Editorial

Citation

Blades, M. (2011), "Editorial", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 41 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2011.01741daa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 41, Issue 4

Food choice is something that is valued in the Western world with supermarkets increasing their lines from 15,000 in 1980 to over 50,000 in 2006. One supermarket added over 8,000 lines last year.

Supermarkets tend to be the main venue for most people to purchase their food from. This purchase may be online with home delivery, from supermarkets attached to filling stations or smaller ones sited in towns and residential areas as well as the large mainly out of town supermarkets.

Many people view shopping as a leisure pursuit and include it with also shopping for other items as well as indulging in a meal.

The range of types of food is also increasing with the traditional brand leaders still having a key place on the shelf and with new variations to tempt one to try. Economy ranges have become increasingly popular due to the economic situation of a recession. Also this trend of people purchasing these less expensive ranges is predicted to be likely to continue.

There are ranges of more fine dining products with superior ingredients and flavours, which encourage people to treat themselves. Also home dining with meals for a set price and which include not only a main course and dessert but also a bottle of wine provides an innovative (and cheaper) alternative to a meal out.

Ranges of meals from different cultures are available in frozen and chilled forms in most supermarkets. Ingredients reflective of the local community also became a feature on the shelves and at my local supermarket not only Asian and African ingredients are seen but also a range of brands from Poland.

For those with dietary needs there is a wide array of lower calorie foods for anyone watching their weight. Plus increasing rages of foods suitable for sufferers from certain allergies. A rage of pro- and pre-biotic containing foods is also seen. The sports men and women are wooed with specialist drinks and protein products.

Organic foods are also wisely available as are fair trade foods. Owing to the escalating interest in local foods some supermarkets are adding to their ranges with local products.

With this ever-increasing interest in food choice this issue of Nutrition and Food Science reflects this in its papers which include:

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  Ethnic food awareness and perception in Thailand and the USA which showed interesting trends with the US consumer being more likely to try more ethnic foods.

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  Evaluation of the activity antioxidant and fatty acid profile of lychee seeds reflects the interest in foods with antioxidant properties or “superfoods” as journalists often term them.

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  Active packaging of food products discusses the use of different packaging methods for foods which is so vital for today’s society.

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  Japanese high school students’ TV viewing and fast foods showed the relationship between TV viewing and fast food consumption.

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  Following on from interests in “superfoods” this paper on the anti-proliferative effects of pandan leaves which are a Malaysian culinary plant is of value due to the effects against various cancers.

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  A preliminary study of the symbiotic effect of Konjac glucomannan hydrolysates and the lactobacilli on the growth or oral bacterium.

Mabel Blades