food issues

Question 1

factors that influence food consumption patterns in Australia

social

Answer 1

• Peer Group Pressure- You tend to eat similar foods to your peers.
• Place of residence- eg. Rural or remote may have a limited access to a variety of food,prices for food may be much more expensive due to high transport costs, access tofresh fruits and vegetables might be limited.
• Changing self-image and awareness of health can change food consumption patterns.
• Body-image

Question 2

factors that influence food consumption patterns in Australia

economic

Answer 2

• income determines the types of foods consumers purchase
• low-income earners purchase cheaper foods or high-income earners purchase more expensive foods
• in times of natural disasters, foods may become scarce
• supply and demand will determine the price of food according to availability
• economic status has a major influence on consumption patterns
• Australia has a strong, stable economy
• most people are able to choose from a wide variety of foods

Question 3

factors that influence food consumption patterns in Australia

environmental

Answer 3

• consumers are becoming more environmentally aware
• they will consider waste issues such as packaging or recycling
• they will also be aware of reducing food waste that goes to landfill
• consumers who are conscious of the effect of food production on the
  environment
• may choose to purchase organic foods or local foods or foods with low
  food miles
• may reduce their consumption of meat or dairy foods or choose
  sustainably sourced foods

Question 4

factors that influence food consumption patterns in Australia

ethical

Answer 4

• working conditions for people in the food industry in developing
  countries are often unfair or underpaid
• the fair-trade movement advocates for better conditions for workers
• the movement promotes the purchase of food products that areproduced under fair working conditions
• large multinational companies advertise unhealthy food to children
• the negative impact on health is increasing
• governments are considering taxes on unhealthy food or controls on the times at which these foods can be advertised
• consumer concerns about animal welfare
• animal welfare advocates argue for better conditions for animals
• promotion of products from free range producers

Question 5

factors that influence food consumption patterns in Australia

political

Question 6

food safety

Answer 6

Many foods contain potentially harmful microorganisms which, if allowed to grow to significant numbers, may cause harm or food poisoning. Processes that can slow or stop the growth of micro-organisms in food include; chilling, freezing, canning, pasteurising, ultra-high temperature treatment (UHT), microwaving, removing water available for bacterial growth, altering the pH, using air tight packaging, adding preservatives.

Question 7

food availibility

Answer 7

Food processing and packaging can make foods available all year round, particularly when they are not in season.

Question 8

extend shelf life

Answer 8

Food processing that controls the factors that cause food to spoil by chilling or freezing, heating, removal of water and pH control – enables the shelf life of food to be extended.

Question 9

convenience

Answer 9

Processing and packaging technologies provide a range of convenient foods: ready to eat meals, bagged salads, sliced and canned fruits, prepared, cut vegetables, liquid on the go breakfasts, meal kits and home delivery of restaurant meals

Question 10

alter sensory properties

Answer 10

Some foods are not edible in their natural state eg. grain crops. Processing techniques such as milling and grinding turn these foods into flour, after which they can be made into bread, cereals, pasta and other grain based foods.

Question 11

health

Answer 11

Food processing has enabled the development of lactose free milk, gluten free breads and cereals, pasta and a host of products to meet dietary requirements. Foods that are fortified with important nutrients provide additional health benefits. Processing allows for reduced fat, reduced salt, high fibre products.

Question 12

distribution and storage

Answer 12

Foods that are canned or packaged or frozen, if storage facilities are available – can provide options that are more readily available and nutritious.

Question 13

price

Answer 13

In some cases processed foods are cheaper than fresh foods. The is because the food processor can buy fresh food and other ingredients in bulk at reduced costs that can be passed on to the consumer. Many frozen and canned vegetables have similar nutritional values to their fresh equivalents but are cheaper and almost always remain edible for longer. By contrast, some processed foods are considerably more expensive than their unprocessed equivalents.

