Food allergen labeling is an important tool to reduce risk of exposure and prevent anaphylaxis for individuals with food allergies. Health Canada released a Canadian food allergen labeling regulation (2008) and subsequent update (2012) suggesting that research is needed to guide further iterations of the regulation to improve food allergen labeling and reduce risk of exposure.

Food pantries serve households in need, including many with a family member with a diet-related chronic disease, yet data on client priorities to inform hunger relief practices are lacking. We used a statewide client survey in Minnesota to determine needs and priorities of food pantry clients in 2017 and 2019 and to identify how well Minnesota pantries met those needs in 2019.

Interventions aimed at improving access to healthy food in low-income communities should consider the preferences of residents. Household food shoppers in two urban, low-income communities were asked about their preferences for vendors at, and qualities of, a potential nearby food hub. Universally, participants preferred availability of whole foods, primarily fruits and vegetables. They also favored cleanliness, quality, and affordability. The demographics and preferences of potential customers raise central issues that would need to be integrated into the development of a food hub, namely affordability (likely through subsidization), attention to accommodation and cultural accessibility, and programming that builds community.

Citrin deficiency is characterized by a wide range of symptoms from infancy through adulthood and presents a distinct preference for a diet composed of high protein, high fat, and low carbohydrate. The present study elucidates the important criteria by patients with citrin deficiency for food selection through detailed analysis of their food preferences. The survey was conducted in 70 citrin-deficient patients aged 2-63 years and 55 control subjects aged 2-74 years and inquired about their preference for 435 food items using a scale of 1-4 (the higher, the more favored). The results showed that the foods marked as "dislike" accounted for 36.5% in the patient group, significantly higher than the 16.0% in the controls. The results also showed that patients clearly disliked foods with 20-24 (% of energy) or less protein, 45-54% (of energy) or less fat, and 30-39% (of energy) or more carbohydrate. Multiple regression analysis showed carbohydrates had the strongest influence on patients' food preference (β = -0.503). It also showed female patients had a stronger aversion to foods with high carbohydrates than males. The protein, fat, and carbohydrate energy ratio (PFC) of highly favored foods among patients was almost the same as the average PFC ratio of their daily diet (protein 20-22: fat 47-51: carbohydrates 28-32). The data strongly suggest that from early infancy, patients start aspiring to a nutritional balance that can compensate for the metabolism dissonance caused by citrin deficiency in every food.

In our information-rich environment, the gaze direction of another indicates their current focus of attention. Following the gaze of another, results in gaze-evoked shifts in joint attention, a phenomenon critical for the functioning of social cognition. Previous research in joint attention has shown that objects that are attended by another are more liked than ignored objects. Here, we investigated this effect of gaze-cueing on participants' preferences for unknown food items. Participants provided their willingness to pay (WTP), taste and health preferences for food items before and after a standard gaze-cueing paradigm. We observed a significant effect of gaze-cueing on participants' WTP bids. Specifically, participants were willing to pay more money for the food items that were looked at by another person. In contrast, there was a decrease in preference for the food items that were ignored by another person. Interestingly, this increase in WTP occurred without participants' awareness of the contingency between the cue and target. These results highlight the influence of social information on human choice behavior and lay the foundation for experiments in neuromarketing and consumer decision making.

Prenatal growth impairment leads to higher preference for palatable foods in comparison to normal prenatal growth subjects, which can contribute to increased body fat mass and a higher risk for developing chronic diseases in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) individuals throughout life. This study aimed to investigate the effect of SGA on feeding behavior in children and adolescents, as well as resting-state connectivity between areas related to reward, self-control, and value determination, such as orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DL-PFC), amygdala and dorsal striatum (DS).

