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Article
Publication date: 5 January 2015

Radhika Bongoni, Ruud Verkerk, Matthijs Dekker and Bea Steenbekkers

Domestic preparation practices influence the sensory properties and nutritional composition of food products. Information on the variability in actual domestic preparation

Abstract

Purpose

Domestic preparation practices influence the sensory properties and nutritional composition of food products. Information on the variability in actual domestic preparation practices is needed to assess the influence of applied conditions on the sensory and nutritional quality of food. The collection of such information requires a reliable, valid and practical research method. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Direct in-home observations, observations in a model-kitchen using cameras, and a self-reporting questionnaire were evaluated for reliability and validity, to study domestic food preparation practices by consumers. Broccoli preparation practices by Dutch consumers were checked by these three methods in this research paper.

Findings

All three research methods were found to be test-retest, inter-observer, parallel-form reliable; and face, content and concurrent valid. However, the self-reporting questionnaire is the most practical research method that can be administered on a large number of respondents in a short time to capture the wide variations in preparation practices.

Originality/value

Consumers can be assisted on domestic food preparation practices that reach their sensory preferences (e.g. texture, colour) as well as have health benefits on consumption.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 117 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 May 2023

Wen-Hwa Ko and Yi-Ling Hong

The purpose of this study was constructed a behavioral observation scale for avoiding food waste from the point of view of Chinese cuisine, used as an evaluation tool to examine…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was constructed a behavioral observation scale for avoiding food waste from the point of view of Chinese cuisine, used as an evaluation tool to examine food waste in the process of food preparation for hospitality students in Taiwan.

Design/methodology/approach

The status of food handling in the preparation process was understood through a literature review and interviews. In addition, the indicators that may cause food waste behaviors were established, and the observation and self-evaluation scales of food waste behaviors in the preparation process were developed.

Findings

Avoiding water waste, removing excessive edible parts, avoiding waste on seasonings, avoiding cooking for too long and avoiding water stains in the cleaning process were considered by both the observers and the students as items for improvement in the cooking process. The results of this study will help in understanding the intervention in the teaching practice of avoiding students’ food waste behaviors.

Research limitations/implications

This study can only be based on the test results of the current observation behaviors. Meanwhile, many factors need to be taken into consideration, such as the differences in the amount of knowledge students have about food waste, the differences in preparation techniques, and other different factors, which may lead to differences in the research results.

Originality/value

The behavioral observation and self-evaluation behavior scales of “exploring food waste behaviors in the preparation process” were developed and implemented for the current status. The differences between the results of the observation scale and the self-evaluation scale were compared. In addition, the behaviors that may cause students’ food waste were pointed out. Then, the direction of the teaching content was formulated, and the curriculum plan integrating the content of avoiding food waste into teaching was evaluated. Furthermore, the scales can be applied to kitchen staff handling food materials to understand the current situation of their food handling, which can be used as a driving tool for restaurants to reduce food waste.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 24 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2004

Elizabeth C. Redmond, Christopher J. Griffith, Jenny Slader and Tom J. Humphrey

The use of an observational approach in conjunction with isolation techniques for campylobacter and salmonella detection has facilitated a detailed evaluation of the risk of cross…

3460

Abstract

The use of an observational approach in conjunction with isolation techniques for campylobacter and salmonella detection has facilitated a detailed evaluation of the risk of cross contamination during food preparation. Identification of suspected exposure routes has linked naturally contaminated raw foods with important food‐handling malpractices, contaminated contact surfaces and ready‐to‐eat foods. In a model domestic kitchen, 29 per cent of food preparation sessions resulted in positive campylobacter isolations from prepared salads, cleaning materials and food‐contact surfaces. Typing results showed that specific campylobacter strains isolated from prepared chicken salads were the same as the strains isolated from the raw chicken pieces, indicating microbial transfer during food preparation. Data obtained from this study can be used for exposure assessment, risk management and in the development of consumer risk communication strategies.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 106 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 December 2019

Maki Nonomura

The purpose of this paper is to explore reasons for household preparation losses.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore reasons for household preparation losses.

Design/methodology/approach

Observations of preparation behaviors and semi-structured interviews of nine people were conducted in their kitchens. The data were analyzed through a qualitative data analysis method.

