Núm. 08, julio-diciembre (2005)

It is generally thought that food allergies, though frequent, are relatively mild. Actually, it is all the way around: Most people can eat a great variety of foods without any problem. Only a small percentage of people suffer true food allergies. However, for those who have them, food allergies are a true threat for health that can cause serious adverse reactions, and even death. Since allergies are incurable, the only known and proven treatment is to abstain from consuming the triggering food. But, how can it be known if an industrialized product contains the allergenic to be shunned by an individual? Currently, many international organizations have begun regulating the relevant information to be shown in food labels.

New consumer's attitudes and life styles result in changes in the food industry and in self-service store business. Today, preserved and processed foods are a fundamental component in the diet, mainly for urban population. There is a new way of selecting menus both in homes and restaurant industry, supporting the development of a processed food industry, known as convenience foods, incorporating a technology that allows an easier handling both in their preparation and their consumption. Thus, there are cooked and pre-cooked foods. The higher market presence of this type of foods is due, among other factors, to a fuller integration of women in the labor world. The most noticeable consumption trend for this type of foods has its origin in Europe and the United States. There is already a clear leaning in Mexico towards this type of consumption, mainly in urban areas. One of the main reasons for this is its convenience, together with other factors (flavor, price and ease for microwave warming up). Other advantages include their long shelf life and their easy consumption. Shortcomings include difficulty to identify ingredient quantity and quality.

Even though, currently, corporate world business is generally «English spoken», underlying conversations are diverse ideologies, different cultures that must understand and respect each other in order to achieve an enriching--not a dividing--exchange. Comprehension and respect--in this case of ways of thinking and acting proper of persons from the United States--will allow the minimization of the risk of offense and will thus expand the opportunities for enjoying a mutually beneficial relationship.

Invasive and swift technological changes in every order of social and economic life, and the use of such changes to increase work efficiency in companies has praised spoken and written language as the outstanding tool allowing enterprises to fulfill their institutional objectives. Attention to this irreplaceable resource, human communication, has to do with the boom of constructivism oriented education. This has a foundation student's autonomy, upon the basis of what student knows and is able to develop. Verbal language is a premise to knowledge construction. Universities have echoed this trend and currently their curricula allow for those academic subjects promoting the exertion of reflection and expression.

Alleging that television «does not educate» numerous TV programs fill homes with trash. With the so-called «reality shows», the culture of violent void invading other media--such as newscasts and printed media--has been massively sown. A new era emerges at media threshold: reality simulation and apology of morbidity and violence with humor overtones, providing not a personal equality but a mass equality. Reality shows become a sort of virtual hospital where «patients» are healed by exposing their miseries to the public eye. In this way, through the coarsest massification, mediocrity is democratized since, faced with the contemplation of other people's miseries, common man contemplates himself as a privileged being not aspiring to being more than he is. This reality of ideological and personal vacuity is rampant both in-«family» and newcast programs. All the media carnival focused on the attention to this irreplaceable resource of human communication has to do with the booming of the Constructivist tinted education. This has a basis student's autonomy, based on what he or she knows and is able to develop. Verbal language is the premise for knowledge construction. The universities have echoed this trend, and now the curriculum allows for those subjects promoting the exertion of reflection and expression.

La base de las relaciones personales se encuentra en la comunicación, y la referenda a esta herramienta fundamental de interacción humana es hoy lugar común cuando de conseguir eficiencia en las empresas se habla. El empleo apropiado de los recursos de comunicación garantiza el cumplimiento de los objetivos organizacionales y el éxito de los intercambios con los clientes, al interior y al exterior de las empresas. Comunicarse implica no sólo un conocimiento de la lengua sino de la situación en la que esta se emplea y de las características de los hablantes, en los que influye, entre otras condiciones, la cultura de la que forman parte. Por ello en la industria de la hospitalidad, en el marco de la globalización, se ha profundizado en el concepto de las diferencias culturales. Un mayor acercamiento al diente implica, por lo tanto, conocer sus costumbres y estilo de vida, sus valores y creencias, para cumplir con sus expectativas.

Due to technological advances, people now have more time for leisure which is not always used to one's advantage, or it is often mistaken for idleness. There is usuallly not a healthy equillibrium between work and rest, the reason for this, being mostly of socio-cultural and educational origins. Therefore the importance of being of influence in this area. An important educational goal should be to achhieve working and resting capacity, taking into account each person's abilities and tastes for productive actions, and the enjoyment of moments of relaxation. An assertive use of time is knowing how to dedicate moments of leisure pot the following activities: restoring rest, fun, cultural development, impulse of creativity, and social mingling.