125,008 research outputs found
Quality improvement of manuka honey through the application of high pressure processing
The quality of honey is known to be compromised when it goes through thermal
processing due to its negative impact on the unstable and thermolabile honey components
which originated from the nectar and bees themselves. This present work is undertaken to
access the use of an emerging food preservation technique known as “High Pressure
Processing” for treating honey, as an alternative to the conventional thermal processing. In
this thesis, honey quality has been addressed by measuring the effects of high pressure
processing parameters (pressure, time and temperature) on nutritional properties of honey,
namely total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Honey samples, contained in small
pouches, were subjected to different pressures (200-600 MPa) at close to ambient
temperatures (25-33°C) for different holding times (10 to 30 min). Thermal processing (49-
70°C) was also carried out for comparison purpose. Results demonstrated that high pressure
processing operated at 600 MPa for 10 min has capability to increase significantly the total
phenolic content and antioxidant activity by 47% and 30%, respectively. Besides, the result
showed that high pressure processing can maintain the natural colour of honey which relates
directly to consumer perception, while retaining its shear-thinning behaviour and viscosity
with no significant changes (p > 0.05). High pressure processing can also control
hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) concentration in honey during process within the standard
limit, 16.93 to 18.76 mg/kg (which is below than the maximum allowed limit of 40 mg/kg).
This work also reveals that high pressure processing can enhance antibacterial activity of
Manuka honey significantly. It shows an increase in the percentage inhibition of
Staphylococcus epidermidis from 64.15 ± 5.86% to 84.34 ± 7.62% when honey was
subjected to 600 MPa. Storage studies for one year at room temperature (25°C) demonstrated
that high pressure-treated samples have a good retention to the physicochemical, nutritional
and rheological properties of honey throughout storage, which confirms that the positive
effect of high pressure on honey is not a temporary effect. Whereas, an insight study on the
safety part showed that the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell varied linearly with ° Brix,
indicating that food compressibility has a significant role in the microbial inactivation
Aligning Best Practices in Student Success and Career Preparedness: An Exploratory Study to Establish Pathways to STEM Careers for Undergraduate Minority Students
Undergraduate minority retention and graduation rates in STEM disciplines is a nationally recognized challenge for workforce growth and diversification. The Benjamin Banneker Scholars Program (BBSP) was a five-year undergraduate study developed to increase minority student retention and graduation rates at an HBCU. The program structure utilized a family model as a vehicle to orient students to the demands of college. Program activities integrated best K-12 practices and workforce skillsets to increase academic preparedness and career readiness. Findings revealed that a familial atmosphere improved academic performance, increased undergraduate research, and generated positive perceptions of faculty mentoring. Retention rates among BBSP participants averaged 88% compared to 39% among non-participant STEM peers. The BBSP graduation rate averaged 93% compared to 20% for non-participants. BBSP participants were more likely to gain employment in a STEM field or enter into a professional study. This paper furthers the body of research on STEM workforce diversity and presents a transferrable model for other institutions
Alter ego, state of the art on user profiling: an overview of the most relevant organisational and behavioural aspects regarding User Profiling.
This report gives an overview of the most relevant organisational and\ud
behavioural aspects regarding user profiling. It discusses not only the\ud
most important aims of user profiling from both an organisation’s as\ud
well as a user’s perspective, it will also discuss organisational motives\ud
and barriers for user profiling and the most important conditions for\ud
the success of user profiling. Finally recommendations are made and\ud
suggestions for further research are given
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