Does corporate reputation matter? Role of social media in consumer intention to purchase innovative food product

The exponential growth of the corporate reputation in food industry has resulted in innovations in every link of its supply chain. There have been studies that have characterized innovation in various industries from the perspective of technology, but far fewer in the area of corporate reputation, consumer perception, and intention towards innovations in food products. This research analyses the innovations in the food industry from the perspective of the consumer and provides a conceptual framework of food innovation stages. The study also investigates the relationship between corporate reputation and intention towards food innovation along with the other components of TPB model with an extension of social media engagement. The results from India and US samples confirm that social media engagement have a significant role to play in creating intention to purchase innovative food products. The study compares the US and Indian samples and identifies differences in subjective norms and perceived behavioural control

Functional Properties of Bioplastics Made from Wheat Gliadins Modified with Cinnamaldehyde

[EN] Cinnamaldehyde is a naturally occurring alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde. Its potential as a natural cross-linker to improve the physical performance of cast wheat gliadin films was evaluated. The cross-linking reaction was found to be dependent on the pH of the reaction medium, with pH 2 as the optimum. The water resistance (weight loss after immersion), mechanical properties (Young's modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break), thermal properties (T-g and decomposition behavior), optical properties and morphology of films were evaluated. Cross-linked films showed high transparency, maintained their integrity after immersion, and displayed significant improvements in tensile strength and Young's modulus without impairment of their elongation properties. These effects, which were proportional to the amount of cinnamaldehyde added, highlight the possible formation of intermolecular covalent bonds between "monomeric" gliadins, leading to a polymerized network. Thus, this treatment could provide a new alternative to the toxic cross-linkers commonly employed and so extend the use of gliadin films.The authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for the financial support (Project AGL2006-02176, AGL2009-08776 and M. P. Balaguer FPI fellowship).Balaguer, MP.; Gomez-Estaca, J.; Gavara Clemente, R.; Hernandez-Munoz, P. (2011). Functional Properties of Bioplastics Made from Wheat Gliadins Modified with Cinnamaldehyde. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 59(12):6689-6695. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf200477aS66896695591

Encapsulation of an astaxanthin-containing lipid extract from shrimp waste by complex coacervation using a novel gelatin-cashew gum complex

In the present work, the suitability of cashew gum for forming coacervates with gelatin and encapsulating a lipid extract from shrimp waste was studied. Gelatin and cashew gum formed coacervates at pHs ranging from 4 to 4.5. They were spherical in shape and tended to aggregate and form clusters at pH 4-4.2, whereas they were formless at pH 4.3-4.5. The coacervates were able to encapsulate the lipid extract (astaxanthin encapsulation efficiency 59.9 ± 0.01%), forming multinucleated, polymorphic microcapsules with an average size of 32.7 ± 9.7 μm. An accelerated stability study (43 days/36 ± 1 °C/80% relative humidity) revealed an improvement in astaxanthin stability as a result of encapsulation. The microcapsules, which showed a water solubility of 28.6 ± 4.7%, dispersed well in plain yogurt, selected as a food matrix to evaluate their coloring capacity. The color provided to the product by the encapsulated lipid extract was different in hue to that of the non-encapsulated one, showing higher chromaticity at comparable concentrations. A trained sensory panel confirmed the improvement in coloring capacity achieved through encapsulation, although no differences in odor were found.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for financial support through projects AGL2011-27607 and 201370E036, the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (CAS14/00331) ; the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) for T.A. Comunian’s fellowship (Process 2013/25862-5)Peer Reviewe

Effect of thermo-pressing temperature on the functional properties of bioplastics made from a renewable wheat gliadin resin

[EN] In this work a new methodology based on thermo-pressing a resin made from gliadins and glycerol has been developed to obtain water resistant films. The effect of processing temperature was studied on the functional properties of the films. The results of SDS-PAGE analysis of the molecular weight profiles of the resulting films were indicative of disulfide/sulfhydryl interchange reactions giving rise to the formation of intermolecular disulfide bonds between the gliadin units. These reactions augmented the degree of cross-linking of the matrix, which increased with thermo-pressing temperature, as evidenced by the residual reaction enthalpy values determined by MDSC as well as by cross-linking density values determined from tensile tests. In consequence the films produced at high temperature had better water resistance upon immersion, greater maximum tensile strength and Young's modulus values, and lower water vapor and oxygen permeabilities compared with cast films. Based on the analytical test results, thermo-pressing the resin in successive time/force steps along with a temperature of 130 C produced gliadin films with improved properties. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.The authors wish to thank Dr. A. P. MacCabe (IATA-CSIC) for critical reading of the manuscript. This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Projects AGL2012-39920-C03-01 and INGENIO-CONSOLIDER CSD2007-00063; and M.P.B FPI fellowship). J.P.C. acknowledges FPI Fellowship from Generalitat Valenciana.Balaguer-Grimaldo, MDLP.; Gomez-Estaca, J.; Cerisuelo-Ferriols, JP.; Gavara Clemente, R.; Hernández-Muñoz, P. (2014). Effect of thermo-pressing temperature on the functional properties of bioplastics made from a renewable wheat gliadin resin. Food Science and Technology. 56(1):161-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2013.10.035S16116756