Question 14

Australian Standard metric measurement

Answer 14

• 1 cup = 250mLs
• 1T = 20mLs
• 1t = 5mLs
• 1KG = 1000g
• 1L = 1000mLs

Question 15

marketing mix strategies and the influence on consumers

Answer 15

• using advertising/marketing techniques to promote the new product, including
  bright colours or camera angles or children’s characters or well known children’s
  fictional characters sponsoring products or catchy jingles/songs, etc. This captures
  children’s attention and creates pester power to persuade parents to try the new
  food product
• advertising on platforms, and at times, that will capture largest audience, including
  during popular children’s TV shows or on commonly used social platforms, e.g.
  YouTube or during children’s games or sponsorship for children’s sports/activities
  or flyers in the mailbox or posters/billboards. This will ensure the largest volume of
  children become familiar with the product and pester parents to purchase the new
  food product
• target promotion towards parents advertising health benefits of product using
  persuasive, emotive techniques that promise this product will solve their children’s
  fussy eating, including during adult TV shows or in magazines or digital marketing,
  e.g. sponsored social media adverts, persuading parents they must buy it for their
  children to ensure they receive a balanced nutritional diet.
• using sales promotion techniques to introduce the new food product, including
  introductory offers or vouchers or discount codes or loyalty cards or flash sales or
  free samples or competitions. This will encourage customers to try and develop
  loyalty to the new food product

Question 16

consumer concerns related to food promotion

advertising directed at children

Answer 16

• advertising is very persuasive, it plays an important role in shaping children’s
  eating habits
• fast food is energy dense or high in saturated fat or sodium or sugar this can lead
  to diet related diseases in the long term, such as obesity or cardiovascular disease
  or type 2 diabetes
• the advertisement is being promoted during a time when many children may be
  watching TV which may increase ‘pester power’
• some parents may not possess the nutritional knowledge to counteract misleading
  marketing messages this may lead to parents believing they are purchasing
  nutrient rich foods for their children
• advertising and marketing to children is self-regulatory so brands may push
  boundaries of the code it is unlikely an inappropriate advertisement would be
  removed unless there are multiple complaints
• due to the high buying power, popular brands will often pay for their advertisement
  to be played multiple times during high viewing times for children the repetition
  builds brand loyalty or increases pester power
• celebrities and other idols may be used when promoting fast-food increasing the
  desire from children to want the product or they should eat the product to become
  an elite sports player too
• fast-food aimed at children often has competitions or premiums or toys that can be
  collected if you purchase
• the product may require multiple purchases of the energy dense food or can cause
  increased pester power from children in order to get parents to purchase the food
  products.

Question 17

consumer concerns related to food promotion

product placement in supermarkets

Answer 17

• Generic products:
  
  • generic products are not placed at eye level
  • makes it difficult for consumers to find the cheaper products.
• Rear of the store:
  
  • staples are placed at the rear of the store
  • customers must pass other products to reach staples, induces them to impulse purchase or causes inconvenience.
• Shelf stacking:
  
  • the most recent products are placed to the back of shelves with those with an earlier use-by-date at the front
  • consumers automatically choose from the front of shelves and choose the least fresh products.
• Volume of product:
  
  • discretionary foods often have a high number of facings which can increase sales due to visibility
  • non-essential food items high in saturated fat, sodium and sugar which may lead to diet related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes or obesity.
• Checkout extras:
  
  • add impulse sales. While a customer waits, of foods that are high in saturated fat, sodium and sugar or encourages pester power
  • which may lead to diet related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes or obesity.
• Eye level:
  
  • discretionary foods are often placed at eye level as this is ‘buy level’
  • leading to purchasing of products which are not essential or more expensive or the consumer did not intend to purchase.
• Entrance to supermarket:
  
  • first products consumers see when entering store, often include stands displaying discretionary products which are often large or colourful or have multiple facings of each product
  • causes increased visibility to consumers, which can increase sales of energy dense foods.