During the anticipatory stage of swallowing, sensory stimuli related to food play an important role in the behavioral and neurophysiological aspects of swallowing. However, few studies have focused on the relationship between food preferences and oscillatory brain activity during the anticipatory stage of swallowing. Therefore, to clarify the effect of individual food preferences on oscillatory brain activity, we investigated the relationship between food preferences and oscillatory brain activity during the observation of food images.

Background: In Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, the Roma population is the largest and the most vulnerable and disadvantaged minority. Behind their unfavorable health status, harmful health behaviors, such as unhealthy diet is also supposed to exist. Methods: In the framework of a complex health study, individuals from the Hungarian general (n = 410) and Roma populations (n = 387) were randomly selected. In the survey portion of the study, sweet, fat, salty, and bitter taste preferences were ascertained by question items measuring taste and food preferences. Preference for sweet vs. salty foods was also analyzed. Questions from the Hungarian version of the European Health Interview Survey were included, to characterize fruit and vegetable consumption and to determine the quantity of sugars added to consumed foods and beverages and the frequency of salting without tasting the food. Data were analyzed using STATA 9.0 statistical software. Results: Roma reported significantly less frequent consumption of fresh fruits (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.22-2.35, p = 0.002) and vegetables (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.25-2.41, p = 0.001) than the Hungarian subjects. Representatives of the Hungarian Roma population reported adding higher quantities of sugars to consumed foods and beverages (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.10-2.56, p = 0.016) and preferred sweet snacks vs. salty ones (OR = 0.53 for salty snacks, 95% CI: 0.37-0.78, p = 0.001) and had higher preferences for sweet foods (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.08-2.11, p = 0.015). They salted their food without tasting it more often (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.64-2.88, p < 0.001). They had lower preferences for bitter tasting raw kohlrabi (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.41-0.80, p = 0.001), grapefruit (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.34-0.64, p < 0.001), black coffee (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.34-0.73, p < 0.001), and dark chocolate (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46-0.84, p = 0.006). No significant results in terms of ethnicity were found on for fatty and salty food preference and other bitter-tasting vegetables. Conclusions: Roma diet may be linked to taste preferences predisposing to unhealthy eating habits. This assumption needs further studies on their dietary behavior. In order to design potentially effective intervention programs targeting Roma populations, it is essential to identify individual, environmental, social, cultural, and behavioral factors and as well as their complex interplay that may affect dietary intake and behaviors.

Food preferences are among the strongest predictors of the food choices of adolescents. These are associated with appetitive traits (food approach and avoidance) to some extent. However, no research has been conducted so far analyzing the association between food preferences and appetitive traits of adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between food preferences and appetitive traits in adolescents (aged 15-20 years) within the Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study population. The PLACE-19 Study was carried out in a population-based sample of 2448 secondary school students sampled across the country (random quota sampling). Food preferences (including the preference for vegetables, fruit, meat/fish, dairy, snacks, and starches) of the adolescents were assessed using the validated Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) while their appetitive traits (hunger, food responsiveness, emotional overeating, enjoyment of food, satiety responsiveness, emotional undereating, food fussiness, slowness in eating) were assessed using the validated Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire (AEBQ). The k-means clustering was performed to identify the homogenous clusters of respondents based on their preferences, and linear regression was performed to determine the relationship between food preferences and appetitive traits with a model adjusted for sex and age. Based on their preferences, three homogenous clusters of respondents were defined: low-preferring respondents (low preference for all food categories), respondents preferring snacking foods (low preference for all food categories, except for fruit and snacks), and high-preferring respondents (high preference for all food categories). The low-preferring respondents showed the lowest values for all appetitive traits (p = 0.0008), as well as the lowest total score (p = 0.0001), except for food fussiness, for which they showed the highest value (p = 0.0008). All preference scores were positively associated with traits such as hunger, food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, and emotional under-eating, while negatively associated with food fussiness (all p < 0.05). The largest amount of variance was observed for preference for dairy (14.6%; R2 = 0.146, p = 0.008) and snacks with respect to enjoyment of food (16.2%; R2 = 0.162, p = 0.008), for vegetable with respect to food fussiness (22%; R2 = 0.220, p = 0.008), and for meat/fish with respect to enjoyment of food (19.9%; R2 = 0.199, p = 0.008) and food fussiness combined (19.1%; R2 = 0.191, p = 0.008). These results support the association of food preferences with both food approach traits and food avoidance traits.

