Suggestions on Curriculum Reform of Food Major in the Context of Educational Reform

The food major is an application-oriented major that involves a wide range of professional knowledge and disciplines,and provides applied talents with food production,inspection,and sales skills to the society.With the rapid development of society,the demand of social employers for talents also shows a diversified trend.For the cultivation of food professionals in the new era,it is necessary to improve their innovative spirit and practical ability,in order to adapt to the diverse development needs of society.Under the background of education reform,this paper briefly analyzed the teaching strategies of food major,and put forward specific reform suggestions,hoping to promote education reform to effectively promote the sustainable development of food major,and effectively improve the quality of education.

Teaching Status and Teaching Reform Ideas of Physical Chemistry Experiments for Food Quality and Safety Major

Physical chemistry experiments are an important branch of chemical experiments.In view of problems and shortcomings in physical chemistry experiment teaching of food quality and safety major in Chengdu University,the teaching methods of physical chemistry experiment course of food quality and safety major were explored and practiced,aiming to arouse students enthusiasm for experiments and cultivate their ability of independent learning,comprehensive thinking and independent problem solving.

A Survey of 16 Rare Earth Elements in the Major Foods in China

Objective The aim of this survey was to investigate the level of contamination of the most consumed foods in China with 26 rare earth elements （REEs）, and to provide the basic data for establishing and revising food safety standards for REEs. Methods Sixteen REEs in foods were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry （ICP-MS） in the labs of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of four provinces and two municipalities, during 2009-2020. Results 2 231 samples were analyzed and 29 221 concentration data of 16 REEs were collected. The REEs levels in the investigated foods varied significantly. The concentrations of cerium （Ce）, dysprosium （Dy）, yttrium （Y）, lanthanum （La）, and neodymium （Nd） were relatively high, while the remaining eleven REEs were at low levels. The mean values of total rare earth element oxides （REOs） in cereals, fresh vegetables, fresh aquatic products, fresh meats and eggs varied from 0.052 mg/kg to 0.337 mg/kg. Conclusion 16 REEs in the major foods were at very low contamination levels in the investigated regions.

Yield gap and resource utilization efficiency of three major food crops in the world——A review

Yield gap analysis could provide management suggestions to increase crop yields,while the understandings of resource utilization efficiency could help judge the rationality of the management.Based on more than 110 published papers and data from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO,www.fao.org/faostat) and the Global Yield Gap and Water Productivity Atlas (www.yieldgap.org),this study summarized the concept,quantitative method of yield gap,yield-limiting factors,and resource utilization efficiency of the three major food crops (wheat,maize and rice).Currently,global potential yields of wheat,maize and rice were 7.7,10.4 and 8.5 t ha^(–1),respectively.However,actual yields of wheat,maize and rice were just 4.1,5.5 and 4.0 t ha^(–1),respectively.Climate,nutrients,moisture,crop varieties,planting dates,and socioeconomic conditions are the most mentioned yield-limiting factors.In terms of resource utilization,nitrogen utilization,water utilization,and radiation utilization efficiencies are still not optimal,and this review has summarized the main improvement measures.The current research focuses on quantitative potential yield and yield gap,with a rough explanation of yield-limiting factors.Subsequent research should use remote sensing data to improve the accuracy of the regional scale and use machine learning to quantify the role of yield-limiting factors in yield gaps and the impact of change crop management on resource utilization efficiency,so as to propose reasonable and effective measures to close yield gaps.

The impact of demographic dynamics on food consumption and its environmental outcomes:Evidence from China

