Food Studies Commons^™

Understanding Caffeine Vs. Kids, Cindy Nelson, Rachel Mcmaster

All Current Publications

Children enjoy numerous foods and drinks on a regular basis that contain caffeine: soda, chocolate candy, energy drinks, and so forth. In fact, almost 3 out of 4 children consume caffeine regularly (American Academy of Family Physicians, 2020). This is a concern because studies show caffeine can affect children and adults differently, and too much caffeine can have detrimental health effects on kids. This fact sheet defines caffeine, reviews its effects and risks, identifies popular foods containing caffeine, and how to reduce consumption of caffeine.

Assessment Of Grain Safety In Developing Nations, Jose R. Mendoza

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Grains are the most widely consumed foods worldwide, with maize (Zea mays) being frequently consumed in developing countries where it feeds approximately 900 million people under the poverty line of 2 USD per day. While grain handling practices are acceptable in most developed nations, many developing nations still face challenges such as inadequate field management, drying, and storage. Faulty grain handling along with unavoidably humid climates result in recurrent fungal growth and spoilage, which compromises both the end-quality and safety of the harvest. This becomes particularly problematic where there is little awareness about health risks associated with poor …

Preventing Allergies In Infants: What Foods To Introduce And When, Annika Israelsen, Stacy Bevan, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos

All Current Publications

Food allergies have become increasingly common over the past several years among children in the United States (Comberiati et al., 2019; Sicherer et al., 2017). Food allergies are a negative immune response occurring in the body after eating a specific food (Sicherer et al., 2017). Unlike food intolerances, such as lactose intolerance which causes uncomfortable symptoms in the stomach and intestines, allergic reactions to food can cause a wide range of serious and sometimes fatal symptoms (Konek & Becker, 2020). Food allergies can affect a child’s health and quality of life, while also impacting their caregivers’ lives (Sicherer et al., …

Vermont Seed Saver And Producer Survey: 2020 Summary Report, Susanna Baxley, Carina Viola Isbell, Daniel Tobin

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

This report summarizes findings from a 2020 survey of seed producers in the state of Vermont. This survey, which was part of a larger research project aimed to characterize Vermont seed systems, aimed to identify areas of opportunity and concern for seed producers across the state. Data collected include types and valued characteristics of planting material produced from food crops in the state, information on motivations, challenges, and preferences that non-commercial and commercial seed producers perceive in their production of planting material, sourcing and distribution of planting material, forms of exchange that exist between seed producers and the community, and …

Food And Job Insecurity In Vermont During Covid-19 Infographic, Meredith T. Niles, Anna L. Josephson, Farryl Bertmann, Emily H. Belarmino, Roni Neff

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

This infographic details the summary results from a second Vermont survey on food and job insecurity in Vermont during COVID-19 in March and June 2020. Key results include: 1) Nearly 1 in 4 Vermonters experience food insecurity in June 2020; 2) People of color, those without a college degree, with job disruption, with children, and women were more likely to be food insecure; 3) More than 50% of Vermonters experienced job loss or disruption, and 20% received unemployment in June 2020; 4) Use of food assistance programs rose significantly between March 2020 and June 2020.

Covid-19 And Food Insecurity Impacts: A Follow Up Vermont Study, Meredith T. Niles, Anna L. Josephson, Farryl Bertmann, Emily H. Belarmino, Roni Neff

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

This brief report details the results from a follow-up survey of 1,236 Vermonters in June 2020, after an initial survey in March/April 2020 focused on the impact of COVID-19 on food access and security. The key results include: 1) Nearly 1 in 4 respondents (23%) were classified as food insecure in June, a reported 22% decrease since March, but higher than before COVID-19. 2) People of color, those without a college degree, those with a job loss, households with children, women, and younger people had greater odds of experiencing food insecurity. 3) The majority of respondent households had experienced some …

Geology, Soils And Climate Of The Margaret River Wine Region, Peter J. Tille, Angela Stuart-Street, Peter S. Gardiner

All other publications

This report is an extract from the broader description and analysis of the Geology, soils and climate of Western Australia's wine regions. It expands on the brief descriptions in the second edition of 'Viticulture' (Coombe & Dry 2004) concerning the soils and landscapes of Western Australia’s main wine growing regions. We have tailored this report extract to the specific needs of the Margaret River wine region. It contains local soil names and soil-landscape zones and systems maps.

