Search

Meals served to children should not only satisfy hunger and taste preferences but also be nutritionally adequate. Nutrition in early childhood is critical, as children spend a significant portion of their day in kindergarten or preschool, making these settings key contributors to their overall dietary intake. With the rising prevalence of nutrition-related health conditions among children, early interventions are essential for developing and establishing lifelong healthy eating habits. This study assessed the nutritional value and quality of children's diets in two distinct settings: kindergartens in Wroclaw, Poland, and preschools in Sydney, Australia, evaluating their alignment with the planetary health diet. The research analysed 10-day menu cycles from five kindergartens in Wroclaw and the contents of lunchboxes from five preschools in Sydney's Upper North Shore area. A total of 100 menus were reviewed in Poland, while 100 children's lunchboxes were assessed in Australia. Different analytical methods were employed: the Diet 6D software program for the Polish menus and the Food Consumption Score for the Australian lunchboxes. Both methods revealed dietary imbalances, such as excessive intake of protein, vitamin A, salt, and sugar, alongside deficiencies in calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin D. The study concluded that children's diets should adhere to nutritional guidelines, meeting both Polish and Australian standards, and align with the principles of the planetary health diet. To achieve this, nutritional education is essential for kindergarten staff in Poland, while targeted educational interventions are needed for parents and children in both Poland and Australia, promoting health and environmental sustainability through better nutrition.

Considering Acheta domecticus flour's growing importance and utilization as an ingredient in many food products, research on its storage is essential. The objective of this study was to determine the chemical and nutritional fat profile of house cricket ( Acheta domesticus ) flour during storage for 12 months under different storage temperatures (-18 °C, +4 °C, and +20 °C in two variants, with and without access to light). Insect flour was studied using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The fatty acids content was determined, and dietary indicators were calculated. The acid value, peroxide value, and anisidine value were also determined, and differential scanning calorimetry was performed. The results obtained from spectroscopic analysis of Acheta domesticus flour were consistent with the biochemical data. During the 12-month period of flour storage, the storage temperature significantly influenced the percentage composition of identified groups of fatty acids and the values of all presented ratios and dietary indices. During storage at refrigerated temperatures (-18 °C and +4 °C), no changes were observed in the fatty acid content and dietary indices, indicating that refrigerated temperatures provide oxidative stability to flour during 12 months of storage. Samples stored at 20 °C had higher acid values (AV), peroxide values (PV), and anisidine values (p-AV) compared to samples stored at lower temperatures (4 °C and -18 °C). Simultaneously, an increase in SFA and MUFA, as well as a decrease in PUFA and UFA, was noted in samples stored at room temperature. Storing cricket flour at lower temperatures when the storage period will be more than 12 months is essential to restrict the occurrence of fat oxidation. Elevated temperatures and exposure to light have a notable effect in hastening oxidation mechanisms, reducing thermal resilience, and inducing more pronounced alterations in the quality of fats., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

The quality of poultry meat offered to the consumer depends mainly on the level of hygiene during all stages of its production, storage time, and temperature. This study investigated the effect of refrigerated storage on the microbiological contamination, color, and pH of turkey thigh muscles stored at 1 °C over six days. Microbial growth, including total mesophilic aerobes, presumptive lactic acid bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae, significantly increased, impacting the meat's sensory attributes and safety. On the 6th day of meat storage, the content of total mesophilic aerobes, presumptive lactic acid bacteria, and Enterobacteriaceae was 1.82 × 10 7 CFU/g, 1.00 × 10 4 CFU/g, and 1.87 × 10 5 CFU/g, respectively. The stability of color was assessed by quantifying the total heme pigments, comparing myoglobin, oxymyoglobin, and metmyoglobin concentrations, analyzing color parameters L*, a*, b*, and the sensory assessment of surface color, showing a decline in total heme pigments, three myoglobin forms, redness (a*) and lightness (L*). In contrast, yellowness (b*) increased. These changes were correlated with the growth of spoilage microorganisms that influenced the meat's pigmentation and pH, with a notable rise in pH associated with microbial metabolization. Based on the conducted research, it was found that the maximum storage time of turkey thigh muscles at a temperature of 1 °C is 4 days. On the 4th day of storage, the total mesophilic aerobe content was 3.5 × 10 5 CFU/g. This study underscores the critical need for maintaining controlled refrigeration conditions to mitigate spoilage, ensuring food safety, and preserving turkey meat's sensory and nutritional qualities. There is a need for further research to improve turkey meat storage techniques under specific temperature conditions by studying the impact of using varying packaging materials (with different barrier properties) or the application of natural preservatives. Additionally, future studies could focus on evaluating the effectiveness of cold chain management practices to ensure the quality and safety of turkey products during storage. By addressing these research gaps, practitioners and researchers can contribute to developing more efficient and sustainable turkey meat supply chains, which may help mitigate food wastage by safeguarding the quality and safety of the meat.

Insects are a conventional food in many cultures worldwide. Why therefore are they treated with aversion by the majority of people in Western countries? The aim of this work is to understand cultural norms and historical practices related to insects that can explain why in the countries of the West it is so difficult to accept them as a foodstuff, and why the disgust that they arouse is more common than in other regions of the world. Insects in Western countries are associated with negative experiences resulting from cultural and religious beliefs, traditions, stories, myths and individual experiences. Although there are species of insect that have positive associations, the high number of negative terms popularized the negative image of these creatures in people's minds, as a result of which the concept of insects as a foodstuff arouses disgust in the culture of the West. Understanding the aversion to insects will contribute to the broader understanding of consumer attitudes, cultural influences on consumption, or potential shifts in food choices. It also can help develop strategies or methods that will assist in changing this reluctance and encourage the utilization of insects as a food source.