With increasing population and changing demographics,food consumption has experienced a significant transition in quantity and quality.However,a dearth of knowledge remains regarding its environmental impacts and how it responds to demographic dynamics,particularly in emerging economies like China.Using the two-stage Quadratic Almost Demand System(QUAIDS)model,this study empirically examines the impact of demographic dynamics on food consumption and its environmental outcomes based on the provincial data from 2000 to 2020 in China.Under various scenarios,according to changes in demographics,we extend our analysis to project the long-term trend of food consumption and its environmental impacts,including greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions,water footprint(WF),and land appropriation(LA).The results reveal that an increase in the proportion of senior people significantly decreases the consumption of grain and livestock meat and increases the consumption of poultry,egg,and aquatic products,particularly for urban residents.Moreover,an increase in the proportion of males in the population leads to higher consumption of poultry and aquatic products.Correspondingly,in the current scenario of an increased aging population and sex ratio,it is anticipated that GHG emissions,WF,and LA are likely to decrease by 1.37,2.52,and 3.56%,respectively.More importantly,in the scenario adhering to the standards of nutritional intake according to the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents in 2022,GHG emissions,WF,and LA in urban areas would increase by 12.78,20.94,and 18.32%,respectively.Our findings suggest that changing demographics should be considered when designing policies to mitigate the diet-environment-health trilemma and achieve sustainable food consumption.

Resilience effects for household food expenditure and dietary diversity in rural western China

A more resilient livelihood is increasingly recognized as an efficient way to improve vulnerable households’food security and optimize their dietary decisions.This study quantifies rural household resilience in western China,identifies the three pillars(absorptive capacity,adaptive capacity,and transformative capacity)contribution to resilience,and then establishes the estimated Resilience Capacity Index(RCI)linked with food security and dietary diversity supported by the multiple indicator multiple cause(MIMIC)model.Results show that,despite geographical heterogeneity,the RCI consistently increased from 2015 to 2021.Households with a higher RCI inheriting better capacity to deal with risk and shocks are significantly and positively correlated with increasing food expenditure and diversifying food choices.It can be because resilient households will allocate more money to food expenditure instead of saving for livelihood uncertainty.Thus,policymakers can provide more incentives for rural households to adopt more dynamic and effective risk management strategies.This,in turn,could yield positive spillover effects by preventing human capital loss associated with dietary-related chronic diseases and mortality.

Repositioning fertilizer manufacturing subsidies for improving food security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in China

China removed fertilizer manufacturing subsidies from 2015 to 2018 to bolster market-oriented reforms and foster environmentally sustainable practices.However,the impact of this policy reform on food security and the environment remains inadequately evaluated.Moreover,although green and low-carbon technologies offer environmental advantages,their widespread adoption is hindered by prohibitively high costs.This study analyzes the impact of removing fertilizer manufacturing subsidies and explores the potential feasibility of redirecting fertilizer manufacturing subsidies to invest in the diffusion of these technologies.Utilizing the China Agricultural University Agri-food Systems model,we analyzed the potential for achieving mutually beneficial outcomes regarding food security and environmental sustainability.The findings indicate that removing fertilizer manufacturing subsidies has reduced greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions from agricultural activities by 3.88 million metric tons,with minimal impact on food production.Redirecting fertilizer manufacturing subsidies to invest in green and low-carbon technologies,including slow and controlled-release fertilizer,organic-inorganic compound fertilizers,and machine deep placement of fertilizer,emerges as a strategy to concurrently curtail GHG emissions,ensure food security,and secure robust economic returns.Finally,we propose a comprehensive set of government interventions,including subsidies,field guidance,and improved extension systems,to promote the widespread adoption of these technologies.

Immunoglobulin G-mediated food intolerance and metabolic syndrome influence the occurrence of reflux esophagitis in Helicobacter pylori-infected patients