Question 18

factors that influence the development of new food products

population growth:

Answer 18

• migration has increased the range of cultures in the population
• developers have responded by producing a variety of foods appropriate to a range of cultures
• local population can respond to these new food products

Question 19

factors that influence the development of new food products

changing demographics:

Answer 19

• the size, density, age, gender, occupation
• demographic changes (such as an ageing population, an increase in female workers, and a decline in home made meals) mean that many new food products in Australia are focused onvalue added products that are quick and easy to prepare and serve

Question 20

factors that influence the development of new food products

health:

Answer 20

• there is greater consumer awareness of nutrition, diet and health
• has led to many developments in areas of food manufacture and the formulation of food products with modified nutritional composition (such as low fat spreads, low fat diary products, cholesterol lowering spreads and low kilojoule drinks.)
• consumers demand is placed on looking for foods that will improve their health or contain functional ingredients

Question 21

factors that influence the development of new food products

convenience:

Answer 21

• consumers are time poor or becoming more tactical or adapting meal patterns
• consumers are looking for food that can be prepared with little time or skill or
  resources or home delivered
• demand for products to easily prepare home cooked foods or super snacks

Question 22

factors that influence the development of new food products

cost:

Answer 22

• inventions and innovations result in new products, innovative ingredients, new industries and new market opportunities
• processing or packaging opportunities including efficient or economic or appeal or acceptability to consumers or decreased environmental impact
• new food products with greater shelf life or better quality or consistency or health benefits
• demand for plant-based proteins or bush foods or sustainable packaging.
• eg. natural sweeteners, high pressure pasteurisation, micro encapsulation, resistant starch, use of drones, biotechnology, nanotechnology or ICT all play a major part in food product development.

Question 23

factors that influence the development of new food products

technology:

Answer 23

• inventions and innovations result in new products, innovative ingredients, new industries and new market opportunities
• processing or packaging opportunities including efficient or economic or appeal or acceptability to consumers or decreased environmental impact
• new food products with greater shelf life or better quality or consistency or health benefits
• demand for plant-based proteins or bush foods or sustainable packaging.
• eg. natural sweeteners, high pressure pasteurisation, micro encapsulation, resistant starch, use of drones, biotechnology, nanotechnology or ICT all play a major part in food product development.

Question 24

influences on the global food supply

trade restrictions – embargos, tariffs, subsidies

Answer 24

• embargoes: a ban or restrictions put on good from a particular country for health reasons or because of it’s political actions
• tariffs: taxes on goods upon entering a country
• subsidies: a cash payment made by the government to a local producer who can then change the customer less and compete with cheap imports

Question 25

influences on the global food supply

government policies – free trade agreements, fair trade

Answer 25

• free trade agreements: international treaty whereby two or more nations agree to reduce barriers between to trade between them
  
  • e.g. removing import tariffs (Aus. farmers can significantly increase the quantity of goods they export)
• fair trade: an arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve sustainable and equitable trade relationships
  
  • through better prices, decent working conditions and a fairer deal for farmers and workers in developing countries - never receive less than the cost of production

Question 26

influences on the global food supply

ownership concentration within the food industry – multi-national companies

Answer 26

• the ownership of brands and the manufacturing process of products supplied to grocery trade have increasingly dominated by foreign companies
  
  • contrary to national interest and could impact Aus. food security
  • limits competition → limiting consumer choice/welfare

Question 27

influences on the global food supply

natural disasters and the potential loss of infrastructure

Answer 27

• the ownership of brands and the manufacturing process of products supplied to grocery trade have increasingly dominated by foreign companies
  
  • contrary to national interest and could impact Aus. food security
  • limits competition → limiting consumer choice/welfare

