Food in China: A Cultural and Historical Inquiry
... In the UK and the Netherlands thereafter surges an environmentalist counterculture [90,91]. In recent years in Denmark, urban gardens were claimed to serve minorities [91,92]. During the 1980s and 1990s, other regional social movements continued working in urban improvement, reclamation, and the creation of green areas. ...
... The Aztec people raised plants on "chinampas" floating rafts on the lakes bordering Tenochtitlan (today Mexico City). In China, floating``frame fields' ' were used for growing water, spinach, and culinary herbs in southeast China [92,93]. The paddy (dike-pond) rice system of China, dating back to the fifteenth century, evolved out of a need to control regular floods and rice cultivation [92,94]. ...
... In China, floating``frame fields' ' were used for growing water, spinach, and culinary herbs in southeast China [92,93]. The paddy (dike-pond) rice system of China, dating back to the fifteenth century, evolved out of a need to control regular floods and rice cultivation [92,94]. Concerning modern shrimp technology, it has been erroneously associated with expensive technology and equipment, only available for skilled, wealthy investors. ...
... Nowadays, many species are cultivated in all the tropical and subtropical countries. However, bitter orange orchards are mainly found along the Mediterranean coast where it was introduced by Arabs, and was used as an ornamental and medicinal plant (Spiegel-Roy and Goldschmidt 1996). Citrus is widely distributed in Europe and North Africa (Ollitrault and Navarro 2012). ...
... Chinese considered the citron to be a symbol of happiness, wealth, and longevity. They prized it for New Year's gifts and placed it as an offering at the shrines of household gods in their homes, or on altars at their temples, and as an alternative to incense, to perfume the air (Tolkowsky 1938;Simoons 1991). The elite group of families displays the citron in their households on platters and mats as rare fruits from a distant quarter. ...
... Chinese hotpot (huǒguō/hwor-gwor/'fire-pot'), also known as Chinese fondue, is one of the most popular meals in China. It consists of a simmering metal pot with broth at the center of a table, and all raw ingredients are placed beside the metal pot, so people can add and cook whatever they like in the broth (Simoons, 1991), The hotpot has a long history of over 1,000 years in China. It used to be favored ...
... The hotpot dining style is inherently social (Simoons, 1991), and Haidilao Hot Pot provides a wonderful dining and social environment for young people by combining attentive service with internet culture. In terms of concept, Haidilao Hot Pot has done a decent job of keeping up with the trends, but it hasn't built a physical area that caters to Gen Z's desire for privacy. ...
This study attempts to discover a differentiated service strategy for the hotpot restaurant industry from the perspective of Chinese Generation Z customers, as well as to further explore the inner needs of Chinese Generation Z to make practical implications for discovering the method of gaining their satisfaction and loyalty. This paper employs questionnaires to collect analytical data and through a case study to produce company strategies. Smith's Marketing Ethics Sequential System Model (SMESSM) is introduced in this paper for the decision of whether the case study company Haidilao Hot Pot should make a new strategy on service based on Generation Z's consuming behavior. The findings of this study demonstrate that hotpot restaurant must differentiate their services for Generation Z from older generation customers to gain a sustainable development of the hotpot business. Proper differentiated service will not only improve Generation Z's dining experience but also reduce costs. This paper is the first to discuss differentiated service strategy in the hotpot restaurant business from the perspective of Generation Z customers. And a Chinese experience of SMESSM for practical use is introduced in this paper, which enriches the relevant implications for future research on business strategy.
... Buddha's hand was familiar to Europeans and remained the only representative of the citrus there until the seventh century BC (Talon et al. 2019). The earliest references to Buddha's hand appear in the Vajasaneyi, a collection of sacred Hindu texts called Yajur-Veda written in India around the eighth century BC (Simoons 1991). A large number of studies suggest that the primary center of origin of citrus is South and Southeast Asia, particularly the region extending from northeast India, eastward through the Malayan Archipelago to China and Japan, and southward to Australia (Tanaka 1958;Swingle and Reece 1967;Scora 1975 (Froelicher et al. 2011). ...
... Chinese considered the citron to be a symbol of happiness, wealth, and longevity. They prized it for New Year's gifts and placed it as an offering at the shrines of household gods in their homes, or on altars at their temples, and as an alternative to incense, to perfume the air (Tolkowsky 1938;Simoons 1991). The elite group of families displays the citron in their households on platters and mats as rare fruits from a distant quarter. ...
... Three major vegetarian cuisines were formed: court vegetarian cuisine, monastic vegetarian cuisine, and folk vegetarian cuisine (Song & Xu, 2013). The Qing Dynasty's most influential vegetarian recipe book, "Vegetarian Food," recorded the preparation of more than 170 kinds of vegetarian food popular (Simoons, 2014). ...
... This idea of '2.0' plant-based meat -appealing to vegetarians and meat eaters -has only recently emerged in China (Chung, Bryant & Asher, 2023). Kieschnick (2005) Simoons (2014) argues that animals are also celebrated for their flavor and texture and that in Chinese culture, the consumption of animals at festivals and feasts is essential. Ritual meat is the basis for constructing reciprocal relationships between the living and the dead. ...
The future of meat substitutes for China's sustainable food system was examined in this dissertation, focusing on Chinese consumer preference and the role of media agenda-setting. Influence of media agenda-setting, consumer perception, preferences, and experts' opinions towards sustainable meat systems were investigated by text mining, online questionnaire survey, and stakeholder in-depth interviews.
Integration of the agenda-setting concerning meat substitutes with the 2022 Chinese government dietary policy and the influence of articles in mainstream news is recommended. This research also examined the role of media narratives in shaping public perceptions, the effectiveness of dietary policies, and the potential impacts and uncertainties of cultured meat. The research findings contribute to bridging the gap between policy formulation, agenda-setting, and public perception and suggest that media provide information consistently with the national food policy and provide education and knowledge about meat alternatives correctly and clearly.
