Introduction: Meals served in the Food Service industry represent a significant part of the daily diet of many consumers, including at least one of their main meals. Changes in the needs and expectations of both customers and consumers have led to the evolution of the sector. Gaining in-depth insight into the consumer perspective is a huge competitive advantage for companies. Aim: To analyse consumers’ proposals for the future of food service in Portugal, aiming to identify changes to be implemented in the industry from the consumers’ perspective. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Portuguese adults with experience in food service. The questionnaire included closed and open-ended questions and was distributed on paper and online in 2020 and 2021. The online version was disseminated by email, through social media, in food service companies and the food service industry, and the paper version was sent to some food service companies. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and qualitative content analysis was applied to open-ended responses. Results and Discussion: Consumers’ proposals for products are meals with fresh, regional/local, sustainable, organic products that are nutritionally balanced. Regarding services, consumers suggest environmentally friendly spaces, portion sizes adjusted to consumers’ needs, services of meals made to order and convenience services. Consumers mainly suggest improving products and services, but also new products and services and human resources. Overall, the proposals identified in this study are consistent with several global megatrends, particularly ethical living, healthier lifestyles and new ways of shopping. In the Portuguese context, these trends are reflected in consumers’ preference for fresh and sustainably produced foods, the growing demand for convenience services such as takeaway and Grab and Go options, and the increasing interest in personalised or made-to-order meals. These results also suggest the emergence of premiumization, through the preference for higher-quality ingredients, and the influenced of connected consumers, reflected in the demand for digital ordering systems and customised services. Conclusions/Originality: The outcome of this research is to provide important information enabling the food service industry to remain updated and competitive in the market.

Introduction: Despite the importance of military health, there is a notable lack of comprehensive research on its general health status. The nature of military life, with its structured mealtimes and reliance on institutional dining facilities, influences food consumption patterns among active duty members. This paper characterizes the dietary intake and body composition of military personnel in garrison, associating it with healthy lifestyle recommendations. Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement via three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) for searches. The study inclusion criteria were established using the Participants, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) framework. Results: A total of 25 studies (cross-sectional, longitudinal, and randomized trial) filled the inclusion criteria and were incorporated in the qualitative synthesis. The setting for data collection was generally through created questionnaires specific for that purpose, and anthropometric data were self-reported or assessed by examiners. Dietary outcomes were markedly different based on the scale used, but most measurement scales revealed moderate results similar to the general population. Discussion: There is a need to modify eating and habits patterns, such as increasing the consumption of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as improving daily physical activity for achieving a healthy weight and promoting health. More research should be done in order to improve the understanding of specific dietary intake associated with ability to meet high-performing standards in order to promote health and readiness of service members.

The consumption of ready-to-eat meals has been increasing in Europe, with relevant implications for public health, including in Portugal. In this context, front-of-pack nutrition labelling emerges as a widely recognized measure to empower consumers to make healthier and more informed food choices. However, there is still no consensus regarding the most effective labelling system, which raises challenges for its harmonized implementation. The present study aimed to evaluate the agreement between the classifications attributed by the systems - Nordic Keyhole and Nutri-Score - in ready-to-eat meals, based on the values declared on the label and the analytical values. The data related to 11 meals were collected between March and May, 2025, through the internal computer system of a national meal production unit. An agreement of 73% was found between the two systems based on the declared values and 64% based on the analytical values. In both cases, most of the discrepancies occurred in meals classified with Nutri-Score B but not eligible for the Keyhole.

IntroductionFood Service aims to provide nutritionally balanced, safe and increasingly sustainable meals for specific population groups. In recent years, the sector has faced growing challenges driven by changing consumer expectations, public health priorities and sustainability demands, particularly regarding menu composition and dietary patterns.ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between the implementation of a health and sustainability menu option (flexitarian menu) and consumers' perceptions of Food Service in Portugal.MethodsA quasi-experimental repeated cross-sectional study was conducted among adult consumers attending a Food Service unit in Portugal. Consumer perceptions were assessed using paper-based questionnaires administered to three independent samples before implementation of the intervention and 3 and 9 months afterwards. The questionnaires evaluated perceptions of Food Service products, services, companies and overall sector performance. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed.ResultsOverall, the implementation of the flexitarian menu option was associated with generally favorable trends in consumer perceptions over time. After 9 months, more favorable evaluations were observed for perceived product quality, innovation, adequacy of meals to consumers' needs and expectations, and organizational attributes related to environmental and social responsibility. Although only limited statistically significant differences were identified, overall consumer evaluations of Food Service became progressively more favorable following implementation.Conclusions/OriginalityThis study provides real-world evidence suggesting that the sustained implementation of a health and sustainability menu option may be associated with more favorable consumer perceptions of Food Service. The findings contribute to the emerging evidence supporting menu-based sustainability interventions as a feasible strategy for promoting healthier and more sustainable institutional food environments.