Food preferences are within the most important determinants of food choices; however, little is known about their complex associations, and no studies were conducted in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between food preferences and food choice determinants in adolescents aged 15-20 years within the Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study. The PLACE-19 Study included a random quota sampling conducted in the whole of Poland and covered a population-based sample of 2448 secondary school students. The food preferences were assessed using a validated Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ), and the food choices were assessed using a validated Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ). The statistical analysis comprised k-means clustering and linear regression adjusted for sex and age. Four homogenous clusters of respondents were defined based on the food choice motives-"healthy eaters" (health as the most important determinant of food choices), "hedonists" (convenience, sensory appeal, and price as the most important determinants), "indifferent consumers" (low significance for all determinants), and "demanding consumers" (high significance for all determinants). The preferences for all food categories differed when comparing between clusters presenting various food choice determinants (p < 0.001). The "healthy eaters" were characterized by the highest preference for vegetables; the "hedonists" preferred meat/fish, dairy, and snacks; the "demanding consumers" had a high preference for all food categories, while "indifferent consumers" had a low preference for all food categories. All preference scores were positively associated with mood, convenience, sensory appeal, natural content, and price (p < 0.05). The results confirmed the association between food preferences and food choice determinants in adolescents, as well as allowed adolescents to be clustered into segments to define various needs and motives among the identified segments. For public health purposes, it may be crucial to educate "hedonists," with a high preference for meat/fish, dairy and snacks, accompanied by convenience, sensory appeal, and price as the most important determinants of their food choices.

Over the last decade, the results of several studies have indicated that adults' food preferences, consumption, and dietary choices vary depending on their genotype characteristics. However, the results of studies related to genes and polymorphisms involved in this phenomenon are contradictory. This study is a systematic review designed to evaluate the genetic determinants of food preferences.

Food marketing is pervasive in high- and low/middle-income countries and is recognized as a significant risk factor for childhood obesity. Although food packaging is one of the most important marketing tools to persuade consumers at the point-of-sale, scant research has examined how it influences children's perceptions. This study was conducted in Guatemala and aimed to understand which snack foods are the most frequently purchased by children and how aspects of food packaging influence their product perceptions.

The insular cortex (IC) contains the primary sensory cortex for oral chemosensation including gustation, and its integrity is required for appropriate control of feeding behavior. However, it remains unknown whether the role of this brain area in food selection relies on the presence of peripheral taste input. Using multielectrode recordings, we found that the responses of populations of neurons in the IC of freely licking, sweet-blind Trpm5(-/-) mice are modulated by the rewarding postingestive effects of sucrose. FOS immunoreactivity analyses revealed that these responses are restricted to the dorsal insula. Furthermore, bilateral lesions in this area abolished taste-independent preferences for sucrose that can be conditioned in these Trpm5(-/-) animals while preserving their ability to detect sucrose. Overall, these findings demonstrate that, even in the absence of peripheral taste input, IC regulates food choices based on postingestive signals.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the pattern of food preference among a large sample of Iranian adults.