The examination of Chinese consumer preference for meat substitutes by online questionnaire survey with more than 500 respondents covering all Tires in China with different dietary habits, ages, family incomes, educational backgrounds, genders, and locations. The survey results indicate that the higher education and higher income respondents tend to exhibit lower acceptance toward meat substitutes, which illustrates the lack of public awareness. Face, health, price, food therapy, and taste are the top five consideration factors when buying meat, suggesting the importance of culture and social factors in food transition.
Through in-depth interviews with experts, different types of meat are compared: traditional meat, Chinese vegan meat, cultured meat, and plant-based meat. The results highlight the dilemma between cultural function and environmentally friendly products. Cultured meat holds uncertainties in developing countries concerning environmental impacts and cultural acceptance. Plant-based meat contains similar features to Chinese vegan meat, indicating the difficulty of plant-based meat marketing. Meat transition should involve the combination of meat intake reduction and choice of meat substitutes.
The study's findings indicate important implications for future research, policy development, and practical implementation of meat substitutes for sustainable food systems in China.
... Fruit powder Dried fruit powder is used in yoghurt to cure bloody dysentery Chauhan et al. (2016), Manandhar (1995) Fruit Fruits (10 -20 gm) are taken every day to treat heart problem Kharkwal et al. (2018) Fruits Fruits are useful in constipation and anemic patients Pant et al. (2009) Fruit juice Juice used to reduce earache problems Parihaar et al. (2014) Leaf Gingo bioloba & P. crenulata leaves as nervine tonic Dimitri (1972) Leaf Leaf paste used to cure burns Uniyal and Shiva (2005) Stem bark Stem used in menstruation cycle (heavy bleeding) and malarial fever Simoons (1990) Root Root powder mix with water used in bath to prevent skin infections Nautiyal et al. (2001) Root Root powder with boiled water cured body pain Negi et al. (2003) current chapter collected and analyzed the available information related to traditional knowledge, nutritional, phytochemical, pharmacological activities, and propagation methods so that it could serve as the point of information for this species to the diverse stakeholders. ...
... The paste of leaves used in burns (Bisht et al., 2013;Uniyal and Shiva, 2005); leaves are reported to increase diuresis and decrease the urinary concentration of stone-forming elements (Khajuria and Bisht, 2016;Yadav et al., 2011). Stems are beneficial in the menstruation cycle during heavy bleeding and malarial fever (Simoons, 1990). Roots of the species are vital in traditional use by mixing the powder in bath water to prevent skin infections, body pain, and skin diseases (Kavidayal and Uniyal, 2020;Nautiyal et al., 2001;Negi, 2005;Negi et al., 2003). ...
... Fruit powder Dried fruit powder is used in yoghurt to cure bloody dysentery Chauhan et al. (2016), Manandhar (1995) Fruit Fruits (10 -20 gm) are taken every day to treat heart problem Kharkwal et al. (2018) Fruits Fruits are useful in constipation and anemic patients Pant et al. (2009) Fruit juice Juice used to reduce earache problems Parihaar et al. (2014) Leaf Gingo bioloba & P. crenulata leaves as nervine tonic Dimitri (1972) Leaf Leaf paste used to cure burns Uniyal and Shiva (2005) Stem bark Stem used in menstruation cycle (heavy bleeding) and malarial fever Simoons (1990) Root Root powder mix with water used in bath to prevent skin infections Nautiyal et al. (2001) Root Root powder with boiled water cured body pain Negi et al. (2003) current chapter collected and analyzed the available information related to traditional knowledge, nutritional, phytochemical, pharmacological activities, and propagation methods so that it could serve as the point of information for this species to the diverse stakeholders. ...
... The paste of leaves used in burns (Bisht et al., 2013;Uniyal and Shiva, 2005); leaves are reported to increase diuresis and decrease the urinary concentration of stone-forming elements (Khajuria and Bisht, 2016;Yadav et al., 2011). Stems are beneficial in the menstruation cycle during heavy bleeding and malarial fever (Simoons, 1990). Roots of the species are vital in traditional use by mixing the powder in bath water to prevent skin infections, body pain, and skin diseases (Kavidayal and Uniyal, 2020;Nautiyal et al., 2001;Negi, 2005;Negi et al., 2003). ...
Feeding millions of undernourished people in the Himalayan region depends not only on the increased productivity of a limited number of domesticated crops but would require optimal use of biodiversity. Wild edible plants are an important source of nutritional and alternative food in the region. Among others, Pyracantha crenulata (P. crenulata) is an evergreen shrub considered for nutrients source and medicinal value. The fruits of the species are eaten raw and contain nutritional and nutraceuticals compounds like minerals, vitamins, phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanin. In addition the pharmacological analysis revealed many activites such as antiurolithogenic, antiageing, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, and anti-inflammatory. This chapter, therefore, focused on the documentation of traditional knowledge, nutritional and nutraceuticals properties, medicinal value, propagation, and cultivation practices of the P. crenulata.
... Canada and Australia (Chen, 2004;Ferdouse, 2004 all Chinese cuisines involve high-quality sea cucumber dishes with strong regional and 725 cultural characteristics (Simoons, 1991 Ceremony') and is widely credited with revolutionising Japanese eating habits through 767 his innovation of kaiseki 14 (Cwiertka, 2006). During his lifetime, he held hundreds of tea 768 gatherings at which meals were served before the ritual tea service. ...
... Встречается информация о подразделении сортов шпината на две группы: западного и азиатского типа, имеющие анатомо-морфологические различия [29]. Морфологически азиатские формы характеризуются узкими и заостренными листьями с гладкой поверхностью, а также длинными черешками, унаследованными от дикого шпината. ...
Relevance. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is an economically important vegetable crop grown all over the world. This is an annual, cold-resistant and early-ripening crop, cultivated both in protected and open ground. Therefore, there is a need for a wide diversity of varieties and hybrids adapted to specific conditions. The State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation contains 67 varieties and hybrids of spinach, of which 66% are foreign hybrid selection. The creation of domestic spinach hybrids is complicated by the lack of well-studied initial material: aligned genotypes of the gynoecic type, combining high yield, early maturity and rich biochemical composition.
