigrant Community with an agricultural background in the Salimbatu area can make a positive contribution to efforts to accelerate development in Bulungan Regency. By using a combination of literature review study methods reinforced with GIS analysis, this study seeks to reveal the socio-cultural structure of the people in the Salimbatu Transmigration Area and its contribution to improving the agricultural sector to accelerate regional development. The results obtained from this study indicate that the presence of the Transmigrant Community in the Salimbatu area has a proportion where 54.35% of them are native Bulungan people, while the remaining 45.65% are migrants through the Transmigration program. The socio-cultural proportion of the peasant community through the transmigration program to strengthen the regional economy in the agricultural sector in Bulungan Regency currently has not had an optimal impact.

The Study of Strategy for the Development of Ying Charoen Market to Become Environment-Friendly Market

The results of using microorganism to clean appliances and buildings show that it was a highly efficient method. The researcher found that microorganism was more human and animal friendly than chemicals, and was good for environment as well. Ying Charoen Market was constructed in the year 1955, so it has existed for more than 63 years. The market has all kinds of food and has been a food center for people living in Northern Bangkok for a long time. Thus, it is not surprising that the market is also the center of people, garbage, and pollution, which produce negative effects on the environment. The research population consists of stakeholders (owner, managers, employees, suppliers, vendors and consumers) in Ying Charoen market. In details, there are 1,512 vendors in the market, which can be classified into 15 groups according to the main types of products. This study used mixed methods of methodology, in particular, exploratory sequential method. It was a qualitative research and an action participatory research. The objectives were to study the current condition, context, factors, and problems of Ying Charoen Market that are related with the environment, and to establish strategies for developing Ying Charoen Market to become environment-friendly. The data were analyzed by content analysis. The results expected from this research is to have a guidance for producing the strategy of environment management, which will lead to the participation of related people, lower cost in the long term, and good health for employees, vendors and consumers in the market, as well as positive effects on the environment in general. In addition, the research is piloting the service of how to operate business in environment-friendly way. It is also a model for other markets or enterprises all over the country, presenting them how to manage their business to become sustainable and environment-friendly.