The Friday That Changed My Life - 970 Words

The Monday that Changed My Life That Monday I found my dream! It was an unforgettable day during my internship when I realized that Public Health was not just my interest, but my calling. Before that Monday, I had some vague idea of a career in health promotion. Then I met Lal, a Bhutanese refugee who had spent almost 20 years in the refugee camps of Nepal. That Monday, the vague idea blossomed into a firm desire to advocate for vulnerable populations such as refugees, displaced persons, victims of human trafficking, and more. Individuals such as Lal should not get lost in the chaos of conflict, or stymied by systemic barriers everywhere, including their place of safety. When I sat down with Lal in my cubicle in the darkest corner of the office, little did I know that I was about to begin one of the most emotionally intense and empowering conversations of my career. Lal was my first refugee client at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a humanitarian aid organization that re settles refugees in the U.S., where I had started my internship in Public Health. My role as a Public Health Intern was to support and assist refugees in navigating the intricacies of healthcare and other social services as they walked their road to self-sufficiency and assimilation into a new culture. It was Monday, and the Health Team had walk-in hours for individuals who needed assistance. I introduced myself to Lal with my biggest smile and greeting in Nepali: Namaste. As nervous asShow MoreRelatedThe Friday That Changed My Life908 Words   |  4 PagesThe Monday that Changed my Life That Monday I had found my dream! It was during my internship when I realized that Public Health was not just my interest, but my calling. I want to advocate for vulnerable populations such as refugees, displaced individuals, victims of human trafficking, and more, so that individuals such as Lal do not get lost in the chaos of conflict, or systematic barriers. When I sat down with Lal in my cubicle in the darker corner of the office, little did I know that itRead MoreThe Friday That Changed My Life999 Words   |  4 PagesThe Monday that Changed My Life It was an unforgettable day during my internship when I realized that Public Health was not just my interest, but my calling. Although I had a vague idea of a career in health promotion, meeting Lal, my first refugee client at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a humanitarian aid organization, blossomed my idea into a firm desire to become a public health advocate. I saw an opportunity to improve health equity by addressing the barriers that cause healthRead MoreThe Friday That Changed My Life982 Words   |  4 PagesThe Monday that Changed my Life When I sat down with Lal in my cubicle chair in the darkest corner of the office, little did I know that it was going to be one of my very first emotionally intense and empowering conversations of my career. Lal was my first refugee client at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a humanitarian aid organization that resettles refugees, where I had started my internship in Public Health. My role as a Public Health Intern was to support and assist refugees to navigateRead MoreThe Friday That Changed My Life976 Words   |  4 PagesThe Monday that Changed my Life That Monday I found my dream! It was the unforgettable day during my internship when I realized that Public Health was not just my interest, but my calling. Before that Monday, I had some vague idea of a career in health promotion. Then I met Lal, a Bhutanese refugee who had spent almost 20 years in the refugee camps of Nepal. That Monday, my vague idea blossomed into a firm desire to advocate for vulnerable populations such as refugees, displaced persons, victimsRead MoreShould Baseball And Golf Be A Small Child?1057 Words   |  5 Pagesthat I participated in throughout my whole life, nothing can compare to the brotherhood and bond that football brought to me. I played football as a small child. I enjoyed the short games and practices because I was able to goof off with my friends. I also began playing football during my sophomore year of high school but quit rather quickly. At this point in time baseball still had my heart and triumphed over football in every way possible. It wa s not until my senior year at Thomasville High SchoolRead MoreAnalysis Of Robinson Crusoe s Robinson 1412 Words   |  6 Pagesas being eaten signifies death. He builds from his shelter a fort. To keep him protected from the cannibals. But then later he builds a bower or a place of pleasure. First Robinson was building for survival, but now his attitude of the island has changed. Crusoe is learning to work with his surroundings for survival, rather than loathing in his misfortunes. He is able to find and use everything on the island to carry out life’s basic needs for survival. This growth can be the healing that ultimatelyRead MoreAnalysis Of Robinson Crusoe By Daniel Defoe1611 Words   |  7 Pagesmany influential characters, the most important being the native escapee, Friday. Defoe structured Crusoe and Friday’s relationship as very co-dependent in