Materials and Methods . Genetic diversity of crops – potential for breeding and active study in the light of modern knowledge and technologies. The spinach collection collected at the Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR), which has a 90- year history, includes 744 samples and is the largest in the world. It is unique in the diversity and origin of its accessions.
Results. The collection contains high-yielding, early-ripening, late-blooming genotypes; lines with a predominance of the female type of flowering, polyploids are being created. Characteristic groups have been created based on plasticity and high content of valuable biochemicals. As a result of many years of comprehensive study of the spinach collection, the genotypes recommended for inclusion in breeding schemes were identified.
Conclusion. The diverse, well-studied gene pool of spinach preserved at the institute is capable of providing unlimited opportunities for breeding and meeting the needs of the country's population, enriching the diet with leafy crop rich in pigments, lutein and protein, with a high content of phenolic elements and antioxidant activity.
... The historical evidence suggests that the spread of spinach followed two separate directions, one to Southern and Eastern Asia and another one to Africa, the Mediterranean, and Northern Europe, from where it was later introduced in the Americas. These two regions applied different selection regimes resulting into two types of cultivars: Asian-type and Western-type (Simoons 1990;Van der Vossen 2004). Asian cultivars preserved the narrow, hastate, and smooth leaf shape and the long petioles of wild spinach, whereas Western cultivars transformed the hastate leaf shape to a round form, while leaves were enlarged and the savoy leaf texture appeared (Van der Vossen 2004). ...
... While in Australia it was common to consume ~5 kg of meat per person, per week, year-round, the contemporaneous British working class consumed ~ 300-900 grams per week, although likely not every week (Barker et al. 1966;Santich 1995Santich , 2005. Similarly, mid-19th century residents of rural 'home villages' (or Qiaoxiang) in southern Chinese provinces in the Pearl River Delta consumed salted and cured pork and fish sparingly, rarely eating fresh meat outside of festival activities (Simoons 1991). Furthermore, in England and China, access to and consumption of meat was mediated by class and income (Barker et al. 1966;Otter 2020:24;Simoons 1991:293), positioning frequent meat consumption as a marker of higher status and imbuing meat with an aspirational quality not associated with other more common and 'utilitarian' foods such as bread, potatoes or rice. ...
... The MED-Depression relationship holds particular significance in China, given the rapidly increasing elderly population and evolving dietary habits. The social and economic experiences throughout their lives continue to shape the food attitudes and practices of older Chinese adults (18). In recent decades, China's national dietary patterns have undergone a significant transformation, marked by a shift towards 'Westernization', characterized by a decreased intake of plant foods and an increased intake of animal foods (19). ...
Introduction
This study examines the association between Meat, Egg, and Dairy (MED) product consumption and depressive symptoms among older adults in China, focusing on rural/urban and gender differences.
Methods
This study employed data from the latest wave (year 2018) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) models were applied to examine the association between MED consumption and depression levels.
Findings
The findings revealed a consistent negative relationship between MED consumption and depression, with higher MED intake associated with lower depression levels. Urban residents and males exhibited higher MED consumption, which correlated with less depressive symptoms. However, the impact of MED consumption on depression varied by subgroups; urban older adults benefited more from MED consumption than their rural counterparts, and the relationship between MED intake and depression was more pronounced in males than in females. The study highlighted the influence of socio-demographic factors, such as literacy, income, and self-rated health, on depression levels.
Discussion
The results suggested that MED consumption may offer protective effects on mental health in older adults, although the association may not be causal. The study underscored the need for further research to explore the complex interplay between diet and mental health in older adults, particularly in diverse cultural contexts.
... Leaves' antioxidant, immune-modulating, and anti-inflammatory qualities are used in cosmetics, sunburn ointments, and beverages. Stem bark reduces menstrual bleeding and treats malaria (Simoons 2014). Ginkgo biloba and P. crenulata treat acute altitude sickness (Dimitri 1972). ...
Pyracantha crenulata (D. Don) M. Roem (syn. Crataegus crenulata Roxb.) is an evergreen shrub in the Rosaceae family, notable for its chemical diversity and biological potential. This study isolates and characterises six compounds (Cc-1 to Cc-6), including four new ones, using repeated column chromatography. Structural elucidation employed IR, UV-vis, 1H and 13 C NMR, and mass spectrometry. The DPPH assay was used to test the antioxidant activity in vitro. Compounds Cc-4, Cc-2, Cc-1, and Cc-5 had IC50 values of 15.734 μg/ml, 51.422 μg/ml, 62.864 μg/ml, and 71.622 μg/ml, in that order. Quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed flavonoid content (22.81 mg/g), tannin content (385.15 mg/g), and total phenolic content (128.78 mg/g). Human cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) (PDB ID: 1hck) docked with compound Cc-4, which demonstrated strong antioxidant activity and revealed significant non-bonding interactions. The pkCSM and SwissADME analyses suggested promising drug-like properties for Cc-4, supported by BOILED-Egg diagrams highlighting its therapeutic potential.
... While contemporary vegetarianism is a relatively modern phenomenon in 20th-century Western cultures, emphasizing antianthropocentrism and anti-speciesism (Wrenn, 2019;Kalte, 2021;Gheihman, 2021;Cherry, 2006;Ophélie, 2016), its roots in China are deep-seated, intertwined with Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This philosophical and healthoriented heritage has seen vegetarianism woven into the fabric of Chinese dietary practices (Simoons, 2014;He, 2013). Current trends show Chinese consumers embracing vegetarian diets, driven by concerns for food safety, spirituality, fitness, and health (Lavallee et al., 2019). ...
