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In light of the inequality in access to farming land and the high prevalence of child malnutrition in Sudan, there is a lack of empirical research on the relationship between land ownership and child nutritional status. This study aims to examine the influence of agricultural landholding on the nutritional status of children under the age of five in rural Sudan.

The study utilizes data from Sudan’s 2014 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), covering a sample of 10,753 rural children. The empirical analysis uses the two-stage least squares (2SLS) approach, adopting various estimation methods and model specifications for robustness check and comparison.

The results demonstrate that agricultural land has a positive and significant effect on reducing child malnutrition, signifying that children from families with agricultural land are less susceptible to malnutrition in Sudan. When examining the male and female sub-samples separately, the findings indicate a positive influence of land ownership on child malnutrition in the female sub-sample, while no significant impact is observed in the male sub-sample. This indicates a gender disparity in the effects of land ownership on child nutrition, with girls benefiting more from access to agricultural land compared to boys.

The study has several significant contributions. First, this is the sole study that examines the impact of agricultural land ownership on child malnutrition in Sudan. Second, considering the gender variations in nutritional status, investigating the influence of land ownership on child nutrition across genders addresses a significant gap in the current literature. Finally, the findings resulting from this study can contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030, precisely focusing on SDG2 Goal 2: Zero hunger and SDG 10: Goal 10: Reduced inequalities.

Child malnutrition is a grave concern for Pakistan, as the country has one of the highest incidences of child stunting in the developing world. The present study examines the relative significance of parents' education on a child's nutritional status in Pakistan.

For analysis, the study has used data from Phase 7 of the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) (2017–2018). Since the dependent variable ranges from 0 to 1 (1 indicates not a stunted child, while 0 represents a stunted child), binary logistic regressions are used for the analysis.

The results show that mothers' and fathers' education positively contributes to a child's nutrition. However, mothers' education is considered more significant, especially in the long run. The mother's education categories are positive and significant in the long run, while only their higher education is positive and significant for the father's. Moreover, the magnitude of the effect also shows that the probability of stunting is less if the mothers are educated. The long-run coefficient for mothers' higher education is 0.752, while that of fathers' higher education is only 0.232.

The present study compares the importance of mothers' and fathers' education in child nutrition and concludes that the role of the mother is more crucial for child upbringing. There are rarely any studies that focus on the role of fathers' education in child nutrition and compare whose role, mothers' or fathers,' is more important for child well-being.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-06-2023-0483

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of anxiety levels of adults on their nutritional status during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kayseri province, Turkey.

A total of 898 adults consisting of 479 individuals with and 419 individuals without a positive diagnosis of COVID-19 were included in the study. The individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics, health status, nutritional habits, anthropometric measurement and Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) information were obtained online.

The mean FCV-19S score of the participants was 17.49 ± 6.02. FCV-19S score was higher in those who reduced their consumption of protein sources compared to those who did not change and those who increased (p < 0.001). It was determined that FCV-19S scores of participants who increased their consumption of fruit/vegetables, sweets and sugar were higher than those who did not change their consumption of such items (p = 0.007). The FCV-19S scores of individuals who did not change their onion/garlic and snack consumption were lower than those who decreased or increased the consumption of these nutrients (p = 0.001, p = 0.002).

Education programs can be organized especially targeting vulnerable populations, such as women, individuals with chronic diseases and those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. These programs can be conducted by dietitians and psychologists in collaboration, focusing on promoting healthy eating habits and coping strategies during stressful times.

It was determined that those who changed their nutrition habits during the COVID-19 pandemic had higher fear levels than those who did not. Individuals with high fear paid more attention to healthy nutrition than individuals without fear.

Malnutrition has a significant effect on the onset and progression of infective pathology. The malnutrition status in COVID-19 cases are not understood well. Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) is a new and detailed assessment of nutrition and inflammation cases. This study aims to investigate the effect of PNI on mortality in COVID-19 patients.

In total, 334 patients (males, 142; females, 192; 64.5 ± 12.3 years of age) with COVID-19 bronchopneumonia were enrolled in this investigation. Cases were divided into two groups with respect to survival (Group 1: survivor patients, Group 2: non-survivor patients). Demographic and laboratory variables of COVID-19 cases were recorded. Laboratory parameters were calculated from blood samples taken following hospital admission. PNI was calculated according to this formula: PNI = 5 * Lymphocyte count (10⁹/L) + Albumin value (g/L).