such a way that may be difficult to interpret on screen. There have been several versions of this film, but I will be focusing and comparing the 1997 version of Robinson Crusoe to the original novel. In the original text, Robinson Crusoe plays an important role in saving Friday religiously as well as physically. After examining the drastic differencesRead MoreHamlets Blackberry : Building A Good Life1129 Words   |  5 PagesEssay 3 In the New York Times Bestselling book, â€Å"hamlet’s Blackberry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age, The author William Powers discusses the good and bad aspects of technology. In Chapter 9, Inventing Your Life, Powers discusses ways to wean yourself off the dependency we all have on technology. One of the ideas for improving digital life that seemed like t would work was â€Å"no-email Fridays.† No-email Fridays seemed so interesting because it is so simple and such a great concept. This was workingRead MoreWishful Thinking Meets Reality : Rhetorical Analysis964 Words   |  4 PagesRhetorical Analysis Everyone can relate to a time in their life when they desired a â€Å"picture-perfect† life with lots of friends and all the material things they could wish for themselves. However, they realize that maybe the â€Å"picture-perfect† life isn’t what they expected once it becomes reality. In the films Freaky Friday and 13 Going on 30, the audience follows the lives of the protagonists as they face their wishes to have a â€Å"better life†. Throughout the essay, we will examine the audiencesRead MoreThe Journey of Robinson Crusoe 1213 Words   |  5 PagesRobinson Crusoe, famous adventure novel, portrays the eventful life of main protagonist Robinson Crusoe. Author, Daniel Defoe depicts his diverse set of characters with purpose in Robinson Crusoe. Crusoe narrates his journey, and how he established himself with wealth. Crusoe, the youngest son of a merchant, knew he must acquire his own wealth in order to full-fill his Englishman desires. His father encourages him to study law, but Crusoe wishes to go out to the sea. His father is against Crusoe’s

Obesity Is A Rising Epidemic Within The United States Essay

Introduction Affecting over 36% of the population, obesity is a rising epidemic within the United States. An estimated 75% of adults over the age of twenty are classified as overweight or obese (Kolata, 2016). The disease affects women more significantly than men, with a greater prevalence within African American and Hispanic ethnic groups. Extreme obesity (BMI 40), affects six percent, and growing, of the American populace. This rise in obesity correlates not lonely with a lower life expectancy but also a rise in numerous other non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, pulmonary ailments, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health issues. Although the obesity epidemic is seen mostly within developed countries, such as the United States, the non-communicable disease is showing advancing prevalence and incidence rates worldwide, including low and middle income countries. The World Health Organization estimates one billion people are classified as overweight or obese (Kapil, 2016). In ad dition to the plethora of additional health care problems, obese patients are often hard to treat as the health care system does not yet have the equipment to detect, measure, or treat possible underlying problems. The treatment of obesity and related conditions is currently estimated to reach $100 billion within the United States (Kapil, 2016). Accounting for more than 100,000 premature deaths each year, the disease is the second highest noncommunicable and preventable diseaseShow MoreRelatedChildhood Obesity Analysis1473 Words   |  6 PagesParents Child Caretakers Obesity in America is literally a growing problem, affecting every age group. Children are the most venerable group because they have no control over where they have dinner or how often they have fast food. Parents and guardians make decisions about food and are responsible for the health of children. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in the last twenty years. This is concerning because Type Two diabetes is a horrible, crippling disease that is affecting childrenRead MoreThe Ideal Healthcare Delivery For Developing Countries On Proper Nutrition And Food Consumption Rates1121 Words   |  5 PagesDiabetes follows behind inactivity and obesity, both of which have increased during China’s economic boom. The nation has accepted the fact that we will have a high rise and development of cases of Diabetes in this century. Did you know that 20 million people have the disease, and that number is expected to double by 2025 (â€Å"Search Publications†)? A highly impor tant control group in this disease is simply educating the countries on proper nutrition and food consumption rates. Another factor thatRead MoreThe Importance Of Childhood Obesity894 Words   |  4 PagesAlthough some countries acknowledge the obesity epidemic, most countries are lagging behind in applying health policy to obesity prevention (Zhang et al., 2014, p. 179). With the exceptions of Quebec, Canada’s advertising policy is