The shift to a vegetarian diet has multiple benefits, including the promotion of public health, sustainability, and animal welfare. Despite these advantages, vegetarian food choices often provoke controversy, particularly on social media platforms. On International Vegetarian Day 2021, renowned Chinese actress Zhang Jingchu endorsed a documentary titled “Vegetarian” on Weibo, igniting widespread discussion among Chinese netizens. Considering China’s deep cultural and practical roots in vegetarianism, the predominantly negative response to the documentary was surprising. This study employs frame analysis to dissect the portrayal of vegetarianism in the documentary, utilizing topic modeling based on Latent Dirichlet Allocation and sentiment analysis to examine over 26,000 related comments. Our findings indicate that the documentary predominantly utilizes health and ethical frames to represent vegetarianism, with a greater emphasis on ethical considerations. Topic modeling of the comments uncovered 14 topics that reflect netizens’ dissatisfaction with various facets of the vegetarian advocacy presented in the documentary. Moreover, the comments reveal three primary strategies netizens use to justify meat consumption and alleviate cognitive dissonance: rationalization of meat eating, skepticism towards vegetarianism, and resistance to the advocacy message of “Vegetarian”. The results imply that for vegetarian advocacy to be more effective, it should align with local everyday concerns, food culture, and the current stage of social development.
... Giant salamanders (genus Andrias) are the largest extant amphibians in the world, and representatives of an ancient salamander clade retaining plesiomorphic features such as external fertilization (Browne et al., 2014), a large number of chromosomes (Morescalchi et al., 1977;Sessions, 2008), and separated angular in mandible (Noble, 1931), as also seen in its sister group, hynobiid salamanders. Giant salamanders have long been treated as medicinal, edible, and sacred beings both in Japan and China (Kaburaki, 1932;Simoons, 1991), and the natural populations of the giant salamanders have declined due to habitat destruction and overhunting. This led to the inclusion of the genus Andrias in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibits international trade. ...
For a long time, it has been debated whether the two giant salamanders, Andrias japonicus from Japan and A. davidianus from China, are conspecific or heterospecific. Morphological information about their diagnostic characteristics has been limited, without considering sexual dimorphism and/or body size variation. Recently, A. davidianus, which was introduced into Japan sometime in the past, has been found to hybridize with A. japonicus in situ. Taxonomic identification of individuals involved in this unusual breeding is made based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses. This identification method is time-consuming and costly. Thus, developing easier methods of identification, such as utilizing external morphological characteristics, is urgently needed. In this study, we verify previous descriptions showing that A. davidianus has a longer relative tail length than A. japonicus, and the tubercles on the lower jaw and throat were present in both sexes of A. davidianus. In addition, many head characteristics were found to be relatively larger in A. davidianus than in A. japonicus, which were new distinguishing characters. These morphological differences help support the idea that these are heterospecific lineages. In hybrids, relative values of head width and tail length were larger than those of A. japonicus, and the tubercles on their lower jaw and throat were present as in A. davidianus, suggesting that the hybrids and A. davidianus are distinguishable from A. japonicus.
... In Shanghai, a popular dish is seaweed fried rice and the cold appetizer 'Hot and sour seaweed,' with chopped seaweed in a soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, and garlic mixture. Strips of softened agar (extracted from specific red seaweeds, e.g., Gracilaria spp.) appear in salads or along with other dishes, e.g., with chicken (Simoons, 1991). ...
... There is some discussion about when watermelon was first grown in China. Dane and Liu (2007) stated that watermelon was introduced to India in the 9th century, and to China by the 11th century; Simoons (2014) states that watermelon arrived in China "only in the twelfth century"; and the most complete account is in Life of Guang Zhou (Anonymous, 2021), which explains that al- Thus, the simplest historical scenario is that WMV originated as a virus infecting various plant species (A. altissima, A.a rosea, P. ginseng, etc.) in north China at least 2000 years ago during the Zhou and Han dynasties (411 bc and 4.4 bc), but moved from non-cucurbit hosts to watermelon around 1000 years ago when watermelon was first grown as a crop in northern China during the Five Dynasties (907-960 ce). ...
Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) is a potyvirus and a member of the bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) lineage. It is one of the most economically important viral pathogens of cucurbits worldwide and was first reported in the Czech Republic in 2011 from serological surveys (2005–2011). In this study, we confirmed this identification by determining the complete coding regions of five Czech WMV isolates using high-throughput sequencing and Sanger sequencing (MW188031; OP585149–OP585152), together with the coat protein (CP) genes of 26 additional isolates. Phylogenies were made from these and more than 128 genomes or 128 CP genes from GenBank. They showed that the Czech isolates were most closely related to other European isolates, but, surprisingly, 96.2% of the genomes were recombinant. The nonrecombinant sequences mostly came from basal isolates, all originating from China, and some from unusual hosts (Ailanthus altissima, Alcea rosea and Panax ginseng). The complete WMV genomes form three phylogenetic clades, two of them small and basal, and the third includes all other isolates. Comparative dating suggests that the basal Chinese isolates are descendants of a potyvirus population infecting various dicotyledonous plant species in China at least 2000 years ago. WMV became a crop pathogen around 1000 years ago, a few years after watermelon was taken to northern China and first grown as a crop during the Five Dynasties (907–960 CE).
... Algae are autotrophic and grow in aquatic environments using carbon dioxide and solar energy [23,32]. CV is a single-celled organism as a member of the algae family characterized by spherical shape and micro-size diameter, which contains membrane, pyrenoid, chloroplast, cytoplasm, and nucleus, as well as numerous amounts of nutraceuticals as an important food source for humans [ Fig. 1] [33,34]. CV is produced in many countries, including China, the United States, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Japan, and exported and sold internationally as a functional food and dietary supplement [35,36]. ...
High incidence rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD) make this condition as an important public health concern. The use of natural products in treating this chronic condition has increased in recent years one of which is the single-celled green alga Chlorella. Chlorella vulgaris (CV) has been studied for its potential benefits to human health due to its biological and pharmacological features. CV contains a variety of macro and micronutrients, including proteins, omega-3, polysaccharides, vitamins, and minerals. Some studies have indicated that taking CV as a dietary supplement can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. In some studies, cardiovascular risk factors that are based on hematological indices did not show these benefits, and no molecular mechanisms have been identified. This comprehensive review summarized the research on the cardio-protective benefits of chlorella supplementation and the underlying molecular processes.