The wine industry recognises the importance of giving customers an understanding of the vines’ environment and how that may influence wine character …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Local Food System: Early Findings From Vermont, Emily H. Belarmino, Farryl Bertmann, Thomas Wentworth, Erin Biehl, Roni Neff, Meredith T. Niles

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected people worldwide, disrupting food access and security. To understand how food systems and security are impacted during this pandemic, an online survey was launched in Vermont from March 29th - April 12th, 2020 (less than a week after the Governor’s Stay Home/Stay Safe order). A total of 3,219 Vermonters responded, and nearly half provided written comments in response to open-ended questions about worries or general remarks. This brief summarizes survey findings and respondent comments relevant to the local food system, specifically local farms and direct-to-consumer sales, home food production, foraging, hunting, and fishing. …

Early Covid-19 Impacts On Food Retail And Restaurants: Consumer Perspectives From Vermont, Emily H. Belarmino, Farryl Bertmann, Thomas Wentworth, Erin Biehl, Roni Neff, Meredith T. Niles

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected people worldwide, disrupting food access and security. To understand how food systems and security are impacted during this pandemic, an online survey was launched in Vermont from March 29th - April 12th, 2020 (less than a week after the Governor’s Stay Home/Stay Safe order). A total of 3,219 Vermonters responded, and nearly half provided written remarks in response to open-ended questions about worries or general comments. This brief summarizes survey findings and respondent comments about food retail and restaurants. We use quantitative data to understand the frequency of beliefs and behaviors, and qualitative …

Food Access Through School Meals And Food Pantries During Covid-19: Early Findings From Vermont, Farryl Bertmann, Emily H. Belarmino, Thomas Wentworth, Erin Biehl, Roni Neff, Meredith T. Niles

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected people worldwide, disrupting food access, and security. To understand how food systems and security are impacted during this pandemic, an online survey was launched in Vermont from March 29 - April 12, 2020 (less than a week after the “Stay Home/Stay Safe” order). A total of 3,219 Vermonters responded with 182 providing a written answer specifically about food pantries and 828 of the respondents providing written comments to the open-ended question at the end of the survey. This brief summarizes survey findings and respondent comments about experiences with two programs during the early …

Conservation And Farm Viability On Vermont Small Farms, Mark Cannella, Anthony Kitsos

UVM Extension Faculty Publications

In spring 2019 the UVM Extension Agricultural Business program conducted a survey of Certified Small Farms (CSFO) in Vermont. The goal of this survey is to gather information on the economic situation across Vermont’s small farms, explore their adaptation to water quality regulations and to understand the next steps for farms moving forward. Vermont implemented new Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs) in 2017. The anonymous survey was distributed to 334 CSFO businesses owners through postal mail. The survey was completed by 173 respondents.

Results show that small farms made many conservation improvements to attain compliance new regulations. Lower cost investments in …

The Impact Of Stress On Diet, Sleep, And Exercise Amongst College Students, Jessica Rizzo

Senior Honors Projects

Stress is something that everyone faces in their lifetime and has an everlasting impact on their health. College students face high levels of stress throughout the semester, but how is that impacting their behavior? I conducted a survey alongside Dr. Melanson, a professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, to see just how college students are reacting to stress. The survey was circulated to different departments and classes to achieve a widespread collection of data. The survey remained completely anonymous and posed questions about eating, exercise, and sleep habits, along with questions on demographics and stress levels. Our …

Do Recipients Of Cash Transfer Scheme Make The Right Decisions On Household Food Expenditure? A Study From A Rural District In Pakistan, Aminah Jahangir, Shehla Zaidi, Jai K. Das, Shifa Habib

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To assess spending by beneficiaries of Benazir Income Support Programme on monthly food commodities, and contribution of the cash grant programme on purchase of nutritious foods.
Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional survey of households enrolled in the Benazir Income Support Programme was conducted during July and August, 2013, in Matiari district of the Sindh province of Pakistan. Monthly household food expenditure on food commodities and use of the cash grant on type of food purchased was assessed through structured interviews of the beneficiaries. Results were computed in 2013 Pak rupees and converted to 2018 United States dollar. Women beneficiaries were …

Fighting Waste And Feeding People: Exploring The Context Of Campus Food Waste And Student Recovery Efforts, Sarah Becker, Max Stout, Maddie Kuklentz, Savona Cerra

Environment and Sustainability Presentations

Wismer on Wheels is dedicated to our mission of not only reducing food waste on campus, but also reducing food insecurity in our wider community. The work of our team of over 35 student volunteers reflects that dedication. This past year we became the official Food Recovery Network chapter for Ursinus, broadened outreach efforts on- and off-campus, and boosted food waste education, all while recovering unprecedented quantities of food. In this presentation, we celebrate the accomplishments of our dedicated volunteers while exploring deeper questions about food waste on the Ursinus campus. Why are we seeing such massive food recovery numbers …

