Consumers sensory evaluation of melon sweetness and quality

CONSUMERS SENSORY EVALUATION OF MELON SWEETNESS AND QUALITY Agulheiro Santos, A.C, Rato, A.E., Laranjo, M. and Gonçalves, C. Departamento de Fitotecnia, Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas (ICAAM), Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada (IIFA), Universidade de Évora, Polo da Mitra, Ap.94, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal. ABSTRACT The sensory quality of fruits is made of a range of attributes like sweetness, acidity, aroma, firmness, color. Taste perception and perception threshold of these attributes are variable according to the psychological and cultural development of individuals. To better understand the quality evaluation of melon by consumers, consumers were invited to taste melon samples, in supermarkets in Évora (South region), Lisbon (Central region) and Vila Nova de Gaia (North region). The present work explored the importance given by consumers to sweetness in order to classify the overall quality of melon. Furthermore, the relationship of the chemical evaluation of Total Soluble Solids (TSS) with sweetness of melon was studied. Fruits from the variety Melão branco picked randomly from those that were exposed for sale in supermarkets were used for analysis. Fruits were chinned along the equatorial zone and only the central part of the fruit, opposite to the part that leaned on the soil, was used to obtain homogeneous samples. Consumers were invited to taste four small pieces of each fruit, previously referenced with a code number, and answer a questionnaire with two questions related to sweetness and overall quality. Each question had five possible levels, identified from “Nothing sweet”, to “Extremely sweet”, in one case, and from “Poor” to “Excellent” in the other. Simultaneously, the values of TSS (measured in ºBrix) for each melon used in the study were evaluated by refractometry. This sensory analysis allowed us to point out the following findings: first of all, there is good agreement between the results obtained to classify “Sweetness” and “Overall Quality” (Cohen’s Kappa=53.1%, p<0.001), which means, for example, that fruits with excellent quality are in general extremely sweet. Moreover, fruits with less than 9.6 °Brix are considered of poor quality and nothing sweet, whereas fruits with values between 10 °Brix and 12 °Brix are considered good in terms of overall quality. It seems that the thresholds for the stimulus/intensity of sweetness lied between 10 °Brix to 14 °Brix for this melon variety. Acknowledgments This work was support by national funds through Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) under the Strategic Project Pest-OE/AGR/UI0115/2014 and co-funded by FEDER funds through the COMPETE Program

Adherence to BCLC recommendations for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: impact on survival according to stage

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to assess the adherence of newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma patients to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer system treatment guidelines and to examine the impact of adherence on the survival of patients in different stages of the disease. METHODS: This study included all patients referred for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma between 2010 and 2012. Patients (n=364) were classified according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer guidelines. Deviations from the recommended guidelines were discussed, and treatment was determined by a multidisciplinary team. The overall survival curves were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: The overall rate of adherence to the guidelines was 52%. The rate of adherence of patients in each scoring group varied as follows: stage 0, 33%; stage A, 45%; stage B, 78%; stage C, 35%; and stage D, 67%. In stage 0/A, adherent patients had a significantly better overall survival than non-adherent patients (hazard ratio=0.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.09-0.42;

Evaluación del comportamiento postcosecha de nuevas variedades de arándano en Tucumán, Argentina

Póster presentado en el 4° Congreso Argentino de Fitopatología, Mendoza, entre el 19 y 21 de abril de 2017La situación económica mundial y el desorden climático han llevado al sector a una pérdida de la superficie cultivada, eliminando todos aquellos lotes improductivos, hasta llegar al año 2017 con solo 2750 ha productivas. Esto provocó una necesidad de ampliar la curva de cosecha mediante la introducción de nuevas variedades. La postcosecha de la fruta se define tradicionalmente por aspectos estéticos como textura (firmeza, jugosidad y turgencia) y apariencia (color, frescura y ausencia de pudrición o desórdenes fisiológicos). Si bien estos términos son parte importante del concepto de calidad, se deberían considerar además los valores nutricionales, organolépticos y los de inocuidad. En la Argentina, la recolección de fruta fresca de arándano para exportación se realiza exclusivamente en forma manual. Por ello para los productores arandanero es importante obtener altos rendimientos en sus cosechas, y además que la fruta mantenga excelentes condiciones de calidad y condición para resistir largas distancias hacia los distintos canales de comercialización.Fil: Heredia, Ana Micaela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Kirschbaum, Daniel Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Funes, Claudia Fernanda. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Pavón, E. Tierra de Berries S.A.; ArgentinaFil: Ramallo, A.C. Vivero El Lapacho; Argentin