BACKGROUND Reflux esophagitis has an increasing prevalence and complex and diverse symptoms.Identifying its risk factors is crucial to understanding the etiology,prevention,and management of the disease.The occurrence of reflux esophagitis may be associated with food reactions,Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection,and metabolic syndromes.AIM To investigate the risk factors for reflux esophagitis and analyze the effects of immunoglobulin(Ig)G-mediated food intolerance,H.pylori infection,and metabolic syndrome on reflux esophagitis.METHODS Outpatients attending the Second Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital between 2017 and 2021 were retrospectively enrolled.The patients’basic information,test results,gastroscopy results,H.pylori test results,and IgG-mediated food intolerance results were collected.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze risk factors for reflux esophagitis.Statistical mediation analysis was used to evaluate the effects of IgG-mediated food intolerance and metabolic syndrome on H.pylori infection affecting reflux esophagitis.RESULTS A total of 7954 outpatients were included;the prevalence of reflux esophagitis,IgG-mediated food intolerance,H.pylori infection,and metabolic syndrome were 20.84%,61.77%,35.91%,and 60.15%,respectively.Multivariate analysis showed that the independent risk factors for reflux esophagitis included IgG-mediated food intolerance(OR=1.688,95%CI:1.497-1.903,P<0.00001)and metabolic syndrome(OR=1.165,95%CI:1.030-1.317,P=0.01484),and the independent protective factor for reflux esophagitis was H.pylori infection(OR=0.400,95%CI:0.351-0.456,P<0.00001).IgG-mediated food intolerance had a partially positive mediating effect on H.pylori infection as it was associated with reduced occurrence of reflux esophagitis(P=0.0200).Metabolic syndrome had a partially negative mediating effect on H.pylori infection and reduced the occurrence of reflux esophagitis(P=0.0220).CONCLUSION Patients with IgG-mediated food intolerance and metabolic syndrome were at higher risk of developing reflux esophagitis,while patients with H.pylori infection were at lower risk.IgG-mediated food intolerance reduced the risk of reflux esophagitis pathogenesis in patients with H.pylori infection;however,metabolic syndrome increased the risk of patients with H.pylori infection developing reflux esophagitis.

Women’s empowerment and food consumption:Evidence from female-headed households in Tanzania

Despite the growing recognition of women’s increasing role in the household and corresponding empowerment programs in sub-Saharan Africa,intensive research on the relationship between women’s influence and household food consumption is minimal.Using the most recent(2017-2018)national household survey data from Tanzania,this study examined the influence of women’s empowerment on household food consumption.First,we compared the monthly consumption of eight food categories between female-headed households(FHHs)and male-headed households(MHHs)using both descriptive statistics and the propensity score matching(PSM)method.Furthermore,we adopted the two-stage Linear Expenditure System and Almost Ideal Demand System model(LES-AIDS)to estimate income and price elasticities for the two household types.The results show that FHHs consume bread and cereals,fish,oils and fats,vegetables,and confectionery(sugar,jam,honey,chocolate,etc.)more than MHHs.Moreover,FHHs have a significantly higher income elasticity of demand for all food groups than MHHs.They are also more price elastic than MHHs in meat,fish,oils,fats,sugar,jam,honey,chocolate,etc.

An Empirical Study on the Genetically Modified Food Risk Perceived by the College Students with Different Majors

The debate about the safety of genetically modified foods has never stopped,and different consumers have different judgments. On the basis of literature research,this paper designs the corresponding questionnaire for empirical analysis. With the college students as the object of study,this paper explores the differences in perceived genetically modified food risk by the college students with different majors,as well as the differences in the information processing mode adopted by the college students with different majors,and the differences in the perceived risk after adopting different information processing mode. The results show that there are significant differences in the perceived genetically modified food risk among the college students with different majors,the economics students have the highest average perceived risk; there are also significant differences in the information processing mode adopted by the college students with different majors,and the perceived risk is different when using the heuristic information processing mode.

New food sources and production systems:a comparison of international regulations and China’s advancements in novel foods with synthetic biology

The global shift towards sustainable food systems has sparked innovations in food sources and production systems,including cell-based meat,plant-based food products,precision fermentation,and 3D food printing.These advancements pose regulatory challenges and opportunities,with China emerging as a critical player in adopting and regulating new food technologies.This review explores the international landscape of new food sources and production systems(NFPS),focusing on China’s role and regulatory approaches compared to global practices.Through this comparative analysis,we aim to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on food safety regulation,offering insights and recommendations for policymakers,industry stakeholders,and researchers engaged in the global food system’s evolution.This comprehensive overview underscores the dynamic nature of regulatory frameworks governing NFPS,highlighting the international efforts to ensure food safety,consumer protection,and the sustainable evolution of the food industry.