Sin Acceso A Alimentos Seguros, Saludables Y Económicos: El Modelo Agroindustrial Dominante Y Sus Efectos En Los Consumidores En Salta, Argentina / Without Access To Safe, Healthy, And Affordable Food: The Dominant Agroindustrial Model And Its Effects On Consumers In Salta, Argentina, Sara Paulsen

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper analyzes the effects of the hegemonic food system on low income consumers in Salta, Argentina. Results from previous literature indicate a relationship between the dominant agroindustrial model in Argentina and the concentration of power in the food production system. This paper seeks to contextualize the reports of malnutrition in Salta, a province in northwest Argentina, within larger social, cultural, and nutritional trends. To answer the question of how the hegemonic food system affects access to safe, healthy, and affordable food in Salta, I analyzed reports of various health outcomes (including malnutrition, cancer, birth defects, and obesity) and contextualized …

Alimentando A México: Los Movimientos Indígenas Y Agrícolas Contra Las Políticas Neoliberales, Sofia Buchler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Para analizar la complejidad de la agricultura en México en este momento, es necesario analizar las políticas neoliberales de México. El Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte (TLCAN) marca un punto de inflexión para la privatización de las tierras agrícolas y los cambios de la dieta mexicana. Las políticas de los últimos cuarenta años han destruido la dieta de la milpa en México y la tradición del policultivo. Los cambios en la agricultura han destruido el suelo, y forzado a los pequeños agricultores a abandonar sus tierras y buscar trabajos diferentes. Hay una gran historia de resistencia indígena …

Donating Safe And Wholesome Food, Brian Nummer, Paula Scott

All Current Publications

Americans dispose of millions of pounds of tons of food, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 11.8 percent of American households, or about 15 million, had difficulty providing enough food for all their family members (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2018). Much of the food disposed into landfills is wholesome and edible. This fact sheet outlines how a potential food donor can get started and get food into the hands of the needy.

The Impact Of Sports Nutrition Knowledge On The Physical Effects Of Low Energy Availability In Female Cross Country Runners., Abby Olcott, Catherine Anstrom

Student Scholarship – Family and Consumer Science

Learning Outcome

To understand the impact sports nutrition knowledge has on the risk for developing LEA in Female Cross Country Runners.

Background

The International Olympic Committee introduced the concept of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S) to accurately encompass the condition previously known as the Female Athlete Triad. LEA is the root cause of RED-S. (Mountjoy et al., 2014). The purpose of this study was to measure sports nutrition knowledge and the impact knowledge level has on the susceptibility to develop LEA in female cross country runners.

Methods

A quantitative design was used. Participants included the women’s cross country team …

The Immigrant-Food Nexus: Borders, Labor, And Identity In North America, Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, Sea Sloat

Food Studies - All Scholarship

This chapter addresses why immigrant farmers are so unlikely to participate in USDA direct financial assistance programs, despite immigrant farmers’ growth as a new group of farmers and particularly as a group that the USDA declares they want to support. We contend that the standardization of practices and bureaucracy inherent in receiving USDA assistance stands in stark opposition to the agrarian norms and practices of immigrant farmers and hinders their participation in USDA opportunities. The requirements of standardization help to maintain a racialized class boundary in US agriculture today, playing a large role in preventing immigrant farmers from moving up …

Recognising The Place Of Food Tourism In Ireland: An Autoethnographic Perspective, John D. Mulcahy

Doctoral

This is an autoethnographic account, utilising prior publications, of my role in positioning food as a critical ingredient in Ireland’s tourism policy and strategy since 2009. As the architect and instigator of this project, my priorities were threefold: first, working from the ground up identifying local activists across the food tourism landscape to create an active and vibrant network; second, providing thought leadership for food tourism; and third, encouraging and funding others to conduct and disseminate similar research. I have chosen six book chapters, published as a result of my advocacy strategy, for this PhD by prior publication. They are …

Food Safety And Risk Of Foodborne Illness At A Food Center Extension: Toolkit For Front-Line Volunteers, Sara Anderson

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Foodborne illness is a serious public health issue. One in six Americans has an episode of foodborne illness each year and over 50,000 are hospitalized. Food distribution centers are instrumental in decreasing food insecurity, however, some of the food donated is expired or may be damaged leading to increased risk of foodborne illness.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to educate front-line volunteers at a local food center regarding food safety.

Methods: A toolkit was developed to teach food safety to the front-line volunteers. Seven classes were given to front-line volunteers including a pre and post intervention …