Food, sustainability and global dynamics through an extension course: Experience report

IF 3.6 2区农林科学 Q2 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science Pub Date : 2026-03-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-12 DOI:10.1016/j.ijgfs.2026.101444

Samuel Almeida Brito , Joel Pinheiro de Andrade , Regina Maria Silva Bastos , Alessandra Pinheiro de Goes Carneiro , Eveline de Alenca Costa

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The growing global demand for food and the environmental and social challenges associated with contemporary food systems highlight the urgency of promoting sustainable practices in gastronomy and food-related sectors. This article reports the experience of the extension course “Food, Sustainability and Global Dynamics”, developed at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC), Brazil, and discusses its pedagogical strategies and perceived impacts. Thus, this work describes the execution flow, methodology, and pedagogical tools employed, with the aim of enabling its replication by other interested parties. The proposal to offer the course was guided by the following research problem: to what extent can promoting discussions about the food system contribute to raising awareness about planetary sustainability? The course adopted an interdisciplinary and participatory approach, addressing themes such as food security, natural resource management, biodiversity, social food practices, and sustainable entrepreneurship. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the certified participants (n = 17), who presented a balanced gender distribution and diverse academic backgrounds. The course evaluation data was collected through an online questionnaire, which was answered by 52.9% of the participants. Among respondents, most reported that the course content positively impacted their personal and/or professional lives (88.9%), and 77.8% evaluated the teaching methodology—combining texts, videos, debates, and applied activities—as effective for understanding sustainability challenges in food systems. All respondents expressed interest in future training initiatives, particularly in remote or distance-learning formats. Therefore, this experience has demonstrated the potential of the topic to foster critical reflection on sustainability in gastronomy and related areas, aiming to train multipliers of actions that guarantee planetary health and a better future.

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食品，可持续发展和全球动态通过扩展课程：经验报告

日益增长的全球粮食需求以及与当代粮食系统相关的环境和社会挑战凸显了在美食和粮食相关部门促进可持续做法的紧迫性。本文报告了巴西塞埃尔联邦大学（UFC）开设的“粮食、可持续发展与全球动态”扩展课程的经验，并讨论了其教学策略和预期影响。因此，本工作描述了执行流程、方法和所使用的教学工具，目的是使其他相关方能够复制它。开设这门课程的建议受到以下研究问题的指导：促进关于粮食系统的讨论在多大程度上有助于提高对地球可持续性的认识？该课程采用跨学科和参与式的方法，涉及食品安全、自然资源管理、生物多样性、社会食品实践和可持续创业等主题。描述性统计用于描述认证参与者的特征（n = 17），他们呈现平衡的性别分布和不同的学术背景。课程评价数据通过在线问卷收集，有52.9%的参与者回答了该问卷。在受访者中，大多数人报告说课程内容对他们的个人和/或职业生活产生了积极影响（88.9%），77.8%的人评价教学方法——结合文本、视频、辩论和应用活动——对理解粮食系统中的可持续性挑战是有效的。所有答复者都表示对未来的培训活动，特别是远程或远程学习形式感兴趣。因此，这一经验表明，本专题具有促进对美食及相关领域的可持续性进行批判性思考的潜力，其目的是培养保障地球健康和更美好未来的行动倍增器。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science Social Sciences-Cultural Studies

CiteScore

5.30

自引率

10.50%

发文量

170

审稿时长

45 days

期刊介绍： International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science is a peer-reviewed journal that explicitly focuses on the interface of food science and gastronomy. Articles focusing only on food science will not be considered. This journal equally encourages both scientists and chefs to publish original scientific papers, review articles and original culinary works. We seek articles with clear evidence of this interaction. From a scientific perspective, this publication aims to become the home for research from the whole community of food science and gastronomy. IJGFS explores all aspects related to the growing field of the interaction of gastronomy and food science, in areas such as food chemistry, food technology and culinary techniques, food microbiology, genetics, sensory science, neuroscience, psychology, culinary concepts, culinary trends, and gastronomic experience (all the elements that contribute to the appreciation and enjoyment of the meal. Also relevant is research on science-based educational programs in gastronomy, anthropology, gastronomic history and food sociology. All these areas of knowledge are crucial to gastronomy, as they contribute to a better understanding of this broad term and its practical implications for science and society.