According to the article by Louise Lucas called Food groups aim expansion recipes at local consumers published on 14th September 2011 published in the Financial Times, Africa has large potential for international food and beverage business. The business is likely to boom in the economies because of its high population, wealth distribution, competitiveness, government policies, and the nature and style of the continents lifestyle. According to the article, the most crucial aspect when working in the market is to understand the target market and aim at providing products of the right quality , price, and tastes (Louise, 2011).
Some countries in Africa has high population that offers food and beverage industry market and labor necessary for the survival of the industry; high populated countries like Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt have population that can consume the products to support the industry. When it comes to labor, the industry is labor intensive; there are numerous unemployed skilled and unskilled people in the continent that can offer such at competitive prices.
In the fight of hunger and promotion of foreign direct investments, African government has policies that target international companys investments in the continents; with such incentives, international companies in the food and beverage industry benefit.
Political, legal, economic and cultural environment of Nigeria
When operating in international scenes, its important for a business to undertake an international business venture analysis:
Politics
Nigeria has been under military rule for 33 years from 1966 until 1999; however, the country held peaceful election in 1999, when Olusegun Obasanjo, was accorded power in a peaceful transition, in 2010, after the death of Umaru Musa YarAdua, Goodluck Jonathan assumed the leadership of the western African country. The system of governance follows the Westminster System model, with an executive president and he is the head of state. During election, the president is the candidate with the majority vote and is expected to be in office for a term of our two time elective post.
Legal
In Nigeria the constitution is supreme where both national and international companies are expected to abide to the rules; companies are governed by companies act that has certain requirements that the government wants them meet, they include taxation, making returns, meeting requirements of minimum wages, and registration.
Economics
Federal Republic of Nigeria is regarded as a middle income state with a mixed economy; according to the world bank report, Nigeria is one of the few world countries that have clicked the point of middle class and has the potential of becoming a first world country if its resources are utilized appropriately. The large population in the country is a source of labor; human resources and natural resources combined has made the countrys economy being the 37th in the world and second in Africa according to 2007 world GDP (PPP) report. A joint report by Economist Intelligence Unit and the World Bank, in 2009 stated that the countrys GDP was 292.6 billion in 2007; this was a sharp rise from 170.7 billions recorded in 2005. During the year, the GDP per capita was $692 in 2005 but rose to $1,754 per person in 2007 (Federal Government of Nigeria 2011)
The country economy is driven by oil and fuel reserves that are exploited by modern technology; trade in the country is supported by government initiatives and infrastructure like communication, transports and technology. In 2010, Citi-Group, the country economic standing is expected to be on an upward rise until 2050; the constant growth has been facilitated by technological innovations and adoptions in the country.
Culture
The people of Nigeria are divided mostly between Christians, Muslims and earthiest; they have their culture rooted in the religion that one subscribes to. Culture of the country is that they need to live within their means and treat themselves occasionally. Although the country is performing relatively well in the region, the economic development has been hampered by corruption, bad governance and military rule as has been experienced in the country. There are times that the country has had clashes among the people and this has hampered the attainment of developmental goals.
In the entire sub-Saharan countries, Nigeria is considered as one of the country with the richest natural and human resources only if they are exploited and used in an effective manner. The country has the extremes of having the rich and the poor within the economy thus hindering revolutionist that is associated with the rich in the community (Federal Government of Nigeria 2011).
Nigeria rank in the Global Competitiveness Report? What are the major challenges to doing business in Nigeria and are these challenges primarily political, economic, and cultural?
According to Global Competiveness report of 2009-2010, Nigeria was ranked 127th best country to do business; the statistics can also be interpolated that the country was 13th worst country to do business.
The low ranking of the country can be attributed to politics and ineffective government frameworks that the country has enacted; to get an operating license in the country is a hassle and the rate of bribe is one of the highest in the world. The economic richness of the country, oil, also contributes to rivalry among people of different class, locations, and wealth distribution. Such political rivalry makes the environment challenging for international business.
Although the countrys culture cannot be fully blamed for the low ranking, Nigerians are proud, boastful, and choosy; such characters are likely to hinder the prosperity of food and beverage industry in the country (Martin, 2006).
References
Federal Government of Nigeria. 2011. Official Website of Nigerian Government. Web.
Louise, L. 2011. Food groups aim expansion recipes at local consumers. Web.
Martin, M. (2006). Nigeria: current issues and historical background. New York: Nova Publishers.
The level of hygiene at the workplace is very important in the hospitality industry especially when preparing food. A high standard of hygiene is emphasized in order to prevent food contamination or poisoning. The food handlers should also be physically well. This means that they should not handle food if they are sick since this can lead to food contamination. This paper focuses on the significance of hygiene in regard to food preparation (chicken).
The Preparation Process
Chicken is generally considered to be a hazardous food because it usually carries the salmonella bacteria. This type of bacteria is one of the major causes of food poisoning. Thus if the chicken is not properly cooked or stored the bacteria in it can survive and cause food poisoning. Chicken is also hazardous because it contains a lot of proteins. Proteins usually provide a fertile ground for the multiplication of bacteria. Thus if chicken is not stored according to the time and temperature regulations, it can easily be contaminated.
Cross contamination may have occurred at the following stages of the food preparation process. The cooks cleaned the chicken using unwashed hands. Besides, they did not clean the knife and the chopping board that was used in the process. Thus the chickens were contaminated by the germs or bacteria that were in the hands of the cooks. The germs or bacteria further contaminated the stuffing since the same board was used to prepare them. The sick cook also contaminated the chicken when he stopped to blow his nose.
The chicken were left on the bench overnight and found to have fully thawed the following morning. Thus the bacteria in the chicken got the opportunity to grow during the thawing process as the temperature became favorable for their growth.
The sandwich had the potential of causing food poisoning due to the following reasons. First, the cooked chicken used to fill them was not covered in the fridge. Since they were also stored on the bottom shelf, the liquid from the thawing items that were stored in the upper shelves could have possibly contaminated them. Second, the lettuce, tomatoes and carrots that were served with the sandwich were raw. Thus if they were not properly cleaned, the germs or bacteria in them could have possibly caused food poisoning.
The micro-organisms that cause food poisoning include bacteria and viruses. The common types of bacteria that cause food posing include the salmonella that is common in chicken.
Avoiding Food Poisoning
Food poisoning could have been avoided by the following techniques. First, the cooks should have maintained high standards of hygiene by washing their hands and the utensils they used to prepare the food. Besides, the sick cook should not have been allowed to handle the food in order to prevent cross contamination. Second, proper storage could have helped to manage the situation. This involves storing the food at controlled temperature as well as covering it to avoid contamination.
Third, testing if cooked helps to ensure that the food is fully cooked. The bacteria that cause food poisoning are only destroyed if the food is properly cooked. The thawing process should not take too long since it gives the bacteria an opportunity to grow. Finally, the correct cooking procedure in terms of setting the right temperature and time can help in preventing food poisoning. This is because it leads to the destruction of the micro-organisms that cause the poisoning.
