Category: Food

The modern world has been under the influence of the process of globalization for many decades. The consequences of this process are the increasing range of interactions between representatives of various cultures. The borders between different countries are being erased and multiple waves of immigration are hitting most of the modern countries.

Besides, traveling these days is one of my most favorite hobbies. As a result, various cultures mix and communicate, learn about each others traditions and rituals, study each others languages, wear different national outfits to fit into the new societies, respect rules and manners of behavior typical for certain areas and, of course, adopt different recipes from different national cuisines.

For this project, I have selected to demonstrate the traditions of the country I come from, Saudi Arabia. This is why I prepared a national Arabic dish called Asida for the members of my group. This experience was new to them and it was designed to educate them about Arabic manners during the meal, social rules, and etiquette.

The roots of this dish are quite old, one of the first times Asida happened to be mentioned in the historical notes was in the thirteenth century. The facts about this dish were recorded in the Hispanic and Muslim regions of Morocco. This is one of the oldest traditional Arabic foods. It is typically made of flour, honey, and butter. The meal is traditionally eaten in the mornings, as a breakfast food.

This is done because Asida is full of calories, so this meal is able to provide the eater with a lot of energy for the day, as it contains a lot of carbohydrates. Historically, the inventors of this meal were the nomads that used to spend a lot of time traveling across the desert; they were in need of good sources of energy that could keep them going for a long time. This is why Asida appeared.

This meal quickly became popular all over the Arabic region and won the preference of many people. As a result, it turned into a dish served during the religious festivals such as Mawlid, which is the day when the observance of the birth of the prophet Muhammad is celebrated, and Eid, the end of Ramadan. Eventually, the dish started to be associated with the birth and new beginnings.

Practically, Asida, which is also called Jamza in some regions, is a dumpling or gruel. There is a special set of rules considering the way this meal is supposed to be eaten. First of all, no utensils should be used. Asida is eaten by hand.

All the guests must wash their hands properly before the meal and use only their right hand to pick small pieces of Asida, shape them as a spoon in order to dip them into the well of honey or syrup in the middle of the dish. Asida is traditionally served together with tea or coffee, which are also made according to special Arabic recipes and include spices such as saffron or cardamom.

According to the rules of etiquette, the meal is served on the floor, on the special mat where all the guests will be sitting in a circle around the meal. Washing the hands before eating and using only one hand to pick up pieces of Asida is very important. Another necessary part of the meal is saying grateful words to the host.

In Arabic culture when only the members of one family are having a meal together  they all will be sitting in one circle, but if there is a guest in the house men and women will be having their food in separate rooms.

From the anthropological point of view, this experience is showing us particular traits of Arabic people. In this culture hospitality is a duty (Kittler, Sucher & Nelms 2011). The way guests are treated is crucial for the status of the family. Even an unwanted guest will be given maximum respect.

The way Asida is served and eaten has many circular patterns  people sit in a circle, on the floor, around a circular dish with a circular meal on it, drinking coffee out of circular cups. Circles symbolize connection, respect, harmony, and equality.

The fact that there is just one communal plate for everyone at the table and no utensils means that the tradition of eating Asida goes from the times when Arabic people were not familiar with varieties of dishes for one meal, in medieval times informal meals were served without any rules of food presentation (Lewicka 2011).

In general, the experience of eating Asida together was very useful and interesting for all of the members of my group. To my mind, sharing food is one of the best ways to learn about a new culture and its traditions.

Sharing foreign food can be very educating and informative occupation because food and the way it is served carry many of the signs of a countrys history, economical situation, religious beliefs, ethical and social conditions, climate and geographical location.

Works Cited

Kittler, P. G, Sucher K. & Nelms, M. 2011, Food and Culture. Cengage Learning, United States.

Lewicka, P. 2011, Food and Foodways of Medieval Cairenes; Aspects of Life in an Islamic Metropolis. BRILL, Netherlands.

Introduction

There is a big global social problem to do with hunger as indicated by the number of underfed people climbing in the past decade. According to reports, the number of people in the world living with hunger exceeds 1 billion. This problem is however not due to food shortages, since global supplies of food outweigh its demand.

A look at the major causes of hunger is thus in order, and should encompass the principal characteristics thereof and an action plan.

Macro analysis of hunger

This is the survey of hunger as the biological transmission of a social disease, which has historical roots. It also entails a look at the characteristics of the social and economic factors that lead to hunger and malnutrition. The macro analysis focuses on the overall policies that shape national economies; on a national level and the foreign policy component. The macro causes of hunger are the leading cause of hunger in capitalist and pro-capitalist economies.

The macro perspective analysis of hunger can depict it as stemming from institutionalization of micro causes to hunger. The exclusion of the hungry people from access to resources is the procedural effect of the power system in the society. This renders them powerless to engage in decision making in the determination of pertinent policy.