restricted to self-regulation with little monitoring in the intensity and frequency of unhealthy foods and beverages advertisements to children (Hawkes Harris, 2011, as cited in Hypertension Advisory Committee, 2013, p. 8). With this information, Canada’s current systemRead MoreObesity Statistics And Rankings : Obesity1442 Words   |  6 PagesObesity Statistics and Rankings The first national survey conducted in United States was in 1963. Many of the studies have suggested that child obesity epidemic is recent and unexpected. Over the last three decades, obesity rates have tripled in the U.S. One out of six children is obese and a one out of three child is overweight. The United States is ranked number one in the world. There has been some control and steadiness in the child obesity rates since 2008, but there are someRead MoreSocial Models Of Health : The Biomedical Model And The Social Model Essay1621 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscuss first the increasing prominence of the social models and their relevance in addressing current population health issues. Second, this essay will discuss the effectiveness of social models when analysing the health-related causes of the obesity epidemic, an example of an issue in population health. Social models of health have a strong focus on the broad determinants of health: these being social, psychological, behavioural and biological (Browne, 2011). They consider both the proximal causesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Satirical Street Art That Sends Messages Of Awareness Of The Corrupt Society1626 Words   |  7 Pagesobese and 8% ate the survey.† With the rising awareness and prevalence, obesity has become an epidemic. In the United States alone, one of every five Americans are overweight, and one of every five are obese. Among the younger ages of childhood and adolescence, the National Health and Nutrition Examination reported that 17% of kids â€Å"age six through nineteen are obese.† This problem, of course, is not limited only to America. Studies performed by the United Nations have reported that in the year 2000Read MoreEssay about Childhood Obesity1310 Words   |  6 Pages If it being looked deeper with or without we realizing, obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, and all this evidence suggests that the situation is likely to get worse. In developed regions such as Europe, the United States of America, and in Australasia, the prevalence is high and increasing but in some developing countries even more extreme situations exist. For example, using World Health Organization standards for obesity, more than 70% of the adult Polynesian population in SamoaRead MoreEssay about Obesity and Fast Food1324 Words   |  6 PagesMany people in the United States believe that if it weren’t for fast food restaurants, they would not be overweight. People have even sued McDonald’s for their weight problem. While fast food may be one of the contributors to the obesity epidemic, it surely doesn’t stand alone. There are many more reasons why people living in the United States are overweight. Some of these reasons include problems within the school systems, peer pressure, education, and even just where a person lives. It’s clearRead MoreCauses Of Obesity In Western Countries1251 Words   |  6 Pages Obesity in Western Countries: Causes and Implications Over the past two-decades obesity has risenn at an alarming rate globally and now is reaching epidemic proportions in the western and industrialized countries†¦ USA. Obesity prevalence in the United states is among the highest globaly as its obesity rate is projected to climb from today’s 30-40% today to a shocking 70% in 20301 . In particular, childhood obesity exhibited the highest growth rate today, tripling the percentage of children overRead MoreObesity and Its Related Issues1510 Words   |  6 PagesObesity and its related issues; diabetes, coronary disease, osteo-disease, and liver and renal failure, is an endemic problem in contemporary American society. So much so, for instance, that First Lady Michelle Obama has announced an initiative fighting obesity. She, too, is calling obesity an epidemic and one of the greatest threats to the future health of the United States. Her approach is multifaceted, concentrating on education, availability of healthy foods, and ex ercise programs for youth so

Impression Management as a Goal Directed Activity Free Essays