Healthy eating is the biggest contributing factor to an individuals well being and it is associated with an increased quality of life as well as longer life expectancy. For children and adolescents, schools play a major role in molding their eating habits.
Research revealed that in 2004, more than half of school-aged children received either breakfast or lunch in school (Terrence et al. 501). With this in mind, greater consideration should be placed on the foods that are being served to our youth in the school system.
This is in because dietary habits and preferences are acquired during childhood and they become habitual over time (Terrence et al. 501). Over the past decade, the nutritional quality of school meals has been called to question with unhealthy eating among school-aged children being prevalent.
This is a troubling phenomenon since unhealthy eating has many adverse effects to the individual. This paper shall set out to outline the foods that are served to our nations youth in the public school system so as to demonstrate that majority of American children have poor diets. The negative impact that poor food and dietary choices result in among children and adolescents shall then be articulated. The actions that are being undertaken to rectify the issue shall then be highlighted and further insight offered on how to end the issue of poor dietary habits among school aged children.
Food Served in Public Schools
Schools offer a wide array of foods at the various food outlets. Fruits and raw vegetables are some of the healthy foods that are offered. Some of these products are offered through the Farm-to-School programs which link local farmers providing locally grown produce to school cafeteria (Story, Nanney and Schwartz 81).
Bread and rolls made from whole grains also constitute the healthy meals offered by schools. However, Gordon et al notes that only 5% of breads and rolls eaten in schools were made from whole grains due to the higher cost of whole grain (34). It should be noted that even in instances where schools offer healthy meals; children opt for unhealthier foods which are not only tastier but also cost relatively cheaper.
The consumption of added sugars has in the recent past increased dramatically in the US. Frary et al reveal that teenagers are the age group which consumers most added sugars with added sugars contributing 20% of total energy intake for teenagers (56).
Added sugars are defined as sugars and sweeteners and syrups that are eaten separately or used as ingredients in processed and prepared foods (57). For the children aged between 6 and 17 in the US, the major sources of added sugars in their diets are: nondiet soft drinks, fruitade drinks and sweetened dairy products. These products are available through vending machines which are located all over schools (Lawrence). Added sugars increase the risk of a child becoming obese or getting type 2 diabetes.
Fast foods are the biggest culprits in promoting unhealthy eating habits among youths. Fast food, by definition, is designed for ready availability, use, or consumption with little consideration given to quality or significance (Freeman 2225). According to the CDC, 20% of schools in the USA offer brand-name fast foods such as McDonalds to the children during the school day.
The major fast foods consumed by children and adolescents in schools include: hamburgers, French fries and pizza. In most cases, the attraction with these fast foods is that they take very little time to prepare which greatly appeals to the schools which are in most cases hard pressed for time. Additionally, junk food is relatively low priced compared to healthier meals which not only take longer to prepare but also cost more (Assuras).
However, the fast foods consumed contain trans fats which have been linked to increased risk of heart diseases and have also been grossly implicated other health conditions including obesity and diabetes (Burniat 142). In addition to this, fast foods contain excessive amounts of fats, sugars and cholesterol; all which are associated with obesity and heart problems. Fast foods are also known to be prepared from saturated oils that are mostly reused over a period of days thus making them vulnerable to bacteria.
The overconsumption of soft drinks has also increased markedly thus further contributing to the unhealthy eating habits of high school students. This is because high consumption of soft drinks has a dilutional effect on childrens essential micronutrient intake.
Soft drinks are widely accessible to school children with many school districts having contracts with soft drink companies to promote the sale of soft drinks in schools. Research conducted by the CDC found that 33% of elementary schools, 71% of middle schools and 89% of high schools had a vending machine or canteen where students could purchase foods and beverages (Story, Nanney & Schwartz 73).
Staveren and Dale assert that this phenomenon is mostly as a result of under funded schools making contracts with big companies to sell their brand of products to the school (21). As such, schools have a vested interest in the promotion of the sale of these products (mostly beverages) as they receive a percentage of sales. Most schools therefore spot vending machines which are a principal source of extra money for the school.
Negative results of Poor Eating Habits
A major consequence of poor dietary habits has been the increase of childhood obesity in the US. Dehghan, Danesh and Merchant observe that childhood obesity has reached catastrophic levels with 11% of children being classified as obese (2). Considering the fact that 70% of obese adolescents grow into obese adults, this rise in childhood obesity is cause for alarm.
Research further indicates that the prevalence rate of obesity has risen over the past couple of years and statistics by the Center for Disease Control and prevention (CDCb) show that according to the 2007 national youth risk behavior survey, 23% of US high school students were overweight.
This was a notable rise from the 5% level in the 1980s. Childhood obesity results in a decline in child health since children who are obese are at increased risk of physical as well as psychosocial health consequences (Jelalian and Steele 52).
The CDC reports that there is a threat on the rise of Diabetes among school aged children and teenagers in the U.S. Particularly, type 2 diabetes has shown significant prevalence among children and adolescents. Type 2 diabetes was traditionally associated with adults aged above 40 years.
The prevalence of this diabetes in children has been blamed on the dietary practices adopted. A CDC report reveals that the obesity epidemic as well as decreased physical activities among the youth is responsible for the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Fast foods are prepared mostly through deep-frying which leads to high cholesterol rates and heart attacks.
Poor dietary practices results in under nutrition which may have far reaching consequences. Under nutrition especially during childhood may have adverse long term consequences on the physical health and development of children.
Terrence et al reveals that under nutrition can impact negatively on a childs cognitive development and school performance (502). This impact is long term in nature and irreversible hence highlighting the dangers that under nutrition poses. The overall dietary quality of children and adolescents who rely on fast foods is poorer than for those who take in healthy meals.
French et al further asserts that eating habits established in adolescence including preference for and reliance on fast food may place them at future risk for higher fat and energy intake as they move into young adulthood (1832). This predisposes them to increased sedentary behavior and excess weight gain which will impact negatively on their quality of life.
Addressing the Issue
Having highlighted the adverse effects that poor dietary habits may result in, it is obvious that a feasible solution is not only desirable but is the only way in which we can restore the health of the children. It has been extensively documented that the quality of food available in schools is of low nutritional value and unhealthy as it is mostly made up of snacks, fast foods and sodas.
Key to solving the obesity problem is an overhaul of the school nutrition program. For this plan to work, the support of the parents, policy makers and especially the staff at school would be most crucial. This is because the funding of healthy eating programs is both expensive and would incur some resistance from supporters of vending machines and fast foods. A significant approach would be for the school to participate in the Federal Meal program.
These programs adhere to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) thus providing students with nutritious meals (U.S. DHHS). These meals are reimbursable by the state thus greatly decreasing the price per meal making them much more affordable.
There is a general lack of educational programs on balanced diet in the school curriculum. School based programs can play an important role in promoting healthy eating lifestyle. Nutrition education is also fundamental to the success of any healthy dietary promotion efforts.