For instance a nations employment policy leads to a portion of the population being unemployed thus unable to acquire food. This exposes them to hunger despite availability of food, for instance in the U.S there are sectors of people who are as affected as people of the poor countries; since there is the affluent pattern of consumption that makes the cost of food high, limiting choices available to the poor.

In another perspective, hunger amounts to the inability of a society to produce its livelihood sufficiently; since mostly these societies that experience hunger are encumbered with the responsibility of earning their livelihood through the production of another societys livelihood. The fact that macro factors are policy issues on micro causes translates to the fact that intervention in hunger is more effective if macro issues are the first to be tackled.

Microanalysis of hunger

These are the immediate causes of hunger and malnutrition. They touch on the on the lives of the poor and powerless people at the local level. These causes stem from the social framework that builds up with time. One of these causes is the inability to produce due to the lack of enough resources or inputs for instance land.

The inability of this class of people to purchase is the second of the micro cause of hunger. This accrues to the monetization of social systems thereby tying food access to buying power, which is determined by the wealth of individuals, ownership of factors of production and access to employment.

A third possible cause of hunger at a micro level is the competition between food and cash crops. The production of crops for export on a large-scale takes the upper hand over the production of staple food crops. Also of great importance as a micro issue is the depletion of agricultural base whereby land is acquired by private entities and is thence consolidated for large-scale production. This depletion may also occur as a result of erosion, pollution or overgrazing.

Transformation of agrarian systems whereby the increased concentration of land holdings, advanced technology and production methods; leads to landless peasants who are unable to acquire food. There is also the widespread situation whereby developing countries experience inefficiency in management, rich farmer bias and poor infrastructure. This in turn leads to lack of inputs as well as market access.

A comparison

Macro and micro aspects of hung are inter-related leading to the level of complexity of the global hunger problem. Though differing with the extent to which they are directly related to the hunger problem, the intervention action is preferably a top down affair, starting with macro issues. This should eventually trickle down to the micro issues.

Food pantry programs

Also known as food banks, these charitable organizations source donated food. They in turn distribute this food to agencies that reach and feed the hungry. They mostly source this food from growers, manufacturers and sellers of food who experience surpluses in the course do business operations (Schuffan, 5).

Effectiveness of food pantry programs

The effectiveness of food banks is dependent on beating the challenges that face them: The first of these is capacity whereby the food pantries are more often than not out of adequate storage. This hampers their ability to source and stock readily available food reserves.

The second challenge regards sustainability whereby there is a problem in obtaining a reliable and consistent source of funds. This interrupts the food pantries operations and ability to build capacity. Thirdly, these food banks experience accountability challenges whereby they are limited in inventory systems, client services and other management activities. Their ability to track and report on these functions is a serious administrative challenge, for instance duplication problems.

In addition, these food banks are facing declining resources despite growing demand. There is also lack of coordinated and integrated systems of service whereby agencies compete for resources while lacking a coordinated approach in distribution. It appears that despite adequate supply of food, it suffers from inconsistent quality due variances in the supply. Distribution sites thus rarely receive highly nutritional food.

The stratospheric cost of transportation -due to recent increases in the price of oil- is affecting the food pantries capacity to distribute food. Another challenge is the deficiency in fundraising skills and resources. Competition between the pantries and other social programs for limited and shrinking resources require limit each of the food banks ability to raise enough funds. They thus require professional fund development staff and grant writers, who they are unable to afford.

Conclusion

Hunger is a highly pervasive social problem in the globe. It is required that authorities all over design and implement policy that will solve the problem. This requires that the macro issues be offered priority for the desired results. Meanwhile as the problem continues to plague the world, the role of the food pantry programs cannot be appreciated enough. Whatever challenges these food banks face need to be addressed since their role in mitigating the circumstances are crucial. They therefore should employ better management skills in achieving relief effort efficiency. They should also adopt proper management tools while putting in place coordination mechanisms that enable them deal with competition for limited donations and funds.

Once the food pantry programs achieve optimum efficiency they will be able to play their role of ensuring less people continue to suffer from hunger while there is adequate distributable food. However these efforts and those of other not-for-profit programs are just a meanwhile solution. The real solution to hunger lies in the hands of international and national social-economic policy on poverty and hunger.

Works Cited

Schuftan, Claudio. The causes of Hunger and Malnutrition: Macro and Micro Determinants. Monrovia: Cornell Intl, 1988. Print.

To identify and narrow down possible topics, I researched official documents and studies on the available themes, summarizing the knowledge available so far. Statements from government bodies, academic institutions, and organizations battling global societal issues were also useful for this endeavor, as they allowed examining the subjects in detail. According to my research, food and water security is a pertinent global problem in the current decade, with access to food and water becoming scarce in certain world regions (Schollaert Uz et al., 2019). While some methods help counteract these complications, more studies are needed to determine an efficient approach to mitigating them.

