Search results for: food sustainability

Authors: Janet Kaningen, Richard N. Kaningen, Jonas Kaningen

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This paper aims to discover the best ways to improve production efficiency, cost efficiency, community cohesion, and long-term sustainability in Ghana's housing delivery. Advanced Construction Technologies (ACTs) are set to become the sustainable mainstay of the construction industry due to the demand for innovative housing solutions. Advances in material science, building component production, and assembly technologies are leading to the development of next-generation materials such as polymeric-fiber-based products, light-metal alloys, and eco-materials. Modular housing construction has become more efficient and cost-effective than traditional building methods and is becoming increasingly popular for commercial, industrial, and residential projects. Effective project management and logistics will be imperative in the future speed and cost of modular construction housing.

Keywords: technology blending, sustainability, housing, Ghana

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Authors: A. Rezazadeh, N. Omidvar, H. Eini-Zinab

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Food insecurity (FI) influences may result in poor physical and mental health outcomes. Minor ethnic group may experience higher level of FI, and this situation may be related with higher depression prevalence. The aim of this study was to determine the association of depression with food security status in major (Azeri) and minor (Kurdish) ethnicity living in Urmia, West Azerbaijan, north of Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 723 participants (427 women and 296 men) aged 20–64 years old, from two ethnic groups (445 Azeri and 278 Kurdish), were selected through a multi stage cluster systematic sampling. Depression rate was assessed by “Beck” short form questionnaire (validated in Iranians) through interviews. Household FI status (HFIS) was measured using adapted HFI access scale through face-to-face interviews at homes. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) of depression across HFIS. Higher percent of Kurds had moderate and severe depression in comparison with Azeri group (73 [17.3%] vs. 86 [27.9%]). There were not any significant differences between the two ethnicities in mild depression. Also, of all the subjects, moderate-to-sever FI was more prevalent in Kurds (28.5%), compared to Azeri group (17.3%) [P < 0.01]. Kurdish ethnic group living in food security or mild FI households had lower chance to have symptom of severe depression in comparison to those with sever FI (OR=0.097; 95% CI: 0.02-0.47). However, there was no significant association between depression and HFI in Azeri group. Findings revealed that the severity of HFI was related with severity depression in minor studied ethnic groups. However, in Azeri ethnicity as a major group, other confounders may have influence on the relation with depression and FI, that were not studied in the present study.

Keywords: depression, ethnicity, food security status, Iran

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Authors: Gadanya, A.M., Ponfa, S., Jibril, M.M., Abubakar, S. M.

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Background: Edible insects such as grasshopper are important sources of food for humans, and have been consumed as traditional foods by many indigenous communities especially in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. These communities have developed their skills and techniques in harvesting, preparing, consuming, and preserving edible insects, widely contributing to the role played by the use of insects in human nutrition. Aim/ objective: This study was aimed at determining the effect of insect enriched sprouted soyabean /millet based food on some gut health markers in albino rats. Methods. Four different formulations of Complementary foods (i.e Complementary Food B (CFB): sprouted millet (SM), Complementary Food C (CFC): sprouted soyabean (SSB), Complementary Food D (CFD): sprouted soybean and millet (SSBM) in a ratio of (50:50) and Complementary Food E (CFE): insect (grasshopper) enriched sprouted soybean and millet (SSBMI) in a ratio of (50:25:25)) were prepared. Proximate composition and short chain fatty acid contents were determined. Thirty albino rats were divided into5 groups of six rats each. Group 1(CDA) were fed with basal diet and served as a control group, while groups 2,3,4 and 5 were fed with the corresponding complimentary foods CFB, CFC, CFD and CFE respectively daily for four weeks. Concentrations of fecal protein, serum total carotenoids and nitric oxide were determined. DNA extraction for molecular isolation and characterization were carried out followed by PCR, the use of mega 11 software and NCBI blast for construction of the phylogenetic tree and organism identification respectively. Results: Significant increase (P<0.05) in percentage ash, fat, protein and moisture contents, as well as short chain fatty acid (acetate, butyrate and propionate) concentrations were recorded in the insect enriched sprouted composite food (CFE) when compared with the CFA, CFB, CFC and CFD composite food. Faecal protein, carotenoid and nitric oxide concentrations were significantly lower (P>0.05) in group 5 in comparison to groups 1to 4. Ruminococcus bromii and Bacteroidetes were molecularly isolated and characterized by 16s rRNA from the sprouted millet/sprouted soybean and the insect enriched sprouted soybean/sprouted millet based food respectively. The presence of these bacterial strains in the feaces of the treated rats is an indication that the gut of the treated rats is colonized by good gut bacteria, hence, an improved gut health. Conclusion: Insect enriched sprouted soya bean/sprouted millet based complementary diet showed a high composition of ash, fat, protein and fiber. Thus, could increase the availability of short chain fatty acids whose role to the host organism cannot be overemphasized. It was also found to have decrease the level of faecal protein, carotenoid and nitric oxide in the serum which is an indication of an improvement in the immune system function.

