Dynamic Headspace Sampling and Chromatographic and Mass Spectrometric Investigations of Volatile Flavor Components in Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus Clarkii) Hepatopancreatic Tissue.

This analytical food flavor study concentrated on the development and application of improved analytical techniques to investigate volatile flavor components in crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) hepatopancreatic tissue. This work consisted of four main parts. The first part dealt with the development of an improved dynamic headspace sampling procedure for the sampling and concentration of volatile flavor components in the headspace of high moisture foods. The second section described the successful application of this improved procedure for chromatographic and mass spectrometric investigation of dynamic headspace volatile flavor components of crayfish hepatopancreatic tissue. The third part discussed the quantitative determination of these volatile flavor components. The fourth part determined the effects of thermal processing and storage on the profiles of the volatile flavor components. The improved dynamic headspace procedure minimized water interference during thermal desorption of flavor compounds from Tenax-TA sorbent cartridges. Using this off-line weight-controlled dry-purge procedure, water trapped in the sorbent cartridge was effectively removed to facilitate cryofocusing and high resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. Effects of water and extended dry-purge were determined on volatile components in a model sample system using fish oil with added water as the sample matrix. Relative concentrations of flavor compounds from six different chemical classes had low coefficients of variation (1-6%) in most cases, except low molecular weight organic acids. Volatile flavor components of crayfish hepatopancreatic tissue were investigated by improved techniques of objective instrumental analysis and subjective sensory evaluation. Volatile flavor components were sampled by dynamic headspace concentration, separated by high resolution gas chromatography, identified by mass spectrometry and characterized by sensory evaluation. A total of 59 compounds were identified and included aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds. Results from chromatography-coupled sensory evaluation revealed important desirable salty-meaty crayfish flavors. Volatile components from raw, freshly boiled and boiled and 337-day freezer-stored crayfish hepatopancreas were analyzed to evaluate the effects of thermal processing and storage stability on flavor quality. Results indicated the possibility of flavor formation and migration between the hepatopancreas and the tailmeat. Lipid oxidation products were enhanced during freezer-storage

Utilization and Impact of Internet of Things (IoT) in Food Supply Chains from the Context of Food Loss/Waste Reduction, Shelf-Life Extension and Environmental Impact

openThe Internet of Things (IoT) sensor-based technologies are transforming the realm of food production and consumption by offering the potential to enable real-time tracking and data sharing, thus improving communication in the food supply chain. Specifically, real-time information on the location and state of food products as they travel from farms to processing plants, distribution hubs, and eventually consumers can be provided via IoT-enabled sensors and devices. This enables prompt reaction to deviations from ideal circumstances, delaying spoiling and minimizing food loss and waste (FLW). This approach also allows for dynamic inventory management, mitigating issues of overstocking and understocking often linked to food loss. However, the extent to which the implementation of such technologies can contribute to the mitigation of FLW remains uncertain. Thus, this study explores several IoT applications for food supply chains, including real-time monitoring of temperature, humidity, and other important variables. The research also looks at how IoT may help food goods last longer on the shelf. Moreover, IoT technologies have significant environmental impacts, and it is crucial to carefully consider its total environmental effect. IoT promotes energy-efficient transportation, lessens overstocking and understocking, and decreases the carbon footprint related to food production and distribution by optimizing supply chain processes. Therefore, this study also examines the effects of IoT adoption on the environment, including the manufacturing and decommissioning of IoT infrastructure and devices. It evaluates rigorously whether the possible negative consequences of technological production and waste exceed the beneficial environmental benefits, such as energy-efficient transportation and decreased carbon footprints. Shortly, It is aimed to deeply analyse the use and effects of IoT in the food supply chains, with an emphasis on how it may decrease food loss and waste, increase shelf life, and environmental impacts of its use through an extensive literature search in this study.The Internet of Things (IoT) sensor-based technologies are transforming the realm of food production and consumption by offering the potential to enable real-time tracking and data sharing, thus improving communication in the food supply chain. Specifically, real-time information on the location and state of food products as they travel from farms to processing plants, distribution hubs, and eventually consumers can be provided via IoT-enabled sensors and devices. This enables prompt reaction to deviations from ideal circumstances, delaying spoiling and minimizing food loss and waste (FLW). This approach also allows for dynamic inventory management, mitigating issues of overstocking and understocking often linked to food loss. However, the extent to which the implementation of such technologies can contribute to the mitigation of FLW remains uncertain. Thus, this study explores several IoT applications for food supply chains, including real-time monitoring of temperature, humidity, and other important variables. The research also looks at how IoT may help food goods last longer on the shelf. Moreover, IoT technologies have significant environmental impacts, and it is crucial to carefully consider its total environmental effect. IoT promotes energy-efficient transportation, lessens overstocking and understocking, and decreases the carbon footprint related to food production and distribution by optimizing supply chain processes. Therefore, this study also examines the effects of IoT adoption on the environment, including the manufacturing and decommissioning of IoT infrastructure and devices. It evaluates rigorously whether the possible negative consequences of technological production and waste exceed the beneficial environmental benefits, such as energy-efficient transportation and decreased carbon footprints. Shortly, It is aimed to deeply analyse the use and effects of IoT in the food supply chains, with an emphasis on how it may decrease food loss and waste, increase shelf life, and environmental impacts of its use through an extensive literature search in this study