... These studies, to some extent, support the findings of this study on Dieting and Bulimia and Food Preoccupation among young Polish and Chinese women. Moreover, sociologically and anthropologically, eating has a vital social function in Chinese culture, and Chinese adults may overeat or feel pressure from others to gain weight in order to maintain relationships and celebrate important events [51,52]. However, the eating patterns of European and American adults with individualistic cultural values are more akin to a "functional diet", with a focus on personal experience and achieving maximum results (e.g., providing nutrition, satisfying hunger) at minimal cost (e.g., saving time) [53,54]. ...
The main aims of this study were to determine which sociocultural predictors of obligatory exercise are universal for young men or women and which are specific to particular cultural conditions (Polish or Chinese culture) and to examine the mediating role of eating attitudes. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Poles (n = 259) and Chinese (n = 208) aged 18 to 30. Descriptive and comparative statistics, Spearman’s rho, and multiple regression analysis were used. The main analyses showed that Internalization—Athlete was a common positive direct predictor of obligatory exercise among young Polish and Chinese women; Information and Internalization—Athlete were only specific direct positive predictors of obligatory exercise in young Chinese men; some variables in eating attitudes mediated the development of obligatory exercise in young Polish and Chinese men and women and indicated that there were cross-cultural differences. In understanding obligatory exercise among young people, attention should be paid to their sociocultural attitudes toward the body and eating, and cultural and gender differences need to be considered.
... Indiscriminate harvest caused widespread soil erosion and desertification, leading to a ban on harvest. In addition to Nostoc, consumption of some other colonial cyanobacteria has been reported in China and Taiwan (Simoons, 1991). ...
... Spinach basically spreads into two different directions one to Southern and Eastern Asia and another to Africa, the Mediterranean region, and Northern Europe, from where it was introduced to USA. These two regions applied two different modes of selection pressure that results in the regeneration of two types of cultivars: (1) Asian type and (2) Western type (Simoons 1990; Van der Vossen 2004). Asian cultivars have narrow, hastate, smooth leaves with long petioles, whereas western cultivars have round expanding leaves with savoy leaf texture (Van der Vossen 2004). ...
The nutritious leafy vegetable, spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) having diploid chromosome numbers, 2n = 2× = 12, is a versatile wind-pollinated crop which is rich in health-promoting minerals and vitamins. Majority of the spinach plants are dioecious in nature and it is gaining popularity throughout the world owing to nutrient content of this economically important cool season leafy crop. This crop is effected by several devastating biotic and abiotic stresses which need to be managed using the modern biotechnological tools. In this context, the breeding for overcoming these problems have gained momentum in the post-genomics era. Hence, numerous quantitative trait loci (QTLs), genes, and molecular markers linked with different phenotypic traits like leaf shape, flowering traits, nutritional traits, etc., have been identified in the past decades. But, still there is an urgent need to breed spinach for decreasing the anti-nutritional factors like oxalates, consumption of which can cause health issues. In the post-genomics era, plethora of genomic and sequence resources of spinach have been made available, which have the potential to accelerate spinach breeding program. Development of downy mildew-resistant cultivars of Spinach via introgression of NBS-LRR (nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat) genes from wild allies have been made successful. In the past decade, the genomics have provided insight into sex evolution in spinach and various candidate miRNAs (micro RNAs) related to sex forms in spinach have been identified. In this chapter, we have provided detailed overview of progress made in spinach genetic improvement in the post-genomics era.
... Job's tears is considered a cereal of minor importance currently cultivated throughout the tropics and subtropics, including China, India, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia (e-Prosea), and also on a small scale in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan (Simoons 1991). The domesticated form (C. lacryma-jobi var. ...
Rice is the most important cereal in Southeast Asia today. Archaeobotanical evidence in mainland Southeast Asia suggests that this has been the case over the past three and a half millennia. Archaeologists have tended to emphasize the central role of rice in the origins and dispersal of agriculture, as well as how irrigated rice formed the foundation of states throughout mainland Southeast Asia. However, there are many other cereals that are traditionally cultivated in Southeast Asia or adjacent parts of China and India. This chapter provides an overview of the early history and past distribution of cereals of Southeastern Asia, highlighting how little is known about many of them, and a summary of the current evidence for origins and spread of rice and foxtail millet, the best known cereals from archaeobotanical evidence in Southeast Asia.
... N. commune често се консумира в някои азиатски държави и Латинска Америка (Johnson et al., 2008). Освен това N. flagelliforme, N. muscorum и N. sphaeroides са използвани в кулинарната традиция на Китай от столетия (Simoons, 1991;Gao, 1998;Zhou, 2017). Това намира потвърждение и в публикации на Johnston (1970) (Dodds et al., 1995). ...
Микробните и вирусните инфекции водят както до проблеми с общественото здраве, така и до икономически значими загуби (напр. когато засягат земеделски култури и съответно хранителната промишленост). Затова борбата срещу тях е едно от големите предизвикателства пред научната общност. Според План за дейността на Национален референтен център „Инфекции, предавани с храни и води“ (НРЦ-ИПХВ) от 2021 г., „инфекциозните заболявания, предавани с храни и води, са световен здравен проблем и по честота са на второ място след респираторните инфекции“. В документа се отбелязва, че най-често заболяванията на стомашно-чревния тракт „се предават по орален път чрез консумация на контаминирани храни“.
Към този момент човечеството притежава ограничен брой лекарствени средства за системно приложение. Основен проблем е появата на щамове, които са резистентни към един или повече от използваните антибиотични лекарства и други медикаменти. Справянето с резистентни бактериални щамове води до необходимост от търсене на нови лекарствени продукти. Една от причините за възникването на резистентни бактерии е неконтролируемото използване на антибиотици не само за лечение на хора, но също така във ветеринарната практика и в земеделието. Така попадането и влагането на лекарства в хранителни продукти може да има последствие върху човешкото здраве. Затова въпреки, че проблемите с живота и здравето на хората винаги е от първостепенно значение, учените по цял свят обръщат не по-малко внимание и върху проблемите свързани с качеството на храните.