Question 28

influences on the global food supply

land ownership

Answer 28

• security of tenure is key to improving living standards for people who depend on the land
• for their food and livelihood without such security there is little incentive to improve soil or irrigation or livestock
• Australia’s key pastoral/agricultural land has been sold to foreign owners: sale to overseas companies can be contrary to national interests which impact Aus. food security
• increases urbanisation - major cities spreading into rural areas, most productive horticultural areas have been subdivided into housing estates (finding alternative land dilemma)

Question 29

influences on the distribution of global food resources

production of biofuels

Answer 29

• there is an increased demand for biofuels which use grain in their production
• reduces the supply of grain available for food
• commercial companies that produce biofuels purchase large amounts of land on which to grow crops for fuel
• reduces land available for crops for food production
• the use of grain for the production of biofuel raises the price of staple foods
• makes staple foods more expensive and less available to lowo income populations

Question 30

influences on the distribution of global food resources

population growth and population distribution

Answer 30

• rapid population growth
• increase in food production and consumption undermined by rapid population growth
• migration from rural to urban areas
• urban residents dependent on income and ability to purchase
• croplands and water supply are under strain as human populations increase
• can lead to destruction or overexploitation or arable land
• as the population increases there is greater
  demand for food, putting pressure on food production and distribution systems
• as populations in urban areas grow, there is a greater demand leading to a concentration of food production and distribution. This can lead to imbalances with some areas having an abundance, while others have limited supply
• solution:
  
  • governments have been known to limit the number of children permitted per family to prevent exponential population growth
  • provide incentives to live and work in regional areas to even out the population distribution.

Question 31

influences on the distribution of global food resources

food production and distribution

Answer 31

• food production dependency on water supply and croplands
• changing the environment has an impact on food production or declining seed diversity deprives farmers of crop varieties better suited to conditions
• proliferation of “just-in time” supply chains
• little food reserve if supply chain is disrupted
• food production is linked to food safety
• contamination can occur i=at any point in the food production chain resulting in an interruption to food supply
• profit before people
• distribution inequality results in food wastage

Question 32

influences on the distribution of global food resources

food prices

Answer 32

• the price of food is increasing or volatile whole food supply remains stables
• the produce of food is not determined by the ability to produce food at a global level
• oil fuels modern food production
• as oil increases in rice consumers worldwide are paying for food
• increased demand from large countries such as china and india
• when demand increases so do prices
• high food prices can lead to food insecurity and malnutrition. People may not be able to afford to purchase enough food to meet their needs
• low food prices may discourage farmers from producing certain types of food, which can lead to a global reduction in the availability of that food
• if food prices are high in one country, it may lead to increased imports of cheaper food from other countries, resulting in less global availability of the cheaper food.
• solution:
  
  • provide subsidies to improve local food production techniques
  • address the underlying cause, such as conflict or environmental degradation
  • promote trade through removal of trade barriers and development of fair-trade policies.

Question 33

influences on the distribution of global food resources

demand for meat and dairy

Answer 33

• grain products can be produced relatively cheaply compared to livestock
• the grain used as feed for livestock would be better used to feed humans
• raising of livestock requires large amount of land
• many more people can be fed from a given area of land producing grain rather than livestock
• intensive production of meat, eggs and milk is more environmentally demanding than agriculture production
• damage to the soil and waterways impacts on the availability of land to produce crops and reduces yield
• production of livestock requires significant mounts of water for the animals and fertilisers to produce grain for feed
• use of these resources for this purpose is unsustainable as they could be better to increase agricultural production for human food supply
• the production of meat and dairy requires large amounts of land, water, and other resources. This can lead to the conversion of land from crop production to livestock production, resulting in fewer plant-based products available for global distribution and destruction of rainforests for farming
• high meat and dairy demands can mean a greater import of these items from other countries. This will reduce the amount available for global distribution
• production of meat and dairy can lead to increased competition for resources such as water and feed grains. This can impact the availability of these resources for growing crops for human consumption, resulting in fewer
  plant-based products for global distribution.

