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An evaluation of a colour food photography atlas as a tool for quantifying food portion size in epidemiological dietary surveys.

OBJECTIVE: To test the validity of a colour food photography atlas for quantifying portion size eaten compared with weighed foods. DESIGN: The colour food photography atlas was prepared by cooking, weighing and taking digital photographs of three portion sizes of 434 foods and beverages typical of the Italian diet. SUBJECTS AND INTERVENTIONS: In all, 448 male and female volunteers aged 6-60 y from a wide variety of social backgrounds completed 9075 assessments of food portions eaten at lunch and dinner in relation to a set of colour food photographs during 8 weeks of investigation. The amounts of foods eaten by individuals in five different cafeterias in Pavia, Northern Italy, were weighed by trained investigators at the time of serving and, within 5-10 min of the end of the meal, each subject was asked to quantify all foods consumed with reference to one of the three food photographs or in terms of virtual portions among those shown in the photographs. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis shows that weights of portion sizes chosen from the set of photographs are significantly associated (P<0.05) to weights of eaten portions (beta=0.81; R(2)=0.70) and are independent of age, gender and BMI. The differences between mean weights of the portions chosen by individuals from photographs and mean weights of eaten foods are significant for all food categories (P<0.05), except for bread. However, because of the very large number of observations, the mean differences are very small (range: from +23.2 g (+11.2%) for first courses to -1.3 g (-2.7%) for bread). Bland-Altman plots show that first courses limits of agreement are wide because the dispersion is increasing while weights are rising. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a series of three photographs and virtual portion sizes being associated with relatively small errors, our findings support the validity of using this colour food photography atlas as a tool for quantifying food portion size in epidemiological dietary surveys on different age groups of Italian subjects.

Adolescent↗

Increased leukotriene production by food additives in patients with atopic dermatitis and proven food intolerance.

Recently, we identified a subgroup of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) with a clinical relevant food intolerance proven by double blind placebo controlled challenge. In search of possible pathomechanisms involved in this food intolerance, which leads to aggravation of the disease, the aim of the present study was to determine sulfidoleukotriene production in these patients using isolated leucocytes from the peripheral blood after stimulation with different food additives. Leukotriene production of peripheral leucocytes was detected by incubation of isolated cells with the food additives at different concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 200 microg/mL after pre-stimulation with IL-3. Ten non-atopic donors (A), nine AD patients of the diet responder group with negative oral provocation test against food additives (B) and nine patients of the responder group with positive reactions after the oral provocation test (C) were investigated. In the non-atopic group (A), no increased sulfidoleukotriene (sLT) release was observed for all food additives tested. In group B, increased sLT production was determined using tartrazine in one patient (1/9) and using nitrite in two patients (2/9), whereas sLT production remained below the cut-off range in all patients of group B (9/9) using benzoate, metabisulfite and salicylate. By contrast, in group C increased sLT production was observed with food colour mix in 1/9, with tartrazine in 3/9, with benzoate in 4/9, with nitrite in 5/9, with salicylate in 2/9 and with metabisulfite in 1/9. However, no increased sLT concentration was determined in the presence of the tested food additives in two patients of group C. Increased sLT production by peripheral leucocytes in the presence of single food additives was observed in the majority of patients with a proven food intolerance towards food additives proven by double-blind-placebo-controlled challenges. These food additives were particulary tartrazine, benzoate and nitrite. These findings indicate that single food additives as aggravating factors in AD patients may trigger the disease through increased sLT production as a pathophysiological mechanism.

Adolescent↗

Enhancing the capacity of food consumption surveys of short duration to estimate long-term consumer-only intakes by combination with a qualitative food frequency questionnaire.