Keywords: gut-health, insect, millet, soybean, sprouted

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Authors: Franklin Nantui Mabe, Gideon Danso-Abbeam, Dennis Sedem Ehiakpor

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In order for the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to motivate farmers to adopt improved agricultural technologies, expand their farms and encourage youth to enter into agricultural production so as to increase crop productivity, “Planting for Food and Jobs” (PFJ) programme was launched in April 2017. The PFJ programme covers five pillars, namely, provision of subsidized and improved seeds; subsidized fertilizer; agricultural extension services; establishment of markets; and e-agriculture. This study assesses the awareness of farmers about the packages of these pillars using the Likert scale, paired t-test and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The study adopted a mixed research design. A semi-structured questionnaire and checklist were used to collect data. The data collection was done using interviews and focus group discussions. The PFJ pillar farmers are much aware is a subsidy on fertilizer followed by a subsidy on improved seeds. Electronic agriculture is a pillar with the lowest level of awareness. There is a strong positive correlation between awareness of fertilizer and seed packages suggestion their complementarities. Lack of information/awareness of the packages of the programme can affect farmers’ participation in all the pillars. Farmers, in particular, should be educated for them to know what they are entitled to in each of the pillars. The programme implementation plan should also be made available to farmers as a guide.

Keywords: awareness, planting for food and jobs, programme, farmers, likert scale

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Authors: Xiaoxian Zhang

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Guidelines of ecological risk assessment (ERA) and food safety assessment (FSA) used nowadays, based on an S-shaped threshold dose-response curve (SDR), fail to consider hormesis, a reproducible biphasic dose-response model represented as a J-shaped or an inverted U-shaped curve, that occurs in the real-life environment across multitudinous compounds on cells, organisms, populations, and even the ecosystem. Specifically, in SDR-based ERA and FSA practice, predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) is calculated separately for individual substances from no observed effect concentration (NOEC, usually equivalent to 10% effect concentration (EC10) of a contaminant or food condiment) over an assessment coefficient that is bigger than 1. Experienced researchers doubted that hormesis in the real-life environment might lead to a waste of limited human and material resources in ERA and FSA practice, but related data are scarce. In this study, hormetic effects on bioluminescence of Aliivibrio fischeri (A. f) induced by sulfachloropyridazine (SCP) under 40 conditions to simulate the real-life scenario were investigated, and hormetic effects on growth of human MCF-7 cells caused by brown sugar and mascavado sugar were found likewise. After comparison of related parameters, it has for the first time been proved that there is a 50% probability for safe concentration (SC) of contaminants and food condiments to fall within the hormetic-stimulatory range (HSR) or left to HSR, revealing the unreliability of traditional parameters in standardized (eco)toxicological studies, and supporting qualitatively and quantitatively the over-strictness of ERA and FSA resulted from misuse of SDR. This study provides a novel perspective for ERA and FSA practitioners that hormesis should dominate and conditions where SDR works should only be singled out on a specific basis.

Keywords: dose-response relationship, food safety, ecological risk assessment, hormesis

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Authors: Mohammadreza Mojtahedi

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Rapid urbanization presents multifaceted challenges, including environmental degradation and public health concerns. As the inevitability of urban sprawl continues, it becomes essential to devise strategies to alleviate its pressures on natural ecosystems and elevate socio-economic benchmarks within cities. This research investigates urban agriculture's economic contributions, emphasizing its pivotal role in food provisioning and export potential. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, field survey data was primarily collected via questionnaires. The tool's validity was affirmed by expert opinions, and its reliability secured by achieving a Cronbach's alpha score over 0.70 from 30 preliminary questionnaires. The research encompasses Neishabour's populace of 264,375, extracting a sample size of 384 via Cochran's formula. Findings reveal the significance of urban agriculture in food supply and its potential for exports, underlined by a p-value < 0.05. Neishabour's urban farming can augment the export of organic commodities, fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and foster product branding. Moreover, it supports the provision of fresh produce, bolstering dietary quality. Urban agriculture further impacts urban development metrics—enhancing environmental quality, job opportunities, income levels, and aesthetics, while promoting rainwater utilization. Popular cultivations include peaches, Damask roses, and poultry, tailored to available spaces. Structural equation modeling indicates urban agriculture's overarching influence, accounting for a 56% variance, predominantly in food sufficiency and export proficiency.

Keywords: urban agriculture, food supply, export potential, urban development, environmental health, structural equation modeling

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Authors: Bushra, Filza Akhtar

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As countries face increased pressure to address environmental issues and resource constraints, the need to implement sustainable waste management strategies grows. This research study investigates the concept of circular economy principles in the context of municipal waste management as a tool for achieving sustainability goals. Municipalities can reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources, and promote economic development by switching from traditional linear waste disposal prototypes to circular approaches prioritizing waste minimization, reuse, recycling, and resource recovery. Drawing on case studies and best practices worldwide, this study investigates the potential benefits, obstacles, and opportunities of incorporating circular economy principles into waste management methods. It also talks about the role of regulatory frameworks, technology advances, and stakeholder participation in driving the transformation.