Nutritional labelling, mandatory for pre-packed foods in the European Union, is one of public health’s main tools to inform consumers and promote healthier choices. However, limited nutrition literacy remains a major barrier to its effectiveness, especially in food service settings where information is less standardised. To address this, Viegas and Rocha proposed an infographic (IFG) labelling format, which is designed according to the Mediterranean Diet and portion sizes of the Portuguese Food Guide. This study compared the IFG to the Nutritional Declaration (ND) among Portuguese adults using institutional food service. The ND scored higher in perceived meal balance and completeness. The IFG was also considered useful, and many respondents expressed interest in combining both formats. These findings suggest that the infographic format may serve as a promising complementary tool in food service settings and help policy makers to include a more effective labelling of food service menus to promote healthier choices.

Introduction: Food Service is the provision of meals and drinks to well-defined groups of people. It aims to provide nutritionally balanced, safe, and sustainable meals compatible with the client's conditions and needs. Food service companies must meet the client’s expectations, while simultaneously satisfying consumers in their daily meals. Objectives: To identify the general perception of Portuguese consumers about food service, more precisely their characterisation of this sector, its products and services, and companies operating in Portugal. Methodology: This cross-sectional study is based on a survey of the Portuguese population, aged above 18 years old, and who is currently, or has already been, a food service consumer. The study’s sample consisted of 1900 consumers. Results: Overall, 42% of respondents considered that food service satisfies both their needs and expectations, while 44% reported that it satisfies their needs but not their expectations. Most consumers recognised key characteristics of food service, namely good location and accessibility (88%), operating schedules adapted to users’ activities (85%), and provision of social interaction during meals (82%). Hygiene and food safety were the most highly valued attributes of both products (82%) and services (81%), followed by meal temperature (78%). Regarding food service companies, trustworthiness was the most appreciated characteristic (71%), whereas innovation received the lowest ratings across products (41%), services (45%) and companies (43%). Conclusions: Portuguese consumers generally have a positive perception of food service in Portugal, particularly regarding hygiene and food safety, meal temperature, accessibility and trust. Innovation remains a key area for improvement to better meet consumer expectations.

Introduction and Objectives: To assess the impact of implementing a community intervention project on the food offered at lunch in Portuguese daycare centers. Methods: A study was conducted in a nonprobabilistic, convenience sample of 18 Portuguese daycare centers that welcome children from six to 36 months old. The characterization of the institutions was developed using a self-administered online questionnaire. To evaluate the menu, a qualitative analysis tool was created. After an initial assessment of 12 weeks of menus in each institution, the intervention lasted for nine months. This entailed the preparation of individualized technical reports and the close monitoring of the daycare centers. A further application of the menu analysis tool was subsequently conducted for the final 12 weeks of the project. The impact of the intervention was estimated by the difference between the results obtained before and after the intervention. Results: Following the intervention, there was an improvement in the description of meal components and the overall quality of the menus, which was improved by 16%. Throughout the study, the number of facilities with a lunch menu for the six to eight months age group increased from 13 to 16, while the number of times cooked fruit was offered decreased by a median of 100% in the institutions. In the nine to 11 months age group, there was a median of 100% of institutions beginning to offer only one type of pureed fruit. In the 12 to 36 months age group, the number of times that oily fish was offered, as well as vegetables, in addition to the carbohydrate source increased in a median of 8.3% of the institutions. Discussion: Despite the simplicity and duration of this intervention, there was an improvement with compliance with recommendations, including a decrease in the number of times cooked fruit was offered in the six to eight months age group and an increase in the number of times oily fish was offered in the 12 to 36 months age group.