To critically analyze a source and clarify if it is scholarly, it is possible to review its publication source, structure, and authors affiliations. Scholarly articles are always published incredible academic journals and peer-reviewed to ensure the integrity of the material and its validity. After that, the structure of academic research is standardized, with the background of the issue and the procedure for obtaining and examining the data clearly stated (Tenopir et al., 2019). Finally, the authors of credible materials must be affiliated with a credible institution, such as a university or college, and are expected to possess an academic degree that supports their proficiency in the subject.

Firstly, an article by Schollaert Uz et al. (2019) can be integrated into my research to support the importance of food and water security. The authors explain how satellite data can be utilized to mitigate this complication, allowing for efficient resource management and environmental control. By reviewing the available satellite observations and models, the scholars highlight the usefulness of this information and its possible application (Schollaert Uz et al., 2019). This paper will be highly beneficial for my research, as it discusses the problems related to food and water security and outlines the approaches for addressing them.

Another article relevant for my writing was presented by Berner et al. (2016), who explore food and water security in the changing climate. Focusing on the Artic communities, the scholars examine how these populations are adapting to the shortages of food and water caused by environmental factors, describing the negative effects of this issue (Berner et al., 2016). This publication will be necessary for demonstrating how the lack of food and water security can affect individuals throughout the world, explaining the shortages from the perspective of the environmental changes.

References

Berner, J., Brubaker, M., Revitch, B., Kreummel, E., Tcheripanoff, M., & Bell, J. (2016). Adaptation in Arctic circumpolar communities: Food and water security in a changing climate. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 75(1). Web.

Schollaert Uz, S., Ruane, A. C., Duncan, B. N., Tucker, C. J., Huffman, G. J., Mladenova, I. E., Osmanoglu, B., Holmes, T. R. H., McNally, A., Peters-Lidard, C., Bolten, J. D., Das, N., Rodell, M., McCartney, S., Anderson, M. C., & Doorn, B. (2019). Earth observations and integrative models in support of food and water security. Remote Sensing in Earth Systems Sciences, 2(1), 1838. Web.

Tenopir, C., Christian, L., & Kaufman, J. (2019). Seeking, reading, and use of scholarly articles: An international study of perceptions and behavior of researchers. Publications, 7(1), 18. Web.

Introduction

Bacterial food toxicity refers to the extent to which bacteria can damage organs of persons who ingest food or fluids contaminated with different species of bacteria that are known to cause toxicity. The concept of bacterial toxicity in food is that the biological effects caused by the microorganisms are dose-dependent. Thus, more bacteria could cause higher levels of toxicity than a small number of bacteria. The level of bacterial food toxicity in human beings is also greatly determined by the hosts immune response. Therefore, a similar number of bacteria ingested in food could result in different levels of biological damage in different people. Bacteria are examples of biological toxicants that cause disease in living organisms. This paper focuses on the major types of bacteria that cause food toxicity and their modes of action.

Bacillus cereus

Bacillus cereus bacterium is a rod in appearance and is characterized by spores. It produces two types of toxins that are important in food toxicology. One type of toxin is large proteins that are destroyed by heat. The biological toxicity caused by this toxin is similar to that induced by Clostridium perfringens. The other type of toxins produced by the bacterial rod is marked by a high level of heat stability and low molecular weight. The light peptides of the toxin have been shown to cause severe emetic reactions that result in high levels of toxicity associated with eating contaminated food. Bacillus cereus bacterium induces toxicity when the two types of toxins are released into the gastrointestinal tract. The toxicity caused by the microorganism is mild and manifests through the following symptoms:

• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Pain in the lower abdomen

There are two mechanisms of action that have been shown to cause toxicity. First, the B-component of Bacillus cereus toxins binds to the host cells via special ligands. Subsequently, the L-component gains entry into the target cells, a process that is followed by changes in the metabolic activities of the cells. The alterations of the metabolic functions of the cells result in clinical symptoms. Second, the B-component of the toxins binds to the receptors of the target cells, followed by the formation of pores in the cell membrane. The process of forming lesions is mediated by both the B- and L components of the bacterial toxins. The most common symptom of Bacillus cereus toxicity, diarrhea, is caused by the following processes:

• Components of the toxins bind to the cell membrane receptors.
• Conduction of signals across the cell membrane.
• Induction of the production of chemical messengers.
• Disturbance of electrolyte and water exchange dynamics, is a process that leads to an excess amount of water in the lumen of the intestines.

Figure 1 demonstrates that chicken might be lead to food toxicity as a result of undercooking methods.

Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni bacterium is regarded as the cause of toxicity with regard to food that results in human diarrhoea across the world, particularly experienced by infants in the third world countries. The disease-causing organisms are transferred through contaminated water and undercooked food like chicken, among others. Toxicity of the bacterium is exhibited through the following symptoms:

• Diarrhoea
• Bloody stool
• Body malaise
• Fever
• Vomiting

C. perfringens bacterium produces spores that are implicated in food toxicity. The bacterial rod has the following types of toxins: A, B, C, D, and E. Among these, the A toxin is the most important agent of food toxicity. It is also known as phospholipase C and it induces gastroenteritis by initiating the breakdown of phospholipids in the cell membranes. The toxin causes alterations in the biological functions of cells by interfering with the intestinal transport of fluids and ions, which leads to gastrointestinal damage. Also, the toxin inhibits physiological activities in the tissues of the human host. In addition, the spores alter the basic macromolecular synthesis and structural organisation of cells.

Escherichia coli

E. coli bacterium is an important normal microorganism in the human body. The enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strains produce lethal toxins that are associated with contaminated food. The toxins induce diarrhoea that is accompanied by blood and lower abdominal pain. In some cases, the toxicity caused by the bacteria could result in haemolytic syndrome, a condition that could result in death a few hours after it starts to manifest. Although some pathways through which toxins of the E. coli bacterium causes toxicity have not been well defined, it is generally accepted that verotoxins adhere to the walls of the host cells in the intestines. This alters the physiological activities of the intestinal cells. Salmonella, E. coli, campylobacter and L. monocytogenes have been closely monitored with regard to food toxicology. Their contributions to toxicity in human beings are shown in the following figure:

Figure 2 shows the contributions of various species of bacteria to food toxicity.

The mechanism of action of E. coli could be best explained using the molecular events that take place in the intestines. Once the bacterium is in the intestines, it produces the shiga toxin that has the ability to destroy RNA components of ribosomes. The destruction results in a cessation of protein synthesis, thus leading to cell death. Although there is cell death, the vascular endothelium renews the killed cells, a process that culminates in the destruction of the cell lining and internal bleeding that is exhibited through bloody diarrhoea.

Figure 3 indicates that food materials might acquire bacteria due to poor freezer storages.

Vibrio cholerae

The bacterium is Gram-negative, and it is known to be the cause of cholera in human beings. The toxic species of V. cholerae are spread via contaminated faecal waste, water and food. Cholera toxin may induce profuse diarrhoea in people seeming very sick or mild diarrhoea that could characterise asymptomatic patients. With regard to toxicity caused by V. cholerae, colonisation of the small intestines with the pathogenic bacteria is the first stage that marks the infection process. The process stimulates the production of water from the intestinal wall. The bacterium produces the enzyme neurominidase, which is essential in defining the pathogenic pathways of the microorganism and promoting the effect of the toxin in cases of low production.

Figure 4 indicates how meat might be contaminated as it is transported to markets. Such meat should be well cooked to kill all types of bacteria.

Conclusion

Bacteria are important aspects of biological toxicants that are associated with contaminated food. The level of bacterial food toxicity is dependent on the dose (the amount of bacteria that gets into the alimentary canal). The bacillus aureus bacterium produces both heat stable and heat labile toxins that cause toxicity in people when ingested in combination with contaminated food materials. Campylobacter bacterium is the leading cause of diarrhoea in infants, particularly in the third world countries. It is acquired via undercooked food. E. coli does not cause toxicity in healthy individuals, however, in immunologically compromised persons, the EPEC toxins of the bacterium causes toxicity. V. cholerae is characterised by about 10 species, which cause cholera. The bacterium is transferred through contaminated water and food.

This article focuses on Genetically Modified Organisms as they are used to produce human food in the contemporary world. Genetically Modified Organisms are the ones whose genetic make-up has been changed or modified using genetic modifications to fit certain standards or requirements. Genetic modification is a common practice which is applied all over the world in ensuring that biological or agricultural products bearing the desirable physiological traits are produced. In other words, the GM technology, which is also applicable to animals, is the practice of breeding chosen individuals of a particular species with the aim of generating offspring that possess desirable traits.

Today Genetically Modified Organisms are widely applied in various sectors that are affiliated to human wellbeing and development. These fields or sectors would include, but are not limited to, agriculture, experimental medicine or research, biomedical study, and environment management. In spite of the intended role and benefits of Genetically Modified technology, it has triggered a lot of controversy in the world. These varied perceptions would range from ethical matters arising from the involved processes, to concerns of whether it is really healthy to consume food which has been generated using the GM technology. Even though the idea of using GMOs to produce food for human consumption brings immense benefits to society, its associated dangers on human health and the environment have been a significant drawback.

As it would be observed, matters of human health and safety of the environment have continued to raise the biggest concerns as far as the use of Genetically Modified Organisms in food production is concerned. This approach has played a crucial role in boosting agricultural productivity in most parts of the world, thus helping to meet the heightening demands for increased production of food worldwide. This technology, however, poses great potential risks and dangers for human beings and the environment through a number of ways.