Keywords: sustainable, waste, management, circular economy

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Authors: M. M. Tawfik, Ezzat M. Abd El Lateef, B. B. Mekki, Amany A. Bahr, Magda H. Mohamed, Gehan S. Bakhoom

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The rapid increase in the world’s population coupled by decrease the arable land per capita has resulted into an increased demand for food which has in turn led to the production of large amounts of agricultural wastes, both at the farmer, municipality and city levels. Agricultural wastes can be a valuable resource for improving food security. Unfortunately, agricultural wastes are likely to cause pollution to the environment or even harm to human health. This calls for increased public awareness on the benefits and potential hazards of agricultural wastes, especially in developing countries. Agricultural wastes (residual stalks, straw, leaves, roots, husks, shells etcetera) and animal waste (manures) are widely available, renewable and virtually free, hence they can be an important resource. They can be converted into heat, steam, charcoal, methanol, ethanol, bio diesel as well as raw materials (animal feed, composting, energy and biogas construction etcetera). agricultural wastes are likely to cause pollution to the environment or even harm to human health, if it is not used in a sustainable manner. Organic wastes could be considered an important source of biofertilizer for enhancing food security in the small holder farming communities that would not afford use of expensive inorganic fertilizers. Moreover, these organic wastes contain high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic matter important for improving nutrient status of soils in urban agriculture. Organic compost leading to improved crop yields and its nutritional values as compared with inorganic fertilization. This paper briefly reviews how agricultural wastes can be used to enhance food security and conserve the environment.

Keywords: agricultural waste, organic compost, environment, valuable resources

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Authors: Jeremy Faludi, Zhongyin Hu, Shahd Alrashed, Christopher Braunholz, Suneesh Kaul, Leulekal Kassaye

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Environmental impacts of six 3D printers using various materials were compared to determine if material choice drove sustainability, or if other factors such as machine type, machine size, or machine utilization dominate. Cradle-to-grave life-cycle assessments were performed, comparing a commercial-scale FDM machine printing in ABS plastic, a desktop FDM machine printing in ABS, a desktop FDM machine printing in PET and PLA plastics, a polyjet machine printing in its proprietary polymer, an SLA machine printing in its polymer, and an inkjet machine hacked to print in salt and dextrose. All scenarios were scored using ReCiPe Endpoint H methodology to combine multiple impact categories, comparing environmental impacts per part made for several scenarios per machine. Results showed that most printers’ ecological impacts were dominated by electricity use, not materials, and the changes in electricity use due to different plastics was not significant compared to variation from one machine to another. Variation in machine idle time determined impacts per part most strongly. However, material impacts were quite important for the inkjet printer hacked to print in salt: In its optimal scenario, it had up to 1/38th the impacts coreper part as the worst-performing machine in the same scenario. If salt parts were infused with epoxy to make them more physically robust, then much of this advantage disappeared, and material impacts actually dominated or equaled electricity use. Future studies should also measure DMLS and SLS processes / materials.

Keywords: 3D printing, additive manufacturing, sustainability, life-cycle assessment, design for environment

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Authors: Mohammed Alharbi, Clare Wood, Vasileios Samaras

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Sustainability leadership is a controversial topic, particularly in the engineering context. The theoretical and practical technical focus of the engineering profession impacts our lives. Technologically, engineers significantly contribute to our modern civilization. Industrial revolutions are among the top engineering accomplishments that have contributed to the flourishing of our life. However, engineers have not always received the credit they deserve; instead, they have been blamed for the advent of various global issues, among them the global warming phenomena that are believed to be a result of the industrial revolutions. Global challenges demand engineers demonstrate more than their technical skills for effective contribution to a sustainable future. As a result, engineering leadership has emerged as a new research field. Sustainable manufacturing is a cornerstone for sustainable development. Investigating the change to more sustainable manufacturing practices is a significant issue for all, and even more in the field of engineering leadership. Engineers dominate the manufacturing industry; however, one of the main criticism of engineers is the lack of leadership skills. The literature on engineering leadership has not highlighted enough the engineers' leadership ability in leading sustainable manufacturing. Since we are at the cusp of a new industrial revolution -Industry 4.0, it is vital to investigate the ability of engineers to lead the industry towards a sustainable future. The primary purpose of this paper is to evaluate engineers' sustainability leadership competencies utilizing The Cambridge University Behavioral Competency Model. However, the practical application of the Cambridge model is limited due to the absence of a reliable measurement tool. Therefore, this study developed a valid and reliable survey instrument tool compatible with the Cambridge model as a secondary objective. More than 300 Saudi engineers from the manufacturing industry responded to an online questionnaire collected through the Qualtrics platform and analyzed using SPSS software. The findings provide a contemporary understanding of engineers' mindset related to sustainability leadership. The output of this research study could be valuable in designing effective engineering leadership programs in academia or industry, particularly for enhancing a sustainable manufacturing environment.

Keywords: engineer, leadership, manufacturing, sustainability

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Authors: Angela Justina Kumalaputri

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Indonesia, as a maritime country, has abundant marine living resources yet has not been optimally utilized. So far, we only focusing on fisheries. In the other hand, Indonesia, as the country with the fourth longest coastline, is a very good cultivation place for microalgae. Microalgae can be diversified to many important products, such as food, fuel, pharmaceutical products, functional food, and cosmetics.This research is focusing on the literature study about types of microalgae as sources for functional foods (such as antioxidants), including the contents and the separation methods. The research methods which we use are: (1) Literature study about various microalgaes (2) Literature study about extractions using supercritical fluid of CO₂, which are free from toxic organic solvents, environmentally friendly, and safe for food products. Supercritical fluid extraction using CO₂ (low critical points: temperature at 31.1 oC and pressure at 72.9 bars) could be done at a low temperature which are suitable for temperature labile compounds, low energy, and faster extraction time compared with conventional method of extraction.