Impression ManagementAssignment question: â€Å"Impression Management as a goal directed activity not only sets the boundaries of what is considered appropriate behaviour but also aids in defining what behaviour will be met with disapproval. †(Goffman 1989) Discuss this statement in the context of a practical professional setting. According to Andersen, M. We will write a custom essay sample on Impression Management as a Goal Directed Activity or any similar topic only for you Order Now L. , Taylor, H. L. (2006)impression management is defined as â€Å"good oriented conscious or unconsciousprocess in which people attempt to influence the perceptions of other people about a person, object or event, they do so by regulating and controlling information in social interaction. According to Sinha (2009), â€Å"Impression management is an active self-presentation of a person aiming to enhance his image in the eyes of others† (p. 104). A symbolic interaction noting that impression management is â€Å"the process of authentic self-presentation used when an individual wants to present himself to other people the same way he perceives himself†¦a tactical brand used by individuals. † A variation of this view by Brym and Lie, (2006, p. 44) depicts impression management as a situation whereby â€Å"people deliberately change or modify their behaviour to fit a given situation†¦the process whereby people seek to control the image that others have of them . † The above scholarly views seek to consolidate Goffman’s (1989) view that â€Å"Impression Management as a goal directed activity not only sets the boundaries of what is considered appropriate behaviour but also aids in defining what behaviour will be met with disapproval. † In assessing the concept of impression management it is pivotal to isolate the impetus behindthisconcept. All the above definitions provide a direct inference that this concept involves creating an impressionable illusion which is highly fragile and requires constant attention in order to ensure its sustainability. Keeping in mind that it is a goal oriented model, impression management is a fundamental and universal process that involves a number of influential factors. These factors are social, cultural and spiritual. Considering that this model is set in a professionalenvironment, it is essential to administer an appropriate outlook into impression management in professional localities. Newman, (2009, p. 173) states that â€Å"Impression management allows the production of manufactured personas, which aid in the socialization process. The use of impression management provides people with the necessary skills to create a custom and often falsified perception. †, this may be well suited to the professional environment and its various facets such as job interviews, officerelations between employees and management, firms and both clients and potential clients, firms and other firms as well with the ultimate goal being to create a virtuous professional atmosphere. It is paramount to note that the microcosm represents the macrocosm, in relation to impression management it is hence necessary to carry out a thorough analysis of individualistic measures of impression management before relating this to an entire professional setting. According to Andersen and Taylor (2006), â€Å"Impression management can be seen as a type of con game† (p. 04), relating to the basic scenario of a job interview when a person engages in impression management, they are attempting to manipulate the impression they project onto others, with the goal being to ultimately acquire a job and will do so through the following means of impression management: †¢Good eye contact in order to establish an aura of confidence and honesty critical to the business sector †¢An appropriate physical appearance, aclean, professional persona †¢Chronematic management, being prompt is tantamount to a gesture of a focused individual †¢Kinesis should be reflective of confidence and a potentially aggressive stature appropriately suited to the aggressive nature of the business world In essence, the above seeks to highlight the paramount idea that the person being perceived manages the perception of the perceiver hoping to have a positive impact which in this case is delivering a sublime job interview with prospects of acquiring a particular job position. This approach helps a person carefully craft relationships and by extension they have the ability to alter their position in the socialization process through impression management, especially if now expanding the concept impression management into the actual working environment in an analysis of relationships between an individual whether as a subordinate or a manager. When in the position of relative power such as management, active impression management is supreme, an individual is under the constant debilitating gaze of oftentimes opportunistic employees or subordinates on the prowl for error. Hence individuals in management should leave no room for error in their impression management â€Å"A person’s relative position in society can also influence impression management† (Newman, 2009, p. 172). A person’s posit ion in society and the prestige of impression management are congruent. Managers should exercise extreme decorum, bepunctual, have astute command of a professional ethic of honesty and transparency and above all a professional outlook on their physical presentation. Illustration of how people attempt to control how others perceive them is portrayed through the clothing they wear. A person who is in a leadership position strives to be respected and in order to control and maintain the impression; the person wears a nice suit, carries a briefcase, and acts in a professional manner. The professional clothing and the dignified manner in which the person carries him or herself, plays a large role in the impression management process. The