As a matter of fact, the GM approach is a relatively new technology which had greeted the world in the dawn of the technological era, and therefore, has not been time tested to identify all the potential risks it is likely to bring on human health and the environment in the long term. Based on this observation, it is obviously clear that this trend also has a number of potential unknown risks on human health. Some of the common health risks that have been linked to genetically modified organisms usually occur in the form of toxicities and allergies. For example, life threatening allergies resulting from Genetically Modified Foods have been observed from a greater percentage of young people in Europe and the USA. These types of organisms are also said to possess the potential of producing undesirable crop proteins, among other unintended outcomes, thus raising much concern about their possibility to cause harm to susceptible individuals.

There are also concerns that introduction of foreign genetic elements into plants is likely to generate unexpected impacts on human health. This has been proven using previous experiments where animals such as monkeys and rats have been used in testing GM foods and organisms. It has also been shown that, genetically modified plants would in most cases have lower nutritional quality when compared to foods that have been produced using other means of agricultural intensification (Chiras 78). This claim can be confirmed using various examples in regard with the matter. For instance, it has been observed that the levels of phytate commonly found in grains and seeds will tend to increase abundantly as a result of a gene insertion, thus bringing down the nutritional value of the products. Research has also shown that strains of soybeans which have been generated using GM technology have produced minimal levels of phytoestrogen, among other compounds that can be useful in protecting humans from serious health problems such as heart attack.

Unlike with the human health, the environmental effects of Genetically Modified plants or crops are increasingly well examined and documented, as it is evident from previous studies on the subject. A great number of genetically modified plants or crops are either pesticide-producing or herbicide-tolerant, both of which present varied effects to the environment. Pesticide-producing crops are intended to get rid of specific pests simply by producing Bt toxins that are harmful to the pests. GM pesticide-producing crops can also be toxic to harmless species that have not been targeted and which play a crucial role in crop pollination, such as bees and butterflies. A variety of Bt plants produce toxins into the soil through their roots, posing a serious threat to soil ecosystems. It has also been observed that seeds, grains and leaves from Bt crops can fall into water where the toxin can exert toxic effects that can be of great risk to aquatic life. Moreover, continuous use of Genetically Modified crops that are herbicide-tolerant has over the time contributed to the development of weeds or unwanted crops that have shown great resistance to herbicides. In this regard, an increased amount of herbicides would be required to get rid of the weeds, and this is likely to increase the effects of the herbicides on food and the environment.

As it has been highlighted in this paper, Genetically Modified Organisms are associated with immense benefits and risks. A comprehensive focus on the potential benefits and risks that are likely to be realized from this scientific approach of generating food has spurred a lot of controversy across the world regarding its use by humans. While some people see it as a sustainable solution to food shortages and food problems that are being experienced in the developing world, others would tend to view it as a big threat to our health and the environment.

Given these concerns which have left many countries confused about the most appropriate way of handling the whole matter of GM technology, it is necessary for the global population to start monitoring the use of the concept in regard with its efficiency in food production, impact on human health, and environmental concerns. There is no doubt that the area covered with genetically engineered plants in the world is increasing at an alarming rate, thus posing more danger on humans and the environment. In that respect, it is now time for countries around the world to come together to establish regulatory approaches that would enable them monitor the effects of Genetically Modified crops on human health and the environment effectively. Also, all countries should be able to respond in the most appropriate manner based on the general outcome, even if it means doing away with the GM technology. Unless the global population decides to take such an approach, the dangers of GM technology to the environment and human health will always be a significant drawback.

Reference

Chiras, Daniel. Environmental Science (9th Ed), Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning LLC, 2013. Print.

Introduction

The central problem of the given speech is to inform the population about the issue of food insecurity and methods of how this problem can be solved. It is especially problematic that some people do not have access to healthy food, while 40% of food produced in the USA is wasted (TEDx Talks, 2017).

Discussion

The speaker wants to motivate people to participate in charity and donation programs and spread awareness on how to do it. Janet Derrick is speaking to middle-class Americans who want to help people who do not have enough to eat. Derricks audience cannot afford to give money generously, but they are well off donating personal care items or household care products (TEDx Talks, 2017). Middle-class Americans want to understand how they can contribute to the solution of the problem and to be as helpful as possible.

The author of the speech uses various emotional appeals and builds logical chains. Derrick often uses pathos and appeals to emotions. For example, she says, We believe healthy food is a right and not a privilege (TEDx Talks, 2017). Of course, there is no legal right to healthy food, but the speaker emphasizes the importance of proper nutrition for the health and well-being of a human. Derrick convinces listeners from an ethical and logical point of view. The author advises Americans to donate household items, arguing that they are hard to buy on a budget, easy to store and ship to people in need, and do not have short shelf-life (TEDx Talks, 2017). Thus, she gives an explanation focusing on the logos, urging people to adopt a course of action that benefits the charity organization.