Terrence et al. states that the school environment should be consistent with the value of healthy food choices that children are taught in the classroom (502). Having vending machines and snack bars in the school environment sends mixed messages to children and therefore derides the healthy food choice culture that is being inculcated in the children. Schools should come up with policies that outline the provision of comprehensive, standards-based nutrition education that is integrated throughout the school curriculum (Pekruhnk 32).
The rationale behind this move is that even if students are obliged to take up health food choices in the school setting due to the programs in place, it will be of little help if they are not equipped to make health food choices outside of the school environment.
Teachers should therefore posses the necessary knowledge and comprehension of health education so as to teach the same to the students. This can be achieved by the use of seminars or certification courses on health education to enable the teachers to integrate this important information in their lessons. The CDC highlights the need for provision of nutritional education guidelines to school-age youths so as to ensure that health lifestyles are adopted early in life and perpetrated all through adulthood.
The overreliance to corporate sponsors by schools also poses a significant threat to the success of the health food since most students will be inclined to go for the junk foods and sodas which are more attractive to the youth.
Schools are in most cases forced to rely on the revenue they get from the large corporate sponsors due to poor funding by the federal government. The profit from selling fast food items in high school cafeteria helps to fund extracurricular programs and athletics.
This places school administrators in a dilemma. However, the health of the students must take precedence over this money making schemes. As such, sale of unhealthy foods in school must be all together stopped or else provisions must be put in place to set nutritional standards for these products.
Research by Frary et al indicated that the number of fruit and vegetable intakes by children decreased as intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages increased (61). It can therefore be inferred that decrease in junk foods and sodas will result in an increase in healthier food intake.
With regard to the issue of financial benefits from unhealthy foods, a report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services revealed that while doing away with soft drink contract would result in lost revenue, the same could be recovered through increased participation in the school lunch program.
Discussion and Conclusion
While schools alone cannot solve the problems that poor diets cause, it is unlikely that childhood complications arising from poor diets can be reversed without strong school-based policies and programs to support healthy eating (Story, Nanney and Schwartz 72).
This is because the school environment has the potential to hugely impact on childrens diets because they consume up to 50% of their daily calories in school. Schools cannot achieve their primary objective of education if students are unhealthy and unfit.
It is therefore imperative that schools undertake measures to promote childrens health by creating an environment that promotes the intake of healthy foods and the establishment of lifelong skills for healthy eating. An important consideration in early education is that children in elementary school will in most cases fail to understand the implication of abstract concepts such as nutritional content of food . Focus should therefore be put in actual experiences of increased exposure to the healthy foods.
This paper set out to describe the nutrient intake and food choices associated with children and adolescents so as to highlight that majority of youths do not consume proper diets. It has been observed that the school environment encouraged poor dietary habits amongst children and adolescents.
Considering the long term nutrition and health consequences of poor dietary choices among children and adolescents, this paper has proposed solutions to rectify the issue. The paper has reaffirmed the notion that schools are in a position to promote healthy dietary behavior by children and adolescents.
However, for schools to help ensure appropriate nutrient intake, steps have to be undertaken to offset the current poor dietary practices. By doing this, the role of schools in the prevention of obesity, diabetes and other diet related complications can be exploited to the maximum with numerous benefits both to the children and the society at large.
CDCb. Diabetes Public Health Resource: Children and Diabetes. 2010. Web.
Dehghan, Mahshid Danesh, Noori and Merchant, Anwar. Childhood Obesity, Prevalence and Prevention . Nutrition Journal 2005, 4:24.
Frary, C. et al. Children and Adolescents Choices of Foods and Beverages High in Added Sugars Are Associated With Intakes of Key Nutrients and Food Groups . Journal of Adolescent Health 2004; 34:56-63.
Freeman, A. Fast Food: Oppression Through Poor Nutrition. California Law Review, 2007. Print.
French, S. A. et al. Fast food restaurant use among adolescents: associations with nutrient intake, food choices and behavioral and psychosocial variables . International Journal of Obesity (2001) 25, 18231833.
Jelalian, E. and Steele, R. Handbook of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity. Springer, 2008. Print.
Lawrence, P. Children Who Eat Vended Foods Face Health Problems, Poor Diet. 2010. Web.
Terrence et al. Nutrition Services and Foods and Beverages Available at School: Results From the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006 . Journal of School Health, October 2007, Vol. 77, No. 8.
Pekruhnk, C. Childhood Obesity: A school Health Policy Guide. National Association of State Boards of Education, 2009. Print.
Staveren, V. and Dale, D. Childhood Obesity: Are Schools Partly to Blame? Eastern Connecticut State University, 2004. Print.
Story, M., Nanney, Marilyn and Schwartz, Marlene. Schools and Obesity Prevention: Creating School Environments and Policies to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity . The Milbank Quarterly, Vol. 87, No. 1, 2009 (pp. 71100).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 2010. Web.
Although Detroit is the largest city in the state of Michigan, it is the poorest city in the U.S. with unemployment rate of near 50 percent and a child poverty level of 47 percent. Community food security is a condition where all members of a community have access and close proximity to enough nutritious, culturally acceptable food at all times from environmentally sustainable sources.
The food security policy of Detroit was created to ensure that all the citys citizens are hunger free and food secure at all times. The policy addresses accessibility to quality food, hunger and malnutrition, inadequate diet, civic education, economic injustice, urban agriculture, and food security in schools.
Accessibility to Quality Food
More than 500,000 residents in Detroit live in areas with limited accessibility to quality food. Detroit was among the cities that were hardest hit by the recent economic recession with an unemployment rate of 16.7%, poverty level of 20.5% and most of its residents received the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme (SNAP) benefits.
The available food varieties are too expensive for most of the residents. Lack of accessibility to transport infrastructure due to inadequate public transport system and minimal supply of fresh foods in the food stores available are some of the factors that contribute to inaccessibility of food to the residents (Lee, Johnson & Joyce, 2008).
Therefore, there is urgent need to increase the amount of culturally appropriate food outlets, carry out a research on the available food enterprises and ensure that the available food stores comply with the food safety codes and sanitary standards set. Due to the food problem, there was need to establish a policy that addressed the issues.
The public transport system needs to be reviewed to ensure that public transport is accessible especially to local farmers.
Local production of food needs to be encouraged and this is already being experienced as Detroit has become a model for urban agriculture initiatives with most of its residents now undertaking urban agricultural practices. Lastly, a ban needs to be set up for all Genetically Modified food supplies in the city (Pothukuchi, 2011).
Hunger and Malnutrition
Through a study carried out by WIC programme, it was established that majority of children in the city were malnourished and anemic. Programmes such as the food stamps have helped alleviate severe cases of hunger but have not successfully tackled the problem.
Community self help groups and other government programmes need to be highly considered as an effective means of curbing the food problem. Faith and community based education as well as civic education can also be exploited as a drive towards a more secure food state.