goal behind such a constrictive and extremely rule bound outlook of impression management is so as to create an impression to the subordinates, however not one of fear but of a respectable individual employees are willing to be loyal and ultimately submissive to without any urge of dissent hence having a positive influence on a firm’s productivity and profits due to Herzberg’s motivational factors being fulfilled by management. Another relationship worth analysis is that of impression management between work colleagues, an individual should establish a solid impression amongst colleagues and management, Newman (2009) expands on this notion, â€Å"Impression management is a tool most of us use to present ourselves as likable people† (p. 183). with the impetus being that of creating a virtuous working environment free of tension which makes work more enjoyable for an individual. Ultimately the central lynchpin being that of managing an approachable, responsible, amicable, ‘gossip- free’ impression of oneself. This is advantageous in climbing the corporate ladder for situations whereby an individual is considered for a job promotion from being a lower grade employee to a higher grade, on basis of a character evaluation and impressions regarding that particular individual. If a general view is that of a rude, irresponsible, tension enabling individual, then this view would be to the detriment of an individual as such a negative inclination is almost impossible to remove. Most vital towards maintaining the survival of a business is a solid relationship established between the client and the business through its management and entire workforce, this also affects the resultant impression cast upon potential clients who may be considering working with a particular business, Ferrante (2008) expands on this concept in her book, Sociology: a Global Perspective, â€Å"Even if people are aware that they are manipulating reality, impression management can be a constructive feature of social interaction† (p. 131). People across the globe implement this concept in order to obtain a favourable social outcome. Standardising this opinion in relation to a professional setting, a business needs to portray an impression heavy consolidated with a strong sense of reliability, transparency and good customer relations. A prime example would be that of Econet Wireless Company, already with a well-established impression as the leading, most reliable telecommunications service provider, it is vital to be consistent with such an impression. This is most evident in their customer relations which are friendly and extremely efficient; a dedication to fulfilling a corporate social responsibility through their Econet Scholarship Programme is reflective of an approachable and selfless impression which they constantly subscribe to. Hence an analysis of Econet’s impression management leaves us to conclude that although not completely a perfect impression due to unavoidable disruptions in network, Econet has a dominantly impeccable impression which invokes consumer loyalty and an exponential growth in terms on both customers and sales revenue and hence makes it easier to compare against other firms regarded as having a somewhat weaker, deficient impression such as Net One. There are a variety of social implications within impression management, but not all of the social implications are positive. Some of the repercussions are negative and can even be damaging to the person responsible for the implementation of impression management tactics. According to Newman (2009), â€Å"Impression management can lead to the creation of damaged identities, which must be repaired in order to sustain social interactions† (p. 183). Damaged identities and suffering social interactions can take a toll on a person, whi ch enviably forces that person to retreat to impression management once again. Forexample, if a Muslim woman, who is dictated by religion to wear the traditional full body gear exposing only the eyes(termed the ‘Burka’) is placed in a banking professional environment such as that of Standard Chartered Bank,due to severe stereotyping it would serve uncomfortable for not only the individual, but the colleagues as well the customers and potential customers to conduct banking or business related transactions without invoking a degree of suspicion towards such a woman or a feeling of pity towards an inferred and assumed segregation of Muslim women. It may seem increasingly ironic that the tactic that aided in the damaging and exiling of a person can be the very approach that puts that person back in the social standings. Impression management is a concept to be taken very seriously. It has the power and influence to create a favourable public opinion of a particular person, it can break a person in regards to social standings, and it can repair a damage d persona. Additionally, impression management has the ability to dictate a person’s position in society, as commonly prescribed that a good impression management becomes tantamount to solid business relationships which serve to the advantage of an individual or a firm alike. Conclusion Impression management