Grocery Store Assignment1. Go to a grocery store that caters to foods from another country or the international sectionat a “regular” grocery store. If you are unable to go to a grocery store, because of socialdistancing or are avoiding grocery stores, view/purchase items online.2. Write about five food products that are imported from other countries in a three to fourpage maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font and word-processed paper. Number the pages.You must include a brief bibliography in AMA format consisting of at least 10 references(two per item).3. Read the entire instructions before starting your assignment.Rationale For Assignment:Knowing more about different cultural groups can help you better understand and relate to peoplefrom different cultures and backgrounds. Learning more about Fair vs. Free Trade can help youbecome more aware of interconnections (global, economic, environmental, etc.) and morediscerning in your food consumption decision-making. Through this assignment, you may gain newrespect for how individual and collective food purchases impact the global production of food andhuman rights.Assignment Description:Visit a grocery store that caters to foods from another country (for instance, a Chinese grocery storeor Mexican grocery store). If this is not available where you reside, visit a “regular” grocery store,but go to the aisle that is labeled international or ethnic.Choose five food products that are imported from other countries, and that interest you. Do notselect products made in the USA even if they represent ethnic foods from another country. Thus,exclude popular branded products like La Choy, Old El Paso, Lipton etc for this assignment. Alsodo not select products like avocados, mangoes, berries or other produce or bulk items which may beimported from another country but are not manufactured. The products you select need to bemanufactured overseas and imported into the US.Write a paper including all of the following points for each product:1. How is each product used? For instance, is it a spread for crackers or a foodeaten alone or an ingredient for a main dish? This is information that may befound on the food product itself, or within your text, or on a website, etc. Youwill need to cite your source(s).
2. What is each product’s main ingredient? The first ingredient listed on a label isthe one with the largest volume, by weight. There is a possibility there may bemore than one main ingredient.3. Is there any significant nutrition information on any of the labels? Nutritioninformation refers to the number of calories, fat, carbohydrate, sugar, protein,vitamins and minerals. If the product label makes a nutrition claim (like low fat,no salt or low/no sugar), please include this information.4. If there is a specific nutrient or health claim (like heart healthy, good for bonesetc) explain how the claim is defined with food labeling claim information fromthe FDA website claims are claims about nutrients in a particular food, such as low in fator sodium or good source of calcium. These claims need to meet certain criteriato be placed on a food label. Health claims, on the other hand refer to arelationship between a food and health rather than a statement of content. Theyare limited to disease risk reduction. For example, diets high in soluble fibersuch as oatmeal may reduce the risk of heart disease or diets containingsubstantial amounts of calcium may reduce the risk for osteoporosis. See: Assess whether the product claim is true, based on the FDA information.(Remember to add this website to your bibliography if applicable).6. Record if any of the product labels claim vegetarian, vegan vegetarian, halal,kosher or fair trade designations. Be specific.7. Research and discuss how your individual purchase of these foods may supportthe global food supply. The global food supply chain involves all individuals,organizations, resources, activities and technology involved in the creation andsale of a food product, from the farm and delivery of raw materials supplied tothe manufacturer, transport, delivery and its eventual use by the consumer.The Atlas of Food, as noted in recommended resources in the module entitled“Course Information: Nuts and Bolts”, may be a good reference for this topic.8. How would these products be used or to whom would they appeal? Forinstance, are they only appealing to teenagers or children? Are they eaten onlyat weddings or special occasions?9. Research and discuss how the purchase of these products may affect theenvironment. This part of the paper may require you to determine logicalscenarios for what may happen, rather than what is actually happening.For instance, has deforestation occurred as a result of increasing demand for thetype of agriculture required to grow one or more ingredients that make up thisfood ~ and how might this affect the environment? As another example, arepesticides used or not, and what might be the environmental effect of this?How might transporting this product from overseas or its packaging affect theclimate/environment, vs. purchasing a product produced locally? How does thepackaging affect the environment? Is it recyclable and/or eco-friendly?10. Include at least 10 references (a minimum of two references per productselected). These could include Journal articles, websites, books etc. Check outthe EMU library for additional resources. All students, including distancestudents have online access to the EMU library. Do not use Wikipedia as areference resource for this assignment.Reference Format:All reference notations should follow the American Medical Association (AMA) Guidelinesfor Authors. These guidelines are available at: from the EMU library at: at: or atAlso see: examples on how to cite references.The AMA style of citation is used by the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In thisstyle, references need to be incorporated in the body of the paper as a superscript. Pay attention tohow to cite references correctly- it is often a place where students miss out on points.
If you do not want to visit a grocery store because of social distancing or any other reason,you can also purchase/view products online. You will need to examine the food label on thepackage carefully. Some suggested ethnic specialty grocers if you live in SoutheasternMichigan (although all major grocery store chains like Meijer, Whole Foods, Plum Market,Buschs and Kroger also have an ethnic food aisle) are as follows:Aladdin’s Market, 31888 Packard Street, Ann Arbor, MI; 734-971-2150Bombay Grocers, 3022 Packard Rd, Ann Arbor, MI; 734-971-7707 and 45500 Ford Rd., CantonTwp., MI 734-459-2016Cost Plus World Market, 2900 S. State, Ann Arbor, MI; 734-327-1900Euro Market, (Eastern European), 3108 Packard Rd., Ann Arbor, MI; 734-975-4326Falsetto’s Market, 2200 Pittsfield Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI; 734-971-1220Fatou Caribbean Market, 4 N Adams St, Ypsilanti, MI; 734-485-4370Galleria Asian Market, 3111 Packard Rd., Ann Arbor, MI; 734-975-8900Hua Xing Asia Market, 2867 Washtenaw, Ypsilanti, MI; 734-528-3388Hyundai Asian Market, 3893 Platt Rd, Ann Arbor, MI; 734-929-6519Kasoa Market, 3980 Platt Rd, Ann Arbor, MI; 734-975-2399Mediterranean Market, 4019 Stone School Rd., Pittsfield Twp., MI; 734-477-8023Patel Brothers, 3426 Washtenaw Ave, Ann Arbor, MI; 734-971-1207Tsai Grocery, 3115 Oak Valley Drive, Pittsfield Twp., MI; 734-995-0422Way 1 Supermarket, 2789 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI; 734-669-8821**Additionally, Plum Market, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods in Ann Arbor carry international foods,as do Walmart, Kroger, Meijer, Busch’s, and other area grocery stores.Grading based on: 35 Points (25 Points for Content + 5 Points for Bibliography + 5 Points forSpelling, Grammar, Structure, etc…)