Conclusion

Derrick does not refer to authority or use ethos in her speech, as she focuses more on inspiration and information. The speaker ends her presentation with a call to action, claiming that together people can provide nutritious foods to people suffering from food insecurities. At the end of the video, she tells stories of successful integrations, donation campaigns, and personal stories of organization members. This is effective because it creates emotional intensity and makes people understand that everyone can participate in helping.

Reference

TEDx Talks. (2017). Janet Derrick: Humanizing the impoverished by replacing food pantries | TED Talk [Video]. YouTube. Web.

Since the previous century, environmental concerns have been rising more frequently; they resemble a significant contemporary issue  among them is the amount of waste generated by modern society. In this context, food waste draws a lot of interest from global and national policymakers as well as various organizations and scholars  it continues to grow despite the looming resource depletion. According to Schanes et al., one-third of all produced for human consumption food, which is approximately 1.3 billion tons per year, is lost or wasted (2). While food waste can occur at any stage of the food production chain, some studies indicate that the main reason behind it might hide in human psychology (Clayton, 10). At the end of the food production chain stand households and individuals who reproduce specific behavioral patterns that eventually contribute to food waste. If there is any place to begin the development of a strategy against it, it should start with the analysis of their behavior and patterns.

Application of the social practice theory can help better understand the social tendencies toward food waste generation that occurs in households. This theory does not consider the issue of food waste as an individuals problem but rather a problem in broader social, economic, and cultural aspects of everyday life. In this context, the daily routine and processes connected to households food provisioning were proved to play a significant role in food waste generation (Schanes et al., 10). Every family has to plan, shop, cook, store, eat, and manage leftovers. At every stage of this process, the food is evaluated for edibility and consequently is either redistributed or wasted.

Planning activities vary for every household and do not always go hand to hand with other processes. Moreover, according to (Aschemann-Witzel et al., 6465), the lack of planning for shopping, food storage, and its preparation might be the most crucial factor contributing to food waste generation. One reason for the lack of planning might be the time constraints and little care about how to cook and store food (Aschemann-Witzel et al., 6466). For example, households with high workloads tend to buy already-cooked food in packages. Another reason resides in the modern culture of consumerism and a generally low price level of nutrition (Aschemann-Witzel et al., 6466). It leads to people buying too much food and paying less attention to the risk of wastage. Notably, consumer price orientation in the form of volume discounts and price gradients, oversized packages, differences in taste, compensation effect, and good provider identity might cause unnecessary purchases.

There is a mutual relationship between cultural norms and the good provider identity. From its perspective, the problem of food storage contributes to food waste in two ways  qualitative and quantitative (Schanes et al., 11). To be a good provider implies expressing care and affection to family and guests by providing an abundance of proper food. Generally, proper food is considered to be healthy and nutritious. Although, the bought healthy food is not always consumed fully, leading to the wastage of quickly perishable food. The desire to be a good host worsens the situation because it motivates people to be prepared for the occasional social interactions, where serving not enough or not the right food might be embarrassing.

A curious interaction of lousy planning and social standards occurs in the case of the compensation effect. It resides in the interpretation of the principle of eating properly, which implies healthy nutrition. If people concerned with that principle still consume meals that are treated as unhealthy, they might buy an abundance of healthy food to mitigate the guilt (Schanes et al., 12). In addition, not every household member might support the idea of eating properly; thus, he would ask for more food according to his different tastes. Unfortunately, in both cases, unclaimed food remains unconsumed, perishes quickly, and is consequently wasted.

In many ways, food retailers contribute to unbalanced consuming behavior. In their pursuit of higher sales, they invest a lot into the visual appearance and package size to draw attention (Aschemann-Witzel et al., 6466). It is reinforced by consumers perceptions and habits in the choices they make  a tendency to expect high levels of visual perfection and freshness. Thus, not every single product on the market is going to be bought due to the customers preferences. Overall, it can be described as a macro-economic influence of technology and legislation of production, which leads to inefficiency in sales, oversupply, and ultimately wastage.

The issues of cooking, eating, and managing leftovers are closely related. The studies show that households where cooking occurs more frequently or is subjected to some restrictions, such as diet, tend to produce less food waste; the cooked food is adequately measured and leaves no leftovers (Schanes et al., 13). On the other hand, unpredictable eating patterns and capricious preferences of households children result in more significant wastage. Another factor that might influence food loss is eating outside. Curiously enough, people that often eat in restaurants do not necessarily spend less money in grocery shops (Schanes et al., 14). As a consequence, some of their bought food might expire, while people prefer a faster and more convenient way of eating.