In principle, a proper risk assessment for a food chemical requires that the time-frame for food chemical intake estimates matches the time-frame for the toxicological assessments upon which the safety statements (ADI, PTWI, etc.) are based. For food additives, the toxicological assessments are based on exposure over a lifetime. While food consumption data cannot be collected over the lifetimes of individuals, the information should reflect habitual intakes as closely as possible. This study investigated the possibility of combining a 3-day food diary with a food frequency questionnaire to estimate mean consumer-only food intakes comparable to estimates based on a 14-day diary. The study population consisted of 948 teenagers and analysis was based on 32 clearly defined foods. For 47% of the foods, the difference was < or = 1 g/day. When expressed as portion sizes, 56% of the foods showed differences representing < 5% of an average portion and no food showed a difference > 14% of an average portion. When between-method differences (portions/day) were plotted against the mean of the methods, the mean between-method difference was 0.02(+/- 0.06) portions/day with limits of agreement of -0.10 to 0.14. This preliminary investigation suggests that the combined 3-day diary and FFQ method provides comparable estimates of mean consumer only intakes to a 14-day diary. Therefore, a qualitative FFQ may be a useful adjunct to a food consumption survey of short duration if estimates of longer term food intakes are required.

Adolescent↗

Food stamps are associated with food security and dietary intake of inner-city preschoolers from Hartford, Connecticut.

The goal of the present study was to examine the association of the Food Stamp Program with the food security and dietary intake of low-income children from Hartford, CT, who were enrolled in the Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). We compared the food and nutrition situation of low-income preschoolers who received food stamps (FS, n = 59) with that of those who did not receive food stamps (NFS, n = 40). Children were an average age of 2.7 +/- 0.6 y, and 95% were receiving WIC benefits at the time of the study. Groups were comparable in demographic characteristics, but the socioeconomic status of the FS group was lower than that of the NFS group (P < 0.05). Food security was assessed with the Radimer/Cornell hunger scale, and dietary intake was assessed with a single 24-h recall and a 14-item food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate analyses within the FS group indicated that a monthly duration of food stamps of <4 wk was a predictor of household food security (odds ratio 0.10, 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.56). Food stamp use was associated with above-median energy-adjusted intakes of vitamin B-6 (3.13, 1.16-8.45), folate (2.92, 1.09-7.81) and iron (3.72, 1.31-10.54). The NFS children were more likely to consume <8 mg iron/d (3.73, 1.09-12.80). These results suggest that the Food Stamp Program is associated with food security and preschoolers' micronutrient intake.

Adult↗

Adverse reactions to food and clinical expressions of food allergy.

Adverse reactions to foods are frequent in everyday life. They are divided into toxic and immunologic food reactions. The awareness of toxic food reactions among adverse reactions to food is essential for correct diagnosis. Enzymatic food intolerance, adverse reactions to food or food additives, pharmacologic food intolerance, psychosomatic factors, food allergy with classic symptoms (anaphylaxis, urticaria-angioedema), atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis (protein), upper and lower respiratory symptoms like rhinitis or asthma, and gastrointestinal disorders (oral allergy syndrome, colic, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain) are discussed. Target organs throughout the body-ear, eye, pharynx, skin, lung, joints, and muscles-can be involved. The gold standard in diagnosis is a double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge test. The diagnostic tools available for most food-related disorders are the skin-prick test and radioallergosorbent test. The treatment of food-induced urticaria consists of elimination of the offending food or substance from the diet, use of antihistamines, and immunotherapy.

Food↗

Assessment of household food security among food stamp recipient families in Maryland.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed the relationship between food security status and various sociodemographic characteristics among households that include children and that receive food stamps. METHODS: A modified version of the US Food Security Survey Module was implemented by telephone survey with Maryland food stamp recipients. RESULTS: Of the 245 households, 66% experienced food insecurity. Food security status was associated with participation in the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children, the summer food program, and a food bank. Food security status was not associated with the number of months households received food stamps. There was no difference between the food security status of households living in urban and rural counties. CONCLUSIONS: A gap exists between the food stamp support provided and some households' nutritional and economic needs.

Adult↗

[Feature of food allergy developed during infancy (1)--relationship between infantile atopic dermatitis and food allergy].