Keywords: antioxidants, supercritical fluid extraction, solvent-free extraction, microalgae

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Authors: Katarzyna Miśkiewicz, Magdalena Lasoń-Rydel, Małgorzata Krępska, Katarzyna Sieczyńska, Iwona Masłowska-Lipowicz, Katarzyna Ławińska

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The aim of the study was to analyse a selection of 12 pasteurised products made from fruit and vegetables, such as fruit juices, fruit drinks, jams, marmalades and jam produced by small regional factories as well as large food corporations. The research was carried out as part of the project "Innovative system of healthy and regional food distribution", funded by the Ministry of Education and Science (Poland), which aims to create an economically and organisationally strong agri-food industry in Poland through effective cooperation between scientific and socio-economic actors. The main activities of the project include support for the creation of new distribution channels for regional food products and their easy access to a wide group of potential customers while maintaining the highest quality standards. One of the key areas of the project is food quality analyses conducted to indicate the competitive advantage of regional products. Presented here are studies on the content of sugars, vitamin C, preservatives, synthetic colours, sweeteners, sodium and potassium, as well as studies on the microbiological purity of selected products made from fruit and vegetables. The composition of products made from fruit and vegetables varies greatly and depends on both the type of raw material and the way it is processed. Of the samples tested, fruit drinks contained the least amount of sugars, and jam and marmalade made by large producers and bought in large chain stores contained the most. However, the low sugar content of some fruit drinks is due to the presence of the sweetener sucralose in their composition. The vitamin C content of the samples varied, being higher in products where it was added during production. All products made in small local factories were free of food additives such as preservatives, sweeteners and synthetic colours, indicating their superiority over products made by large producers. Products made in small local factories were characterised by a relatively high potassium content. The microbiological purity of commercial products was confirmed - no Salmonella spp. were detected, and the number of mesophilic bacteria, moulds, yeasts, and β-glucuronidase-positive E. coli was below the limit of quantification.

Keywords: fruit and vegetable products, sugars, food additives, HPLC, ICP-OES

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Authors: A. Bouzabata, A. Boukhari

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Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae), commonly known as turmeric, has a long history of traditional uses for culinary purposes as a spice and a food colorant. The present study aimed to document the ethnobotanical knowledge about Curcuma longa and to assess the variation in the herbalists’ experience in Northeastern Algeria. Data were collected by semi-structured questionnaires and direct interviews with 30 herbalists. Ethnobotanical indices, including the fidelity level (FL%), the relative frequency citation (RFC) and use value (UV) were determined by quantitative methods. Diversity in the knowledge was analyzed using univariate, non-parametric and multivariate statistical methods. Three main categories of uses were recorded for C. longa: for food, for medicine and for cosmetic purposes. As a medicine, turmeric was used for the treatment of gastrointestinal, dermatological and hepatic diseases. Medicinal and food uses were correlated with both forms of use (rhizome and powder). The age group did not influence the use. Multivariate analyses showed a significant variation in traditional knowledge, associated with the use value, origin, quality and efficacy of the drug. These findings suggested that the geographical origin of C. longa affected the use in Algeria.

Keywords: curcuma, indices, knowledge, variation

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Authors: Arosha Rashmi De Silva, Ananda Chandrasekara

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This study seeks to comprehensively examine the influence of fast-food consumption and physical activity levels on the body weight of young employees within the private sector of Sri Lanka. The escalating popularity of fast food has raised concerns about its nutritional content and associated health ramifications. To investigate this phenomenon, a cohort of 100 individuals aged between 25 and 45, employed in Sri Lanka's private sector, participated in this research. These participants provided socio-demographic data through a standardized questionnaire, enabling the characterization of their backgrounds. Additionally, participants disclosed their frequency of fast-food consumption and engagement in physical activities, utilizing validated assessment tools. The collected data was meticulously compiled into an Excel spreadsheet and subjected to rigorous statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics, such as percentages and proportions, were employed to delineate the body weight status of the participants. Employing chi-square tests, our study identified significant associations between fast-food consumption, levels of physical activity, and body weight categories. Furthermore, through binary logistic regression analysis, potential risk factors contributing to overweight and obesity within the young employee cohort were elucidated. Our findings revealed a disconcerting trend, with 6% of participants classified as underweight, 32% within the normal weight range, and a substantial 62% categorized as overweight or obese. These outcomes underscore the alarming prevalence of overweight and obesity among young private-sector employees, particularly within the bustling urban landscape of Colombo, Sri Lanka. The data strongly imply a robust correlation between fast-food consumption, sedentary behaviors, and higher body weight categories, reflective of the evolving lifestyle patterns associated with the nation's economic growth. This study emphasizes the urgent need for effective interventions to counter the detrimental effects of fast-food consumption. The implementation of awareness campaigns elucidating the adverse health consequences of fast food, coupled with comprehensive nutritional education, can empower individuals to make informed dietary choices. Workplace interventions, including the provision of healthier meal alternatives and the facilitation of physical activity opportunities, are essential in fostering a healthier workforce and mitigating the escalating burden of overweight and obesity in Sri Lanka

Keywords: fast food consumption, obese, overweight, physical activity level

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Authors: Shahid Mahmood, Ghulam Mueen-Ud-Din, Farah Naz Akbar, Yousaf Quddoos, Syeda Mahvish Zahra, Wajiha Saeed, Tayyaba Sami Ullah