Temporal stability of multitrigger and episodic viral wheeze in early childhood

The distinction between episodic viral wheeze (EVW) and multitrigger wheeze (MTW) is used to guide management of preschool wheeze. It has been questioned whether these phenotypes are stable over time. We examined the temporal stability of MTW and EVW in two large population-based cohorts.We classified children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n=10 970) and the Leicester Respiratory Cohorts ((LRCs), n=3263) into EVW, MTW and no wheeze at ages 2, 4 and 6 years based on parent-reported symptoms. Using multinomial regression, we estimated relative risk ratios for EVW and MTW at follow-up (no wheeze as reference category) with and without adjusting for wheeze severity.Although large proportions of children with EVW and MTW became asymptomatic, those that continued to wheeze showed a tendency to remain in the same phenotype: among children with MTW at 4 years in the LRCs, the adjusted relative risk ratio was 15.6 (95% CI 8.3-29.2) for MTW (stable phenotype) compared to 7.0 (95% CI 2.6-18.9) for EVW (phenotype switching) at 6 years. The tendency to persist was weaker for EVW and from 2-4 years. Results were similar across cohorts.This suggests that MTW, and to a lesser extent EVW, tend to persist regardless of wheeze severity

Severe food allergy and anaphylaxis : treatment, risk assessment and risk reduction

An anaphylactic reaction may be fatal if not recognised and managed appropriately with rapid treatment. Key steps in the management of anaphylaxis include eliminating additional exposure to the allergen, basic life-support measures and prompt intramuscular administration of adrenaline 0.01 mg/kg (maximum 0.5 mL). Adjunctive measures include nebulised bronchodilators for lower-airway obstruction, nebulised adrenaline for stridor, antihistamines and corticosteroids. Patients with an anaphylactic reaction should be admitted to a medical facility so that possible biphasic reactions may be observed and risk-reduction strategies initiated or reviewed after recovery from the acute episode. Factors associated with increased risk of severe reactions include co-existing asthma (and poor asthma control), previous severe reactions, delayed administration of adrenaline, adolescents and young adults, reaction to trace amounts of foods, use of non-selective β-blockers and patients who live far from medical care. Risk-reduction measures include providing education with regard to food allergy and a written emergency treatment plan on allergen avoidance, early symptom recognition and appropriate emergency treatment. Risk assessment allows stratification with provision of injectable adrenaline (preferably via an auto-injector) if necessary. Patients with ambulatory adrenaline should be provided with written instructions regarding the indications for and method of administration of this drug and trained in its administration. Patients and their caregivers should be instructed about how to avoid foods to which the former are allergic and provided with alternatives. Permission must be given to inform all relevant caregivers of the diagnosis of food allergy. The patient must always wear a MedicAlert necklace or bracelet and be encouraged to join an appropriate patient support organisation.http://www.samj.org.zahb201

Vaccination in food allergic patients

Important potential food allergens in vaccines include egg and gelatin. Rare cases of reactions to yeast, lactose and casein have been reported. It is strongly recommended that when vaccines are being administered resuscitation equipment must be available to manage potential anaphylactic reactions, and that all patients receiving a vaccine are observed for a sufficient period. Children who are allergic to egg may safely receive the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine; it may also be given routinely in primary healthcare settings. People with egg allergy may receive influenza vaccination routinely; however, some authorities still perform prior skinprick testing and give two-stage dosing. The purified chick embryo cell culture rabies vaccine contains egg protein, and therefore the human diploid cell and purified verocell rabies vaccines are preferred in cases of egg allergy. Yellow fever vaccine has the greatest likelihood of containing amounts of egg protein sufficient to cause an allergic reaction in allergic individuals. This vaccine should not be routinely administered in egg allergic patients and referral to an allergy specialist is recommended, as vaccination might be possible after careful evaluation, skin-testing and graded challenge or desensitisation.http://www.samj.org.zahb201

Exclusion diets and challenges in the diagnosis of food allergy

Instituting an exclusion diet for 2 - 6 weeks, and following it up with a planned and intentional re-introduction of the diet, is important for the diagnosis of a food allergy when a cause-and-effect relationship between ingestion of food and symptoms is unclear. Food may be re-introduced after (short-term) exclusion diets for mild-to-moderate non-immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated conditions in a safe clinical environment or cautiously at home. However, patients who have had an IgE-mediated immediate reaction to food, a previous severe non-IgE-mediated reaction or a long period of food exclusion should not have a home challenge, but rather a formal incremental food challenge protocol in a controlled setting. An incremental oral food challenge (OFC) test is the gold standard to diagnose clinical food allergy or demonstrate tolerance. It consists of gradual feeding of the suspected food under close observation. It should be done by trained practitioners in centres that have experience in performing the procedure in an appropriate setting. An OFC must be performed in a setting where resuscitation equipment is available in the event of a severe anaphylactic reaction. OFCs are terminated when a reaction becomes apparent. Standardised and pre-set criteria are available on when to discontinue challenges. Patients who tolerate the full dose ‘pass’ the challenge and are advised to eat a full portion of the food at least twice a week to maintain tolerance. Those who have reactions have ‘failed’ the challenge, should avoid the food, receive education and implement risk-reduction strategies where appropriate. Patients should be observed for a minimum of 2 hours following a negative challenge and for 4 hours after a positive one.http://www.samj.org.zahb201