Question 34

consequences of global food inequity

under-nutrition

Answer 34

When a community that is already struggling with poverty has no food security, it affects the livelihoods, health and education of its people. This can influence areas such as crime, inequality, gender-based violence and child abuse.

Question 35

over-nutrition

Answer 35

• Poverty is a key factor that contributes to food insecurity and directly triggers the consumption of unhealthy diets among the low- and middle-income populations. Consequently, food insecurity and poverty not only contribute to the rise of undernutrition, but it can also increase the prevalence of obesity.
• The rise in obesity and other forms of malnutrition could partly be a result of moderate food insecurity. Highly energy-dense processed foods that are high in saturated fats, sugars, and sodium are consumed more often than micronutrient-dense quality foods. Energy-dense foods may help meet daily caloric requirements, but essential nutrients are missing. Therefore, in many countries, undernutrition and obesity coexist and both can be consequences of food insecurity.
• The relationship between obesity and food insecurity has been studied since its prevalence has been increasing worldwide. Weight gain happens when individuals ingest more energy than they expend. Adipose tissue accumulation is an adaptive strategy used to defend themselves against periods when food is unavailable. Consequently, the optimal level of body fat relies on access to food. Obesity is a chronic, relapsing, multifactorial disease, that starts early in life, and childhood obesity is now a growing public health concern where early prevention is crucial. From an epidemiological perspective, the most widely used method to identify obesity is body mass index. In adults, a BMI of ≥30 kg/m2 is used to define the prevalence of obesity.
  By 2030, 1 in five women and one in seven men, will be obese. Nations will not only fail to achieve the 2025 WHO target to halt the rise in obesity at 2010 levels, but the number of individuals living with obesity is on its course to a 2-fold increase worldwide. The highest prevalence of obesity is found in low- and middle-income countries, with numbers steeply increasing.

Question 36

political instability

Answer 36

Food insecurity can be a cause of political instability, but political instability and conflict have also been causes of food insecurity or famine. Warring parties may plunder an enemy’s food supply, deliberately destroying farms, livestock, and other civilian infrastructure. Conflict can cause food shortages and the severe disruption of economic activities, threatening the means of survival of entire populations.
Eg. Gaza Strip, Ukraine

Question 37

climate changes

Answer 37

Weather and Soil Conditions: Climate change leads to lower winter rainfall and higher temperatures, reducing soil moisture and making crop growth more difficult, which threatens future export capacity.
Production Disruption: Prolonged droughts and extreme weather events will affect food quality, food security, and necessitate changes in the types of crops grown due to shifting climatic conditions.
Economic and Social Impacts: Drought reduces agricultural productivity and farm profitability, raises costs for feed and water, and has negative effects on farmers’ mental health and well-being, while increased weather extremes add further pressure on farming practices.

Question 38

water availability

Answer 38

Diminishing water supply will impact on dairy, beef and grain production.
Droughts can increase the price of feed and water supplies for animals and purchased feed is often expensive or unavailable.

Question 38

land degradation

Answer 38

• Definition:
  
  • the deterioration and loss of productive land due to environmental and human impacts, soil becomes depleted of nutrients and limits capacity to grow crops effectively.
• Influence on primary food production:
  
  • land clearing for agriculture allows wind and water to cause erosion, removing rich topsoil
  • topsoil allows the land to be productive as it contains essential nutrients, removal of topsoil reduces yield and crop quality
  • over grazing by livestock causes land degradation as it removes natural vegetation which can lead to erosion
  • food security is threatened as the land becomes less productive for agriculture as soil quality reduces
  • deforestation or land clearing reduce soil fertility as there is less organic matter to build high quality soil
  • crop quality and yield are threatened due to poor soil fertility
  • land clearing causes water table to rise, increasing salinity in soil, which makes land unproductive for agriculture
  • reduces the ability of the land to produce pasture for livestock and this can reduce food supply
  • unproductive land due to land degradation can reduce export potential for Australia, causing wealth of country to diminish
  • less productive land can cause food insecurity.