Намаляването или дори загубата на добив на селскостопанската продукция, често се дължи на различни причини. Една от тях е липсата на достатъчно ефективна защита на растенията от болести, причинявани от фитопатогенни бактерии, наречени „бактериози“. Пестицидите са едно от основните средства за борба с вредителите в земеделието, но основен недостатък на използването им е това, че влияят неблагоприятно върху околната среда и прекомерната им употреба може да крие риск за здравето на животни и хора. Така напр. сярата и сероваровият разтвор са най-често използваните за борба срещу струпясването при ябълката, но те са фитотоксични за растенията и въпреки, че не са канцерогенни, могат да предизвикат респираторни проблеми при хора. Някои учени твърдят, че в резултат на продължително въздействие на тези продукти са се увеличили заболявания като Паркинсон, диабет тип 2, някои видове рак, ендокринни нарушения, невротоксичност, астма и дори затлъстявания. Според EPA 2010 повече от 70 пестицида са класифицирани като потенциално канцерогенни. Околната среда също е засегната от използването на синтетични пестициди, които се натрупват в почвата и замърсяват подпочвените води.
В момента по света се наблюдават множество тревожни тенденции - значителното увеличаване на замърсяването с пестициди, от една страна, и появата на все по-резистентни бактериални щамове предизвикващи инфекции, от друга. Към това може да се прибави и опасността от кръстосаните патогени – човешки патогени, които се интегрират в растителен или животински микробиом. Бактериите, които контаминират храната, заразяват хората и причиняват хранителни болести като например диария. Заразените храни включват бактерии и бактериални спори, микроскопични гъби, вируси, дрожди и др.
Може да се твърди, че нарастващата резистентност на вредните бактерии увеличава и нуждата от увеличение на употребата на пестициди. Тази зависимост е много тревожна и е напълно възможно да се достигне до много неприятни последици за земеделието. Затова в последните години се увеличи значително интересът към проучванията на биологични ефекти на природни съединения срещу бактериални и/или гъбични инфекции.
Vegetarian practices in China are deeply embedded in local cultural traditions and are evolving alongside modern dietary trends. This study aims to profile individuals discussing vegetarian diets on social media and identify key characteristics of vegetarian practices from the discourse. Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling, we analyze vegetarian-related discussions on Weibo, supplemented by generational and sentiment analyses. Results show that 72.2 % of participants are female, with post volumes increasing by 18.6 % on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar calendar. The majority of posts exhibit positive sentiment, comprising 73.2 % of the total. Nine key topics are identified: everyday vegetarian experiences, wishes and prayers, ethical vegetarianism, vegetarian restaurant, vegetarian meals and snacks, holistic health vegetarianism, modern nutritional and vegetarianism, vegetarian recipes, and Buddhist vegetarianism. These topics depict Chinese vegetarian practice as an inclusive, depoliticized practice rooted in local cultural traditions, characterized by flexibility and integration into everyday life. Generational analyses show that younger generations (born in the 1990s and 2000s) see vegetarianism mainly as a practical dietary choice and adopt a more relaxed approach toward it, while older generations place greater emphasis on its spiritual and ethical dimensions. This study enhances the understanding of vegetarian practices in non-Western contexts, illustrating how Chinese vegetarian practices blend tradition with modernity, fostering a distinctive, non-confrontational, and accessible pathway to mainstream adoption.
El intercambio colombino se estudió primero en relación con Europa y América; posteriormente se exploraron las dimensiones asiáticas y africanas. Resulta útil observar, en este contexto, la actitud de las regiones islámicas respecto a los productos americanos: en vez de la desconfianza y el rechazo inicial de Europa, India y China, en el islam dichos productos fueron acogidos en fecha temprana e incorporados profundamente a la cultura culinaria. Ello se debe a factores climáticos, pero sobre todo a una larga historia de adopción de especies vegetales que tuvo como episodio central la llamada “revolución agrícola árabe”.
What, how, for whom, where, and when food is cooked and served are relevant questions that shape the dynamics of foodways, rituals, and festivals in Asia. On the one hand, food holds sacred values, and on the other hand, it often becomes a mode through which taboos and restrictions are expressed and experienced. An integral part of festivals and ceremonies in Asia, food is a means of bonding and togetherness, and at the same time, it is also a means to draw boundaries among people, communities, and generations.
Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is a type of unfermented tea that largely retains the natural substance of fresh leaves. It is the second most popular beverage in the world after water. This article examines its historical and contemporary significance and presents some relevant studies. It also describes the ingredients of green tea as well as discussing the physiological and pharmacological effects, relevant side-effects or interactions and possible toxicologies according to their clinical relevance. Studies have shown that the tea polyphenols, with the catechins as the main representatives, have the greatest clinical significance and are pharmacologically active in a variety of ways. Studies have also demonstrated that green tea has antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral, hypoglycemic, cardiovascular and neuroprotective effects. Toxic effects such as hepatotoxicity are very rare and occur mainly at very high doses of green-tea extract and/or in connection with relevant pre-existing conditions or interactions. In summary, studies carried out to date show that green tea and green-tea extracts have an evidence-based efficacy, especially in health care and disease prevention, but they are also increasingly being used successfully in therapeutic applications.