Inadequate Diet
The level of junk food in Detroit is alarming. Obesity is almost becoming an issue of public concern and this is majorly caused by the fact that families stopped preparing fresh foods and instead prefer packaged foods that are instant to prepare. With these bad eating habits, health issues such as hypertension and diabetes are increasing in the local authority, and the increasing need to set up emergency funds for health care has risen.
Impact of the Detroit Food Policy on the Residents of Detroit
Civic Education
Residents of Detroit need to be empowered about environmental protection and diversity of life. This can be done through equipping the youth with knowledge, tools and skills to enable them act as advocates to improve the environments quality. The youth are the most resourceful members of the community.
Institutions of learning such as schools and colleges are also effective channels to advocate for civic education. This can be done through introduction of certain courses tailored to educate the society or directly educating the students and making them serve as ambassadors to their parents (Detroit, n.d.).
Urban Agriculture
The policy has influenced most residents in Detroit to practice urban farming through increased local produced food products. The urban agriculture-zoning ordinance was for instance approved by Detroit City Planning Commission as a move towards encouraging larger urban farms in the city.
Impact on Schools and Public Institutions
Schools and other community organizations such as churches and community associations play an important role in ensuring food security in Detroit. For example, Students can be encouraged to pursue courses in agriculture and animal husbandry.
The city council of Detroit can easily collaborate with churches and community organizations to help disseminate information on importance of practicing a healthy diet and encourage residents to undertake urban agriculture.
Effect on Emergency Response
The city council needs to develop food reserves in cases of emergency. Strategies and plans need to be put in place to prevent cases of food emergency. In conclusion, this public policy has had many profound negative effects on the operational budget of Detroit.
The city council has had to set up large sums of money to feed the residents each year through food aids. Massive investment has also been done in programmes to ensure food security. This has largely constrained the development of Detroit in other sectors of the economy. However, once the problem of food is tackled, the city will be able to effectively move forward and be at a level ground with other American cities.
This report is about establishment of a diet food centre within the institution of higher learning. Several complications and shortcomings are associated with provision of foodstuff within various market segments. Most institutions have raised the alarm on such unhealthy kinds of foodstuff being supplied within their territories.
The same concern has been raised by a majority of consumers who happen to be students studying within these localities. This research begins with introduction which addresses the issues by providing an elaborate plan through which such instances can be avoided.
The research was done based on students conditions at the University of California where much attention was paid to unhealthy food stuff sold that contributed to overweight and obesity. Further, there is a methodology process based on the decision making which is one of the most important tools used in determining necessities within any Institution.
The findings of the research are then underlined before making analysis and conclusion. The article agrees with the literature researched and analyzed by asserting that health of an institution comprises of individual food products and product lines, as well as channels through which they are supplied.
At the same time, it points to the importance of institutions prior determination of its food suppliers based on the price and health issues. According to the article, the resources should be utilized with the highest level of efficiency in order to satisfy buyer needs, as well as cater for the current demand in the market and, at the same time, provide appropriate satisfaction. All these explanations emphasize the importance of having well managed product mix.
Introduction
The University of California is one of the most recognized institutions of higher education in the world. Within the university campus, there are various sources through which students get access to their food. First of all, it is the universitys small cafeteria that provides a limited choices of sandwiches, croissants, cakes, hot and cold beverages most of which appear to be unhealthy for student fraternity and University staff.
Another source of food is slightly larger cafeteria which is considered to provide a wide choice of meals in most cases full of carbohydrates and fats such as French fries, fried chicken, greasy barbequed meat, and burgers that are also very unhealthy.
Then there are several vending machines scattered all over the university campus providing students with variety of chocolate bars, potato chips, nuts, and juices considered to be extremely unhealthy, especially when consumed on a daily basis. Such sources of food limit students and, at the same time, force them to consume unhealthy foodstuff based on availability (Dalton, 2004).
Objective
This justification report provides evidence on the justification of the idea of starting a diet food center at the University of California. This is done through showcasing the feasibility of the project and the benefits that the project, if implemented, would have to students health, and in financial terms including.
Benefits
Implementation of such a project provides numerous benefits to students. For example, those students who spend a lot of time studying in the library or participating in other activities would not have to travel long distances outside the university to find nutritious healthy food.
This time can be spent on the e academic activities during the semesters. Additionally, provision of several kinds of healthy delicious food encourages students to change their life styles hence providing them with the opportunity to enjoy healthy food.
At the same time, such a project would be beneficial to students already struggling with overweight and obesity cases since it gives them chance to continue with their dietary plans (Society for Nutrition Education, 2002).
Qualification of Personnel
Upon the project acceptance, the owner will be a senior finance student from the college of business studies. The project owner should be more than qualified to run the business since he must be a former student of the university where the project will be implemented.
The manager will be capable of keeping good financials of the shop, as well as identifying and satisfying any future needs of the students.
The manager will be assisted by qualified individual who took many business courses from the university, such as entrepreneurship and strategic management hence capable of assessing market needs as well as gaps, recognizing opportunities and, at the same time, attracting customers through marketing strategies and quality assurance.
There will also be provision for good leadership skills from the operators of the business.
Scope
This report is created with the purposes of shedding light on the benefits of establishing diet food center within the University, the need for such a project, literature supporting the idea, and provision of a complete plan to be used for the implementation of the business idea.
The report discusses various methods of the approach applied, preliminary financial projection requirements capable of sustaining the center, various facilities required, anticipated cost of the whole project, and at the same time, feasibility of the business idea and anticipated results. From the business point of view, the application of this project will generate significant financial success capable of satisfying students needs.
Review of the Literature
Collins et al., (2000), performed a study for the purposes of testing the effects of students eating habits and physical activities on their general health. The findings of the study concluded that in the main, the types of food offered in school cafeteria have a direct impact on students dietary habits hence encouraging project initiatives geared to healthy food provision.
However, some Universities like Seattle University have different experiences with having diet food shops within the campus, and from students personal experiences; diet food shop within university campuses provides a successful business idea.
Consequently, food offered at diet shops is usually delicious and healthy, and most students would buy their lunches there.
The demand for the diet shops is usually very high hence it is usually not available already early in the day considering that such food is expensive in comparison to other venders within the university campus and yet students prefer consuming it because of good taste and health reasons.
Limitations and Contingencies
In the first instance, the approval from the universitys administration is required based on vast experience. However, the owner of the project may have limited experience creating rare chances of obtaining full permission from university administration guaranteeing operation.
On the other hand, the university is currently has contract with other foods suppliers holding the right to be sole food providers of the university. This means that applying this idea would have to wait until the contract with other suppliers ends and a new contract is drafted.
Problem statement
Various reports indicate that students from the University of California require such a project since the majority has busy schedules hence leading them to consume unhealthy foodstuff offered in the university. The issue has led to rampant increase of obesity cases amongst students.
This can be proved based on the fact that most students come to the university in healthy physiques which suddenly changes with time.
