Hygienic assessment of an optimized menu in connection with the use of new food preparation technologies

Introduction. Prevention of violations related to nutrition being not only a medical and biological, but also a socio-hygienic problem, should be aimed primarily at eliminating the causes leading to these violations. Research shows that nutritional challenges for children remain.

The aim of the study Comparative analysis of calculated data on the food set, chemical composition and caloric content of the introduced diets for children, obtained by various methods.

Materials and methods. The study was carried out at a preschool educational institution during the pilot testing of a new diet (forty children in total). The object of the study was 4–6 years preschoolers living in mono-industry towns in the South of Kuzbass. The actual nutrition during the introduction of the new menu was studied by two methods: using the menu layout method (20 rations were calculated) and the weight-based method (9,600 servings).

Results. The actual consumption of the main macronutrients by children with food was 63–76% of the calculated data according to the menu layouts for proteins, 71–75% for fats and 79–85% for carbohydrates. The study found that during the menu testing period, the actual consumption of dishes and cooked products by children began to increase only on the third week of introducing the new ration; the children gradually got used to the menu. The consumption of milk and fermented milk products by children increased from 63% (of those stated in the menu layout) to 93%; cottage cheese from 71% to 97%; fish dishes from 50% to 77%; potatoes – from 67% to 85%; vegetables from 63% to 85% of the calculated data according to the menu.

Limitations. The study was limited to a sample size of preschool children who received food during the testing period of the new menu.

Conclusion. During the testing of new food rations at a preschool institution, it is entirely justified and appropriate to use the weight-based method for an objective assessment and study of the actual nutritional status of organized population groups.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Research Institute for Complex Problems of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases (Protocol of the Meeting No. 4 § 1 dated November 18, 2021), conducted in accordance with the commonly accepted scientific principles of the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association (2013 edition). All participants and their legal representatives gave informed voluntary written consent to participate in the study.

Contribution:
Tapeshkina N.V. – the concept and design of the study, writing the text, editing;
Korsakova T.G. – collection of material;
Semenova E.A.– collection of material;
Povarnitsina N.V. – collection of material;
Logunova T.D. – data processing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: February 5, 2026 / Revised: July 2, 2026 / Accepted: July 6, 2026 / Published: August 14, 2026

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