The State of the Anti-Union Address: A Rhetorical Critique of Select Service Worker Training Methods

This is an interdisciplinary master\u27s level thesis that explores links among technical writing, training manuals, surveillance, and anti-union rhetoric used with service workers in select American chains and franchises. Brief histories are provided, including those of technical writing, the rise of unions in America, and how technical writing became inextricably linked with labor. A major shift occurred in the 20th century when workers began interacting less with products and more with the public. The research focuses on training manuals, techniques, and rehearsed dialogues of McDonald\u27s, Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Whole Foods, Panera, and Publix, though similar organizations are referenced. Service worker language, uniforms, and store decorum are sometimes analyzed for their rhetorical content. The idea of a single, technically written training manual in the service sector is a misnomer; training is delivered through a pastiche of manuals, videos, computers, apps, flipcharts, and on the job training. Unions are avoided through franchising (and therefore eat outlet not possessing enough workers to organize), creating conditions of high turnover rates, rhetoric, and use of euphemism. Global corporations are likened to superfiefdoms, with service workers equated to modern serfs. If the world has evolved into supercorporations, it is argued then that the Publix employee-owned model may be the best approach and the most dignified of all. The technical writing and instruction in state-sponsored and federalized school pedagogies, which emphasize drills and compliance, may be culturally linked to the training found in these entry-level service jobs, and more academic study exploring these links is called for

Geochemical and spectroscopic fingerprinting for authentication and geographical traceability of high-quality lemon fruits.

Geochemical (mineral element and Sr isotope ratio) and spectroscopical fingerprinting (Near Infrared Spectroscopy) were proposed to authenticate and track the two high-quality lemon fruits from the Campania region (Limone di Sorrento PGI and Limone Costa d'Amalfi PGI) to protect them from frauds. Considering the geochemical indicators, we built different chemometric discriminant models based on mineral profile and 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio. These two techniques were applied to discriminate fruits from different territorial scales, small territorial scales (region scale), and large territorial scales. The results of different discriminant models applied on mineral profiles of lemon juices, both on a small and large territorially scale, showed good discrimination according to provenance, especially for non-essential elements as Rb, Ba, Sr, Ti, and Co. These same elements have shown a good correlation with cultivation soils and stability between the two production years. It is worth noting that although, the performance of the whole elemental profile gave a better result than the profile of the non-essential elements, the reliability of the two models, calculated as the ratio between the percentage of correctly validated and classification samples, was similar. In addition, the Sr isotope ratio had shown a clear differentiation among the fruits from the Campania region and extra-regional samples, and by analysis of 86Sr/87Sr of soils, it was clear that the strontium isotope ratio of lemon juices was closely related to that of the bioavailable fractions of the soil. Furthermore, combining both isotopic and mineral profiles in lemon juices by a low-level data fusion approach, the results showed a better clustering according to geographical origins than the two-determination taken separately, although on an explorative level. In addition, the spectroscopical data (NIR) on intact lemon fruits showed the strong influence of environmental growing conditions on the samples. For this, the application of Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) models suggested building the discrimination models according to origins (PGI and not PGI productions) based on one production year. In the same way, the application of MLR models, that showed a strong relationship between quality properties of lemon fruits and NIR spectra, suggested the applicability of this technique to build predictive models for the quality properties. In addition, on a part of the total samples collected only in 2019 (intact lemons and juices), have been successfully applied two different chemometrics models i.e., LDA and Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA). The results showed better provenance discrimination using the lemon juices than the intact lemons. Comparing the results obtained, of the two approaches used, the results of geochemical fingerprinting have shown more stability for discriminate lemon fruits derived from two different production years, especially for not essential elements. However, considering the various vantages of the application of NIR spectroscopy (non-destructive, rapid, and cheap) and the results obtained, this technique can be used for rapid screening of samples in order to verify the quality and origins of lemon fruits during the year. The study of the pedoclimatic features was fundamental to understand the nature of discriminating variables, in both approaches. Additional research should be conducted to include a greater number of lemon farms (or sampling points) in the PGI area and to enlarge the existing database including lemon samples from other regions and validate the models built. These discriminant models based on geochemical and spectroscopical profiles of lemon fruits could substantially contribute to implementing a blockchain system for Campanian lemon traceability, providing real-time information not only to the final consumers but also to manufacturers, distributors, and retailers

ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS FEEDING THE WORLD: INCLUSION OF CRICKET POWDER IN CEREAL- BASED PRODUCTS

With the growing population worldwide and subsequently, the increasing demand for protein from livestock (poultry, fish, pigs and cattle) causes concern and future challenges. Entomophagy (the practice of consuming insects) can be promoted as an alternative and sustainable food source. Although there are around 1900 edible insect species globally, these are mainly consumed in developing countries due to their nutritional composition and ease of access. For instance, crickets are high in protein, fibre and low in carbohydrate, making them suitable to feed the world as an alternative food. The objective of this research was to understand the implications when using cricket powder fortificants within baked products. Three different sample replacement levels, wheat flour and cricket powder – 30% (WW+CP), wheat flour, cricket powder, quinoa- and Khorasan flour – 30:20:20% (WW+CP+Q+KH) and wheat flour, cricket powder, quinoa- Khorasan flour and mixed seeds – 30:20:20:25% (WW+CP+Q+KH+MS), were tested against a control sample (wheat flour – WW). Dough and bread samples were subjected to rheological, technological, chemical and sensory analysis to determine the individual analysis parameters. A negative linear correlation was observed between the number of inclusions within samples. Thus, impacting the rheological dough parameters, particularly a statistical significance (p < .05) for secondary parameters (protein weakening, starch gelatinisation and enzyme degradation). Crumb brightness and slice volume parameters decreased through the C-Cell illumination system as the replacement levels increased for all treatments. WW+CP+Q+KH+MS samples showed a decrease in the area occupied by air cells, the average air cell diameter, and cell wall thickness. However, the number of gas air cells increased for WW+CP+Q+KH and WW+CP+Q+KH+MS, indicating a good fermentation process within the bread samples. Texture profile analysis (TPA) was monitored at 1, 3, 5 and 7 days, showing a positive correlation between the higher number of flour inclusions and a reduced hardness within samples. Likewise, resilience decreased as the replacement levels increased for all treatments. Bread samples were analysed for nutritional composition and revealed an increase in crude- protein, fat and fibre as the replacement levels increased. This correlated with a positive linear increase between the increase in replacement levels and the macronutrients. Furthermore, this directly impacted the texture for sample WW+CP+Q+KH+MS, as it maintained the softest crumb reducing the staling rate. Finally, bread samples made with the combination of WW+CP+Q+KH+MS, showed a liking by 145 untrained panellists (appearance – 57%, taste – 74%, texture – 64%). Data collected highlighted a practical use of cricket powder, ancient grains and mixed seeds to produce enriched bread products. Meanwhile, a JISC survey found that consumers worldwide prefer insects as agricultural feed rather than a direct food source (r = .6). However, this changed when participants heard about crickets’ potential health benefits, and a shift to accepting crickets as a direct food source was noticed (r = .89). Furthermore, the food neophobia levels showed a decrease compared to previous studies, suggesting more acceptance of this alternative protein