After a semester of consuming available foodstuff within the university campus, there is notable increase in the number of those gaining weight attributed to lack of healthy and tasty food choices offered within the university campus (Connecticut State Dept. of Education, 2006).
Method used
This study utilized a number of sources which include journal articles revealing the effect of healthy food on cognitive abilities of students. Such revelation from journal articles confirms the need of establishing a diet shop within the University. At the same time, a survey attached in the appendix, proves this fact of the high acceptance of this idea amongst students.
Findings
The survey results were recorded as shown below, however, students who participated in this survey have been to the university for at least two years.
71% of surveyed students reported that they have gained weight since they joined the University campus.
64% of surveyed students reported on the fact that one of the major reasons for gaining weight was partly attributed to the food offered within the university.
85% of surveyed students expressed their interest in purchasing their food from the diet food shop including even students who did not gain extra weight.
42.9% of those interested asserted on their desire to purchase food from the diet shop on a daily basis while 28% gave assurance of buying food from the diet shop at least three days a week.
85% of surveyed students responded positively on the question concerning whether they are ready to pay more for healthier meals that will be offered in the shop, responses were; 50% for one to three USD, 14.3% for four to six USD and 35.7% for seven to ten USD. Such conclusive result when combined with the previous research reveals the kind of desire for quality food from students hence the potential for financial success from the shop (Dalton, 2004).
Analysis
Analysis of food costs and level of health standards provides required basis for planning and financial sources. This is necessary since it assists in allocation of required finances capable of sustaining such a project.
Then there is determination of various costs such as overhead, variable and fixed costs which are ultimately compared to industrys benchmark. This helps in the adjustment of operational costs based on activity-based costing which is employed in the process of allocating costs to different food stuff.
As it has been discussed, the article provides for various processes used in the analysis of diet food shops. This is a responsibility of top management since they have capability of analyzing areas of opportunity within the entire market.
Such activities require detailed analysis based on business attractiveness, as well as nature of growth trend within food industry. Activity-based costing (ABC) system has been used in the process of overhauling costing procedures as well as further organization of operating processes. However, ABC system ignores some very important aspects such as resource based constraints.
The other concern involves the business ability to exploit opportunities based on organizations potential and market positioning (Dalton, 2004). High opportunity levels and potential to exploit food and beverage market ensures introduction of new business ventures, as well as existence of future growth.
Strong market position, on the other hand, enables maintenance of high positions for profitability purposes. At the same time, weak positioning of the project should be avoided in the process of making decisions on food varieties to be provided. Such processes and concepts are necessary since they enable adequate evaluation on the potential for new project within learning institutions.
Conclusion
There exist a variety of choices of product-mix majorly based on certain setup cost formulations. Such concepts as explained in the article demonstrate available potential for incorrect business decision based on Theory of Constraint.
The process involves identification of product mix as optimal choice and eventually incorporating activity-based costing within the decision making process hence assisting in setting up of variable total setup costs.
However, the article reveals that at times establishing diet food shop on activity-based costing may be incorrect based on the nature of assumptions made, especially on proportionality of overall activity costs.
The article enables clear understanding on the actual process undertaken within businesses in the process of decision making on products and pricing. It unveils the fact that proper mix of products may lead towards increase in sales through provision of products capable of meeting consumer needs and demands.
On the other hand, the example given in the article shows a possibility of such business competing favorably within the food and beverage market. At the same time, the act of optimal mix of products enables provision and advertisement of single product to bigger percentage of the market share.
At the same time, it brings the aspect that top management is endowed with responsibility of determining mix of product and pricing. However, activity-based costing majorly depends on assumptions made on proportional cost structures without involvement of resource constraints.
Owing to such limitations, activity-based costing is not considered a serious management decision tool. This can be improvised by integrating activity based costing with Theory of Constraints as well as method of mixed-integer programming. In the same context, ABC is considered to provide only short-term solutions hence not appropriate for strategic decision-making.
References
Collins, J., Devereaux, R.S., Davis, M, & Wechsler, H. (2000). Preventive medicine. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/
Connecticut State Dept. of Education. (2006). Action Guide for School Nutrition And Physical Activity Policies. Web.
Dalton, S. (2004).Our overweight children: What parents, schools, and Communities can do to control the fatness epidemic. Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press.
Society for Nutrition Education. (2002). Guidelines for Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs: Promoting Healthy Weight in Children. Journal of nutrition education and behaviour, 35 (1), 1-3
Creating a menu for vegetarians, many food services do not think about the specifics of the nutrition of such people. Moreover, a lot of additional factors are to be considered about vegetarians while developing a menu fir them. Much attention should be paid to the reasons people have applied to which choosing their diet.
The food services are to understand the psychology of vegetarians to make sure that they have developed the menu for them correctly and to know some particular rules according to which the menu is to be developed.
Amir Shani and Robin B. DiPietro in their article Vegetarians: A typology for foodservice menu development discuss the problems the food services ace when they are about to develop a menu for vegetarians. Firs of all, the authors state the fact that the research in the sphere is not enough.
The food service menu development is the theme which is considered in many journals, however, the problem of vegetarian menu is not usually discussed. Dining is one of the Western activities and vegetarians want to have a perfectly developed meal if it is possible.
Therefore, paying much attention to the motivation for being a vegetarian as the main factor food services should refer to while developing a menu, the authors of the article have decided to consider the problem as close as possible.
The authors refer to the following difficulties in developing the menu, lack of knowledge about vegetarian food, absence of the notification in the menu that a food is vegetarian, limited variety of choice of the vegetarian food, presence of the hidden meat in the food, such as beef flavoring, etc., and the inability to understand the reasons why people consume vegetarian food which is really important.
Dwelling upon the reasons of the little research in the sphere, the authors refer to the problem of boring and unsatisfying attitude to vegetarian food. However, this is not really correct and many cooks begin to pay more attention to vegetarian food in several reasons.
First of all, many people become interested in vegetarian food. Second, the demand on such kind of food encourages the cooks create something interesting and the development of the vegetarian menu becomes a new issue for the restaurants. Moreover, the tendency to healthy nutrition increases the number of those who prefer vegetarian food, however, there are people who are vegetarians because of other reasons.
Amir Shani and Robin B. DiPietro are sure that the reasons why people have chosen vegetarian diet should be considered while developing the vegetarian menu as to meet the desires of different customers, the restaurant is to try to satisfy the needs of each of the customers.
The individual approach is really important as trying to direct attention to each particular customer, the restaurant is going to win in comparison with the food service where the menu is directed for all vegetarians without differentiation.
Trying to differentiate the vegetarian diets with the purpose to pay attention to consumers needs, the author identify health-concerned vegetarians, weight-concerned vegetarians, sensory vegetarians, comfort vegetarians, religious vegetarians, economically vegetarians, social vegetarians, ethical vegetarians, environmental vegetarians, and humanitarian vegetarians (Shani and DiPietro 70).