BACKGROUND: Most of food allergy (FA) cases during childhood start as infantile atopic dermatitis (AD) at the ages of a few months old. We tried to clarify the association between infantile AD and FA during infancy. METHODS: We analyzed relationship between AD and FA during infancy among patients with 208 cases, who had visited our outpatient clinic with chief complaint of "eczema" from 1998 to 2000. RESULTS: Among 208 cases, 148 cases (71%) were diagnosed as infantile AD, moreover 109 cases (74%) were diagnosed as FA among infantile AD. The most frequent food antigens among infantile AD were egg (72.3%), cow's milk (39.9%), wheat (12.2%) and soybean (7.4%), respectively, in addition to these food antigens, food allergy was widely recognized against peanuts, sesame, meats, buckwheat, fishes and potato. In terms of food antigen, 44 cases with single food allergy against egg were seen out of 46 single allergy cases, whereas 36 cases with double food allergy against both egg and cow's milk were seen in 63 multiple food allergy cases. Although the value of antigen specific IgE against egg and cow's milk was recognized for the diagnosis of food allergy during infancy, even cases with negative IgE against those foods were proved to be food allergy by food elimination and provocation tests. In contrast to egg and cow's milk, positive IgE against rice, soybean, and wheat did not always correlate with the results of the diagnosis of food allergy. Concerning risk factors of AD, family history of any allergy diseases and passive smoking were recognized in comparison with infantile eczema. Neither the nutrition method nor incomplete elimination of diet during pregnancy and lactation had anything to do with the development of AD. CONCLUSION: When infantile AD cases were not improved by environmental control, skin care and application of steroid ointment, it would be important for doctors to think of the possibility of FA.

Dermatitis, Atopic↗

Food and general neophobia in Swedish families: parent-child comparisons and relationships with serving specific foods.

The aims were to investigate the occurrence of food and general neophobia in Swedish families with children 2-17 years of age, parent-child correlations with respect to neophobia and the relationships between neophobia and the reported serving of specific foods in the family. A group of 370 randomly selected families from two Swedish towns (stratified, 185 from each) were invited and 57 (15%) participated. The results are based on the Food and General Neophobia Scales (Pliner & Hobden, 1992), parental ratings of child food neophobia and an ad hoc Food Frequency Questionnaire. The overall levels of neophobia were relatively low for both children and parents. There were only a few significant gender differences with respect to Food Neophobia but fathers and boys scored numerically higher than did mothers and girls on several items in the Food Neophobia Scale. The children, particularly boys, showed significantly higher Food and General Neophobia than their parents. Both Food and General Neophobia tended to decrease with increasing age among the children. Families were divided according to whether specific foods had been served or not. This classification showed virtually no relationship with the degree of food neophobia of family members. However, the higher the food neophobia in mothers and children, the fewer of the listed uncommon foods had been served in the family.

Adolescent↗

Food intake and body weight in rats with daily food-availability restrictions.

Male Wistar rats were offered food for either 24, 6, or 1 h a day at two different ambient temperatures -21 or 6 degrees C. At room temperature, rats offered food for 6 h a day matched their food intake to that of rats with 24 h of food-availability in 2-3 days, so that no main changes in total food intake, gross food efficiency, and body weight were recorded. No impairment of thermoregulatory capacity was recorded as judged by the unaltered oxidative capacity of brown adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Nonetheless, a transient hypothermia was recorded at the beginning of the experiment in the food-restricted group. Rats that were only offered food 1 h a day were unable to sustain the food intake of the control animals, so that a continuous decline in body weight and a negative gross food efficiency ensured. In the cold, the food intake of rats offered food for only 6 or 1 h a day was similar to that showed by the corresponding groups at 21 degrees C. These results suggest a maximum rate for digestive processes, irrespective of ambient temperature. However, such levels of food intake were clearly insufficient to cope with the thermoregulatory enhanced energy demand at 6 degrees C, ad judged by the decrease in body weight.

Animals↗

Effects of day-length and food availability on food caching, mass and fat reserves in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus).

Many animals seasonally change energy stores such as food caches and fat deposits. Two factors that potentially influence energy stores are changes in day-length and food availability. We investigated food storing and fat levels in black-capped chickadees to determine how they are affected by changes in duration of light period and duration of food availability. Because previous studies have confounded the effects of photoperiod and the effects of duration of access to food we manipulated these variables independently. Birds were exposed to either long days (15 h light with 15 h of food availability), long day light exposure with short day food availability (15 h light, 9 h food), or short days (9 h light, 9 h food). We measured mass, body fat and the number of sunflower seeds stored in 1-h test sessions for 2 weeks prior and 3 weeks following this manipulation. Neither photoperiod nor food availability had an effect on food storing behavior. Fat and body mass transiently increased in both groups exposed to short duration of food availability, regardless of photoperiod, but did not increase in birds exposed to long days with long duration food availability. These results indicate that duration of time to feed may affect seasonal changes in energy reserves in addition to any effects of photoperiod.