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Obesity is an epidemic across the globe that affects all the segments of the population. Physical inactivity, passionate consumption of junk food, inadequate water intake and an unhealthy lifestyle are evident among university girls that are ruining their health gravely especially fat accumulation. The study was carried out to investigate the potential etiological factors of obesity development in university girls. The cross sectional study was carried out after approval of the Departmental Review Committee for Ethics (DRCE) as the par Declaration of Helsinki at Institute of Food Science and Nutrition (IFSN), University of Sargodha, Sargodha-Pakistan and Department of Food Science and Home Economics, G. C. Women University, Faisalabad-Pakistan. 400 girls were selected randomly from different departments of both universities. Nutritional status of the volunteers was assessed through approved protocols for demographics, anthropometrics, body composition, energetics, vital signs, clinical signs and symptoms, medical/family history, and dietary intake assessment (FFQ), water intake and physical activity level. The obesity was determined on body fat (%). Alarming and unheeded etiological factors for the development of obesity in girls were explored by the study. About 93 % girls had a sedentary level of physical activity, zealous consumption of junk food (5.31±1.23 servings), drank little water (1.09±0.26 L/day) that consequent high heaps of fat (35.06±3.02 %), measly body water (52.38±3.4 %), poor bone mass (05.14±0.31 Kg), and high BMI (26.68±1.14 Kg/m²) in 34% girls. The malnutrition also depicted by poor vital signs i.e. low body temperature (97.11±0.93 °F), slightly higher blood pressure (124.19±4.08 / 85.25±2.97 mmHg), rapid pulse rate (99.2 ± 6.85 beats/min), reduced blood O₂ saturation (96.53±0.96 %), scanty peak expiratory flow rate (297 ± 15.7 L /min). The outcomes of the research articulated that physical inactivity; extreme intakes of junk food, insufficient water consumption are etiological factors for obesity development among girls which are usually overlooked in Pakistan.

Keywords: informed consent, junk food, obesity, physical inactivity

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Authors: Reshma Raskar-Phule, Abhay Shinde, Manesh Konkani, Rohit Nighot, Shrirang Mahajan, Viraj Thorat

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Sustainability in construction projects can be considered from three dimensions - environment, economy and society. Key concepts of sustainable construction include the protection of the natural environment, choice of non-toxic materials, reduction and reuse of resources, waste minimization, and life cycle analysis. The present paper attempts to identify and analyze the use of sustainable construction materials for a new college hostel building in terms of sustainability development indices (SDIs). Low SDI materials, say as composite fiberglass reinforcement (SDI 4074.96), compressed earth blocks (SDI 0.47), and fiber-reinforced doors (SDI 0.13) are the proposed sustainable materials for the hostel building. Indian Green Building Certification (IGBC) is applied for the hostel building and it earns 5 points out of total 16 points for criterion 5 – Building Materials and Resources of IGBC.

Keywords: sustainable development, construction materials, IGBC, hostel building

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Authors: Kimton Opiyo, Elliot M. Berry, Patil Karamchand, Barnabas K. Natamba

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Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major psychiatric disorder that affects women soon after birth and in some cases, is a continuation of antenatal depression. Food insecurity (FI) and social support (SS) are known to be associated with major depressive disorder, and vice versa. This study was conducted to examine the interrelationships among FI, SS, and PPD among postpartum women in Gulu, a post-conflict region in Uganda. Methods: Cross-sectional data from postpartum women on depression symptoms, FI and SS were, respectively, obtained using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale, Individually Focused FI Access scale (IFIAS) and Duke-UNC functional social support scale. Standard regression methods were used to assess associations among FI, SS, and PPD. Results: A total of 239 women were studied, and 40% were found to have any PPD, i.e., with depressive symptom scores of ≥ 17. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) for FI score and SS scores were 6.47 ± 5.02 and 19.11 ± 4.23 respectively. In adjusted analyses, PPD symptoms were found to be positively associated with FI (unstandardized beta and standardized beta of 0.703 and 0.432 respectively, standard errors =0.093 and p-value < 0.0001) and negatively associated with SS (unstandardized beta and standardized beta of -0.263 and -0.135 respectively, standard errors = 0.111 and p-value = 0.019). Conclusions: Many women in this post-conflict region reported experiencing PPD. In addition, this data suggest that food security and psychosocial support interventions may help mitigate women’s experience of PPD or its severity.

Keywords: postpartum depression, food insecurity, social support, post-conflict region

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Authors: Shuang Qiu, Lingfeng Wang, Zhipeng Chen, Shijian Ge

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Macroalgae are considered a promising approach for wastewater treatment as well as an alternative animal feed in addition to a biofuel feedstock. Their large size and/or tendency to grow as dense floating mats or substrate-attached turfs lead to lower separation and drying costs than microalgae. In this study, the macroalgae species Ulva lactuca (U. lactuca) were used to investigate their capacity for treating municipal wastewaters, and the feasibility of using the harvested biomass as an alternative food source for the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster, an animal model for biological research. Results suggested that U. lactuca could successfully grow on three types of wastewaters studied with biomass productivities of 8.12-64.3 g DW (dry weight)/(m²∙d). The secondary wastewater (SW) was demonstrated as the most effective wastewater medium for U. lactuca growth. However, both high nitrogen (92.5-98.9%) and phosphorus (64.5-88.6%) removal efficiencies were observed in all wastewaters, particularly in primary wastewater (PW) and SW, however, in central wastewater (CW), the highest removal rates were obtained (N 24.7 ± 0.97 and P 0.69 ± 0.01 mg/(g DW·d)). Additionally, the inclusion of 20% washed U. lactuca with 80% standard fruitfly food (w/w) resulted in a longer lifespan and more stable body weights in flies. On the other hand, similar results were not obtained for the food treatment with the addition of 20 % unwashed U. lactuca. This study suggests a promising method for the macroalgae-based treatment of municipal wastewater and the biomass for animal feed.