A rapid impact assessment approach for decision support in food policy

Under the pressure of many alternative stakeholders’ demands, the food policy maker needs to consider regulatory decisions in order to grant a safe final product for the consumer, as well as to foster the improvement of the agro-food supply system. However, current ex-ante impact assessment systems present many evaluation shortcomings due to the intrinsic difficulty of: modelling impact phenomena, establishing reliable time-related parameters and predicting food supply network actors’ behaviour. Considering these issues the present doctoral thesis proposes an alternative assessment approach, based on a mix of qualitative and quantitative elements, able to rapidly obtain impacts and display them in an intuitively comprehensible visualization. Main features of the created model are: the consequentiality between food sector enterprises’ compliance with new policies and the calculation of potential macro impacts, the highly disaggregated multi-level government impacts data collection, the structured procedure in analysing the numerous impact categories and the indication of inputs uncertainty. Results from two case studies (Directive 2009/128/EC of the 21st of October 2009 ‘establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides’ and European Commission Proposal of 30th January 2008 for a Regulation ‘on the provision of food information to consumers – allergens focus’), a simulation and direct interviews to prospective users of the model (European Commission Departments members), revealed the complementary role of the rapid assessment approach in respect of part of the current impact assessment system. Finally a dedicated software illustrates how the rapid assessment approach could serve policy makers in supporting their decisions when dealing with food regulations’ outcomes improvement.Eine effiziente Bewertungsmethode zur Unterstützung der Entscheidungsfindung in der Ernährungspolitik Unter dem Druck der verschiedenen Ansprüche der Akteure der Lebens- mittelwertschöpfungskette sind Entscheidungsträger der Ernährungspolitik gezwungen Entscheidungen zu treffen, die sowohl die Lebensmittelsicherheit der Endprodukte für den Verbraucher berücksichtigen als auch der Verbesserung der Wertschöpfungskette des Agribusiness Rechnung tragen. Bestehende ex-ante Bewertungssysteme weisen verschiedene Mängel auf, die auf Schwierigkeiten innerhalb des Systems zurückzuführen sind: Modellierung der Bewertungsphänomene, Etablierung verlässlicher zeit-bezogener Parameter und Vorhersage des Verhaltens von Akteuren der Wertschöpfungskette. Unter Berücksichtigung dieser Probleme beschäftigt sich diese Doktorarbeit mit möglichen Lösungsansätzen. Schwerpunkt bildet die Entwicklung eines alternativen, effizienten Bewertungsansatzes, welcher auf qualitativen als auch quantitativen Komponenten basiert. Dies ermöglicht es, Einflussfaktoren effizient und effektiv zu identifizieren und visualizieren. Im Mittelpunkt des erarbeiteten Modells stehen die Zusammenhänge zwischen der Compliance der Ernährungsindustrie und potentiellen Einflussfaktoren, disaggregierte Datenerhebung auf mehreren Ebenen, strukturierte Vorgehensweise in der Analyse potentieller Einflussfaktoren und Ausweisung von Unsicherheitsfaktoren. Ergebnisse liefern zwei Fallstudien (Richtlinie 2009/128/EG über‚ einen Aktionsrahmen der Gemeinschaft für die nachhaltige Verwendung von Pestiziden‘ und Vorschlag für eine Verordnung (2008) betreffend ‚die Information der Verbraucher über Lebensmittel – Fokus auf Allergene‘), eine Simulation sowie Tiefeninterviews mit zukünftigen Nutzern der effizienten Bewertungsmethode (Generaldirektionen Mitglieder). Es zeigt sich, dass die effiziente Bewertungsmethode komplementär zum derzeitigen Bewertungsmechanismus gesehen werden kann. Abschließend illustriert eine Softwareanwendung, wie die effiziente Bewertungsmethode zukünftig politische Entscheidungsträger in ihrer Entscheidungsfindung bezüglich Lebensmittelgesetzen und –richtlinien unterstützen könnte.Un sistema rapido di valutazione degli impatti per il supporto alle decisioni nelle politiche agro-alimentari Sotto la spinta di diversi gruppi di pressione, quali i consumatori, le industrie manifatturiere agro-alimentari e l‟opinione pubblica, il decisore politico si trova a prendere scelte atte a garantire sia la sanità del prodotto finale che lo sviluppo e l‟innovazione delle reti di offerta agro-alimentari. Tuttavia gli odierni sistemi di valutazione ex-ante degli impatti delle politiche agro-alimentari presentano molteplici problemi di analisi legati alla modellizzazione delle particolarità dei fenomeni sottastanti gli impatti, alla determinazione di parametri con variabilità temporale e alla previsione dei comportamenti degli attori economici del settore. Considerando le difficoltà sopra elencate, il presente lavoro propone un approccio di valutazione alternativo; tale sistema, in parte basato su informazioni qualitative ed in parte su informazioni quantitative, permette di ottenere velocemente i potenziali impatti ex-ante presentandoli con un‟interfaccia di facile ed intuitiva comprensibilità. Le caratteristiche principali del modello sottostante il sistema di valutazione creato sono: la consequenzialità tra la conformità delle imprese agro-alimentari alle norme di nuove politiche e il calcolo degli impatti a livello aggregato, la raccolta disaggregata dei dati di impatto a diversi livelli di governo del territorio, la procedura strutturata nel considerare le molteplici categorie di impatto e l‟indicatore di incertezza connessa agli inputs immessi. Il test del sistema di valutazione attraverso due casi studio (Direttiva 2009/128/CE „Istituzione di un quadro per l‟azione comunitaria ai fini dell‟utilizzo sostenibile dei pesticidi‟ e Proposta di Regolamento della Commissione (2008) „relativo alla fornitura di informazioni alimentari ai consumatori – focus sugli allergeni‟), una simulazione ed interviste dirette ad utilizzatori potenziali del modello (membri di specifici Direttorati Generali della Commissione Europea), hanno rivelato la complementarietà tra l‟approccio di valutazione espresso in questo studio e i sistemi di valutazione di impatto esistenti. Un software dedicato dimostra infine come l‟approccio di valutazione rapida possa servire il decisore politico aiutandolo nel miglioramento degli esiti delle politiche agro-alimentari