Depending on the reasons why people have chosen not to eat meat and other products of living origin, people will choose the meals in the menu. Therefore, the restaurant managers are to consider the needs of each group mentioned above and to make sure that the menu is going to contain the items which are going to satisfy the needs of each category.
The article is valuable for its recommendations for the further research and implications for practitioners. The authors have conducted the literature review and they able dwell upon the future of the sphere. Thus, the authors of the research want to direct the restaurant managers who want to attract more clients to heterogeneous market segment.
The researchers are sure that the motivation for following the vegetarian market is important in choosing the products. Therefore, the food service managers are to develop the menu in accordance with the needs of the customers. The authors conclude that the main factor the restaurant managers are to pay attention to is the strictness of the diet.
To the point, while developing the menu for vegetarians, managers are to pay attention to market segmentation, appropriate staff training, menu design, and small details which may be really important. The example of such detail is the serving of the soy milk along with of cow milk.
Developing an effective menu
Foodservice operators must regularly develop new products and tweak old ones to pique consumer interest and attract repeat business is the statement which serves as the prologue in the article Developing an effective menu by Heather Henstock. The main idea the author of the article wanted to deliver to the audience is the idea that changes in the menu are obligatory.
No matter how successful the menu is, the managers are to understand that only constant and regularly improvement may be a guarantee of success. The Nice Easy Grocery shops are chosen as the example at the beginning of the article.
The shop has been selling the particular type of salads and the products were successful, however they could not reach their full potential. The hiring of the new chiefs to the store helped to conduct the slightest changes which have increase the potential of the menu and of the shop as a result.
The authors of the research have made the change in the menu the central idea for the discussion. Moreover, the author states that the changes are to be conducted regularly in order to make the clients interested in the future changes.
Thus, if the customers get used to the fact that ach week (month, decade) the restaurant change the menu, the increase of the visitors in the day of changes may be observed as people like changes, they are interested in new dishes and the ability to provide the customers with what they want is exactly what should be the main idea of the menu development process.
Heather Henstock stresses the idea that demographic and psychographic factors are to be considered while developing the menu. The menu developers are understand what kinds of clients attend their restaurants and how the choice of this or that meal may impact their desire to come to the restaurant again.
The menu developers are to understand that the food which is too popular in one part of the city may be absolutely out of demand in another. This is connected with people and their preferences in eating.
In combination with the changes which are to be present in any restaurant, the menu developers are to remember about the meals which are too popular to be changed.
Thus, if a menu developer will provide the changes in the product some particular group of people attend the restaurant for, they will not come to the restaurant again if they fail to get what they need. Therefore, the author of the article stress on the idea of rational changes to the menu while its development.
Along with changes, the author of the article recommends to pay attention to the absolutely new products which may be interesting to the consumers. There are a lot of meals and products and it is impossible to have all the variety of items in the menu of one specific restaurant. However, the attempts to add something new o the menu should be encouraged as this is one of the aspects of a change.
Presenting a new product in the menu, the menu developers will have to remove one of the items from the menu. To the point, it is economically advantageous to remove the items from the menu which are out of demand and substitute those with the changed or the new ones.
The author of the article states that the failure of provide changes to the menu may spoil the reputation of the restaurant. People live in the modern civilized world where globalization plays an important role. Globalization of all spheres of human life has created the circumstances that people got used to constant changes and improvement. Stable life is not what people have got used to.
Therefore, when people do not see the changes (in the menu in his case) they lose interest. Those who do not want the customers to lose the interest in their restaurant should regularly change the menu and implement the novelties as the part of the menu development process.
Works Cited
Henstock, Heather. Developing an effective menu. Convenience Store Decisions 22.10 (2011): 62-66. Print.
Shani, Amir, and Robin B. DiPietro. Vegetarians: A typology for foodservice menu development. FIU Hospitality Review 25.2 (2007): 66-73. Print.
MSG is a common flavor enhancer that is widely used in the global food industry. Although MSG is thought to have an optimal safety profile, it has also been linked to high blood pressure at high levels. This is based on a cross-sectional study conducted by He at. Al (2011). Other diseases linked to MSG intoxication include Type II Diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. MSG is an etiologic agent with an incubation period of less than 1 hour.
The most common symptoms of MSG food-borne illness include tightness in the chest, a burning sensation, dizziness, nausea, flushing, and headache. These symptoms last less than 1 day. Chinese foods have been identified as the key carrier for MSG intoxication (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Since food-borne illnesses are increasingly linked to cases of mortality, morbidity and economic loss, there is a dire need to examine preventive measures to avoid an epidemic.
In the United States alone, food borne illnesses account for between 33 and 76 million cases annually. On the other hand, food-borne illnesses reportedly cause between 5 and 9 thousand deaths annually (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). So far, there have been scanty details on the prevalence, incidence, mortality, and morbidity rates of MSG-induced food-borne illness. Reporting of the incidence and prevalence of MSG food-borne illness varies from one region to another. Cases of underreporting are also high.
Less than 1 case of MSG-induced food-borne illness is reported annually for every 100 000 persons. The food-borne illness agent also leads to undesirable negative economic consequence in the form of lost wages, litigation, medical costs, investigations, and recall. Many studies have thus far been carried out with a view to evaluate the potential role of MSG in food hypersensitivity.
However, most of these studies have not succeeded in replicating the adverse effects reported by majority of the people as regards MSG ingestion. Towards this end, researchers have undertaken numerous research studies to measure blood pressure and heart rates of such individuals. However, these studies have failed to identify variations in the aforementioned parameters between individuals fed with a placebo and those fed with foods containing MSG (U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2012).
Many individuals who claim to be sensitive to MSG exhibit such symptoms as nausea and headache after consuming foods containing MSG. However, according to the research findings commissioned by the FDA it is not possible to systematically induce reactions from such people when fed with either a placebo or foods containing MSG (U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2012).
The most common symptoms reported included numbness, palpitations, headache, and drowsiness. These symptoms are common among sensitive persons who take MSG in excess of 3 grams.
Community prevention programs would go a long way in helping to prevent MSG-induced food-borne illnesses. Preventive and control measures of food borne illnesses are intended to prevent the occurrence of future outbreaks. In this case, it is important to ensure that prompt and appropriate health action is undertaken (Taylor, 2010). One way of doing this is by forming partnerships between relevant government stakeholders such as the US FDA and consumer welfare organizations.
Such a partnership will aid in the development of community-based educational campaigns aimed at creating awareness on the causes, symptoms and risk factors of MSG-induced food-borne illnesses, and how to prevent an outbreak.
During such education campaigns, food handlers should also be educated on the need to read labels and on the minimum tolerable levels of MSG in foods. However, such a campaign could be faced with the challenge of behavioral change, in that food handler may find it hard to start looking at food labels keenly, prior to purchase.
Reference List
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Guide to Confirming a Diagnosis in Food-borne disease. Web.
