Studies in food science for industrial applications : Chemical and sensory analysis of fermented cucumbers; insoluble chitosanpolyacrylic acid complexes

Pediococcus cerevisiae, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactococcus diacetylactis Bifidobacterium bifidum, Leuconostoc oenos, and mixed cultures of Propionibacterium shermanii and P. cerevisiae were used to ferment cucumber juice brine (CJB) at 22-26°C for 1.5 months. Sugar utilization ranged from 14.6 to 86.1%. pH of the fermented CJB ranged from 3.24 to 4.12 and titratable acidity ranged from 0.30 to 0.93%. All strains tested degraded malic acid and citric acid. Leu. mesenteroides and Leu. oenos did not utilize citric acid for diacetyl-acetoin production. The concentration of acetic, propionic and lactic acids varied among the fermentation treatments. The heterofermenters produced high concentrations of CO₂, ethanol and mannitol and CJB with high volatile/nonvolatile acid ratios. The fermentation balance indicated that sugars had been used to produce compounds not measured in this study. Twelve aroma and six flavor by mouth descriptors were used to describe flavor of the final products in the trained panel descriptive analysis. Sourness intensity was the only sensory descriptor that correlated with the chemical analysis data. The intensities of seven aroma and three flavor by mouth descriptors were significantly different (p < 0.05) among treatments. Aroma preference mean scores from 9-point hedonic scale ranged from 4.69-5.39; they were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Formation and Potential Industrial Applications of An Insoluble Polyelectrolyte Complex: Chitosan-Polyacrylic Acid Chitosan and polyacrylic acid mixtures were prepared in different mole ratios and at different ionic strengths (0.025-0.300). No insoluble complex formation at pH=2 was detected. In the 3 to 6 pH range, the maximum complex formation occurred at different mole ratios. The complex composition is affected by pH but not by ionic strength. An electrostatic interaction between -COO⁻ and -NH₃+ groups was involved in complex formation. This study suggests that process recommendations for industrial application of chitosan as a coagulating agent can be made based on the ionic strength, pH and charge group concentration of the fluid to be treated

Nutrition Labelling: Educational Tool for Reducing Risks of Obesity-Related Non-communicable Diseases

Food and nutrition education is globally recognized as the most efficient tool for reducing the risks of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). For decades, different nutrition labelling formats found on the back of food packages have been used as educational tools to provide information on amounts of nutrients for preventing both under- and over-nutrition. However, these traditional panels have proven to be ineffective for consumer education due to their complexity. Other systems, so-called ‘Simplified Nutrition Labelling’, which are normally shown on the front of a food package, were then introduced as ‘Front-of-Pack, FOP’ labelling. These labelling panels normally contain only the nutrients that relate to NCDs and that should be limited for consumption. At least four types of FOP nutrition labelling panels exist, namely, nutrient specific, summary indicator, food group information and hybrids. These panels using different patterns provide consumers with three types of information: non-evaluative, evaluative or interpretative and conclusive. In this chapter, the advantages and disadvantages of different types of nutrition labelling are discussed, especially their roles in reducing the risk of obesity-related NCDs in a population

Development of cereal and legume based food products for the elderly

Abstract Diets for elderly must contain nutritious foods, fit their physiological limitations, and match with their food culture. Cereals and legumes are suggested food choices regardless of their cultures and beliefs. Ready-to-eat products containing suitable macronutrient patterns from cereals and legumes were developed. Energy distributions from carbohydrate (60 kcal/100 kcal), protein (15 kcal/100 kcal), and fat (25 kcal/100 kcal), protein quality, and percent energy from saturated fatty acid and free sugar were criteria for the formulation. Carbohydrate sources were rice flour, brown rice flour, mung bean starch, which carbohydrate in rice flour was the most digestible on in vitro test. Protein and fat sources were soybean flour, black sesame seed, and rice bran oil. Three products, i.e., flake snack, instant beverage, and instant soup were produced by drying basic ingredients as flakes on a double-roller drum dryer and directly used or dry-mixed with other ingredients. The products (Aw &lt;0.3) had balanced energy distribution, good quality protein, and energy from saturated fat &lt; 8 kcal/100 kcal and free sugar &lt; 10 kcal/100 kcal. Results from sensory central location test in 219 elderly subjects indicated that the flake snacks from both carbohydrate sources were significantly more acceptable than the other two products.</jats:p

Noodle consumption patterns of American consumers: NHANES 2001-2002

Although noodles occupy an important place in the dietary lives of Americans, up until the present time research and in-depth data on the noodle consumption patterns of the US population have been very limited. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the food consumption and diet patterns of noodle consumers and non-consumers according to age, gender, income, and ethnicity. The 2001-2002 NHANES databases were used. The NHANES 2001-2002 data showed that noodle consumers reporting noodle consumption in their 24-h recall were 2,035 individuals (23.3% of total subjects). According to the results, the mean noodle consumption was 304.1 g/day/person, with 334.3 g for males and 268.0 g for females. By age, the intake of those in the age range of 9-18 years old ranked highest at 353.0 g, followed by the order of 19-50 year-olds with 333.5 g, 51-70 year-olds with by 280.4 g, older than 71years old with 252.3 g, and 1-8 year-olds with 221.5 g. By gender, males consumed more noodles than females. Also, according to income, the intake amount for the middle-income level (PIR 1~1.85) of consumers was highest at 312.5 g. Noodle intake also showed different patterns by ethnicity in which the "other" ethnic group consumed the most noodles with 366.1 g, followed by, in order, Hispanics with 318.7 g, Whites with 298.6 g, and Blacks with 289.5 g. After comparing food consumption by dividing the subjects into noodle consumers and non-consumers, the former was more likely to consume milk, fish, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and alcoholic beverages while the latter preferred meat, poultry, bread, and non-alcohol beverages

A study of factors affecting the efficiency of maturity separation of peas by sodium chloride brine flotation

The problem in green pea grading system by using brine flotation is loss of some less mature peas (generally regarded as higher in quality and price) in the sinker fraction (lower quality). Green peas were sampled from the production line as follows: (1) blanched but ungraded peas, (2) floater fraction, and (3) sinker fraction. Peas from the floater and sinker fractions were tested using the standard brine flotation test (United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Peas, 1959). Using sodium chloride salt brine as the separation medium, the blanched but ungraded peas were used to test the effect on percent floaters caused by: (1) change in brine concentration, (2) change in brine temperature, (3) change in pea temperature. Again, the blanched but ungraded peas were used to test the effect of underskin air on percent floaters, using sucrose syrup as the separation medium. The relationships between change in percent floater peas and maturity of the floater and sinker fractions were determined by using Alcohol Insoluble Solids (AIS) analysis as the maturity reference method. The nature of problem was identified, when a high percent (44.9%) U.S. Fancy grade floaters was found in the sinker fraction from the factory. The study showed that the percentage of floaters was significantly (p=0.05) influenced by brine concentration, brine temperature, pea temperature, and retention of air under the skin of the peas. Regression analysis of the data for the first three factors indicated that rate of change in percent floaters was greatest with brine concentration, and least with pea temperature. The change in maturity of floater and sinker fractions as determined by AIS analysis showed a close positive relationship between the change in percent floaters produced by change in the treatment conditions. Again, AIS results showed that residual underskin air in the intact blanched peas significantly affected the accurate separation by a false increase in buoyancy of borderline maturity peas (AIS was in between floater's and sinker's) in the flotation process. The underskin air factor was the least important factor affecting percent floaters when compared with the other factors of brine concentration, brine temperature, and pea temperature