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Legumes are low-carbohydrate food and are abundant in dietary fiber. In order to provide a functional staple food that does not cause a rapid increase in postprandial blood glucose levels, four kinds of legumes were focused on as ingredients. Noodles made from dehulled yellow pea, unshelled yellow pea, chickpea, and lentil were prepared and evaluated as functional staple foods for controlling blood glucose via an in vitro digestion method. We also measured breaking stress and breaking strain using a creep meter, as well as sensory tests on a 9-point hedonic scale. The noodles made from yellow pea had high values for both breaking stress and breaking strain, and was highly regarded in the sensory tests. Therefore, the noodles made from yellow pea on postprandial glucose and insulin response were measured in a randomized double-blind study (n = 12). The results show that noodles made from yellow pea have a low glycemic index (50.4), and have potential as a functional staple food.

IntroductionFood quality is closely related to food safety. Improving food quality, especially staple foods quality, is crucial to ensuring sustainable food safety. China's government is making efforts to improve the quality of staple foods and has improved quality standards of purchase policy for staple food. However, the actual effects of the new quality standards of purchase policy in implementation have not been verified.MethodsBased on this background, applying difference-in-differences models, this paper examines whether the new quality standards of purchase policy can improve the quality of staple food supply based on the wheat market transaction data.Results and discussionThe results show that the new quality standard of purchase policy has a significant positive impact on the quality of staple food supply. The conclusion remains robust through several alternative tests. Further research shows that the new quality standards of purchase policy significantly expand the degree of quality premiums in the market, thereby improving the staple food supply quality. Our research provides an insight for policy or standard makers to change relevant purchase quality limits following consumer demand to ensure sustainable food security.

Policy interventions to improve food access and address the obesity epidemic among disadvantaged populations are becoming more common throughout the United States. In Baltimore MD, corner stores are a frequently used source of food for low-income populations, but these stores often do not provide a range of affordable healthy foods. This research study aimed to assist city policy makers as they considered implementing a Staple Food Ordinance (SFO) that would require small stores to provide a range and depth of stock of healthy foods. A System Dynamics (SD) model was built to simulate the complex Baltimore food environment and produce optimal values for key decision variables in SFO planning. A web-based application was created for users to access this model to optimize future SFOs, and to test out different options. Four versions of potential SFOs were simulated using this application and the advantages and drawbacks of each SFO are discussed based on the simulation results. These simulations show that a well-designed SFO has the potential to reduce staple food costs, increase corner store profits, reduce food waste, and expand the market for heathy staple foods.

Background This study assessed staple food price volatility, household food consumption scores (FCS), poor household food consumption status and its association with socio-economic inequalities during enforcing and partial lifting of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) lockdown restrictions in slum and non-slum households (HHs) of Nansana municipality, Uganda. Methods Repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted during enforcing and partial lifting of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. A total of 205 slum and 200 non-slum HHs were selected for the study. Telephone based interviews with HH heads were used to collect data on socio-economic factors. Data for FCS was collected using the World Food Programme FCS method. Prices for staple foods were collected by face-to-face interviews with food vendors from the local market. Mean staple food price differences before COVID-19 lockdown, during enforcing, and partial lifting of lockdown was tested by Analysis of variance with repeated measures. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between socio-economic variables and poor food consumption status. A statistical test was considered significant at p  < 0.05. Results Mean staple food prices were significantly higher during enforcing COVID-19 total lockdown restrictions compared to either 1 week before lockdown or partial lifting of lockdown ( p  < 0.05). Mean FCS for staple cereals and legumes were significantly higher in slum HHs during COVID-19 lockdown compared to when the lockdown was partially lifted ( p  < 0.05). In slum HHs, the prevalence of poor food consumption status was significantly higher during partial lifting (55.1%) compared to total lockdown of COVID-19 (15.1%), p  < 0.05. Among slum HHs during lockdown restrictions, food aid distribution was negatively associated with poor food consumption status (AOR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.1–0.6), whilst being a daily wage earner was positively associated with poor food consumption status (AOR: 0.5, 95% CI: 0.1–0.6). During partial lifting of COVID-19 lockdown in slum HHs, poor food consumption status was positively associated with female headed HHs (AOR: 1.2, 95%CI: 1.1–1.6), daily wage earners (AOR: 3.2, 95% CI: 2.6–3.8), unemployment (AOR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.5–2.1) and tenants (AOR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.8–3.5). Female headed HHs, daily wage earners and tenants were positively associated with poor food consumption status either during enforcing or partial lifting of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in non-slum HHs. Conclusion Staple food prices increased during enforcing either the COVID-19 lockdown or partial lifting of the lockdown compared to before the lockdown. During the lockdown, food consumption improved in slum HHs that received food aid compared to those slum HHs that did not receive it. Household heads who were females, daily wage earners, unemployed, and tenants were at risk of poor food consumption status either in slum or non-slum, and therefore needed some form of food assistance either during enforcing or partial lifting of the lockdown.