Does Green Food Certification promote agri-food export quality?Evidence from China

The construction of a food certification system plays a vital role in upgrading export quality, which previous studies have largely overlooked. We match China's industry-level data of Green Food Certification with its HS6-digit export data of agri-food products to quantify the impact of Green Food Certification on export quality. We identify the significant and positive effect of Green Food Certification on export quality. The 2SLS estimation based on instrumental variables and a range of robustness checks confirm the validity and robustness of the benchmark conclusions. Further analysis discloses that Green Food Certification improves export quality by raising agricultural production efficiency and brand premiums. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect of Green Food Certification varies across regions, notably improving the quality of agri-food products exported to developed regions and regions with high levels of import supervision. Furthermore, among various product types, Green Food Certification significantly improves the export quality of primary products and products vulnerable to non-tariff measures. The above findings could guide the future development of agri-food quality certification systems, potentially leading to a transformation and promotion of the agri-food trade.

Food nutrition and toxicology targeting on specific organs in the era of single-cell sequencing

Due to the complex natures of dietary food components,it is difficult to elucidate how the compounds affect host health.Dietary food often selectively presents its mechanism of action on different cell types,and participates in the modulation of targeted cells and their microenvironments within organs.However,the limitations of traditional in vitro assays or in vivo animal experiments cannot comprehensively examine cellular heterogeneity and the tissue-biased influences.Single-cell RNA sequencing(sc RNA-seq)has emerged as an indispensable methodology to decompose tissues into different cell types for the demonstration of transcriptional profiles of individual cells.Sc RNA-seq applications has been summarized on three typical organs(brain,liver,kidney),and two representative immune-and tumor related health problems.The everincreasing role of sc RNA-seq in dietary food research with further improvement can provide sub-cellular information and the coupling between other cellular modalities.In this review,we propose utilizing sc RNAseq to more effectively capture the subtle and complex effects of food chemicals,and how they may lead to health problems at single-cell resolution.This novel technique will be valuable to elucidate the underlying mechanism of both the health benefits of food nutrients and the detrimental consequences food toxicants at the cellular level.

Major allergens in 8 types of allergenic foods and allergen detection techniques

In recent years,the prevalence of allergens in food warning notices,both domestically and internationally,has become the second leading concern after microbial contamination.Among the various factors that threaten human health reported by the World Health Organization,food allergy ranks fourth,and food allergy has become a global security problem.As of now,no definitive treatment for food allergies exists,making the avoidance of allergen-containing foods the most effective prevention method.Consequently,labeling foods with allergen information serves as a crucial warning for allergic populations.Moreover,to enhance comprehension of food allergies,this article provides a brief overview of their definition and sensitization mechanisms.The main focus lies in highlighting the structure of primary allergens found in eight commonly allergenic foods and the resulting clinical symptoms they cause.Additionally,a summary of commonly employed allergen detection techniques is presented,with an analysis of their principles,advantages,and limitations.Looking ahead,the integration of diverse technological approaches to establish an efficient,accurate,and affordable allergen detection method remains a significant trend.This article has certain reference value for understanding the direction of food allergies.

Characterization of physicochemical and immunogenic properties of allergenic proteins altered by food processing:a review

Food allergens are mainly naturally-occurring proteins with immunoglobulin E(IgE)-binding epitopes.Understanding the structural and immunogenic characteristics of allergenic proteins is essential in assessing whether and how food processing techniques reduce allergenicity.We here discuss the impacts of food processing technologies on the modification of physicochemical,structural,and immunogenic properties of allergenic proteins.Detection techniques for characterizing changes in these properties of food allergens are summarized.Food processing helps to reduce allergenicity by aggregating or denaturing proteins,which masks,modifies,or destroys antigenic epitopes,whereas,it cannot eliminate allergenicity completely,and sometimes even improves allergenicity by exposing new epitopes.Moreover,most food processing techniques have been tested on purified food allergens rather than food products due to potential interference of other food components.We provide guidance for further development of processing operations that can decrease the allergenicity of allergenic food proteins without negatively impacting the nutritional profile.

Soybean maize strip intercropping:A solution for maintaining food security in China

The practice of intercropping leguminous and gramineous crops is used for promoting sustainable agriculture,optimizing resource utilization,enhancing biodiversity,and reducing reliance on petroleum products.However,promoting conventional intercropping strategies in modern agriculture can prove challenging.The innovative technology of soybean maize strip intercropping(SMSI)has been proposed as a solution.This system has produced remarkable results in improving domestic soybean and maize production for both food security and sustainable agriculture.In this article,we provide an overview of SMSI and explain how it differs from traditional intercropping.We also discuss the core principles that foster higher yields and the prospects for its future development.