Keywords: animal feed, flies, macroalgae, nutrient recovery, Ulva lactuca, wastewater

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Authors: Adebusoye Michael, Anthony Gloria, Fasan Temitope, Jacob Anayo

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Background: The culture of fast food consumption has gradually become a common lifestyle in Nigeria especially among young people in urban areas, in spite of the associated adverse health consequences. The adolescent pattern of fast foods consumption and their perception of this practice, as a risk factor for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), have not been fully explored. This study was designed to assess fast food consumption pattern and the perception of it as a risk factor for NCDs among undergraduates of Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi. Methodology: The study was descriptive cross-sectional in design. One hundred and eighty-five students were recruited using systematic random sampling method from the two halls of residence. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the consumption pattern of fast foods. Data collected from the questionnaires were analysed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 16. Simple descriptive statistics, such as frequency counts and percentages were used to interpret the data. Results: The age range of respondents was 18-34 years, 58.4% were males, 93.5% singles and 51.4% of their parents were employed. The majority (100%) were aware of fast foods and (75%) agreed to its implications as NCD. Fast foods consumption distribution included meat pie (4.9%), beef roll/ sausage (2.7%), egg roll (13.5%), doughnut (16.2%), noodles(18%) and carbonated drinks (3.8%). 30.3% consumed thrice in a week and 71% attached workload to high consumption of fast food. Conclusion: It was revealed that a higher social pressure from peers, time constraints, class pressure and school programme had the strong influence on high percentages of higher institutions’ students consume fast foods and therefore nutrition educational campaigns for campus food outlets or vendors and behavioural change communication on healthy nutrition and lifestyles among young people are hereby advocated.

Keywords: fast food consumption, Nigerian polytechnic, risk factors, undergraduate

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Authors: Goksen Arik, Mihriban Korukluoglu

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Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and some yeast species are common microorganisms found in dairy products and most of them are responsible for the fermentation of foods. Such cultures are isolated and used as a starter culture in the food industry because of providing standardisation of the final product during the food processing. Choice of starter culture is the most important step for the production of fermented food. Isolated LAB and yeast cultures which have the ability to create a biofilm layer can be preferred as a starter in the food industry. The biofilm formation could be beneficial to extend the period of usage time of microorganisms as a starter. On the other hand, it is an undesirable property in pathogens, since biofilm structure allows a microorganism become more resistant to stress conditions such as antibiotic presence. It is thought that the resistance mechanism could be turned into an advantage by promoting the effective microorganisms which are used in the food industry as starter culture and also which have potential to stimulate the gastrointestinal system. Development of the biofilm layer is observed in some LAB and yeast strains. The resistance could make LAB and yeast strains dominant microflora in the human gastrointestinal system; thus, competition against pathogen microorganisms can be provided more easily. Based on this circumstance, in the study, 10 LAB and 10 yeast strains were isolated from various dairy products, such as cheese, yoghurt, kefir, and cream. Samples were obtained from farmer markets and bazaars in Bursa, Turkey. As a part of this research, all isolated strains were identified and their ability of biofilm formation was detected with two different methods and compared with each other. The first goal of this research was to determine whether isolates have the potential for biofilm production, and the second was to compare the validity of two different methods, which are known as “Tube method” and “96-well plate-based method”. This study may offer an insight into developing a point of view about biofilm formation and its beneficial properties in LAB and yeast cultures used as a starter in the food industry.

Keywords: biofilm, dairy products, lactic acid bacteria, yeast

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Authors: Racim Rifaat Ferdjani, Zineddine Chetoui

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The goal of our work is to provide a tool that helps control and ensures a global view of the means of firefighting (MLCI) in a food production plant (for example Hamoud Boualem plant). We divided the site into 4 zones, then we identified the firefighting means (MLCI) present in each zone, taking into account their type, weight, location, and fire class as well as their compliance with respect to the regulations in force while assigning them an alphanumeric reference which makes it possible to deduce everything. Thus, the use of a tool in the form of an Excel table was made concrete, and an average compliance rate of 45% was therefore obtained.

Keywords: MLCI, firefighting means, Hamoud, Boualem

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Authors: Elizelle Juaneé Cilliers

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The green hype is becoming stronger within various disciplines, modern practices and academic thinking, enforced by concepts such as eco-health, eco-tourism, eco-cities, and eco-engineering. There is currently also an expanded scientific understanding regarding the value and benefits relating to green infrastructure, for both communities and their host cities, linked to broader sustainability and resilience thinking. The integration and implementation of green infrastructure as part of spatial planning approaches and municipal planning, are, however, more complex, especially in South Africa, inflated by limitations of budgets and human resources, development pressures, inequities in terms of green space availability and political legacies of the past. The prevailing approach to spatial planning is further contributing to complexity, linked to misguided perceptions of the function and value of green infrastructure. As such, green spaces are often considered a luxury, and green infrastructure a costly alternative, resulting in green networks being susceptible to land-use changes and under-prioritized in local authority decision-making. Spatial planning, in this sense, may well be a valuable tool to realise the green agenda, encapsulating various initiatives of sustainability as provided by a range of disciplines. This paper aims to clarify the importance and value of green infrastructure planning as a component of spatial planning approaches, in order to inform and encourage local authorities to embed sustainability thinking into city planning and decision-making approaches. It reflects on the decisive role of land-use management to guide the green agenda and refers to some recent planning initiatives. Lastly, it calls for trans-disciplinary planning approaches to build a case towards green(er) cities.