Frozen staple food, attributed to its favorable taste and convenience, has a promising development potential in the future. Frequent freezing and thawing, however, will affect its quality. This study simulated several freeze–thaw cycles (FTC) that may occur during the cold chain process of frozen oatmeal cooked noodles (FOCN) production to consumption. The quality changes and their mechanisms were elucidated using methods such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), texture analysis, and sensory evaluation. The freezable water content of the FOCN decreased because of the FTC treatment, and the relative content of total water in FOCN also decreased accordingly. The increase in β-Turn after FTC induced disorder in the secondary structure of proteins, causing the protein microstructure to become loose and discontinuous, which in turn reduced the water-holding capacity of FOCN. Additionally, FTC reduced the chewiness and sensory score of FOCN. This research will contribute a theoretical foundation for optimizing the cold chain process.

The continued price increase in food commodities has long been a concern to academia and policymakers because of its substantial impact on poor consumers. Existing literature has concentrated on the cost of micronutrient-dense and starchy staple foods and the price rise in different commodities. Yet, the long-term price growth of micronutrient-dense and starchy staple foods and the price growth gap between micronutrient-dense foods and starchy staple foods have not been given much attention. The paper aimed to estimate the long-term trends in prices and volatility of micronutrient-dense and starchy staples and identify factors that have sustained the growth in prices of food commodities in developing countries. We have used the autoregressive and panel autoregressive distributed lag models to analyse the trends in relative prices and the effects of income growth. The results showed that micronutrient-dense food prices in real terms grew on average by 0.03% per month more than starchy staple food prices, with the expectation of a 12% growth gap in the next 30 years. The volatility of micronutrient-dense food items exceeds starchy staple foods in most domestic markets. Also, the prices of micronutrient-dense foods were more volatile in international markets than in most developing countries. Income growth in developing countries was one of the factors that contributed to the declining relative price of micronutrient-dense food commodities. Other factors, such as the high production of staple foods and their price stabilization policies, may have caused price trends to persist. Policies that enhance price stabilization for micronutrient-dense foods, supplementation, fortification, dietary diversity, and nutrition-sensitive interventions such as biofortification may be adopted in developing countries.

The structural Ricardian model has been used to examine the links between climate variables and staple food production in the literature. However, empirical extensions considering the cluster-correlated effects of climate change have been limited. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by extending the structural Ricardian model to accommodate for spatial clustering of the climate variables while examining their effects on staple food production. Based on nationally representative farm household data in Taiwan, the present study investigates the effect of climate conditions on both crop choice and the subsequent production of the three most important staple foods. The results suggest that seasonal temperature/precipitation variations are the major determinants of staple food production after controlling for farm households’ socio-economic characteristics. The impacts of seasonal climate variations are found to be location-dependent, which also vary significantly across the staple food commodities. Climate change impact assessment under four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) scenarios indicates the detrimental effect of climate change on rice production during 2021–2100. Under RCP6.0, the adverse effect of climate change on rice production will reach the high of approximately$2900 in the last two decades of the century. There is a gradual increase in terms of the size of negative impact on vegetable production under RCP2.6 and RCP4.5. Under RCP6.0 and RCP8.5, the effects of climate change on vegetable production switch in signs during the entire time span. The impact of climate change on fruits is different from the other two staple foods. The simulated results suggest that, except for RCP8.5, the positive impact of climate change on the production of fruits will be around $ 210– $320 in 2021–2040; the effect will then increase to $ 640–$870 before the end of the century.