is a self-presentation technique that focuses on improving a person’s image in the eyes of others. Ever since Erving Goffman implemented the term impression management in 1959, sociologists and theorists have been studying additional aspects of the concept. Impression management presents constructive and favourable images to the public, encouraging a positive outcome. Impression management is a common underlying process that involves social and cultural implications. In regard to the social implications, impression management allows people to carefully craft and construct their public perception. In some cases, in order to obtain a favourable public or social appearance, a person must alter and falsify their persona. The social implications of impression management are not always negative, but there is a fine line between the positive and negative aspects. Impression management in relation to culture has a far more positive outcome. The cultural implications of impression management define the significance of cultural traditions, norms, and ways of life. The clothing people choose to wear, the words they choose to utilise are all apart of the impression management process. It would be highly advantageous to implement means by which to improve on or further establish impression management through following the appropriate rules of etiquette in relation to the professional environment such as desisting from the use of cell phones during board meetings as it is disrespectful and conceited and above all a consistentupgrade and maintenance of one’s impression or otherwise social facade. References Andersen, M. L. , Taylor, H. L. (2006). Sociology: The essentials. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Brym, R. S. , Lie, J. (2006). Sociology: Your compass for a new world. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. Ferrante, J. (2008). Sociology: A global perspective. Belmont, CA: Thomas Higher Education. Giddens, A. (2005). Sociology. Cambridge, UR, UK: Polity Press. Newman, D. M. (2009). Sociology: Exploring the architecture of everyday life. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. Sinha, J. B. (2009). Culture and organization national behaviour. Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications. How to cite Impression Management as a Goal Directed Activity, Papers

Dry Fruits free essay sample

Dried fruit is fruit that has been dried, either naturally or through use of a machine, such as a dehydrator. Vine fruits make up over three-quarters of the total global dried fruit volume. Prunes (also referred to as plums) and dates are other examples of popular dried fruits in the EU. Dried fruit has a long shelf life and can therefore provide a good alternate to fresh fruit, allowing out of season fruits to be available. Drying is a good way to preserve fruit in the absence of refrigeration. Dried fruit and vegetables are whole, cut, sliced, broken or powdered, but not prepared further. In addition to drying, certain preservatives may be added to maintain the equality. For instance, sulphur dioxide is added to prevent fruit discolouring. The use and content of preservatives in food is regulated by the EU (see also paragraph 10 on legislative requirements in the CBI market survey ‘The preserved fruit and vegetable market in the EU’ and chapter 5 of this Survey). We will write a custom essay sample on Dry Fruits or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Organic dried fruit is produced without sulphur which results in dark fruit and the flavour is much more characteristic. Vine fruits Vine fruits are essentially dried grapes and comprise sultanas, raisins and currants. The sultana is a soft, juicy, amber coloured fruit with a very sweet flavour. It is largely produced from a seedless white grape and varies in shape from round to oval according to variety. The majority is produced from the Thompson seedless grape. The sultana has its own distinctive sun-drying treatment which varies depending on origin, but which differentiates it from a raisin. One method is to spray the grape with a vegetable-based drying oil, prior to sun-drying. The actual sun-drying process can also vary, depending on country of origin. One method is to sun-dry the clusters of fruit on racks in partial shade. Another method is to place the fruit in the open sun on specially shaped drying areas. Drying can take from a week to ten days until the moisture content has been reduced sufficiently (to around 16%) to produce succulent sultanas. The fruit is then washed and cleaned and given a fine coating of vegetable oil. This keeps the fruit moist and prevents the berries from sticking together. Raisins, dark brown and wrinkled with a sweet mellow flavour, are produced from unseeded or seeded, white or black grapes. The vast majority is, however, produced from the seedless white Thompson grape. A grape becomes a raisin when its moisture content has been reduced through sun-drying, to around 16%. The grape is harvested when ripened to its fullest and is picked in clusters. At this stage the methods implemented for sun-drying vary greatly in accordance with the different countries of