When the patients were assessed with respect to laboratory values, leukocytes, neutrophils, CRP, ferritin, creatinine and D-Dimer parameters were significantly lower in Group 1 patients than Group 2 patients. Nevertheless, serum potassium value, lymphocyte count, calcium and albumin values were significantly higher in Group 1 cases than in Group 2 cases. PNI value was significantly lower in Group 2 cases than in Group 1 cases (39.4 ± 3.7 vs 53.1 ± 4.6).

In this retrospective study of COVID-19 cases, it can be suggested that PNI may be a significant risk factor for mortality. In conclusion of this research, high-risk patients with COVID-19 can be determined early, and suitable medical therapy can be begun in the early duration.

This study aims to increase knowledge of the ability of nutrition labels to guide consumer choices in real-life environments.

Food consumption and plate waste data were collected from two self-service restaurants (SSR) with different customer groups over six observation days: three control and three intervention (with nutrition labelling) periods. Study Group 1 consisted of vocational school students, mostly late adolescents (N = 1,710), and Group 2 consisted of spa hotel customers, mostly elderly (N = 1,807). In the experimental restaurants, the same food was served to the buffets during the control and intervention periods.

The nutrition label in the lunch buffet guides customers to eat fewer main foods and salads and to select healthier choices. Increased consumption of taste enhancers (salt and ketchup) was observed in the study restaurants after nutritional labelling. Nutrition labelling was associated with a reduction in plate waste among the elderly, whereas the opposite was observed among adolescents.

The results provide public policymakers and marketers with a better understanding of the effects of nutrition labelling on consumer behaviour. Future studies should further evaluate the effects of nutrition labelling on the overall quality of customer diets and the complex environmental, social, and psychological factors affecting food choices and plate waste accumulation in various study groups.

It is estimated that the largest share of future food fish will come from aquaculture production and that sustainable aquaculture is a precondition to realising this potential. Sustainable aquaculture will also play a key role in achieving several of the targets set out in SDG14. It is now established that most of the aquafeed ingredients used today are not sustainable and cannot support the projected growth of the sector, hence the need for sustainable alternatives. Sustainable aquaculture is multidimensional, therefore, this chapter focuses on sustainable feed ingredient sourcing. The authors explored a group of highly promising emerging novel ingredients known as microbial ingredients (MIs), means of producing them and how they can help achieve sustainable aquaculture and SDG14 targets. Specifically, the chapter narrows down on producing MIs from Norwegian spruce tree hydrolysates using a biotechnological approach and how Foods of Norway, a centre for research-based innovation at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences is leading efforts to produce feed-worthy MIs from industrial and agricultural by-products through biotechnology-based valorisation. MIs such as yeast, fungi, and bacterial meal can support the growth of Atlantic salmon without compromising the health of the fish. Thus, MI has a net positive impact on climate and can help achieve some targets in SDG14 by reducing pressure on marine resources used as fish feed ingredients. Suggestions on how to address current bottlenecks in scaling up MIs have also been provided in the chapter.

This study aims to assess the household food insecurity in Malaysia during the initial phase of the movement control order (MCO) to provide insights into the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity in this context.

The research used an online cross-sectional survey between March 28 and April 28, 2020. The study collected data from the Radimer/Cornell Hunger Scale and a food insecurity instrument. Analytical tools included chi-square and logistic regression models.

Of the 411 participating households, 54.3% were food-secure, while 45.7% experienced varying food insecurity. Among these, 29.9% reported mild hunger-associated food insecurity, 8.5% experienced individual food insecurity and 7.3% reported child hunger. The study identified predictors for food insecurity, including household income, as those with total income of < RM 2,300 had 13 times greater odds (odds ratio [OR] 13.8; confidence interval [CI] 5.9–32.1; p < 0.001) than those with income of RM 5,600, marital status as divorced (OR 4.4; 95% CI 1.0–19.9; p-value = 0.05) or married (OR 1.04; 95% CI 0.52–2.1) compared to those who are single. Self-employed respondents had three times greater odds of living in a household experiencing food insecurity (OR 3.58; 95% CI 1.6–7.7; p-value = 0.001) than those in the private sector (OR 1.48; 95% CI 0.85–2.61) or experiencing job loss (OR 1.39; 95% CI 0.62–3.1) compared with those who reported being in full-time government employment.