In contrast to the households psychology, the analysis of a narrower, individual perspective showed the impact of specific psychological barriers on food waste behavior. In her study, Clayton attempted to answer why people do not act in defense of the environment despite acknowledging associated issues (10). The research led her to discover cognitive, emotional, and social barriers that prevent people from taking action. Cognitive barriers reside in how the human brain perceives different problems and events (Clayton, 13). It is harder to continuously be concerned with issues on a large scale because the focus constantly shifts to short-termed matters. Emotional barriers contribute to their cognitive counterparts, showing themselves in human preferences of what to believe in (Clayton, 14). The waste problems are scary and intimidating, making them not pleasant to think about  most people would try to avoid thinking about pollution or, in the worst case, deny it altogether. Social barriers are based on the fundamental principle of socialization  people are greatly influenced by their communities and households (Clayton, 15). If a specific community does not share the ideas of environmental protection, this will apply to most individuals in it.

However, these barriers are not unavoidable, and, with practice and particular techniques, an individual can eventually overcome them. It is possible if an individual embraces a motivating behavior toward environmentally protective actions. The first and probably the easiest way to start is to change the peoples physical environment (Clayton, 18). For example, if recycling containers are present in proximity, clearly marked, and easily accessible, people will use them more frequently. The second way is to change the social environment; in the same way that it discourages people, it can also motivate the appropriate behavior (Clayton, 20). If sustainability is socially valued, people will tend to act accordingly. Lastly, it is essential for individuals to look inside themselves and develop individual characteristics and attitudes (Clayton, 21). There should be a sincere environmental concern present, along with strong moral responsibility and the confidence to take action that might deviate from the norms. Altogether, it can invoke small changes that eventually lead to wonders.

A study of households and individuals behavior showcases numerous social and psychological reasons responsible for the food waste generations that have to be addressed. From the social perspective, the most significant contribution to food waste occurs in the households everyday food-provisioning activities, such as planning, shopping, storing, cooking, eating, and redistributing. Mainly, it is the lack of planning, abundant or picky shopping, irresponsible keeping, inexperienced cooking, and consequent food management. From the perspective of an individual, it requires effort and some dedication to surpass specific cognitive, emotional, and social barriers and start to behave with regard to the food waste issue. The changes in the physical environment, shifts of perception in the surrounding social environment, and purposeful personal are the general steps to invoke change. Overall, despite the intimidating variety of reasons for food waste generation, their study and definition map the starting points for the significant shift that society direly needs in the face of environmental degradation.

Works Cited

Aschemann-Witzel, Jessica, et al. Consumer-related food waste: Causes and potential for action. Sustainability, vol. 7, no. 6, 2015, pp. 6457-6477.

Clayton, Susan. Conservation psychology and climate change. Standing up for a Sustainable World, edited by Claude Henry, Johan Rockström, and Nicholas Stern. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2020, pp. 10-23.

Schanes, Karin, et al. Food waste matters-A systematic review of household food waste practices and their policy implications. Journal of cleaner production, vol. 182, 2018, pp. 978-991.

The conflict between morality and using animals for food has been a very long-term topic for discourse. And animal rights have also been a very influential subtopic in this discussion, due to the issue of cruelty and poor conditions in slaughterhouses. The following essay will go into further detail about this rather concerning conflict and whether it is possible to find a decent resolution or not.

The disagreement with the use of animals for food has been advocated by lecturers, such as James Wildman. He believes that people have been conditioned to believe that meat, fish and dairy products are healthy for humans (Wildman). During James lecture, The Food Matrix, he also discusses morality and the inhumane conditions of slaughterhouses. This is why the man recommends his audience to stop consuming such foods.

Wildman references how people react differently to berries and animals. He depicts an imaginary situation in which a strawberry is shown to an audience, and then cut in half. Later, James asks the guests to picture the same happening to a pig in front of their eyes, predicting that they would have been unsettled by it (Wildman). This is a flawed opinion, for there is a difference between using an animal for food and harming it in front of an audience for shock value. What Wildman depicted in his argument sounded more like the latter, which is certainly immoral.

However, I do agree with his concern regarding the inhumane conditions in slaughterhouses. Wildman mentions the tight cages hens are confined to, leading to them experiencing stress (Wildman). The lecturer also depicts open cages, but they are intentionally mislabeled, for such spaces are used to confine more animals in the same location. This depicts the dishonest nature of such locations being labeled as humane.

In conclusion, I find the conflict between morality and using animals for food quite nuanced and complicated. James Wildman has made some interesting points, but others were rather flawed. For example, the pig and strawberry argument is not entirely accurate, for the former sounded more like the depiction of an animal being harmed for shock value, which is undeniably immoral. This atrocious action cannot be compared to an animal being bred for food. However, it is important to mention that his concerns about slaughterhouses having inhumane conditions are valid. Nonetheless, I found this topic and the lecture rather interesting and worthy of further discussion.