origin. Methods used include drying the grapes on clean paper trays between the vines, or placing the grapes on special concrete drying areas. The fruit lies in the full blaze of the sun, as opposed to partial shade, for 2-3 weeks until the grapes moisture content has been reduced to around 16% into the caramel brown raisin we are familiar with. The raisins, as with sultanas, are packed into storage bins to keep the fruit moist, and are washed and oiled before export. Currants are dried, black, seedless grapes. All currants derive from the same variety of grape known as the Corinth and this is from where the word â€Å"currant† originated. The methods for sun-drying currants vary according to the climate and soil of the region, but keeping the grape in the shade for the first part of the drying period is said to produce the best quality currants. Dried tropical fruits such as mangoes, papayas, and bananas are becoming a more common item in European health food stores and supermarkets, where they are sold pre-packed in cellophane bags as well as in bulk (by weight). Usually, these products are sold with sugar added for sweetness and sulphur added for color retention, although â€Å"all natural† product is preferred by the health food stores. Other major developed markets, such as Japan, purchase dried tropical fruits, but in much smaller quantities. Customers The major customers of dried tropical fruits are (a) the dried fruit and nut industry (selling mixed retail packs consisting of dried tropical fruits and other dried fruits and nut, also selling retail packs consisting solely of one dried tropical fruit); (2) breakfast cereal industry (mostly in musli); and (3) the confectionary industry (in fruit and health bars, ingredients to chocolate bars). In most countries, importers or agents act as intermediaries, although some of the packers and food processors also import directly. Health risk: Infestation of dried apricot in bags under laboratory conditions. 185 Mites were found on the exterior of the packing during inspection, which indicates 186 that they migrated from the inside of the infested packing to the surface. The packing differed in its protection to the mite infestation and decreased from polypropylene 188 back with aluminum foil, cellophane sac, polypropylene bag to plastic bag. However, 189 after six months, the mites penetrated into all types of packing. The highest numbers 190 of mites were observed in plastic bags packing. Our field data from supermarkets showed a contamination density with a 231 maximum of 650 individuals per g of dried food. The simulation model indicates that 232 such levels of contamination can be reached quickly during storage of contaminated 233 dried fruit in supermarkets or consumers’ kitchens. From a hypothetical initial mite 234 population of 10 individuals, the risk level observed in supermarkets (650 individuals) 235 is reached very quickly: 42 days of population multiplication on dried figs, 49 days on dried pineapple and 63 days on dried apricots, dates and plums (Figure 2) in 237 hypothetical temperature 25 ? C. The labeled time for consumption is half a year or longer; however, mites are not 239 detected by buyers, consumers, or inspectors in this time frame because the mites 240 are not visible to the human eye due to their small size. Similar observations have 241 been made in grain stores, in which farmers seriously underrated the risk of 242 infestation by mites and psocids (Stejskal and Hubert 2008) because mite 243 contamination was not visible due to the microscopic size of the mites. Exploitation of dried fruit as a carrier of functional ingredients is a relatively new concept, although the functional properties of such products originated from the nature of drying process, where the removal of water leads to a natural concentration of healthy fruit components. Even taking into consideration the fact that traditional drying technology leads to serious losses of bioactive compounds, dried fruit can still be a valuable source not only of energy, dietary fibre and minerals, but also of anti-oxidant activity. Natives in Canada used to dry berries in order to have enough vitamin C during the off-season to protect them against scurvy (Turner, 1997). Due to the application of modern technology, the matrix of fruits and vegetables can be fortified with healthpromoting compounds such as prebiotics, vitamins, or minerals. This is considered to be an important area for future research into the development of functional food markets (Alzamora et al. , 2005; Fito et al. , 2001). Based on the natural potential of fruit, and the opportunities offered by modern technology, the idea arose within the ISAFRUIT Integrated Project to develop novel, convenient, dried fruit products with functional properties that could contribute to the increased consumption of healthy products. New food product development, especially those with functional properties, represents a high risk for any company (van Trijp and Steenkamp, 2005; van Kleef et al. 2002; 2005). Statistics show that many functional food products, even when developed from a sound scientific point of view, encounter poor market acceptance (Hilliam, 1998). Approx. 