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The widening gap between current supply of meat and its future demand has increased the need to produce plant-based meat analogs. Despite ongoing technical developments, one of the unresolved challenges of plant-based meat analogs is to safely and effectively imitate the appearance of raw and cooked animal-based meat, especially the color. This study aimed to develop a more effective and safe browning system for beet red (BR) in plant-based meat analog patties using laccase (LC) and sugar beet pectin (SBP). First, we investigated the synergistic effects of SBP and LC on BR decolorization of meat analog patties. We discovered that the red tones of LC-treated patties containing BR and SBP were remarkably browned after grilling, compared to patties that did not contain SBP. Notably, this color change by LC + SBP was similar to that of beef patties. Additionally, the hardness of LC-treated meat analog patties containing BR was higher than those that did not contain BR. Interestingly, the presence of SBP and LC enhanced the browning reaction and functional properties of meat analogs containing BR. This is the first report on a browning system for meat analogs containing BR using enzymatic methods to the best of our knowledge.

Recent managerial evidence and academic research has suggested that consumer decisions are influenced not only by the prices of individual items but also by a retailer's price image, which reflects a consumer's impression of the overall price level of a retailer. Despite the increasing importance of price image in marketing theory and practice, existing research has not provided a clear picture of how price images are formed and how they influence consumer behavior. This article addresses this discrepancy by offering a comprehensive framework delineating the key drivers of price image formation and their consequences for consumer behavior. Contrary to conventional wisdom that assumes price image is mainly a function of a retailer's average price level, this research identifies several price-related and nonprice factors that contribute to price image formation. The authors further identify conditions in which these factors can overcome the impact of the average level of prices, resulting in a low price image despite the retailer's relatively high prices, as well as conditions in which people perceive a retailer to have a high price image despite its relatively low average price level.

Food insecurity is a persistent issue among individuals with low income and is associated with various nutrition- and health-related consequences. Creative approaches to increasing food access should be investigated as possible solutions. Meal kits, which are boxes or bags of fresh and shelf-stable ingredients for one or more meals, along with a step-by-step recipe showing how to cook each meal at home, may serve as a creative solution. Meal kits have historically been marketed to higher-income demographics. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the utilization, acceptability, and willingness to pay for a healthy meal kit program among African American main food preparers with children and low income (n = 36). Participants received a healthy meal kit with three recipes and ingredients, a cooking incentive, and a nutrition handout weekly for six weeks. Data were collected on participants’ use, acceptability, and willingness to pay for the meal kits and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The intervention was highly utilized, and participants reported high acceptability ratings for most recipes. After the intervention, participants were willing to pay $88.61 ± 47.47 for a meal kit with three meals, each with four portions, which was higher than indicated at baseline and similar to the cost to produce the kits. Meal kits may offer a creative solution to improving food access if affordable for families with low income.

This study aimed to characterize access to food establishments through a meal delivery application in university and non-university settings within a Brazilian metropolis. This cross-sectional study used data from a leading meal delivery platform. All establishments delivering to four public and four private university campuses in Belo Horizonte, Brazil were identified. For comparison, one corresponding non-university location was selected for each campus (yielding eight campus–location pairs). Each location corresponds to a central address within the paired neighborhood that was entered into the app to simulate delivery availability. Pairing criteria were based on geographic region and income levels. Information on establishment categories (classified by keywords), delivery distances, delivery fees, and geographic centrality was collected and analyzed descriptively. The number of available establishments ranged from 7176 to 11,440 across the assessed locations. Most establishments were categorized under keywords referring to snacks (e.g., burgers, savory snacks, pizza), regardless of location. Delivery distances ranged from 0 to 19.6 km, with shorter distances observed for university addresses and corresponding locations situated in central neighborhoods of the city, and longer distances for peripheral areas. Only 4.7% of establishments offered free delivery, and higher delivery fees were more frequent in non-university locations. No significant differences were observed between public and private universities. Food establishments are widely accessible via the app; however, central areas tend to have broader service coverage. Regardless of whether the location is a university or non-university setting, or whether it is central or peripheral, there is a predominance of establishments classified under keywords associated with unhealthy food options.

Background The rise in ultra-processed food consumption has raised public health concerns, yet the economic incentives behind their production remain underexplored. This study investigates the economic attractiveness of ultra-processed food production in Brazil through an analysis of real industrial revenue trends. Methods A quantitative longitudinal analysis was conducted using data from the Brazilian Annual Industrial Survey (PIA-Empresa/IBGE) from 2016 to 2022, encompassing industrial companies with 30 or more employees. The study focused on manufacturing classes predominantly composed of ultra-processed products, based on the taxonomy proposed by Canella et al. and aligned with the NOVA classification developed by Monteiro et al.: cocoa-based products, chocolates and confectionery; cookies and crackers; and ready-to-eat meals. Net revenue figures were deflated using the Producer Price Index (IPP/IBGE) for food manufacturing to assess real growth. Sector-specific trends were then compared to the broader food manufacturing industry to evaluate the relative economic performance of ultra-processed food segments. Results The analysis revealed heterogeneous performance across ultra-processed food segments. Between 2016 and 2022, real net revenue increased by 8.23% for ready-to-eat meals and 2.29% for cocoa-based products, chocolates, and confectionery, while cookies and crackers declined by 8.85%. In comparison, the overall food manufacturing sector experienced a 7.96% real increase in net revenue during the same period. Conclusions Real growth in key UPF sectors like ready-to-eat meals suggests their production is economically attractive, incentivizing expansion. However, divergent performance across categories highlights complex dynamics. These findings reinforce economic incentives as commercial determinants of health (Gilmore et al.), warranting policy attention. Key messages • Some ultra-processed food segments appear economically attractive to industrial firms in Brazil, offering financial incentives for continued expansion. • Economic indicators should be integrated into public health debates and regulatory strategies, given the growing economic relevance of ultra-processed food production.