Adipose Tissue↗

Chefs' attitudes toward healthful food preparation are more positive than their food science knowledge and practices.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if chefs' and student chefs' attitudes, knowledge, and practices regarding healthful food preparation are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. DESIGN: An analytical survey questionnaire was distributed to 4 chef groups. Sections 1 and 2 of the survey measured chefs' food science knowledge (13 questions) and likelihood of using food preparation practices (15 questions) necessary to meet the 1990 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Section 3 (22 questions) measured chefs' attitudes toward nutrition in general, toward the importance of healthful food preparation practices, and toward the US Dietary Guidelines. SAMPLE: Of 512 surveys distributed by mail, at culinary meetings, and in classes at 2 culinary schools, 447 (86%) were returned (158 from practicing chefs and 289 from student chefs). Practicing chefs included chef educators, foodservice chefs from a national corporation, and independent chef members of the American Culinary Federation of New York City. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics included frequencies, means, and standard deviations of survey items and of individual survey sections. Reliability and validity were determined using alpha coefficients and principal components analysis. Analysis of variance was used to examine differences in practice, attitudes, and knowledge among chef groups. RESULTS: Both practicing chefs and student chefs answered more than 70% of the food science questions correctly; independent chefs scored significantly lower than educator and corporate chefs. More than two thirds of the chefs and student chefs correctly responded to questions about the nutrient composition of food and how cooking affects the nutrient content of food. All chef groups were confused about fat and cholesterol in food and in the body. Few healthful food preparation practices were likely to be used by any chef group more than two thirds of the time, although the subscale of the attitude toward the importance of these practices was very positive. The majority of practicing chefs thought that customers do not care about the US Dietary Guidelines and nutrition; student chefs thought that customers do care. Both groups strongly agreed that, as chefs, they are responsible for the nutritional content of the food they prepared. APPLICATION: Both chefs and student chefs are willing to learn about food science and recipe modification principles as they apply to healthful cooking practices. The opportunities are clear: Dietitians have the expertise to teach chefs healthful food preparation techniques, recipe modification, and food composition information.

Adolescent↗

Leptin reduces food intake but does not alter weight regain following food deprivation in the rat.

OBJECTIVE: When animals are allowed free access to food following an extended period of food restriction, body weight is steadily restored to the pre-food restriction level, ie to a specific body weight 'set-point'. We tested the proposition that leptin is used as a signal by the brain to regulate body weight 'set-point'. To this end, we determined whether long-term leptin infusion in rats would prevent the normal weight regain after food restriction. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats received leptin (leptin-treated) or saline (vehicle-treated) by intravenous infusion. After a 2 week run-in period, food intake was adjusted to 50% of each individual's normal intake for 12 days. Two days prior to the return of unlimited access to food, one group of animals received continuous leptin infusion at 3 micro g/h for the next 14 days. Blood samples taken from the tail vein were used to determine leptin concentrations. A third group of animals that did not undergo food restriction but received saline infusion served as control. As leptin acts in the brain to modulate neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels, hypothalamic NPY content was measured at the end of the study. RESULTS: Food restriction to 50% normal intake for 12 days induced a 20% weight loss and significant reductions in plasma leptin compared with non-restricted control rats (0.5+/-0.1 vs 2.6+/-0.4 ng/ml, P<0.05). Intravenous infusion of leptin increased leptin concentrations four-fold compared with vehicle-treated animals (9.5+/-1.3 vs 2.2+/-0.4 ng/ml, P<0.05). The infusion of leptin attenuated the increase in daily food intake after free access to food was resumed (P<0.05 at 4, 6 and 8 days). Despite this, both groups of previously restricted rats had regained the same amount of weight after 12 days of ad libitum feeding. No difference was noted in NPY levels measured in the arcuate nucleus and the paraventricular nucleus, in line with the similar amounts of food eaten by all rats at the end of the experiment. CONCLUSION: Increasing plasma leptin concentrations just prior to the end of a period of food restriction reduced subsequent food intake, but did not appear to exert a major influence on the body weight 'set-point', as leptin did not prevent weight regain. The results of the present study suggest that leptin may be of little value in maintaining weight loss in individuals who have lost weight through dieting. Further research is required to understand the role of leptin in the regulation of energy balance.