He, K., Du, S., Xun, P., Sharma, S., Wang, H., Zhai, F., & Popkin, B. (2011). Consumption of monosodium glutamate in relation to incidence of overweight in Chinese adults: China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Am J Clin Nutr., 93 (2), 1328-1336.
Taylor, M. (2010). Food Safety Education Conference. Web.
There has been an increase in demand for organic food all over the world owing to consumer perception of such foods. These perceptions include various notions that organic foods are safe, ethical and clean in nature (Hamstra 2013). It is estimated that within a few years, the growth of organic food markets will have increased from 12 to 20%.
In 2005 alone, the organic food market made sales of between $ 29 and 31 billion (Hui-Shung, Griffith, Zepeda 2003). One of the countries that has faced a high growth rate in the organic food market in the recent years is the United States.
On the other hand, Australia has a well established organic food market. Consequently, the aim of the paper is to carry out a comparative analysis of the United States and Australia in regards to the organic food market, their availability and accessibility.
Food Statistics World Wide
According to the week 5 lecture notes, the world has grown immensely over the last few decades (week 5 lecture notes n.d.). The lecture notes further indicate that the global population has attained immense growth over the years and that peoples perceptions have revolutionized proportionately (Smed et al. 2013).
As a result, most people have resorted to organic farming. In order to meet the growing demand for food across the globe, it has become necessary to develop additional means of food production. Consequently, organic food farming has emerged as a potential means of filling this need (Hughner et al. 2007).
There is a dire need to improve food production if at all we are to overcome the global challenge of malnutrition. In the United States for instance, among the 11.9 % percent of people that indulge in unhealthy diets, 60 % are children (Hughner et al. 2007). The same problem is present in Australia where almost 60% of the population is overweight (Week 10 lecture notes n.d.).
Most people in these nations prefer organic foods over conventional products owing to perceptions that their consumption is associated with positive health and nutritional effects. In contrast with the perceived benefits of organic foods, most of the consumers who said that they would buy organic foods cited that they would do so as a way of avoiding harmful chemicals used while manufacturing conventional food products.
The health perception among the organic food consumers is one of the key parameters that are considered in the purchase of organic food products. For most purchasers, it is the egoistic motive that shapes the purchase option more than the altruistic motive.
A Comparative Analysis of Australia and the USA
Approximately 2.7 million hectares of land in the United States are used for organic farming (Hui-Shung et al. 2003). The organic market in the United States grew by about 29 billion dollars in 2010. This equivalent to an 8 percent growth (Hui-Shung et al. 2003). It is further noted that in 2009, organic food production increased to about 7.7% with the organic supplements taking the lead with about 681 million dollars worth of food.
This is the equivalent of 7.4% growth rate (Mobium Group March 2009). Contrary to the United States, Australia has set aside 12 million hectares to organic farming (Hui-Shung et al. 2003). The organic market in Australia has enjoyed tremendous growth in recent years, though one of the key influencing factors for organic farming in the country is the desire to meet the international demand for organic foods.
The Australian organic market is said to have contributed about 947 USD in 2009 (Lockie & Donaghy 2004). This change in market growth rates was witnessed due to the newly established Australian standards for both the organic and the bio dynamic products.
One of the factors that has ensured high productivity in organic foods is the ever growing need among the consumers to know how and where the production of the food takes place (Household and Personal Products 2010).
Most of the organic products that were initially offered in healthy food stores and the food cooperatives have now been spread across the country. As such, most of them are easily accessible and available in supermarkets. There are various types of organic products among the prime products on display in most supermarket chains.
Most of the organic farms in the country spread right from the big cities to the dairy farms. It is important to note that most of the organic farms are scattered all over the east coast (Polacek 2013). The industry has witnessed an exponential growth and now covers all production sectors of the country ranging from the processing plants, wholesalers, logistics, exporters, and retailers, among others (Lockie & Donaghy 2004).
Even though the products offered are small, they are diverse in nature. They include fruits, nuts, meat, and vegetables.There is also the addition of cereals, dairy products, oil seeds, and body care products.
Even though the organic products are quite costly compared to the other conventional products, they still have a wider market. This may be attributed to the fact that most of the people that purchase organic foods are older and have stable incomes. To them, the amount of money they spend on organic foods only constitutes a small percentage of their total income.
On the other hand, the United States has faced a lot of challenges in categorizing what is actually organic and what is not. This is due to poor certifications of organic products in the country. The country has further ensured through federal legislation the establishment of three categories of organic products, depending on the level of organic percentage that they contain.
Those with 95% organic content are referred to as organic, 70 % organic content are labeled as made with organic content , less than 70% organic content are still displayed as organic with a listing of the organic products that were used in their manufacture (Nutraceuticals World 2013).
In general, the organic food market in the United States is poor and manufacturers have still not taken their time to produce 100% organic foods. Even though most consumers indulge in their purchases, there is limited confidence in this food market.
Conclusion
Although the organic food industry is new and upcoming, it has been one of the fastest growing industries. A comparison of organic food consumption in Australia and the United States has proven that there is higher access to organic food products in the former, in comparison with the latter.
The organic food industry in the United States is further marred by a discrepancy in determining what is organic and what level of organic substance has been used in the manufacturing process. Australia, on the other hand, has completely embraced the organic food idea and has gone 100% organic in farming and manufacturing of the foods (Lockie & Donaghy 2004).
Reference List
Hamstra, M 2013, Pressure Rising, Sn: Supermarket News, vol. 61, no. 35, pp. 32-36.
Household and Personal Products 2010, What Normal Organic Growth Might Look Like Across U.S., U.S. Perspectives, pp. 17-26.
Hughner,R S, Mcdonagh, P, Prothero, A, Shultz, C J & Stanton, J 2007,Who Are Organic Food Consumers? A Compilation And Review Of Why People Purchase Organic Food, Journal of Consumer Behavior, vol. 6, no. 2-3, pp. 94-110.
Hui-Shung, C, Griffith, G, Zepeda, L 2003.An overview of the organic food products Market in Australia. University of New England, Graduate School of Agricultural and Resource Economics& School of Economics
Lockie, S. and Donaghy, P. 2004. Who consumes organic food in Australia? In: Halpin, D. (ed.) University of New England 2008, Australian Organic Market Report. Biological Farmers of Australia.
Mobium Group March 2009. GreenTracker Partner Program Biological Farmers of Australia Nutraceuticals World 2013, 80 % of U.S. Parents Report Buying Organic 20132, Nutraceuticals World, vol 16, no. 4, pp. 14.
Polacek, K 2013, Organic Farming, Reference & User Services Quarterly, vol. 52, no. 3, pp. 197-204.
Smed, S, Andersen, L, Kargard, N, & Daugbjerg, C 2013, A Matter Of Trust: How Trust Influence Organic Consumption, Journal Of Agricultural Science, vol. 5, no. 7, pp. 91-106.
Ali, Fredrick. Prevalence of Diabetes and Obesity-Related Health Risk Factors. Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 289, 2003, pp. 7679.