•Dietary management is a key strategy to prevent metabolic syndrome, a major risk factor of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.•“Meal-type food for diabetes” is commercially available manufactured based on the Korean clinical nutrition treatment guidelines and regulated by the Korean Food and Drug Administration.•Replacing 1 meal per day with a meal-type food for diabetes improved blood lipid profiles and body composition, including waist circumference in adults with metabolic syndrome risk factors.•The use of convenience meal-type food designed for people with diabetes is an easy and effective way to manage metabolic syndrome in daily life. This study aimed to assess the effect of meal-type food for diabetes on improving metabolic syndrome risk factors in adults. The participants were adult men and women aged 40–55 y with 1 or more risk factors for metabolic syndrome. They were provided with a diabetic diet (a meal-type food) and general diet in the form of home meal replacement for 3 wk. The current research used a crossover design. All participants had iso-caloric meal replacement per day, and there was a 2-wk washout period between each diet. The nutritional standards of a diabetic diet were based on the guidelines of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, which are: <50% carbohydrates, <10% sugars, <7% saturated fat, and >10 g dietary fiber. The average caloric content was 489.1 ± 45.0 kcal. The composition of the general diet was similar to that of the diabetic diet; however, there were differences in sugar content. In total, 15 participants were included in the research, and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in terms of nutrient intake during the intervention period. Body weight (P = 0.001), body mass index (P = 0.004), waist circumference (P = 0.030), triacylglycerol (P = 0.002), total cholesterol (P = 0.001), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.008) levels were significantly lower in the diabetic diet intervention period than before and after 3 wk of the intervention. In addition, reduction in body weight (P = 0.001), body mass index (P = 0.006), waist circumference (P = 0.032), and triacylglycerol (P = 0.036) and total cholesterol (P = 0.007) levels in the diabetic diet intervention period significantly differed compared with those in the general diet intervention period. Replacing 1 meal per day with meal-type food for diabetes improved body composition and blood lipid levels in adults with metabolic syndrome risk factors.

Reducing Na intake is an urgent global challenge, especially in East Asia and high-income Asia-Pacific regions. However, the sources of Na and their effects on urinary Na excretion have not been fully studied. We sought to clarify these sources and their association with urinary Na excretion. We examined four 3-d weighed food records and five 24-h urinary collections from each of 253 participants in Japan, aged 35–80 years, between 2012 and 2013. We compared the levels of Na according to four categories: foods contributing to discretionary or non-discretionary Na intake, the situation in which dishes were cooked and consumed, food groups and types of cuisine. We also conducted regression analysis in which 24-h urinary Na excretion was a dependent variable and the amounts of food intake in the four categories were independent variables. Levels of Na were the highest in discretionary intake (60·6 %) and in home-prepared dishes (84·0 %). Of the food groups, miso soup showed the highest percentage contribution to Na intake (13·3 %) after seasonings such as soya sauce. In the regression analysis, the standardised coefficient for foods of non-discretionary Na sources was larger than that for discretionary sources, whereas that for home-prepared dishes was consistent with the levels of Na in those foods. Pickled products, followed by fresh fish and shellfish, miso soup and rice, were associated with high urinary Na excretion. Thus, discretionary foods (such as miso soup) contribute the most to Na consumption, although non-discretionary intake (such as pickled vegetables) may influence urinary Na excretion.

The present study analysed and compared the nutritional qualities of private brand (PB) and national brand (NB) ready meal (RM) products in South Korea. Data on RM products were collected via a food information database (EatSight) between February and May of 2017. A total of ninety-one PB products from a leading discount store chain in South Korea and 415 NB products were selected and divided into four main categories of 'refrigerated soups/stews', 'refrigerated noodles', 'frozen rice/noodles' and 'frozen dumplings'. Nutritional information was extracted for each product and analyses were performed to compare nutritional differences. South Korea. A total of 506 RM products. PB products explained the highest percentage of refrigerated RM products while NB products occupied the highest percentage of frozen ones. Notably, main PB and NB products showed evident nutritional problems. Among PB products, refrigerated soups/stews were significantly higher in energy, fat, Na, saturated fat and trans-fat. Likewise, in the case of NB products, frozen rice/noodles were significantly higher in Na and saturated fat. Particularly, overall Na contents were high. When the Korean guidance on traffic-light labelling was applied, a mere 0·2 and 5·9 % of total RM products showed all four and three green lights, respectively. Meanwhile, those with no green lights accounted for 42·3 %. Although it is difficult to draw a definitive conclusion on the comparative nutritional qualities due to the lack of consistency in the results, the study suggests that there is room to improve the nutritional qualities of overall RM products.

[Display omitted] •Product price expectations vary based on a retailer’s store format (e.g., drug store, club store).•Price image, the qualitative assessment of a store’s overall prices, affects price expectations.•Consumers associate price image not only with specific retailers but also store formats.•Store-format price image can exert influence on consumer price expectations and store choice.•Consumers’ choices may vary if they focus on retailer-specific versus store-format price image. Prior research indicates that consumers may base their retail decisions (e.g., store choice, purchase quantity) on price image, which has been defined as consumer perceptions “of the aggregate price level of a retailer” (Hamilton and Chernev 2013, p. 2). The present research shows that consumers associate different price images not only with specific retailers, but more broadly with various store formats — such as grocery stores, convenience stores, and specialty stores. Six studies provide evidence that store-format price image exerts influence on consumer price expectations and store choice decisions, and that these retailer categorization effects are distinct from the effects of retailer price image.