Keywords: green infrastructure, spatial planning, transdisciplinary, integrative

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Authors: Mehrzad Soltani, Pegah Rezaei

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In the endeavor to construct cities that are not only thriving but also environmentally responsible, effective urban planning and architectural design assume paramount significance. The focal point of this pursuit is the harnessing of urban renewable energy. By embracing sustainable practices such as the integration of solar panels into the urban landscape and the establishment of smart grids, cities are poised to confront head-on the dual challenge of surging energy demands and pressing environmental concerns. Urban renewable energy solutions offer a multifaceted approach to these issues. Firstly, they usher in a clean and sustainable source of energy, reducing the cities' ecological footprint while ensuring a continuous power supply. This transition to eco-friendly energy is also intrinsically linked to enhanced spatial utilization, thereby streamlining the efficiency of urban areas. Moreover, it spurs the adoption of sustainable transportation alternatives, diminishing the reliance on fossil fuels and mitigating air pollution. However, the significance of integrating renewable energy solutions transcends the realm of urban sustainability. It embodies a holistic approach towards creating cities that harmoniously coexist with the natural environment while catering to the needs and aspirations of their inhabitants. In essence, prioritizing sustainability in urban planning and architectural design has evolved from a choice to a necessity, one that not only safeguards the cities' well-being but also fosters a better quality of life for their residents. Thus, it is imperative that we acknowledge the transformative potential of these innovations as we pave the way towards the cities of the future.

Keywords: sustainability, smart grids, solar panel, urban planning, environmental concerns

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Authors: Harshit Vallecha, Prabha Bhola

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‘Energy for all’, is a global issue of concern for the past many years. Despite the number of technological advancements and innovations, significant numbers of people are living without access to electricity around the world. India, an emerging economy, tops the list of nations having the maximum number of residents living off the grid, thus raising global attention in past few years to provide clean and sustainable energy access solutions to all of its residents. It is evident from developed economies that centralized planning and electrification alone is not sufficient for meeting energy security. Implementation of off-grid and consumer-driven energy models like Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) systems have played a significant role in meeting the national energy demand in developed nations. Cases of DRE systems have been reported in developing countries like India for the past few years. This paper attempts to profile the status of DRE projects in the Indian context with their scope and relevance to ensure universal electrification. Diversified cases of DRE projects, particularly solar, biomass and micro hydro are identified in different Indian states. Critical factors affecting the sustainability of DRE projects are extracted with their interlinkages in the context of developers, beneficiaries and promoters involved in such projects. Socio-techno-economic indicators are identified through similar cases in the context of DRE projects. Exploratory factor analysis is performed to evaluate the critical sustainability factors followed by regression analysis to establish the relationship between the dependent and independent factors. The generated EFA-Regression model provides a basis to develop the sustainability and replicability framework for broader coverage of DRE projects in developing nations in order to attain the goal of universal electrification with least carbon emissions.

Keywords: climate change, decentralized generation, electricity access, renewable energy

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Authors: K. Raza, S. Gul, M. Ali

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Concrete is a fundamental building material, extensively utilized by the construction industry. Problems related to the strength of concrete is an immense issue for the sustainability of concrete structures. Concrete mostly loses its strength due to the cracks produced in it by shrinkage or hydration process. This study aims to enhance the strength and service life of the concrete structures by incorporating bio-based admixture in the concrete. By the injection of bio-based admixture (BBA) in concrete, it will self-heal the cracks by producing calcium carbonate. Minimization of cracks will compact the microstructure of the concrete, due to which strength will increase. For this study, Bacillus subtilis will be used as a bio-based admixture (BBA) in concrete. Calcium lactate up to 1.5% will be used as the food source for the Bacillus subtilis in concrete. Two formulations containing 0 and 5% of Bacillus subtilis by weight of cement, will be used for the casting of concrete specimens. Direct mixing method will be adopted for the usage of bio-based admixture in concrete. Compressive strength test will be carried out after 28 days of curing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) will be performed for the examination of micro-structure of concrete. Results will be drawn by comparing the test results of 0 and 5% the formulations. It will be recommended to use to bio-based admixture (BBA) in concrete for columns because of the satisfactory increase in the compressive strength of concrete.

Keywords: bio-based admixture, Bacillus subtilis, calcium lactate, compressive strength

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Authors: Arslan Shehroz, Muhammad Amjad Ali, Amjad Abbas, Imran Ramzan, Muhammad Zunair Latif