Work Cited

The Food Matrix  101 Reasons to Go Vegan. Youtube. Uploaded by TheAnimalHolocaust, 2012.

The uneven distribution of food is one of the most pressing global issues today. In most developed countries, people have no shortage of food and can afford to throw a lot of products away; in some developing countries, on the other hand, many adults and children are dying of malnutrition and cannot access the products needed to fulfill their nutritional requirements. Many non-governmental organizations aim to support these populations by providing food, but the issue remains widespread despite their efforts.

Surprisingly, insufficient food production is not one of the reasons for world hunger. On the contrary, the food production industry has been developing by global population growth over the last decades. For instance, worldwide food crop output has grown significantly due to the increase in yield per acre, achieved by the improvement of agricultural techniques. Nevertheless, a major economic crisis of 2008 decreased the peoples capacity for buying food. The average for daily food calories available per person in the 1960s was 2700 in developing countries and 3300 in developed countries; at the beginning of the 21st century, however, the global average for calories available per person has lowered to 2350, with the economic crisis of 2008 decreasing the figure further. Thus, even though enough food is produced in the world to keep every person fed, many people simply cannot afford to pay for proper nutrition. For example, according to the FAO, over 800 million people suffered from chronic undernourishment in 2012-2014, even though over the same period, world levels of undernourishment dropped by 8 percent. WHO, on the other hand, states that over 50 million children under five years of age are underweight, with an estimated 3.1 children dying each year of hunger-related causes. Malnutrition is tied to geographical areas, with some parts of the world having a higher share of undernourished people than others. For instance, sub-Saharan Africa is the only part of the world where they share of malnourished people is over 25%. The second highest undernourishment rate can be seen in South Asia, with 15% of people having lower than average access to food.

The main cause of world hunger, as stated by world authorities, is poverty, with the majority of undernourished people being unable to afford their basic needs in terms of daily food intake. Moreover, in some parts of the world, climate and soil specifications do not allow for a crop production that is sufficient in its scale to cover the food needs of populations living in those areas. For instance, in the countries of Latin America and Asia, agricultural productivity is significantly lower than in other parts of the world, which leads to local agricultural sectors being unable to supply enough food for local people. Another reason for malnutrition is the growth of food prices, which was also triggered by the 2008 crisis. In the case with children undernourishment, one of the reasons for the issue is the lack of proper knowledge of breastfeeding practices and the worldwide substitution of breast milk with artificial infant foods. Finally, wars and other military conflicts in some countries can take the governments funding away from the agricultural and food production sectors, thus becoming another major reason for undernutrition.

Overall, world hunger is a serious issue that affects the development of many countries, impairing the overall health of their populations, increasing child mortality, and decreasing active workforce availability. Nevertheless, socio-economic and technological development of countries has the potential to decrease hunger and malnutrition, which is why major efforts need to be undertaken to provide help to the countries suffering from high rates of undernourishment.

Carbohydrates exist in both simple and complex forms. Some of the simple types of the macromolecule are monomers referred to as monosaccharides. These monomers include fructose, galactose, and glucose. Combinations of two of these monomers create a new class of carbohydrates known as disaccharides, which include lactose, sucrose, and maltose. When multiple monomers combine, they form carbohydrate polymers or complex sugars. The polymers include starch, fiber, and glycogen. In lipids, polymers are categorized into sterols, phospholipids, and triglycerides. Proteins are categorized into conjugated, derived, and simple proteins (Sheehan et al. 2020). Examples of simple proteins are albumins and globulins. The conjugated proteins include phosphoproteins and glycoproteins while the derived proteins are the peptides and denatured proteins.

The various biochemical techniques are used to test for different macromolecules. According to Sheehan et al. (2020), Benedicts test is used to test for sugars. While the reducing sugars react with Benedicts solution when heated briefly giving a red-brown precipitate, the non-reducing sugar does not provide this color change. The iodine solution is used to test for starch whose presence results in the formation of a blue-black color. When the biuret test is used, the objective is to test for proteins. The reagent detects peptide bonds, a characteristic feature of proteins. The Sudan III and emulsion tests are used to test for lipids.

Each of the three macromolecules is required in the body where they perform specific functions. As such, an abundance or deficiency of any of the three causes a corresponding effect. For instance, the abundance of carbohydrates leads to the production of energy for growth, development, and other body activities (Sheehan et al. 2020). Excess carbohydrates are converted from their glucose form to starch and fats for storage. On the other hand, deficiency of carbohydrates may lead to abnormalities such as constipation, muscle cramps, and headache.

Reference

Sheehan, C. E., Nielsen, D. A., & Petrou, K. (2020). Macromolecular composition, productivity and dimethylsulfoniopropionate in Antarctic pelagic and sympagic microalgal communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 640, 45-61.