Introdução: A Alimentação Coletiva tem como objetivo o fornecimento de refeições nutricionalmente equilibradas, seguras e sustentáveis. O setor tem vindo a sofrer profundas alterações na sua atividade. Objetivos: Caracterizar os consumidores dos serviços de Alimentação Coletiva em Portugal e avaliar a sua perceção acerca dos problemas e potenciais soluções para o setor. Metodologia: O estudo incidiu sobre a população portuguesa, maior de idade e utilizadores de serviços de Alimentação Coletiva. Foi aplicado um inquérito por questionário, no formato online e em papel, em 2020 e 2021. A versão online foi divulgada por e-mail, através das redes sociais, em unidades de Alimentação Coletiva de várias empresas e em entidades do ramo, e a versão em papel foi enviada para distribuição preferencial em algumas empresas de Alimentação Coletiva. Resultados: Os consumidores dos serviços de Alimentação Coletiva em Portugal são maioritariamente mulheres, portuguesas, com idades entre os 26 e os 55 anos, com formação superior, casadas ou a viver em união de facto e com um agregado familiar de 3-4 elementos. A maioria dos consumidores está satisfeita com os serviços de Alimentação Coletiva e é consumidora destes serviços há mais de 10 anos. Tanto os problemas como as principais soluções identificadas pelos consumidores concentram-se nos produtos ou serviços disponibilizados, nomeadamente na qualidade (por exemplo, no equilíbrio nutricional) e variedade oferecidos. Destacam-se também as sugestões de introdução de novos produtos ou serviços, nomeadamente mais saudáveis. Também foram muito mencionados os problemas/sugestões relacionados com os recursos humanos, como as dificuldades no recrutamento e a importância da formação. Conclusões e Originalidade: O estudo caracteriza o consumidor dos serviços de Alimentação Coletiva em Portugal, para além de endereçar os problemas por si identificados, tal como eventuais soluções para a sua resolução, sempre com especial foco na melhoria da qualidade dos serviços e produtos da Alimentação Coletiva e na satisfação do consumidor nesta indústria.

Scientific evidence supports the need to adapt food systems, counteracting the current scenario characterized by excessive and growing consumption of animal products that translates into high environmental impact, unsustainability, and negative effects on health. The food services are responsible for a high and increasing carbon footprint, emerging as a sector that promotes food sustainability through the adaptation of its operational processes and food supply. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of menu reformulation and changes in the food offer on consumers’ perception and acceptance at a food service unit. A study with two stages was conducted using a convenience sample of canteen consumers (n = 55), and canteen employees (n = 6) to which a self-completion questionnaire was applied. Participants were mostly female (76.2%) and had a mean age of 40 ± 9.4 years. Menus were reformulated in stage one; stage two included food offer reformulation. Meat was considered the most important food group in both studies. Food and nutrition were highlighted as important to consumers (>80%) with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). Most participants did not notice the changes made in the study (>55%). Only 32.4% of the participants were satisfied with the proposed changes, but approximately 65.8% were willing to keep the suggested changes in the future. The results of this study present clues and opportunities for strategies to change the food offer of the food service aiming to healthier and more sustainable meals.

The Mediterranean diet (MD) has been recognised as a healthy and sustainable diet model. Despite this, current eating habits diverge significantly from established dietary recommendations, namely the MD among young university students. The eating habits of young people are characterised by a high consumption of energy-dense foods and a low consumption of vegetables and fruit. Thus, university canteen food services are essential in promoting a healthy and sustainable diet. This systematic review aimed to identify the strategies for promoting adherence to the MD and healthy diets in Higher Education food service. This systematic review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Of the 39 studies that were retrieved, all focused on strategies to improve healthy eating, and none specifically used the term "Mediterranean". Studies were conducted in different countries worldwide. Architectural nudges, discounts on healthy food and nutritional information were identified as successful strategies, especially among females and students with higher nutrition education. A combination of nudging strategies in food service is a promising way to promote healthier food habits.

Objectives: To evaluate the offer of children’s menus offered in fast food restaurants present in the Uber Eats delivery application through the Kids Menu Healthy Score ‘KIMEHS’ in Greater Santiago. Methods: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional. Research in fast food restaurants present in the Uber Eats delivery app. A total of 858 restaurants were selected. The KIMEHS was used to assess menu quality. KIMEHS index and descriptive statistics were calculated. Results: 558 restaurants were evaluated through the app; 57 offered children’s menus, yielding 114 children’s menu options from 18 different municipalities. The common offer was based on fried and/or processed lean meat accompanied by French fries in 71%. Moreover, 99% of the menus assessed obtained the minimum score in the KIMEHS placing them in the ‘not healthy at all’ category. When associations were made between foods and the lowest KIMEHS score quartile, the presence of chips had the strongest association (OR; 40.36: CI95% 11.43–201.08). Conclusions: Most restaurants offer a children’s menu of low nutritional quality and poor balance, where their dishes are commonly based on fried and processed products, pointing to the urgent need for legislation on guidelines to be applied on the different actors influencing the food offered to children.