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Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the 4th most important food crop of the world after wheat, rice and maize. It is the staple food in many European countries. Being rich in starch (one of the main three food ingredients) and having the highest productivity per unit area, has great potential to address the challenge of the food security. Processed potato is also used as chips and crisps etc as ‘fast food’. There are many biotic and abiotic factors which check the production of potato and become hurdle in achievement production potential of potato. 20 new varieties along with two checks were evaluated. Plant to plant and row to row distances were maintained as 20 cm and 75 cm, respectively. The trial was conducted according to the randomized complete block design with three replications. Normal agronomic and plant protection measures were carried out in the crop. It is revealed from the experiment that exotic variety 171 gave the highest yield of 35.5 t/ha followed by Masai with 31.0 t/ha tuber yield. The check variety Simply Red 24.2 t/ha yield, while the lowest tuber yield (1.5 t/ha) was produced by the exotic variety KWS-06-125. The maximum emergence was shown by the Variety Red Sun (89.7 %). The lowest emergence was shown by the variety Camel (71.7%). Regarding tuber grades, it was noted that the maximum Ration size tubers were produced by the exotic variety Compass (3.7%), whereas 11 varieties did not produce ration size tubers at all. The variety Red Sun produced lowest percentage of small size tubers (12.7%) whereas maximum small size tubers (93.0%) were produced by the variety Jitka. Regarding disease infestation, it was noted that the maximum scab incidence (4.0%) was recorded on the variety Masai, maximum rhizoctonia attack (60.0%) was recorded on the variety Camel and maximum tuber cracking (0.7%) was noted on the variety Vendulla.

Keywords: check variety, potato, potential and yield, trial

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Authors: Elisa Silva, Rui Lança, Fátima Farinha, Miguel José Oliveira, Manuel Duarte Pinheiro, Cátia Miguel

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Tourism is one of the global engines of development. With good planning and management, it can be a positive force, bringing benefits to touristic destinations around the world. However, without constrains, boundaries well established and constant survey, tourism can be very harmful and induce destination’s degradation. In the interest of the tourism sector and the community it is important to develop the destination maintaining its sustainability. The OBSERVE project is an instrument for monitoring and evaluating the sustainability of the region of Algarve. Its main priority is to provide environmental, economic, social-cultural and institutional indicators to support the decision-making process towards a sustainable growth. In the pursuit of the objectives, it is being developed a digital platform where the significant indicators will be continuously updated. It is known that the successful development of a touristic region depends from the careful planning with the commitment of central and regional government, industry, services and community stakeholders. Understand the different perspectives of stakeholders is essential to engage them in the development planning. However, actual stakeholders’ engagement process is complex and not easy to accomplish. To create a consistent system of indicators designed to monitor and evaluate the sustainability performance of a touristic region it is necessary to access the local data and the consideration of the full range of values and uncertainties. This paper presents the OBSERVE project and describes the stakeholders´ engagement process highlighting the contributions, ambitions and constraints.

Keywords: sustainable tourism, stakeholders' engagement, OBSERVE project, Algarve region

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Authors: Yasaman Zeinali, Farid Khosravikia

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This paper presents a multi-objective framework for sustainable urban development. The proposed framework aims to address different aspects of sustainability in urban development planning. These aspects include, but are not limited to education, health, job opportunities, architecture, culture, environment, mobility, energy, water, waste, and so on. Then, the proposed framework is applied to the Brackenridge Tract (an area in downtown Austin, Texas), to redevelop that area in a sustainable way. The detail of the implementation process is presented in this paper. The ultimate goal of this paper is to develop a sustainable area in downtown Austin with ensuring that it locally meets the needs of present and future generations with respect to economic, social, environmental, health as well as cultural aspects. Moreover, it helps the city with the population growth problem by accommodating more people in that area.

Keywords: urban planning, sustainability, sustainable urban development, environmental impacts of human activities

Procedia PDF Downloads 258

Authors: Amjad Alsulami, Farah Albishri, Kholod Alzubidi, Lama Almehemadi, Salma Elhag

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Food allergy is a common and rising problem among children. Many students have their first allergic reaction at school, one of these is anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. This study discovered that several schools' processes lacked safety regulations and information on how to handle allergy issues and chronic diseases like diabetes where students were not supervised or monitored during the cafeteria purchasing process. There is no obvious prevention or effort in academic institutions when purchasing food containing allergens or negatively impacting the health status of students who suffer from chronic diseases. Students must always be stable to reflect positively on their educational development process. To address this issue, this paper uses a business reengineering process to propose the automation of the whole food-purchasing process, which will aid in detecting and avoiding allergic occurrences and preventing any side effects from eating foods that are conflicting with students' health. This may be achieved by designing a smart card with an embedded QR code that reveals which foods cause an allergic reaction in a student. A survey was distributed to determine and examine how the cafeteria will handle allergic children and whether any management or policy is applied in the school. Also, the survey findings indicate that the integration of QR technology into the food purchasing process would improve health condition detection. The suggested system would be beneficial to all parties, the family agreed, as they would ensure that their children didn't eat foods that were bad for their health. Moreover, by analyzing and simulating the as-is process and the suggested process the results demonstrate that there is an improvement in quality and time.

Keywords: QR code, smart card, food allergies, business process reengineering, health condition detection

Procedia PDF Downloads 81

Authors: Thamer Mahmmoud Muhammad Al Jbarat

Abstract:

Building Performance Simulation plays a crucial role in optimizing energy efficiency, comfort, and sustainability in buildings. This paper explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence techniques into Building Performance Simulation to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and adaptability. The synthesis of Artificial Intelligence and Building Performance Simulation offers promising avenues for addressing complex building dynamics, optimizing energy consumption, and improving occupants' comfort. This paper examines various Artificial Intelligence methodologies and their applications in Building Performance Simulation, highlighting their potential benefits and challenges. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and case studies, this paper presents insights into the current state, future directions, and implications of Artificial Intelligence driven Building Performance Simulation on the built environment

Keywords: artificial intelligence, building performance, energy efficiency, building performance simulation, buildings sustainability, built environment.

Procedia PDF Downloads 33