Concerns arise: wheat allergy risk in pre-packaged food products from China

Understanding and monitoring the cross-contamination of food allergens is crucial for safeguarding public health and ensuring food safety.Food allergen risk assessment,derived from classical toxicological principles,can identify and quantify the risk of allergies.This study aimed to investigate the risk of wheat allergic reactions to prepackaged foods from China through the utilization of food allergen risk assessment.A total of 575 products have been surveyed,wheat/gluten,milk and egg were major allergens labelled on products.According to voluntary incidental trace allergen labelling 3.0(VITAL®3.0)program,the number of products belonged to Action Level 2 were 303.Integration of precautionary allergen labeling(PAL)analysis indicated that 9.57%products would pose a potential risk to wheat allergic individuals.The probabilistic risk assessment results suggest that 7984 allergic reactions may arise among wheat-allergic consumers during 10000 eating occasions due to the consumption of pre-packaged food products with incorrect wheat-related allergen labelling.This study demonstrated that a risk assessment-based approach can support the guidance of allergen labelling and management of food allergen for pre-packaged food products,providing protection for allergic individuals in food consumption and for food manufacturers in food production and trade.

Food security amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Central Asia:Evidence from rural Tajikistan

Food security has been long understudied in the context of Central Asia.We present an analysis examining household-level food demand for Tajikistan and assessing the magnitude of its food security changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.Based on an extensive household survey data set from Tajikistan,we estimate the expenditure,income,and price elasticities for nine food categories using the QUAIDS model.Then,we develop a microsimulation model using the estimated elasticities to assess the dual impact of declining remittance income and rising food prices stemming from the pandemic shock.There are significant differences in demand elasticities across food groups,with high elasticities observed for nutritious foods,such as meat,fruit,eggs,and milk,in rural households.Moreover,our findings show that changes in remittance income and food prices significantly negatively affected food security for rural households during the COVID-19 pandemic.These findings have important implications for policymakers concerned about rural livelihoods and food security in remittance-receiving economies during the post-pandemic period.

Targeting gut microbiota in osteoporosis:impact of the microbial based functional food ingredients

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disorder,characterized by low bone mineral density and microarchitectural deterioration of the bone tissue,which increases the susceptibility to fracture.In the past decade,emerging research findings reported the implication of gut microbiota on bone health and osteoporosis pathology.Osteoporotic patients or individuals with a lower bone mineral density exhibit an alteration of the gut microbiota at several taxonomic levels.Additional reports demonstrate that gut microbiota regulates bone metabolism through the modulation of the gut function(mineral availability and absorption,gut integrity),the immune system,and the endocrine system.Thus,based on the vital role of gut microbiota on bone health,it has emerged as a novel therapeutic target for the prevention of bone loss and the treatment of osteoporosis.Microbial-based functional food ingredients,such as probiotics,prebiotics,synbiotics,and fermented foods,have been developed to alter the gut microbiota composition and function and thus,to provide benefits to the host bone health.Despite promising initial results,microbial-based therapies are still under investigation.Moreover,additional animal studies and clinical trials are needed to understand the interactions between gut microbiota and bone metabolism before further applications.

Insights into the enhancement of food flavor perception:strategies,mechanism and emulsion applications

The core drivers of the modern food industry are meeting consumer demand for tasty and healthy foods.The application of food flavor perception enhancement can help to achieve the goals of salt-and sugar-reduction,without compromising the sensory quality of the original food,and this has attracted increasing research attention.The analysis of bibliometric results from 2002 to 2022 reveals that present flavor perception enhancement strategies(changing ingredient formulations,adding salt/sugar substitutes,emulsion delivery systems)are mainly carry out based on sweetness,saltiness and umami.Emulsion systems is becoming a novel research foci and development trends of international food flavor perception-enhancement research.The structured design of food emulsions,by using interface engineering technology,can effectively control,or enhance the release of flavor substances.Thus,this review systematically summarizes strategies,the application of emulsion systems and the mechanisms of action of food flavor perception-enhancement technologies,based on odor-taste cross-modal interaction(OTCMI),to provide insights into the further structural design and application of emulsion systems in this field.