This study acknowledged limitations, such as not considering various dimensions of food insecurity, such as coping strategies, nutritional support, diet quality and well-being, due to the complexity of the issue.

The study underscores the importance of targeted support for vulnerable groups and fostering collaborative efforts to address household food insecurity during crises like the MCOs.

The research offers insights into how to address household food insecurity and its impact on society.

It identifies predictors, quantifies increased odds and emphasizes the necessity of targeted policies and collaborative approaches for fostering resilient recovery and promoting well-being in vulnerable populations.

After reading and discussing this case study, students will be able to explain the concept of diffusion of innovation and predict how the passion fruit-infused vinaigrette (PFIV) might spread throughout the Thai market; analyze the market environment for condiments in Thailand and identify specific opportunities that Preedha Vinchit and her team should consider for the successful launch of the PFIV; interpret both qualitative and quantitative data gathered by the new product development (NPD) team and discuss its implications for the product’s market strategy and development; and critique the initial launch plan proposed by Krit Anon, suggest practical strategies and calculate the break-even point necessary to meet the project’s financial goals.

During July 2023, Vinchit, product marketer at the Thani Food Institute (TFI), faced a critical decision regarding the launch of the APFIV. Developed from TFI’s patented passion fruit peel powder, the PFIV offered functional benefits and addressed the sustainable use of passion fruit resources. As COVID-19 restrictions eased, TFI’s board of advisors anticipated a successful market entry for PFIV. Anon, culinologist and chef behind PFIV’s formulation, expressed keen interest in launching it independently with a startup investment of THB 500,000 (US$14,388). Vinchit, with market research and home-use test results indicating positive consumer reception in hand, contemplated whether to proceed with a launch plan of TFI’s design or endorse Anon’s entrepreneurial venture. Critical considerations included market viability, strategic partnerships, target demographics and marketing strategies encompassing pricing, distribution and promotional campaigns. The decision hinged on maximizing PFIV’s market potential amidst Thailand’s robust condiment consumption and growing health awareness.

This case study can be used in undergraduate and graduate courses in entrepreneurship, food product development, marketing strategy, market research and innovation on topics including NPD, opportunity identification, concept testing, consumer research analysis, marketing strategy formulation, business/financial analysis and launch strategies. This case study may be more useful in the middle or later parts of a course or module when an instructor is focusing on any or all stages of the NPD process and the strategic decisions, particularly for aspiring entrepreneurs with limited resources. Additionally, students should have developed at least some preliminary understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods. This case study has been very effective in demonstrating various organizational processes and decision-making tools, which allow students to apply strategy frameworks and systematically evaluate several alternatives.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

This study aims to understand client food preferences and how pantry offerings can be optimized by those preferences.

This study develops and administers customized surveys to study three food pantries within the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwestern North Carolina network. This study then categorizes food items by client preferences, identifies the key predictors of those preferences and obtains preference scores by fitting the data to a predictive model. The preference scores are subsequently used in an optimization model that suggests an ideal mix of food items to stock based upon client preferences and the item and weight limits imposed by the pantry.

This study found that food pantry clients prefer fresh and frozen foods over shelf-friendly options and that gender, age and religion were the primary predictors. The optimization model incorporates these preferences, yielding an optimal stocking strategy for the pantry.

This research is based on a specific food bank network, and therefore, the client preferences may not be generalizable to other food banks. However, the framework and corresponding optimization model is generalizable to other food aid supply chains.

This study provides insights for food pantry managers to make informed decisions about stocking the pantry shelves based on the client’s preferences.

An emerging topic within the humanitarian food aid community is better matching of food availability with food that is desired in a way that minimizes food waste. This is achieved by providing more choice to food pantry users. This work shows how pantries can incorporate client preferences in inventory stocking decisions.

This study contributes to the literature on food pantry operations by providing a novel decision support system for pantry managers to aid in stocking their shelves according to client preferences.