Predicate conjoining in Hadiyya: a head driven PS grammar

In examining certain structures of the East Cushitic language Hadiyya, this thesis, in keeping with recent trends, adopts a mono-stratal framework, framed in terms of the mathematical operation of Unification; namely Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG). Chapter 1 is devoted to an exposition of the model employing situation semantics. Chapter 2 discusses the categories of noun, noun phrase, and verb. The discussion centres on the basic morphological categories of Person, Number, Gender and Case, and the variety of verbal forms which are relevant to an appreciation of following chapters, and a tentative (partial) feature system is set out. Chapter 3 deals with the mono-clausal sentence, briefly expounding basic sentence types, with the focus of the chapter on the issues of subcategorisation, constituent order, "pro-drop", and agreement. Several revisions of the formalism are proposed, and a general goal formulated. Part II deals with nexus mechanisms. First is a short chapter, 4, on canonical coordination as it occurs in Hadiyya, in which an attempt is made to formalise resolution rules, and a broader, cross-linguistic look is taken at the categories of Person, Gender and Number in coordinate phrases. Some of Hadiyya's other lexical connectors are also briefly considered. In the two final chapters, both subordinative and coordinative systems are reviewed, and these chapters provide an end-focus to the study. Chapter 5, discusses the adverbial clause, and the complementation system, while Chapter 6 covers clause chaining/ serialisation, switch reference, and the encoding of simultaneous events, in which agreement and control questions are addressed. A short final chapter brings together some of the major theoretical suggestions arising.

Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis in broilers: genomics, phylogenomics, and methods to detect specific pathogens during outbreaks.

Lameness is a major issue in animal welfare and the broiler industry. Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is one of the main causes of lameness. Many staphylococcal species, including Staphylococcus agnetis isolate 908, have been isolated from the bones and blood of lame broilers at the University of Arkansas. Staphylococcus agnetis is a coagulase-variable, Gram-positive bacterial species that has been previously associated with subclinical or mild clinical cases of mastitis in dairy cattle. The annotated complete genome of hypervirulent strain 908 was published at NCBI. In this study, it has been compared to nine genomes we assembled for hypervirulent isolates in dairy cattle. Phylogenomic analyses of chicken and cattle isolates of S. agnetis and Staphylococcus hyicus suggest a very close relationship between the cattle and chicken isolates. The hypervirulent chicken isolate, 908, clustered with two of the cattle isolates, including strain 1379. A catalogue of gene differences between the cattle and chicken isolates was constructed using reciprocal blast analyses at the nucleotide and polypeptide level. More than 40 genes and 3 plasmids from strain 908 are absent or poorly conserved in any of the cattle S. agnetis isolates. No transformation protocol has been described for S. agnetis. Subsequently, an electroporation procedure has been optimized for DNA transformation of Staphylococcus agnetis. Therefore, we have optimized an electroporation method for DNA transformation so that we regularly obtain 10 to 20 transformants per ng using a Gram+/Gram- shuttle vector. Moreover, among the BCO pathogens isolated from the lame broilers, there are a number of Staphylococcus species, such as, S. agnetis, S. hyicus, S. chromogenes, S. aureus, S. cohnii, S. saprophyticus, S. epidermidis, and S. capitis, which are hard to accurately identify based just on genes like 16S rDNA. Therefore, using pfbA gene, a novel PCR assay was optimized for Staphylococcus species discrimination and strain typing. Moreover, extraction of bacterial DNA for subsequent molecular diagnostic applications remains a costly and time-consuming operation. We developed a technique for rapidly extracting genomic DNA from the BCO pathogens and other environmental bacteria based on sodium hydroxide cell lysis with or without magnetic bead capture. Finally, the BCO pathogens are transmitted via air. Our efficient air sampling system was designed for the quick screening of these airborne BCO pathogens and is transferable to monitor agriculturally important pathogenic bacteria