Animals↗

Altered expression of hypothalamic neuropeptide mRNAs in food-restricted and food-deprived rats.

Hypothalamic neuropeptides play a role in appetite and weight regulation. Food restriction for 2 weeks and food deprivation for 4 days were used as models to characterize the effects of weight loss on hypothalamic peptide gene expression in male and female rats. We used in situ hybridization to examine the mRNA levels of hypothalamic peptides which stimulate and inhibit food intake and found selective effects primarily in the arcuate nucleus. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA was increased and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and galanin (GAL) mRNA were decreased in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA was decreased in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in male and female food-restricted and food-deprived rats. Food restriction produced larger changes in peptide mRNA expression than did food deprivation. Changes in NPY, POMC and CRH gene expression induced by food restriction were greater in male than female rats. Elevated NPY and reduced CRH gene expression may be a compensatory physiological response to restore food intake in food-restricted and food-deprived animals. The discrete changes in NPY, POMC, GAL and CRH gene expression in food-restricted and food-deprived animals suggest the involvement of these peptides in abnormal appetitive behavior and weight loss associated with human eating disorders.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

A survey of food hygiene knowledge and attitudes among Chinese food handlers in Fong Song Tong district.

The purpose of this study was to find out the knowledge and attitudes concerning food hygiene among Chinese food handlers in Fong Song Tong district, and to analyze the impact of variables on the degree of knowledge and attitudes. Face-to-face interviews were conducted within Chinese food handlers in Fong Song Tong district using a self-designed questionnaire, which contained food hygiene knowledge and attitudes. Main knowledge outcome measures included food handling, personal hygiene and legislation issues. Questionnaires were completed by 580 (72.0%) Chinese food handlers from 91% premises of the district. 71.2% Chinese food handlers could respond correctly to eight or more out of 11 knowledge questions and 1.4% respondents only achieved full scores of knowledge. Fully correct response of personal hygiene knowledge was statistically and significantly higher than food handling knowledge (p<0.05). 79.0% of respondents showed their need of more food hygiene education. Male respondents, age less than 30, secondary education or above, five years or more of working experience, or who had previously attended a health training within the last two years, generally performed better on the knowledge of food hygiene. Chinese food handlers working in the kitchen and owners' beliefs on 'cleaning the kitchen before getting off duty' was reasonable. Those with secondary education at least, or who had prior participation in a health training within the last two years would need more food hygiene knowledge than the people aged over 30 or who were the owners. It would be more motivated by changing the traditional training model, community-based education in an optimum situation, additional authoritative information, attitudes and intentions of learning on food hygiene.

Adult↗

The 18 Household Food Security Survey items provide valid food security classifications for adults and children in the Caribbean.

BACKGROUND: We tested the properties of the 18 Household Food Security Survey (HFSS) items, and the validity of the resulting food security classifications, in an English-speaking middle-income country. METHODS: Survey of primary school children in Trinidad and Tobago. Parents completed the HFSS. Responses were analysed for the 10 adult-referenced items and the eight child-referenced items. Item response theory models were fitted. Item calibrations and subject scores from a one-parameter logistic (1PL) model were compared with those from either two-parameter logistic model (2PL) or a model for differential item functioning (DIF) by ethnicity. RESULTS: There were 5219 eligible with 3858 (74%) completing at least one food security item. Adult item calibrations (standard error) in the 1PL model ranged from -4.082 (0.019) for the 'worried food would run out' item to 3.023 (0.042) for 'adults often do not eat for a whole day'. Child item calibrations ranged from -3.715 (0.025) for 'relied on a few kinds of low cost food' to 3.088 (0.039) for 'child didn't eat for a whole day'. Fitting either a 2PL model, which allowed discrimination parameters to vary between items, or a differential item functioning model, which allowed item calibrations to vary between ethnic groups, had little influence on interpretation. The classification based on the adult-referenced items showed that there were 19% of respondents who were food insecure without hunger, 10% food insecure with moderate hunger and 6% food insecure with severe hunger. The classification based on the child-referenced items showed that there were 23% of children who were food insecure without hunger and 9% food insecure with hunger. In both children and adults food insecurity showed a strong, graded association with lower monthly household income (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These results support the use of 18 HFSS items to classify food security status of adults or children in an English-speaking country where food insecurity and hunger are more frequent overall than in the US.