Food sustainability is a vital global challenge, as dietary choices affect both human health and the environment. This study evaluates Portuguese dietary patterns' environmental and nutritional sustainability dimensions using data from the National Food, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Survey (IAN-AF) 2015-2016. Environmental indicators (carbon footprint, water footprint, and land use) and a nutritional quality index (NRD9.3) were analysed. Sustainability scores were calculated based on deviations from population medians, with the environmental score estimated from a weighted mean of the three indicators. A quadrant analysis classified individuals into four sustainability segments: better environmental and better nutritional scores (reference group); worse environmental and worse nutritional scores; worse environmental and better nutritional scores; and better environmental and worse nutritional scores. The reference group, with higher plant-based food consumption, had the lowest environmental impacts, 33% lower carbon footprint, 36% lower water footprint, and 50% lower land use, while exhibiting 87% better nutritional quality. In contrast, the worse environmental and worse nutritional scores group, with a diet rich in red and processed meats, sweets, and alcohol, showed higher environmental impacts and poorer nutritional quality. The group with worse environmental and better nutritional scores favored dairy and seafood, whereas the group with better environmental and worse nutritional scores had higher intakes of white meat, sweets, and alcohol. Sociodemographic factors, including sex, age, and education, show to influence the sustainability dimensions. These findings highlight the need for tailored dietary strategies that consider differing environmental and nutritional profiles, supporting more effective and practical public health interventions.

Background: The Mediterranean diet is characterized by the predominance of the consumption of fruit, vegetables, cereals, nuts, and pulses; consumption of olive oil as the main source of fat; regular but moderate consumption of win; moderate consumption of fish, dairy products, eggs, and white meats; and low consumption of red meat as well as sugar and sugary products. In addition to the reported health benefits, the Mediterranean diet has also been widely recognized as a sustainable food pattern. The objective of this study was to understand the relationship between the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet of employees of the University of Porto and the relationship with the carbon footprint of their food consumption. Methods: An observational, analytical study was carried out, through the analysis of food consumption data collected in the form of a survey in the previous 24 h inserted in the eAT24 software, as well as the analysis of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health data collected in the questionnaire. The carbon footprint was calculated from the previous 24 h surveys using data available on a website, obtained in carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of food. Sociodemographic, eating habit, and lifestyle questions were selected to understand the relationship between these and adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the carbon footprint of food consumption. Results: In total, 13.2% of the participants had a Mediterranean diet score equal to or greater than six, and the sample had an average food intake carbon footprint of 8146 ± 3081 CO2eq/Kg of food. A weak, statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.142, p = 0.006) was observed between Mediterranean diet adherence and the carbon footprint of food intake. Conclusions: Most of the participants had a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, as well as a high carbon footprint of food intake when compared to other countries. People with higher scores for Mediterranean diet adherence have, on average, a higher carbon footprint from food consumption intake.

O consumo de alimentos fora do lar tem se tornado uma rotina para os brasileiros pela praticidade e a agilidade. Porém, isso se caracteriza pela maior ingestão de calorias, açúcares e gordura, o que pode aumentar o risco para desenvolvimento de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis. Diante deste cenário, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade dos menus infantis disponibilizados em restaurantes de shoppings centers do município de São Paulo e dos municípios de Santos, São Vicente, Praia Grande e Guarujá, na Baixada Santista. Para a seleção da amostra foram incluídos os restaurantes de 30% dos shoppings centers, de cada região da cidade de São Paulo, e de todos os shoppings da Baixada Santista. Foram pesquisados apenas aqueles que apresentaram o cardápio infantil e, após a coleta, considerado somente um restaurante por rede. Os dados foram coletados por meio de um formulário no Google Forms. Somente 30,3% dos estabelecimentos em São Paulo e 13,2% na Baixada Santista ofereciam a opção de menu infantil. As preparações proteicas e fritas foram as mais ofertadas nos cardápios infantis, a presença das hortaliças foi evidente na Baixada Santista, porém as porções são consideradas pequenas, sendo notável a baixa oferta de alimentos in natura e minimamente processados e os métodos de cocção mais utilizados foram cozidos, fritura e grelhados. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que existe necessidade de um novo olhar no desenvolvimento de cardápios infantis, tendo em vista a alta demanda do consumo fora do lar e se adequarem às necessidades das crianças