This clinical trial was conducted to assess the lipid-lowering activity of oat noodles by replacing partial staple food (wheat or rice noodle) in normal and mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects. Totally 84 healthy and mild hypercholesterolemic subjects were recruited and divided into 2 groups as experimental (oat noodles) and placebo (wheat noodles) and instructed to consume 100 g of oat noodles or wheat noodles (replacing one or two meals/day) for 10 weeks and followed by 2 weeks of follow up (without noodle consumption). Various anthropometric measurements and biochemical analysis were carried out during initial (baseline), 2nd, 6th, 10th and 12th week (follow-up). Consumption of oat noodles by replacing staple food for 10 weeks significantly reduced (**p < 0.01) the levels of total cholesterol (TC; 17.46%) and low-density lipoprotein LDL-c (19.03%) in both healthy and mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects. However, the hypocholesterolemic effect is significantly higher in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects as compared with normal subjects. A pronounced decline (*p < 0.05) in the levels of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) markers including TC/HDL and LDL/HDL ratios and blood pressure (SBP; 11.09% and DBP; 7.48%) were observed in oat noodles supplemented subjects as equivalence with the placebo group. The partial replacement of staple food with oat noodle could considerably improve the health status of all subjects especially in hypercholesterolemic subjects and thus lower the risk of CVDs. [Display omitted] •Participants received either oat noodles (exp) or wheat noodles (placebo) replaced staple food for 10 weeks.•Consumption of oat noodles significantly reduced TC, LDL-c, TC/HDL and LDL/HDL ratios and blood pressure.•partial replacement of staple food with oat noodle could lower the lipid profile and thus decrease the risk of CVDs.

Background Arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) are two toxic elements that have a relatively high risk of transfer from paddy soil to rice grain. Rice is a major dietary source of these two elements for populations consuming rice as a staple food. Reducing their accumulation in rice grain is important for food safety and human health. Scope We review recent progress in understanding the biogeochemical processes controlling As and Cd bioavailability in paddy soil, the mechanisms of their uptake, translocation and detoxification in rice plants, and strategies to reduce their accumulation in rice grain. Similarities and differences between the two elements are emphasized. Some knowledge gaps are also identified. Conclusions The concentrations of As and Cd in rice grain vary by three orders of magnitude, depending on the bioavailability of the two elements in soil, rice genotype and growing conditions. The redox potential in paddy soil has a profound but opposite effect on As and Cd bioavailability, whereas soil pH affects Cd bioavailability more than As bioavailability. A number of key genes involved in As and Cd uptake, translocation, sequestration, and detoxification in rice have been characterized. Allelic variations of several genes underlying the variations in Cd accumulation have been identified, but more remains to be elucidated, especially for As. Two types of strategies can be used to reduce As and Cd accumulation, reducing their bioavailability in soil or their uptake and translocation in rice. Reducing the accumulation of both As and Cd in rice simultaneously remains a great challenge.

Vitamin A deficiency remains one of the world's major public health problems despite food fortification and supplements strategies. Biofortification of staple crops with enhanced levels of pro-vitamin A (PVA) offers a sustainable alternative strategy to both food fortification and supplementation. As a proof of concept, PVA-biofortified transgenic Cavendish bananas were generated and field trialed in Australia with the aim of achieving a target level of 20 μg/g of dry weight (dw) β-carotene equivalent (β-CE) in the fruit. Expression of a Fe'i banana-derived phytoene synthase 2a (MtPsy2a) gene resulted in the generation of lines with PVA levels exceeding the target level with one line reaching 55 μg/g dw β-CE. Expression of the maize phytoene synthase 1 (ZmPsy1) gene, used to develop “Golden Rice 2”, also resulted in increased fruit PVA levels although many lines displayed undesirable phenotypes. Constitutive expression of either transgene with the maize polyubiquitin promoter increased PVA accumulation from the earliest stage of fruit development. In contrast, PVA accumulation was restricted to the late stages of fruit development when either the banana 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase or the expansin 1 promoters were used to drive the same transgenes. Wild-type plants with the longest fruit development time had also the highest fruit PVA concentrations. The results from this study suggest that early activation of the rate-limiting enzyme in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, as well as extended fruit maturation time, are essential factors to achieve optimal PVA concentrations in banana fruit. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.