This paper analyses the prevalence of chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity in populations that eat junk foods as opposed to the healthy eating population.
Binkley, Kenny, et al. The relation between dietary change and rising US obesity. Change and Rising Obesity. International Journal of Obesity, vol. 24, no. 8, 2000, pp. 103239.
The studies of Binkley et al. reveal the link that exists between diet and the risk of developing obesity. The conclusions drawn from this show that unhealthy eating portends greater susceptibility of developing obesity in future.
Bryan, Larry. Optimal Diets to Prevent Heart Disease. JAMA, vol. 289, no. 12, 2003, p. 1509.
Bryans studies indicate that healthy eating is very effective in preventing occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. This also implies that it could be much cheaper to eat healthy and prevent these diseases rather than use the cheap junk foods and suffer consequences of seeking medical attention when already sick.
Golanty, Eric and Gordon Edlin. Health and Wellness. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2009.
Golanty and Edlin also contribute to the creation of awareness concerning the need to eat healthily. Health is explained with relation to the way of life of an individual meaning that what we eat and exercises we do determine our health. Its hence important to stay healthy by eating foods that are recommended as healthy.
Mozaffarian, Dariush, et al. Trans Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease. New Eng. J.Med., vol. 354, 2006, pp. 160113.
This paper presents information that trans fats pose a real risk to occurrence of the dreaded diseases in America which include diabetes and heart attack. These diseases are also among the leading causes of death. Mozaffarian and others also suggest the way to reduce these risks by eating healthily. One can greatly reduce the risk by limiting the number of eating out and increasing the use of organic foods.
Pollan, Michael. Food Rules: Your Dietary Dos and Donts. The New York Times, Food Issue, 11 Oct. 2009, www.nytimes.com.
Pollan highlights the importance of food security to the nation yet its often not even included as a factor by the government. According to him, politicians tend to put other issues first as implied in their presidential campaigns.
Often they present plans for reforms in things like health, oil addiction, foreign policy, economic plans and so on. However, in the course of their regime, they end up dealing with food policy and food security issues so much. This factor impacts a lot of health, economy, fuel policy and foreign policy, Factors that are seen unlikely to concern food in America.
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side Of The All-American Meal, Part 10. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
According to Schlosser, Obesity is a serious disorder that occurs as a result of poor eating habits. However, restaurants that prepare many fast foods have been criticized for their stake in the increased rates of obesity. Therefore, it is advisable that people should prepare their own meals at home instead of relying on fast foods in order to reduce the negative effects of fast foods.
On the other hand, restaurants are hereby advised to work hand-in-hand with research institutions in coming up with meals that are low in fats and caloric content. CDC estimates that there are over 300, 000 deaths that are due to obesity and the related complications. This is an alarming revelation that needs not be addressed.
Wellson, Allison. Organic Agriculture in the U.S. Nova Science Publishers, 2003.
Considering the need for healthy supply of food, Wellson explains why organic foods are good for health and why they are even synonymous with healthy food. Essentially, its just in the way the farming is done rather the production, which leads to production of food with no or very low toxins from chemicals.
Wheelock, Verner. Implementing Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Eating. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2009.
With more emphasis on the need to have better eating habits, Wheelock helps in unlocking the seeming deadlock by suggesting the way to eat basically by simply following the dietary directions already laid down. This is where grains and starch should compose the bulk of food one eats with minimum proteins and fats. Contrary people tend to eat more fats and protein with very little whole grains and starch.
Works Cited
Ali, Fredrick. Prevalence of Diabetes and Obesity-Related Health Risk Factors. Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 289, 2003, pp. 7679.
Binkley, Kenny, et al. The relation between dietary change and rising US obesity. Change and Rising Obesity. International Journal of Obesity, vol. 24, no. 8, 2000, pp. 103239.
Bryan, Larry. Optimal Diets to Prevent Heart Disease. JAMA, vol. 289, no. 12, 2003, p. 1509.
Golanty, Eric and Gordon Edlin. Health and Wellness. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2009.
Mozaffarian, Dariush, et al. Trans Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease. New Eng. J.Med., vol. 354, 2006, pp. 160113.
Pollan, Michael. Food Rules: Your Dietary Dos and Donts. The New York Times, Food Issue, 11 Oct. 2009, www.nytimes.com.
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side Of The All-American Meal, Part 10. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Wellson, Allison. Organic Agriculture in the U.S. Nova Science Publishers, 2003.
Wheelock, Verner. Implementing Dietary Guidelines for Healthy Eating. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2009.
This article was written by Froma Harrop, a columnist for the Seattle Times. The article has not been revised ever since; hence, it is not a current source of information on the topic. Genetically modified organisms are a topic that requires access to the most recent information. The article may only be relevant in revealing how shallow the information that people had on GMOs was a decade ago and beyond.
Some old sources like this article can only be relevant when looking at the period when scientists started experimenting with GMOs. The article is a clear indication that the resistance to GMOs is an issue that has rocked the world for a long time.
Relevance
The information in the article highlights the common issues that the society has raised with reference to the introduction of GMOs in their foods. While most people have openly claimed that they have no problem with consuming GMOs, the author of this article has clearly indicated that there are some people who are totally against the GMOs. These opposing populations are not adequately represented by the author because of her clear lack of background information about the potential adverse effects of GMOs.
The intended audiences for this article are the institutions and personalities that are proposing the extensive application of GMOs in the production of food (Harrop par. 4). The author is clearly against the efforts mounted by different institutions to ensure consumers are not provided with information about GMOs in their foods. The information provided by the author is not deep enough to provide any scientific credibility on the authors claims. Harrop is clearly not knowledgeable in the area of GMOs.
Authority
In 2002, Harrop was a syndicated columnist for the Seattle Times, which means that she had the authority to publish this article. She has clearly given it her best shot, and some of the information she provided is noteworthy.
Her writing skills and presentation of information is quite compelling to the audience, and she provokes readers to join her in the protest against the forceful consumption of GMOs (Harrop par. 5). The author has provided her email address, and it is valid. This contact information can be used to reach her for further questioning or clarifications about the article.
GMOs
GMOs are organisms that have had their genetic material altered to enhance their resistance to certain conditions to enhance their growth and development. For instance, scientists have developed hybrid crops through genetic engineering to help them resist adverse environmental conditions. GMOs have eliminated the need for farmers to use herbicides and pesticides, and they have also facilitated higher farm yields.
Most nations do not believe that GMOs are safe for consumption, but the corporations that provide information on the safety of the GMO products have claimed that they are safe to enhance their sales. Most GMO products are not labeled; hence, people might not know it when they consume GMOs.
In America, GMO products make up around 80% of processed foods. One of the harmful effects of the consumption of GM foods is the possibility of an increase in food allergies. There are also fears that toxicity in some foods might increase with the introduction of GMOs. A decrease in the nutritional value of specific foods is also a likely result of developing GM foods.