Bu çalışmada, özellikle Karadeniz Bölgesinde önemli bir yere sahip olan fındığın dünü ve bugünü araştırılarak bitkinin Türkiye’de üretimi ve yayılımı, ihracat bilgileri ile yiyecek bitkisi olarak kullanımı açısından bir değerlendirme yapılmaktadır. Çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemi kullanılmış, ikincil verilerden yararlanılmıştır. Literatür taraması tekniği kullanılan çalışmada, farklı kaynaklardan yararlanılarak tarama gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarında fındık bitkisinin mutfaklarda tüketiminin yanı sıra beslenme, sağlık ve kültür açılarından kullanımı ile ilgili bulgulara yer verilmektedir. Bulgularda fındığın Türkiye özelinde kullanım ve tüketim bilgileri de yer almaktadır. Karadeniz Bölgesinin doğu kesimleri başta olmak üzere, ağırlıklı olarak fazla eğimli arazilerde yetişen fındık bitkisi, iktisadi boyutta ülke ekonomisine önemli katkılar sağlamakta, milli gelire ve dış ticarete önemli katkılarda bulunmaktadır. Fındık bitkisinin, ekonomik katkısının yanında kültürel ve sosyal anlamda da topluma olumlu yansımaları olmaktadır. Fındık, insan sağlığına önemli katkılar sağlamasının yanı sıra, kültürel bir değer olarak da kullanılmakta, ayrıca bilimsel çalışmalarda da araştırma sahası ve ürünü olarak da yer almaktadır. Fakat tanıtım yetersizliği, bilgi eksikliği, yüksek fiyatlar, çerez olarak tüketimin yaygın olmaması ile ikame ürünlerin fazlalığı gibi etkenler Türkiye’de fındık tüketiminin çoğalmasındaki en önemli engeller olarak ön plana çıkmaktadır.
The present study utilises a multidisciplinary approach towards revealing new insights into the study of the domestication history of Brassica rapa in China. A critical analysis of the current state-of-the-art research reveals a considerable distortion of data stemming from misinterpreted excavation reports of various archaeological sites discovered in China at the beginning of the first half of the twentieth century. The network of sources is untangled and brought to light while considering secondary linguistic evidence concerning the terminologies for the cultivated varieties of B. rapa utilised in the Chinese written histories. An in-depth study of phonetic reconstructions of the earliest attestations of terms connected with varieties of B. rapa (var. rapa, chinensis and pekinensis) reveals a potential link with non-Sinitic languages. A meta-analysis of contemporary assemblages of floral macro remains in mainland China conducted within this study does not support verifiable evidence of the cultivation of B. rapa varieties in Neolithic times.
The chapter discusses how Chinese food fits into China's overall soft power strategy. How Chinese food has been employed in cultural exchange programs, diplomatic initiatives, and as a tourist attraction are some of the topics covered. The chapter then goes on to offer ways in which China might make its culinary soft power strategy more effective and long-lasting by analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of employing Chinese cuisine as a soft power tool. Policymakers, cultural diplomats, and business leaders in China should consider the implications of the findings, which emphasize the importance of Chinese food in China's soft power strategy. China's cultural and historical traditions can be shared with the world through the promotion of Chinese food, which also has the added benefits of boosting the economy and fostering cross-cultural understanding.
We analyze multi-scalar social, economic, and policy dynamics of shark fin production and consumption through Hong Kong, the world's leading shark fin entrepôt, and U.S. Mid-Atlantic artisanal fisheries in New Jersey (NJ), a U.S. state that enacted a shark-fin retail ban in 2021. Trade statistics point to a rise in shark fin circulation to Hong Kong in recent years supplied through global pathways of production. Global discourses of overconsumption and shark finning in Asia have shaped U.S. state environmental policies banning shark fin retail. However, interviews with shark fin retailers and consumers in Hong Kong point not to undifferentiated Asian consumption, but instead indicate gendered, classed, and intergenerational dynamics that undergird consumption and bear on production elsewhere. New Jersey fisheries, once an exporter to Hong Kong, enacted a statewide shark fin retail ban in response to global defaunation and anxieties related to Asian fishing and consumption practices. Interviews and focus group discussions illustrate how the ban has resulted in a practice artisanal fishers call "reverse shark-finning," i.e., the discarding of fins post-landing. Moreover, local regulations neglect artisanal fishers' knowledge and capability to identify shark species at sea. The findings show how the totalizing ban diminishes economic returns but does not reduce total shark catches in the artisanal sector. To test fishers' knowledge at sea, the study uses a mitochondrial DNA barcoding method on post-landing shark fins (n = 47) to compare genetic identification with fishers' visual species identification. The findings illustrate artisanal fishers' knowledge is sufficient to accurately identify the shark species they catch. These findings are significant for environmental policies, biodiversity conservation, and global-local relations of production and consumption. We argue that more targeted efforts that take socioeconomic dynamics into account are needed to affect consumption, while more holistic policies that examine impacts rather than blanket bans may be more effective on the production and conservation side. Ecologically sustainable and socioeconomically sound shark conservation practices, therefore, require multi-scalar interdisciplinary and dialectical analyses of social, economic, and policy dynamics.
Citron (Citrus medica L.) is the type species of the genus Citrus, one of the primary species of cultivated citrus, and a parent or ancestor of the commercially important acid citrus fruits. Southwestern China is a crucial center of origin and diversity for citron. The diversity of this species in China is extensive, but poorly documented until recently. Prized for its fragrance, citron played an important role in Chinese art and culture. Today, citron is grown in most of the warmer citrus‐producing areas of China, and is used in Chinese traditional medicine, ornamental pot culture, and for human consumption as both fresh and processed products. In Chinese traditional medicine, dried citron is used as a tonic, to regulate Qi, the life force. Citrons are classified by fruit shape as either common (nonfingered) or fingered. In most of China, fingered citrons predominate because they are more suited to cultivation for medicinal and ornamental uses. Typically, common citrons grown in China have locules in which juice vesicles are absent, or are very scanty and rudimentary. ‘Ning’er Giant’, typically weighing 3–5 kg, sometimes reaching 8–10 kg, may be the world’s largest citrus cultivar. Fingered citron trees vary in stature, cold hardiness, flower color, and other significant horticultural characteristics; the fruits vary in size, shape, number and thickness of fingers, proportion of fruits that are open or closed, and the point on the fruit at which the carpels become distinct. The distinctive forms of many named cultivars reflect different genotypes. There also exist in China genotypes that are intermediate in morphology between common and fingered citron. Putatively “wild” citron trees producing small fruits grow in forests, in semi‐wild margins between natural and cultivated areas, and in private gardens in the subtropical forests of western and southern Yunnan. Scientists in China and elsewhere have paid increasing attention to citron germplasm resources during recent years.
