Data_Sheet_1_Analysis of public food procurement in relation to dairy products and their quality criteria.docx

IntroductionPublic procurement of food is key to ensuring proper nutrition with high-quality products in public institutions such as schools and kindergartens. However, it should not be considered a mandatory expenditure from public finances but rather an investment in health promotion.Materials and methodsA total of 1,126 public procurement orders processed by schools and kindergartens in Poland during the period from November 2022 to March 2023 were analyzed. Ultimately, 197 public procurement orders meeting the inclusion criteria were considered for analysis. Based on these orders, 2,753 food products classified as dairy and its derivatives were extracted. The ordered quantities of individual products were analyzed, as well as their descriptions (quality characteristics).ResultsCriteria related to composition were most commonly described, the most common criterion was the fat content and the absence of preservatives. On the second places were organoleptic characteristics, where taste and consistency expectations were most frequently specified. Sustainable public procurement criteria were the least frequently mentioned and were treated as highly marginal.ConclusionIntroducing minimum standards for the descriptions of dairy products in terms of organoleptic characteristics, composition features, and sustainability criteria will improve the quality of dairy products supplied to public institutions, particularly schools and kindergartens.</p

Table_1_Public food procurement as a tool of sustainable food and nutrition policy—fat products.DOCX

IntroductionEnsuring a sustainable and responsible diet, particularly in the procurement of fatty products, holds paramount importance for early childhood development. Dietary fats significantly influence children’s growth and well-being, both in the short and long term. Schools and kindergartens play a pivotal role in shaping children’s dietary habits. This study aims to quantitatively and qualitatively analyze public procurement orders conducted by educational institutions.Materials and methodsOut of 1,126 public procurement orders, 197 met inclusion criteria, leading to the identification of 1,248 products categorized as sources of fats in children’s diets. The study conducted both quantitative and qualitative analyses on the identified products.ResultsCriteria commonly employed by purchasers were derived from product descriptions. While product composition, especially fat content and the absence of certain additives, received due attention, organoleptic characteristics criteria were frequently overlooked. Sustainable procurement criteria were given the least consideration. The study highlights a notable reliance on vegetable oils, predominantly rapeseed oil. However, it reveals a worrisome prevalence of animal-derived fats, including butter, mayonnaise, pork belly, and lard. Although plant-based fats constitute around 52.77% of total orders, the substantial presence of animal fats poses challenges to maintaining a balanced and healthy diet for children.ConclusionThe study underscores the necessity of establishing specific criteria for evaluating the quality of delivered products, especially fatty items, in educational settings. Standardized guidelines are crucial to promote healthier food choices, encourage sustainable diets, and ultimately enhance the overall health and well-being of children.</p

Dependence of price and food variety after step-wise release of the cultural acceptability constraint in the CAN.

<p>Percentages indicate the tolerated deviation from the averagely consumed weight of food categories by the Danish population [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163411#pone.0163411.ref026" target="_blank">26</a>]. The initial CAN has 0% allowed deviation (top line).</p

Use of Linear Programming to Develop Cost-Minimized Nutritionally Adequate Health Promoting Food Baskets

<div><p>Background</p><p>Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) are developed to promote healthier eating patterns, but increasing food prices may make healthy eating less affordable. The aim of this study was to design a range of cost-minimized nutritionally adequate health-promoting food baskets (FBs) that help prevent both micronutrient inadequacy and diet-related non-communicable diseases at lowest cost.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Average prices for 312 foods were collected within the Greater Copenhagen area. The cost and nutrient content of five different cost-minimized FBs for a family of four were calculated per day using linear programming. The FBs were defined using five different constraints: cultural acceptability (CA), or dietary guidelines (DG), or nutrient recommendations (N), or cultural acceptability and nutrient recommendations (CAN), or dietary guidelines and nutrient recommendations (DGN). The variety and number of foods in each of the resulting five baskets was increased through limiting the relative share of individual foods.</p><p>Results</p><p>The one-day version of N contained only 12 foods at the minimum cost of DKK 27 (€ 3.6). The CA, DG, and DGN were about twice of this and the CAN cost ~DKK 81 (€ 10.8). The baskets with the greater variety of foods contained from 70 (CAN) to 134 (DGN) foods and cost between DKK 60 (€ 8.1, N) and DKK 125 (€ 16.8, DGN). Ensuring that the food baskets cover both dietary guidelines and nutrient recommendations doubled the cost while cultural acceptability (CAN) tripled it.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Use of linear programming facilitates the generation of low-cost food baskets that are nutritionally adequate, health promoting, and culturally acceptable.</p></div

Change of the deviation of DG, N, and DGN from the average relative consumption (ARD) of food categories in Denmark when subjected to diversification.

<p>Change of the deviation of DG, N, and DGN from the average relative consumption (ARD) of food categories in Denmark when subjected to diversification.</p

Changes of the numbers of food items in the different food baskets and their cost when subjected to diversification.

<p>A) Changes in the number of different foods in the FBs when lowering the maximum allowed relative share of any single food, expressed as percentage of the average consumption of foods in the corresponding food category. B) Change in price of the four food baskets when increasing the diversity through minimizing single food shares. All abbreviations as explained in legend of <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163411#pone.0163411.t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>; “none” means no restriction.</p

Composition of the diversified FBs by food categories.

<p>To make the effects of the different sets of constraints more evident, the category “Meat & meat products” used in the Danish consumption survey [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163411#pone.0163411.ref026" target="_blank">26</a>] was split up into “Meat(products)” and “Offal”; pulses are indicated as a separate category (part of the “Vegetable” group in the consumption survey; and “Nuts & seeds” are indicated separately from the “Fruit” group.</p

Food groups and subgroups of foods with examples of foods included in the analysis.

<p>Food groups and subgroups of foods with examples of foods included in the analysis.</p