The adoption of sustainable dietary patterns that consider simultaneously nutritional well-being and reduced environmental impact is of paramount importance. This paper introduces the Dietary Pattern Sustainability Index (DIPASI), as a method to assess the sustainability of dietary patterns by covering the environmental, nutritional, and economic dimensions in a single score. Environmental indicators include carbon footprint, water footprint, and land use, the nutritional quality is evaluated through the Nutritional Rich Diet 9.3 score, and the economic aspects are considered using diet cost. DIPASI measures the deviation (in %) of an individual's diet in relation to a reference diet. The case study utilized dietary data from the Portuguese National Food, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Survey (IAN-AF 2015-2016), which included 2999 adults aged 18 to 64. The Portuguese dietary patterns (covering 1492 food products consumed), were compared against the reference Mediterranean diet. Results indicated that the Portuguese dietary pattern had a higher environmental impact (CF: 4.32 kg CO2eq/day, WF: 3162.88 L/day, LU: 7.03 m(2)/day), a lower nutritional quality (NRD9.3: 334), and a higher cost (6.65 euros/day) when compared to the Mediterranean diet (CF: 3.30 kg CO2eq/day, WF: 2758.84 L/day, LU: 3.67 m(2)/day, NRD9.3: 668, cost: 5.71 euros/day). DIPASI reveals that only 4% of the sample's population does not deviate or presents a positive deviation (> - 0.5%) from the Mediterranean diet, indicating that the majority of Portuguese individuals have lower sustainability performance. For the environmental sub-score, this percentage was 21.3%, for the nutritional sub-score was 10.9%, and for the economic sub-score was 34.2%. This study provides a robust framework for assessing dietary sustainability on a global scale. The comprehensive methodology offers an essential foundation for understanding and addressing challenges in promoting sustainable and healthy dietary choices worldwide.

Abstract The production of meals in Food Service (FS) corresponds to a series of steps that require the use of resources such as food, water, and energy and generate solid waste, requiring the adoption of strategies to minimize damage to the environment and protect workers´ health. This research aimed to develop and validate an environmental performance assessment instrument for FS. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out from August 2022 to August 2023 in four stages: 1) Development of an environmental performance assessment instrument in FS; 2) validation of the instrument's content by a panel of experts; 3) Analysis of the reliability of the validated instrument, using the Pearson correlation test and 4) Assessment of internal consistency through the application of the instrument in twelve FS and the evaluation of the correlation of the checklist items using the Cronbach's Alpha index. The instrument developed comprised 77 items addressing aspects of environmental performance and environmental conditions in meal production. Eight experts participated in the content validation in two rounds of evaluation to obtain consensus, calculated by the content validity index (CVI). The items of the validated instrument presented a Pearson coefficient equal to 1 (r = 1) and Cronbach's alpha equal to 0.9391, providing maximum reliability and high consistency. It is concluded that the checklist developed presented content validity, reliability, and internal consistency, proving to be an important instrument to assist nutritionists and food service managers in establishing goals for the production of healthy and sustainable meals.

Continuous improvement (CI) have been recognised as one of the most effective ways to improve organisational performance. However, there is a lack of research on this topic from a food service perspective. Thus, the aim of this work is to explore the adoption of CI-focused methodologies in food services and to understand how they contribute to improving the performance of these services. Critical success factors and barriers to the implementation of CI are also analysed. This systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA methodology and a total of 43 studies were included in the analysis. This review shows that CI is effective in improving operations and performance, as well as increasing stakeholder satisfaction in the food service sector. Additionally, the review reveals that CI-focused tools are mainly used in problem identification, waste identification, planning, operations, and logistics. Human-related issues are the most frequently mentioned when it comes to the factors determining the success or failure of CI in food services.

Food consumption out of home has become a routine for Brazilians because of the practicality and agility. Nevertheless, this is characterized by a greater ingestion of calories, sugars and fat, which may increase the risk of developing chronic non- communicable diseases. Given this scenario, the present study aimed at evaluating the quality of the children's menus available in shopping mall restaurants in the municipality of S & atilde;o Paulo and in the municipalities of Santos, S & atilde;o Vicente, Praia Grande and Guaruj & aacute;, in Baixada Santista. For sample selection, the restaurants of 30% of the shopping malls of each region in the city of S & atilde;o Paulo were included, as well as those of all shopping malls in Baixada Santista. Only those presenting children's menus were evaluated and, after collection, only one restaurant per chain was considered. The data were collected using a form at Google Forms. Only 30.3% of the establishments in S & atilde;o Paulo and 13.2% in Baixada Santista offered the option of children's menu. The protein and fried preparations were the most offered in the children's menus. The presence of vegetables was evident in Baixada Santista; nonetheless, the servings are considered small, being noticeable the low offer of in natura and minimally processed foods, and the most used cooking methods were boiled, fried and grilled. The results obtained demonstrate there is a need for a new look in the development of children's menus, given the high demand of consumption out of home and the adaptation to children's needs.