Findings

Three types of preparation losses were identified, i.e. possibly avoidable food waste, excessive removals and unintentional losses. Possibly avoidable food waste and excessive removals were generated owing to people’s perception that is in the gray area between edible and inedible, their preferences, lower quality of food, convenience in preparation, lack of preparation skill and knowledge, and lack of concern about preparation losses. Unintentional losses were tiny pieces of food that were left on cooking tools.

Research limitations/implications

As this study’s participants were nine women living in Japan, further research is needed in order to achieve saturation.

Originality/value

Few studies have discussed reasons for preparation losses, and extant studies were based on a diary method and questionnaires. This present study uncovers several new reasons for preparation losses based on interviews and observations of consumer preparation behaviors. These new details would be helpful for campaigns or programs that aim to reduce food losses.

Article
Publication date: 25 September 2019

Silvia Bellini and Simone Aiolfi

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of in-store mobile usage on purchase decision making in order to understand whether and to what extent the use of the device…

2711

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of in-store mobile usage on purchase decision making in order to understand whether and to what extent the use of the device changes the shopper behavior in terms of planned and unplanned purchases even across different retail store formats.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained using a structured questionnaire from 406 respondents interviewed in hypermarket and discount stores, after the checkout. Data were measured through t-tests and the analysis of variance.

Findings

The mobile intensifies a process of preparation making it popular and the same across the different store formats, confirming how the growing convergence, making store formats less distinctive in the eyes of the consumer, has somewhat flattened and standardized the pre-shopping out-of-store preparation.

Practical implications

The pervasiveness and the versatility of the mobile, and its ability to influence the decision-making processes, leads to important managerial questions and implications regarding the effectiveness of in-store marketing initiatives and the need to review the mix of out-of-store and in-store investments, with the knowledge that the consumer will continue to become even more prepared and well informed in the future.

Originality/value

Mobile devices could be used out-of-store, as a tool for shopping preparation, and in-store as a tool for self-regulation. Therefore, it becomes crucial to understand how the mobile influences the decision-making process as well as the buying behavior of shoppers.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 48 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 September 2022

Yee Ming Lee, Erol Sozen and Han Wen

This study explored how food allergies have affected food-related behaviors and quality of life of college students with food allergies and identified factors influencing food…

Abstract

Purpose

This study explored how food allergies have affected food-related behaviors and quality of life of college students with food allergies and identified factors influencing food choice decisions among this group of individuals.

Design/methodology/approach

One-on-one interviews were conducted with 26 college students with self-reported or clinically diagnosed food allergies, recruited from two universities located in the southern region of the United States. The participants were asked a series of questions based on a semi-structured discussion guide. Each interview lasted about 30 min; all interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcriptions were coded independently by three researchers, and themes were identified.

Findings

Food allergies affected the participants' food-related behaviors, including eating, food preparation and shopping, as well as some aspects of their quality of life. Individual factors, such as mood, other diseases, cultural background and sensory properties, also influenced food choices. Friends and families were the two most important social influencers of food choices. Regarding physical environmental factors, cost, convenience, value and variety were considered important in selecting food. However, the participants' food choices were less influenced by food advertisements and social media. Additionally, experiences and complex cuisines were also key factors in making food choices.

Research limitations/implications

Theoretically, this qualitative study applied a food choice decision framework in the context of college students with food allergies. Practical recommendations are provided, particularly to campus dining facilities, to fulfill the needs of college students with food allergies.

Originality/value

This study advanced the understanding of the complexity of food choice decision-making among college students with food allergies. A path diagram specific to food choice among college students with food allergies was developed based on the results of this study. This study also highlighted that food allergy management would involve various behavioral changes and revealed that the food choices are influenced by a wide range of factors.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 125 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 1997

Deborah L. Kellogg, William E. Youngdahl and David E. Bowen

Presents a programme of research from which a typology of service customers’ quality assurance behaviours was developed. The typology’s four behaviours define the broad range of…

8224

Abstract

Presents a programme of research from which a typology of service customers’ quality assurance behaviours was developed. The typology’s four behaviours define the broad range of service customers’ participation in service quality assurance. Examines the relationship between these behaviours and satisfaction. Presents an initial conceptualization of a service customer’s value chain constructed from these behaviours. Provides implications for services marketing, human resource management and service operations. In sum, the two conceptual frameworks presented in this research add to researchers’ and practitioners’ understanding of how customer participation in service delivery is related to satisfaction.