Food preferences are among the most influential factors of food habits in the vulnerable period of adolescence; in addition, gender-dependent differences in food preferences are also observed. The aim of the present study was to analyze differences in food habits between individuals stratified based on their food preferences in a population-based sample of adolescents aged 15-20. The study was conducted within the Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study population in a group of 2419 secondary school students who were randomly chosen to participate in the study using a random quota sampling procedure. The food preferences were determined on the basis of a validated Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ) (which enables assessing preference of vegetables, fruit, meat/fish, dairy, snacks, and starches), whereas food habits were determined on the basis of the Adolescents' Food Habits Checklist (AFHC) (which enables assessing food purchase, preparation, and consumption habits). The analysis involved three homogenous clusters ('low-preferring', 'hedonists', and 'high-preferring'), which were identified using the k-means algorithm. It was found that for a number of the assessed food purchase, preparation, and consumption habits, there were statistically significant differences between the 'low-preferring', 'hedonists', and 'high-preferring' clusters. Within food purchase habits, the food preference influenced frequency of buying pastries/cakes and frequency of eating takeaway meals for all the respondents, while for female respondents, it influenced also choice of desserts in restaurants, and for male respondents, it influenced choosing a low-fat lunch away from home (p < 0.05). Within food preparation habits, the food preference influenced the fat content in desserts at home, the frequency of eating at least one serving of vegetables/salad with an evening meal, the frequency of spreading butter/margarine on bread thinly, and the frequency of having cream on desserts for all the respondents; meanwhile, for female respondents, it also influenced the frequency of avoiding fried foods and the frequency of including chocolate/biscuits in their packed lunch (p < 0.05). Within food consumption habits, the food preference influenced the frequency of eating a dessert/pudding, eating at least one serving of fruit a day, eating at least one serving of vegetables/salad a day, avoiding sausages/burgers, trying to ensure they eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, and frequency of choosing fruit as a snack for all the respondents; meanwhile, for male respondents, it also influenced the frequency of eating sweet snacks and eating at least three servings of fruit most days (p < 0.05). Taking into account that some improper food habits may be typical for the specific clusters, there is an urgent need to analyze and address them for the purposes of public health and to bear in mind that some of those habits are gender-dependent.

Appetitive traits and food preferences are key determinants of children's eating patterns but it is unclear how these behaviours relate to one another. This study explores relationships between appetitive traits and preferences for fruits and vegetables, and energy dense, nutrient poor (noncore) foods in two distinct samples of Australian and British preschool children.

Exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages is a widely acknowledged risk factor for the development of childhood obesity and noncommunicable diseases. Food marketing involves the use of numerous persuasive techniques to influence children's food attitudes, preferences and consumption. This systematic review provides a comprehensive contemporary account of the impact of these marketing techniques on children aged 0-18 years and critically evaluates the methodologies used. Five electronic academic databases were searched using key terms for primary studies (both quantitative and qualitative) published up to September 2018; 71 eligible articles were identified. Significant detrimental effects of food marketing, including enhanced attitudes, preferences and increased consumption of marketed foods were documented for a wide range of marketing techniques, particularly those used in television/movies and product packaging. Together, these studies contribute strong evidence to support the restriction of food marketing to children. However, the review also signposted distinct gaps: Firstly, there is a lack of use of qualitative and physiological methodologies. Secondly, contemporary and sophisticated marketing techniques used in new media warrant increased research attention. Finally, more research is needed to evaluate the longer-term effects of food marketing on children's weight.

The nonprotein calorie/nitrogen (NPC/N) ratio of food remains poorly investigated. Thus, this study examined the nutritional factors that influence the choice of discharge destination for geriatric patients.

Pounded yam is a popular food in Nigeria. This study reports end-user preferences for pounded yam and implications for trait evaluation by breeding programme. The study was carried out in two pounded yam-consuming regions in Nigeria: south-east and south-west. Multistage sampling technique was used to collect information from users along food chain. This involved market, individual, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Responses of participants were used to develop product profile of pounded yam from raw material (yam) to final product. Key user-preferred quality traits for pounded yam in both regions were colour and textural quality followed by taste and aroma which are lesser attributes. There were regional differences in ranking of these quality attributes but no gender difference. This information will be useful in determining food quality indicators that can be used to select breeding lines for preferred quality traits in pounded yam.

After Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, patients report a shift in food preferences away from high-energy foods.