The production of collective meals in institutional restaurants demands a great use of natural resources. The search for strategies to reduce negative environmental impacts in this sector is essential to offer meals that are not only healthy but also sustainable. In this study the evaluation of water footprint (WF) of menus offered in a public university restaurant located in the northeast of Brazil and the verification of the origin of foodstuff purchased to compose the menus in 2 months were carried out. The study is transversal, descriptive, and exploratory and the data were collected between March and April 2018. Water footprint of 112 traditional and vegetarian menus was calculated and the results showed that the WF of traditional menus was higher (p < 0.0001) than the vegetarian menus. Weekly average per capita of WF was 2752.0 L for traditional menus and 1113.9 L for the vegetarian option, with animal protein intake in the traditional version being the main factor for this difference. It was identified that 49.47% of the foods used in the studied period originated from the same state where the restaurant is located, with fresh vegetables being the food group with the highest contribution. Thus, we conclude that although the restaurant purchases local food products, the environmental impact of the choice of foods that is included in the menus must be taken into account. The utilization of local foodstuff and the decrease of animal protein in the menus can be a good strategy to encourage sustainable actions in food services meal production.

Reduction of waste from food industry and food services is a current concern due to the large amount of waste generated, including peels and fruit seeds. The objective of this study was to obtain a flour produced from Cantaloupe melon seeds (Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus) and to evaluate the viability of using the product as an ingredient in cake manufacturing. In this study, different formulations were developed: standard cake—0% (F1) and cakes containing melon seed flour as substitute of wheat flour in 10% (F2), 30% (F3), and 50% (F4) concentrations. Centesimal composition, dietary fibre, structural and morphological characterization, determination of mineral composition, and evaluation of fatty acids profile in melon seed flour were carried out. To determine the overall acceptance of cake formulations, sensory analysis was performed with 135 non-trained panelists, which also included the identification of sensorial attributes using the Just About Right ideal scale test. The results showed that the melon seed flour has considerable nutritional value, with 18% proteins, 3% moisture, 4% ash, 30% lipids, and 35% dietary fibre. Melon flour also has a significantly high content of minerals, mainly phosphorus (1507.62 mg/100 g), potassium (957.35 mg/100 g), and magnesium (504.03 mg/100 g). The polyunsaturated fatty acid fraction was the most abundant in melon seed flour, with predominance of omega-6 fatty acids (17.95 g/mg of sample). Sensorial analysis disclosed good acceptance for formulations containing 10% and 30% of melon seed flour, with the 10% formulation being the most accepted. The research showed the feasibility of using the melon seed flour in cake production, as well as the possibility of using food waste in restaurants and food industries in order to adhere to sustainable production actions.

This study aimed to evaluate aspects of sustainable nutrition in Public Educational Institutions Restaurants (PEIR) in a Brazilian state. Cross-sectional descriptive research was conducted in six PEIR. Purchased foodstuffs for a one-month period were investigated from the perspective of their origin (place of production), processing degree and nutritional profile. The presence of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in packaged foodstuffs was also evaluated. Regarding served meals, a four-week period was evaluated in each PEIR considering the Water Footprint (WF) and the nutrient composition of the lunch meals. Results showed that 31.6% of foodstuffs purchased in the period evaluated were from national origin. Analysis of the processing degree of food purchased showed 64.8% unprocessed or minimally processed foods. However, 60.8% of the foodstuffs purchased in a one-month period presented sodium excess, 46.9% had an excess of saturated fat and 40.1% contained an excess of free sugar. The presence of GMO was observed in 9.2% of packed foods. The meals showed a per capita WF average of 2165.8 liters, an energy supply of 834.6 kcal and 1,289.6 mg of sodium per meal served. Foodstuff purchase and menu planning are essential steps towards achieving sustainable meal production and the results showed that foodstuffs purchased in institutional restaurants during the evaluated period was not in line with the precepts of a healthy and sustainable diet. Studies that assess the impact of meal production on the different dimensions of sustainable nutrition are essential to better understand this complex production process.

