© Folens 2009 Values issues Lesson 16 Jenny Ridgwell Series Editor: Louise T Davies

Lesson objectives/aims Understand the use of packaging materials, their cost and environmental impact. Understand how multicultural factors have influenced food production. Consider the use of resources and the range of food production methods. Consider the implication of food issues in product development. © Folens 2009

Learning ladder By the end of the lesson: You must: Understand that multicultural factors can influence food production. Be able to recognize the terms: transport costs, sustainability, religious and cultural preferences, Genetically Modified (GM) foods, organic and free range foods, Fairtrade, farm assured. You should: Understand that multicultural factors can influence food production. Be able to assess some of the implications of food issues in product development. You could: Research the above issues and present useful information for class discussion. © Folens 2009

Introduction The food in our supermarkets comes from all over the world and travels to the UK by ship, lorry or air. Efforts are being made to encourage local food production and purchase. The amount of packaging used on food products is a concern. Animal welfare and the welfare of people working in the food industry are both areas of concern. Why is importing food long distances bad? © Folens 2009

Starter Make a list of all the foods that you ate for lunch yesterday and try to decide where in the world they were grown or produced, and prepared ready to eat. Some of your foods may have made a long journey. Which came the furthest? Which was the most local to you? © Folens 2009

Packaging and the environment (1) The different types of packaging used for food include: paper, board, metal such as foil and tin, plastic, glass. The UK generates 30 million tons of household waste a year. Three per cent of packaging waste goes to landfill. © Folens 2009

Packaging and the environment (2) We need to reduce, reuse and recover waste before it is finally disposed. We can recover by recycling, composting and recovering energy from packaging. © Folens 2009

Manufacturers and packaging Manufacturers are setting waste reduction targets to reduce packaging. They are reducing the weight of packaging including bottles, cans and boxes. This will reduce the cost of transport from production to shop to customer. They are increasing the use of refill and self-dispensing systems. Supermarkets are encouraging shoppers to bring their own bags to hold shopping. © Folens 2009

How multicultural factors have influenced food production (1) In the UK we have foods from all over the world. As people from around the world have come to work and settle in the UK, they have brought their recipes and food culture. You will see a huge range of food products for sale in supermarkets that come from all over the world. Asda has a team of buyers who run the World Food Hub and find foods from around the world. © Folens 2009

How multicultural factors have influenced food production (2) In the ready meal section of many supermarkets you will see dishes from Asia, China and the Middle East as well as European dishes from France, Greece and Italy. Chinese foods include crispy duck with pancakes. Indian foods include chicken jalfrezi. © Folens 2009

How multicultural factors have influenced food production (3) Middle Eastern and European foods include hummus and stuffed vine leaves. French foods include a range of French cheeses and French style breads. Italian foods include a huge range of pasta. © Folens 2009

Food miles (1) Food miles is the distance our food travels from field to plate and the environmental impact of transporting foods around the world. Years ago we could only eat strawberries in the UK when they were in season. Today 95% of our fruit is imported from other countries. Visit your local supermarket and see where the fruit and vegetables on sale come from. © Folens 2009

Food miles (2) People are being encouraged to buy locally produced food. The problem is that people like to eat a variety of food all year round. Many of our food products are transported for vast distances. The food arrives by ship, plane or on lorries. Food is sold in a global marketplace so our food products come from all around the world. Sometimes fruit and vegetables are grown for cash crops in countries where the population is struggling to feed itself. But they make money by exporting their crops to us. The transport costs of shipping, flying or driving food to our supermarkets is very high, and consumers are asking for them to be lowered and to have local food choices. © Folens 2009

Sustainable food production © Folens 2009 Sustainable food production means: using farming systems which do not harm the environment. using farm land in a way that it will be available for future generations. employing people fairly to help with the food production. respecting the earth’s limited natural resources and not exploiting the land or the people.

Religious and cultural preferences (1) People from different religions may follow special dietary laws. Kosher food is food that meets Jewish dietary laws and must follow special rules. Halal food is prepared according to Islamic principles. There must be no alcohol or pork in products and if meat is used it must be slaughtered according to an Islamic method. Some religions do not eat meat, fish or animal products, so need a vegetarian diet. © Folens 2009

Religious and cultural preferences (2) Most people like to eat the food that they are familiar with. Many communities have their own shops that provide them with special ingredients to cook this food. For example, in the UK there are many Polish shops providing sauerkraut and sausages for Polish communities. In Oriental food stores ingredients such as lemon grass from Thailand may be sold to make spicy Thai dishes. © Folens 2009

Genetically Modified (GM) foods Plants or animals can be genetically modified by changing their DNA to make them more resistant to drought or to improve their growth. The most common plants to be genetically modified are soya beans, maize and wheat. Some people may not want to buy or eat Genetically Modified foods. In the EU a food label shows if food contains genetically modified organisms. © Folens 2009

Organic foods Organic food must meet strict standards for the use of pesticides, additives, animal welfare and sustainability. Organic farms use few chemicals and most pesticides are banned. The organic movement aims to produce food as naturally as possible. The Soil Association is the main organisation in the UK that checks that farms and food products meet its standards. © Folens 2009

Free range food Free range food is a term applied to animal farming. It means the animals are free to roam outside and move about. Free range chickens are allowed outside in fields instead of being kept indoors with no natural daylight. Some people prefer to buy food from free range animals, although the price is higher. © Folens 2009

Fairtrade ® Fairtrade ® is about giving a fair deal to people who work in some of the poorest countries in the world. Companies work with suppliers to make sure the workers are treated well and are given a fair wage. The Fairtrade ® mark is found on products that meet these standards. You will find the logo on coffee, tea, sugar and fruit such as bananas. © Folens 2009

Farm assured Farm assurance schemes are voluntary schemes which producers can join to assure customers that certain standards have been maintained in the production process. The schemes cover a range of standards including safety, welfare and environmental: the Red Tractor scheme the RSPCA Freedom Food scheme the LEAF Marque (Linking the Environment and Farming) the Soil Association organic standard. © Folens 2009

Seasonal food Fruit and vegetables are in season when they are ready to harvest. So apples and pears are ready to pick in the autumn. Strawberries and raspberries are ready to eat in the UK in summer. Fruit and vegetables are most nutritious when they are just harvested. Older fruit and vegetables lose some of their nutrition as they are stored. People are being encouraged to eat food when it is in season. © Folens 2009

Task You have a tin of beans, a loaf of bread in a wrapper and some vegetables that have been grown in Africa. Work in groups and discuss the environmental issues related to each product. Present your results to the class. © Folens 2009

Plenary Explain how your family or friends could change their eating habits to be more aware of the environment. Would this cost more or less? What happens to all of the waste you produce? © Folens 2009

Homework Use the Internet to find out more about the following issues: food packaging Genetically Modified (GM) food free range food Fairtrade® farm assured food miles seasonal foods. Write a short paragraph on each one. © Folens 2009