Details

International Journal of Service Industry Management, vol. 8 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0956-4233

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 March 2018

Andrej Ovca, Mojca Jevšnik and Peter Raspor

The purpose of this paper is to investigate future food handlers’ practices during practical lessons close to the end of their formal vocational education, and to record teachers’…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate future food handlers’ practices during practical lessons close to the end of their formal vocational education, and to record teachers’ behaviour and to evaluate classrooms that were intended for practical lessons.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 90 students between 17 and 19 years of age, 12 teachers, and 12 training classrooms intended for practical lessons, which were divided into six observation sessions in the field of catering and six observation sessions in the field of food processing (bakery, confectionery, and butchery), were observed.

Findings

Both proper and inappropriate food-handling practices were observed among teachers and students. Comparing the hygienic-technical conditions of the training classrooms with teachers’ and students’ behaviour revealed several interconnected situations increasing the risk of food contamination during the production process.

Research limitations/implications

Data were collected by one observer who was not part of the class. The sample size was small, limiting the generalisability of the results.

Practical implications

The results indicate the weaknesses in the formal vocational education of future professional food handlers.

Social implications

Good food safety practices among food handlers reduce societal costs related to health-care systems and food industry economic losses.

Originality/value

The study provides an insight into the education and training of future professional food handlers in a controlled environment in educational institutions.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 120 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2021

Pinsheng Duan and Jianliang Zhou

The construction industry is an industry with a high incidence of safety accidents, and the interactions of unsafe behaviors of construction workers are the main cause of…

Abstract

Purpose

The construction industry is an industry with a high incidence of safety accidents, and the interactions of unsafe behaviors of construction workers are the main cause of accidents. The neglect of the interactions may lead to serious underestimation of safety risks. This research aims to analyze the cascading vulnerability of unsafe behaviors of construction workers from the perspective of network modeling.

Design/methodology/approach

An unsafe behavior network of construction workers and a cascading vulnerability analysis model were established based on 296 actual accident cases. The cascading vulnerability of each unsafe behavior was analyzed based on the degree attack strategy.

Findings

Complex network with 85 unsafe behavior nodes is established based on the collected accidents in total. The results showed that storing in improper location, does not wear a safety helmet, working with illness and working after drinking are unsafe behaviors with high cascading vulnerability. Coupling analysis revealed that differentiated management strategies of unsafe behaviors should be applied. Besides, more focus should be put on high cascading vulnerability behaviors.

Originality/value

This research proposed a method to construct the cascading failure model of unsafe behavior for individual construction workers. The key parameters of the cascading failure model of unsafe behaviors of construction workers were determined, which could provide a reference for the research of cascading failure of unsafe behaviors. Additionally, a dynamic vulnerability research framework based on complex network theory was proposed to analyze the cascading vulnerability of unsafe behaviors. The research synthesized the results of dynamic and static analysis and found the key control nodes to systematically control unsafe construction behaviors.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 30 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 2004

Alan Kirschenbaum

This paper utilizes the generic source of “community” to define a disaster community emphasizing disaster areas’ perceived boundaries and the social networks that fall within…

1214

Abstract

This paper utilizes the generic source of “community” to define a disaster community emphasizing disaster areas’ perceived boundaries and the social networks that fall within these boundaries. Three such “disaster communities” are proposed based on family‐kin, micro‐neighborhood, and macro‐neighborhood social networks. Utilizing an Israel national representative sample of (814) urban households residing in 150 municipalities, a set of hypotheses were tested regarding the impact of disaster communities on individual disaster preparedness behaviors. In general, more socially robust communities brought about greater levels of individual preparedness but with significant exceptions by type of preparedness. In addition, the predictive ability of such disaster communities on each preparedness component varied. Ethnic and educational composition of the networks had a negligible impact on disaster preparedness behaviors. Overall, the use of social network based disaster communities provides a sound theoretical and empirical foundation to study disaster behaviors.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 24 no. 10/11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

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