A elaboração de cardápios saudáveis sob a ótica da produção sustentável é uma tendência mundial entre gestores de serviços de alimentação. O objetivo do estudo foi elaborar uma ferramenta de avaliação para setor de alimentação coletiva, no que diz respeito à produção de refeições e cardápios sustentáveis. Utilizou-se como embasamento científico revisão de literatura nacional e internacional sobre sustentabilidade em serviços de alimentação, e elaborou-se um questionário de verificação. Este questionário foi aplicado em uma UAN institucional e constatou-se conformidade em 70,3% dos itens avaliados. Destacou-se o desenvolvimento de ações relacionadas a geração de resíduos sólidos e a oferta de variedade das escolhas alimentares, embora, não tenha sido realizada auditoria energética e as refeições não apresentarem adequação total quanto à qualidade nutricional. Diante da relevância e escassez de estudos com propostas de avaliação de cardápios sustentáveis que auxiliem gestores, alunos e professores para aplicação de práticas voltadas para a sustentabilidade, sobretudo visando o atendimento legal vigente, o questionário desenvolvido auxiliará estes profissionais para uma gestão contemporânea, facilitando a implantação de ações sustentáveis na produção de refeições. A relevância do tema e escassez de trabalhos que apresentem ferramentas que propiciem adoção de práticas sustentáveis na produção de refeições ressaltam a importância de mais estudos voltados para esta temática. O instrumento desenvolvido nesta pesquisa é de fácil aplicação e contempla as recomendações mundiais da Associação Americana de Nutricionistas, desta forma, almeja-se que seja utilizado por profissionais dos serviços de alimentação visando adoção de ações sustentáveis na produção de refeições.

The present study aimed to assess Ecoefficiency (EE) related to the emission of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) from the transport of the inputs used to provide complementary meals at a large university hospital in Brazil. For EE calculations, the annual energy supply in kilocalories of the inputs used and the estimated GHG emissions were considered, considering the distance in kilometers between the place of origin of each product and the destination city in southern Brazil. 31 products were used and selected for complementary meals distributed in the groups of: dairy products, cookies, drinks, supplements, and enteral diets for adults and pediatrics. The results showed that EE was directly related to the origin of the products, especially in enteral diets. The application of the Spearman correlation coefficient showed a strong negative correlation of -0.8119 [CI (95%) -0.9023; -0.6531] between the variables distance in kilometers and eco-efficiency and also when comparing GHG emissions with kilocalories. The health sector must play its role in relation to environmental impacts also in the assessment of GHG emissions in the context of nutritional therapy.

Introdução: O papel regulador da vigilância sanitária implica, dentre outras, ações fiscalizatórias mediante lavratura de Autos de Infração nem sempre publicizados. Objetivo: Identificar a publicidade das decisões de Processos Administrativos Sanitários instaurados pela Vigilância Sanitária Municipal em Serviços de Alimentação de uma capital do Nordeste brasileiro e avaliar as penalidades impostas. Método:Estudo transversal de abordagem qualitativa, que utilizou a técnica de análise documental. Os dados foram obtidos a partir de consulta on-line ao Diário Oficial do Município, no período de 2015 a 2018. Resultados:Foram encontrados 509 processos, sendo 16,7% em 2015, 35,9% em 2016, 34,6% em 2017 e 12,8% em 2018. “Advertência” foi a penalidade mais aplicada, isoladamente, seguida por “multa”. Advertência e multa foram aplicadas cumulativamente com “inutilização de produtos”, respectivamente em 11,0% e 4,9% dos casos. “Interdição total” foi aplicada sempre cumulada, 7,7% com advertência e 1,4% com multa. Foram mais penalizados: “restaurantes e similares” (22,3%), “supermercados e hipermercados” (10,3%), “lanchonetes, casas de chá, sucos e similares” e “minimercados, mercearias e armazéns” (ambos com 6,9%). O maior percentual foi de estabelecimentos que não puderam ser classificados (36,7%). Conclusões:Há publicidade das decisões, mas não das infrações. A sistematização e a avaliação das decisões de processos administrativos são mecanismos de prestação de contas à sociedade e podem ser importantes ferramentas de gestão em Vigilância Sanitária. Para uma avaliação dos fatores de risco minimizados ou eliminados por essa ferramenta seria necessário conhecer o que motivou a lavratura dos Autos de Infração.