Adolescent↗

Food preference and acceptance of novel foods by lambs depend on the composition of the basal diet.

Ruminants eat a variety of foods, varying in toxins and nutrients, but no hypotheses adequately explain this behavior. We offer an explanation, one which encompasses avoidance of toxins and acquisition of nutrients. A key concept in this hypothesis is aversion, the decrease in preference for food just eaten as a result of sensory input (taste, odor, texture, i.e., a food's flavor) and postingestive effects (of toxins and nutrients on chemo-, osmo-, and mechano-receptors) unique to each food. On the basis of this hypothesis, we predicted lambs would prefer familiar and novel foods that complemented the macronutrient composition of their basal diet. To assess the validity of this prediction, we fed 10 lambs in each of three treatments different levels of ground barley (high in energy) and alfalfa (high in protein) as a basal diet. We then offered them daily a meal of three ground foods differing in proportions of barley and alfalfa (familiar foods) or wheat and rabbit pellets (novel foods). We found that lambs fed a basal diet high in energy (barley) preferred food lower in energy and higher in protein (alfalfa); those fed a diet high in alfalfa preferred food high in barley (P < .01). In addition, the higher the barley or alfalfa content of the basal diet, the greater the acceptance of novel foods high in alfalfa (i.e., rabbit pellets) or grain (i.e., wheat), respectively (P < .01). All lambs preferred foods high in wheat to rabbit pellets or alfalfa (P < 0.01), evidently because wheat is high in energy and it differs in flavor from barley, which was eaten repeatedly as part of the basal diet. On the basis of these results, we contend that lambs preferred familiar and novel foods that complemented the flavors and macro-nutrient contents of their basal diet.

Aging↗

An assessment of food hygiene among food handlers in a Nigerian university campus.

INTRODUCTION: Food handlers play a major role in ensuring food safety throughout the chain of producing, processing, storage and preparation. Mishandling and disregard for hygiene measures on their part may result in food contamination and its attendant consequences. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to assess the knowledge and practice of food hygiene by food handlers in a Nigerian University Campus. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on randomly selected food handlers operating on the campus. A total of 102 respondents were interviewed and inspected using a structural questionnaire administered by researchers. RESULTS: Ninety (88.2%) of the respondents were female, and there was a predominantly poor level knowledge of food hygiene. The practice of storing and reheating leftovers was low and agreed to by 15 (14.7%) of the respondents; there was a very low frequency of hand washing. Inspection of food handlers showed a low level of personal hygiene. Only 31 (30.4%) had had pre employment medical examination and only 49 (48%) had received any form of health education. CONCLUSION: This study has revealed a poor knowledge and practice of food hygiene among food handlers providing food for undergraduates in a Nigerian University. It is recommended that a massive health education campaign directed at both the public and food handlers be embarked on, to enable people take necessary steps to prevent food borne diseases.

Adolescent↗

The role of the Food and Drug Administration in regulating food products for children.

The United States food supply is regulated by a series of laws administered by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture. The most important of these laws are the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act administered by the Food and Drug Administration and the Meat and Poultry Inspection Act administered by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. These laws have general requirements for food safety and quality that apply to all foods in the marketplace. In addition, the FD&C Act and implementing regulations have major provisions that apply specifically to food for infants and children. These provisions set high standards for safety and quality that are consistent with the special needs of these segments of the population due to demands of growth and development. The FDA places increased emphasis on monitoring food for infants and children for compliance with these laws and regulations. Although foods designed specifically for infants and children make up a small portion of the total food supply, proportionally more resources are dedicated to inspection and analysis of these foods.

Child↗