Parasites have been infecting humans throughout our evolution. When complex societies developed, the greater population density provided new opportunities for parasites to spread. In this interdisciplinary volume, the author brings his expertise in medicine, archaeology and history to explore the contribution of parasites in causing flourishing past civilizations to falter and decline. By using cutting edge methods, Mitchell presents the evidence for parasites that infected the peoples of key ancient civilizations across the world in order to understand their impact upon those populations. This new understanding of the archaeological and historical evidence for intestinal worms, ectoparasites, and protozoa shows how different cultures were burdened by contrasting types of diseases depending upon their geographical location, endemic insects, food preferences and cultural beliefs.
What can Pekin duck tell us about diaspora and settler colonialism? In this paper we answer this question by introducing “eating dialectically,” inspired by community activist Grace Lee Bogg’s understandings of “thinking dialectically” and her challenge for us to “grow our souls” in the context of many crises we continually face. We focus on how Pekin duck is consumed and produced within the Greater Toronto Area. This piece offers three duck meals to ruminate on often ignored connections between diasporic foodways in multicultural cities and the rural areas that provide them ingredients. We present and troubleshoot a practice of “eating dialectically” which aims not only to raise critical food consciousness but also push us all to reimagine ourselves, our futures, and the foods that feed our souls anew. We conclude by briefly discussing the limitations of eating dialectically and our abilities to reimagine ourselves and our food futures.
On the other side of Hubei, to the south of Dongting lake, is Hunan Province, thus its name “south of the lake” that goes back to the Tang dynasty. Humans have inhabited Hunan going back 18,000 years, and have also been cultivating rice there for some 10,000 years. Often associated with its spicy cuisine, Hunanese cooking has heavily relied upon a relatively recent import from the New World, the chili pepper. Hunan is also home to Mao Zedong, the most consequential ruler of China since Qin Shihuangdi. It was also in Hunan where a significant player, Marshal Peng Dehuai, discovered firsthand the ravages of Mao’s disastrous Great Leap Forward (1958–62), and his criticism of Mao Zedong that followed was the proximal cause of the Cultural Revolution (1966–76). Being somewhat remote from the more economically vibrant regions along the southeastern coast, it is for this reason that a significant number of China’s “floating populations” from Hunan spend much (if not all) of their lives working and living outside Hunan province. One can infer this based on the discrepancy in numbers between Hubei’s census figures and its official household (hukou) registered persons.
Guangdong, China’s most populous and, arguably, its most dynamic province, was a key conduit for business with the outside world in the nineteenth century via its capital of Guangzhou City (“Canton”). Once considered a southern backwater for disgraced imperial bureaucrats and other undesirables, Guangdong has since developed into a province of unique and prosperous character. In addition to having played a key role in mercantile trade internationally, not to mention the ignoble trade in opium, Guangzhou was home to the violent uprising of the Taiping Rebellion in the mid-nineteenth century. Then, 50 years later, led by Guangdong’s most famous son, Sun Yat-sen, the province was the springboard for the 1911 revolution that overthrew millennia of imperial rule and created modern China. Now an economic powerhouse, Guangdong Province famously served as a key test base for free enterprise and capitalism, helping to bring mainland China out of a moribund, Maoist quagmire into a modern, world-class superpower. Furthermore, the dynamism of Guangdong is reflected in the patterns and growth of its population: with an official hukou family registered population of just over 95 million, and a resident population of over 126 million (based on the 2020 census), a significant number of China’s “floating population” is to be found amongst Guangdong’s economically vibrant cities, notably Shenzhen.
With the rapid development of society and improvement of material conditions, people begin to focus on internal needs, claiming more complicatedly about the social value of food and the way it presents. The meaning of food not only stays at the material level, but is more of an internal symbol of a regional. Its symbolic meaning reflects the internal culture of the region and the complex social and relationship between the local region and other regions. This research involves service design thinking into the research process of sustainable development of food culture in Zhenze Region of Suzhou, China, focusing on how service design can meet the challenge of complex social development issues, and how to deal with the obstacles of food inheritance and innovation under the background of sustainable development. Specifically, the structural relationship of service design participating in the development of regional food has been combed, and the process model of discovery - exploration - opportunity point - proposal - experiment - execution is provided for the construction of regional food system in China, while playing the role of service design in this process. Furthermore, this paper explores the value of food service design from the perspective of social sustainability, promotes and expands a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of regional, explores the relationship between regional and food, deconstructs and reconstructs the various possibilities of regional food, social sustainability and people. We emphasize the ability and creativity of service design to solve the development issues of regional characteristic food, establish short chain communication between people and regional space, meanwhile, push forward the upgraded food innovation, convey more diversified value significance, and promote the sustainable development of society.KeywordsRegional food cultureSocial sustainabilityService designFood designDesign value
It is commonly asserted that Chinese diets before the market and production reforms of the 1980s contained little or no meat. Yet this nearly universal assumption remains untested: Unlike other forms of material consumption, the question of meat in Chinese diets has received almost no systematic attention from historians. Focusing on the early twentieth century, this article examines who in China ate meat, and how meat consumption was shaped by regional and household patterns. It combines insights from three sorts of data. First, Japanese price surveys from the 1920s show a high degree of variation in the preference for one type of meat over others, and the price availability of meat versus wages or other food products. Second, production data, including slaughterhouse tallies and industry estimates of animal by-products show the seasonality of animal slaughter and the vast scale and dispersed geography of China’s livestock production. Finally, nutrition and diet studies from the 1920 to the late 1940s examine actual household consumption, emphasizing how social forces and cyclical fortunes shaped individual choices. The composite picture from these three perspectives confirms that China’s meat consumption was hardly inconsequential. But more than simply triangulating a result, the exercise of comparing perspectives of price, production, and nutrition also highlights the collection of survey data as a series of historical moments.
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