75% of newly launched food products are withdrawn from the food market during their first 2 years (Menrad, 2003). Consumer acceptance of a specific functional ingredient is linked to consumer knowled ge of its health effects, thus, the first essential step in product development is to explore which diseases consumers are actually concerned about (van Kleef et al. 2005; Menrad, 2003). To consume functional foods, consumers also need to know what benefit they will get from consuming a particular food, and why (Wansink et al. , 2005). For many years, in the European Union, using disease-related information on packages or in product advertisements for a functional food was forbidden (Menrad, 2003). In July 2007, regulations on the nutritional and health claims that can be made for a food were introduced (EC Reg. No. 1924/2006). This provides the food industry with new legislation opportunities to design innovative products with added nutritional value (Schaafsma and Kok, 2005). Apart from the proper formulation of health claims, the product should also be presented in an attractive form so that consumers can accept easily it (van Kleef et al. , 2005). . Statistics show that many functional food products, even when developed from a sound scientific point of view, encounter poor market acceptance (Hilliam, 1998). Approx. 75% of newly launched food products are withdrawn from the food market during their first 2 years (Menrad, 2003). Consumer acceptance of a specific functional ingredient is linked to consumer knowledge of its health effects, thus, the first essential step in product development is to explore which diseases consumers are actually concerned about (van Kleef et al. , 2005; Menrad, 2003). To consume functional foods, consumers also need to know what benefit they will get from consuming a particular food, and why (Wansink et al. , 2005). For many years, in the European Union, using disease-related information on packages or in product advertisements for a functional food was forbidden (Menrad, 2003). In July 2007, regulations on the nutritional and health claims that can be made for a food were introduced (EC Reg. No. 1924/2006). This provides the food industry with new legislation opportunities to design innovative products with added nutritional value (Schaafsma and Kok, 2005). Apart from the proper formulation of health claims, the product should also be presented in an attractive form so that consumers can accept easily it (van Kleef et al. , 2005). Conclusion: In this study, a tendency was observed that consumers appreciated candies and muesli bars with dried fruit and with natural fruit sugars. It seems that this type of product could benefit from adding dried fruit with natural fruit sugars. Similarly, Bech-Larsen et al. (2001) noticed that consumers do not increase the healthiness of yoghurts and juices with functional ingredients because these products are already perceived as being healthy per se. In contrast, spreads could benefit from functional enrichment, because this product is perceived as inherently unhealthy. Risks: Surveys of European and US dried tropical fruit importers, conducted in March 1998, found that importers are less interested in sun-dried product and very competitive overall. The perception is that the product will have too many foreign products (insect fragments, defects, spoilage, microbiological problems, bacteria) and will not pass food safety regulations. Some would be willing to look at the sun dried product and see whether it meets specifications however, all stressed that the market is well supplied and that new entrants must have some comparative advantage in terms of price or presentation. http://www. foodnet. cgiar. org/market/Uganda/reports/Driedfruits. PDF Nutrition: * â€Å"Soft† dry fruit (apricots, raisins, dates, figs, prunes†¦) are rich in arbohydrates and low in fat. They are sources of fibre, vitamins and minerals (vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, vitamins E and niacin (PP), iron, magnesium†¦). The fragility of vitamin C means that there is virtually none in dried fruit. The richness of the carbohydrates contained within their small volume makes dry fruit a favourite food of  sports  people during or after p hysical exertion (mountain biking, hiking, walking, marathon running, etc ). The most calorie-rich of these foods are raisins (1340 kJ/100 g or 320 kcal/100 g) followed by dates (1255 kJ/100g or 300 kcal/100 g). The richest in potassium and sodium are dried apricots. Dried banana has the highest magnesium content. Figs have the most calcium. * Nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds) are rich in  oil: they provide energy in the form of lipids (fatty acids, especially mono- and polyunsaturated ones), and therefore have a very high calorie content (2510 kJ/100g or 600 kcal/100 g). They are rich in fibre, minerals (magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus†¦) and vitamins (B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, E, PP). http://www. eufic. org/page/en/page/faq/faqid/fruit-dry-nutritional-benefits/ sulphur dioxide Allergic reaction ~ Asthma