Rapid Induction of Ageing Character in Brandy Products – Part II. Influence of Type of Oak

As part of a broader study that investigated techniques for the rapid induction of the needed ageing character in brandyproducts, the effect of oak type on quality and chemical composition of oak wood extracts and matured and unmatured potstillbrandy, is reported on. Extracts, prepared from American and French oak chips supplied by a South African cooper,and from commercially obtained oak, and representing different levels of toasting, were added to 70% (v/v) unmaturedpot-still brandy and stored for eight months in glass containers (Schott bottles) at room temperature, or in the case ofcontrols, below 0°C. Matured and unmatured (control) pot-still brandy samples were analysed for wood-derived congenersby means of HPLC and GC. Although French oak initially yielded better quality products, these effects lost prominenceand, after eight months maturation, yielded similar sensory quality to American oak. French oak samples had higherconcentrations of wood-derived congeners (including eugenol, the furan derivatives and aromatic aldehydes). However,the American oak generally contained higher concentrations of oak lactones than their French counterparts, with higherproportions of the more sensorially potent cis-form of lactone than its trans-isomer

Rapid Induction of Ageing Character in Brandy Products. Ageing and General Overview

Ageing is one of the most important and most costly factors determining the quality of distilled beverages.As part of a broader study that investigated techniques for the rapid induction of a desirable ageing characterin brandy products, the effect of maturation for eight months at room temperature and below 0°C inglass bottles, and the relationship/correlation between treatment, chemical composition or wood-derivedcongener concentrations and pot-still brandy sensory quality, are reported on. Extracts representing differentoak types (American or French), levels of toasting, suppliers (i.e. cooper or commercial), types ofmedium (ethanol or water), concentration types (open or reduced pressure) and concentration levels (by45, 65 or 85%) were added to pot-still spirit and stored for eight months in glass containers. Matured andunmatured (control) pot-still brandy samples were analysed for wood-derived compounds by means ofHPLC and GC. The different treatments brought about chemical changes with a noticeable impact on theacceptability of oak extracts and the overall quality of pot-still brandies. Through application and selectionof the correct oak type and treatment combinations, it therefore was possible to rapidly produce goodquality brandies without the use of expensive oak barrels. Maturation in glass bottles had a lesser impacton further improvement of the final product, not the same as the reported improvement from ageing inwooden barrels. The production of good quality brandies and the rapid induction of the ageing characterthrough certain treatment combinations, with little need for further maturation, therefore was achieved inglass. The complexity of brandies aged in glass rather than wooden barrels might be different, since ageingin wooden barrels brings about all the characteristics, complexities and flavours that characteristicallyevolve over time under the more oxidative conditions in wooden barrels. Future research should focus ona combination of both technologies, using certain oak treatment combinations together with traditionalbarrel maturation for the improvement and rapid induction of the ageing character in brandy products

Rapid Induction of Ageing Character in Brandy Products – Part III. Influence of Toasting

As part of a broader study that investigated techniques for the rapid induction of the needed ageing character inbrandy products, the effect of oak wood toasting on quality and chemical composition of oak wood extracts andmatured and unmatured pot-still brandy, is reported on. Extracts, prepared from oak chips supplied by a SouthAfrican cooper, and from commercially obtained oak, and representing different oak types and levels of toasting(i.e. untoasted, light, medium and heavy), were added to 70% (v/v) unmatured pot-still brandy and stored for eightmonths in glass containers (Schott bottles) at room temperature, or in the case of controls, below 0°C. Matured andunmatured (control) pot-still brandy samples were analysed for wood-derived congeners by means of HPLC andGC. Toasted, as opposed to untoasted oak, gave acceptable extracts, the best overall quality pot-still brandies andgenerally higher concentrations of volatile (GC-determined) and less volatile (HPLC-determined) wood-derivedcongeners. Toasting provoked an important separation as indicated by discriminant analysis

Exploring an increased role for Australian community pharmacy in mental health professional service delivery: evaluation of the literature

Background: Australian general practitioners primarily treat mental health problems by prescribing medication dispensed by community pharmacists. Pharmacists therefore have regular interactions with mental health consumers and carers.Aims: This narrative review explored the potential role of community pharmacy in mental health services.Method: Medline, CINAHL, ProQuest, Emerald, PsycINFO, Science Direct, PubMed, Web of Knowledge and IPA were utilised. The Cochrane Library as well as grey literature and “lay” search engines such as GoogleScholar were also searched.Results: Four systematic reviews and ten community pharmacy randomised controlled trials were identified. Various relevant reviews outlining the impact of community pharmacy based disease state or medicines management services were also identified.Conclusion: International studies involving professional service interventions for mental health consumers could be contextualised for the Australian setting. Australian studies of pharmacy professional services for chronic physical health conditions provided further guidance for the expansion of community pharmacy mental health professional services

Effect of Juice Turbidity and Yeast Lees Content on Brandy Base Wine and Unmatured Pot-still Brandy Quality

The aims of this project were to identify a suitable grape juice clarification technique for the attainment of the optimal brandy base wine turbidity, to determine the importance of chemical components (volatile components and long-chain fatty acids) in brandy base wine and unmatured pot-still brandy quality, and to study the effect of yeast lees content on quality. Although common industry practice is to use the grape cultivars Colombar(d) and Chenin blanc for the production of brandy base wine, the optimal conditions for Chenin blanc have been defined in this study. The juice clarification treatments applied included no settling, cold settling, whisk, large- and small-scale centrifugation and bentonite. Yeast strain 228 was compared with VIN13, large-scale (L) distillation was compared with small-scale (s) distillation, and the use of no enzyme was compared with the use of pectolytic enzyme. The data for four vintages were compiled and evaluated. Settling with or without pectolytic enzyme, bentonite, small-scale centrifugation and whisk treatments gave clearer Chenin blanc juice, higher concentrations of certain volatile components and long-chain fatty acids, and higher quality brandy base wine and unmatured pot-still brandy. No settling and large-scale centrifugation yielded the most turbid and lowest quality products. There is a definite relationship between treatments, turbidity, concentrations of esters, higher alcohols and acids, and overall brandy base wine and unmatured pot-still brandy quality. The use of yeast strain VIN13 (as opposed to strain 228), in conjunction with an increased yeast lees content of 1.5x that is normally found in brandy base wine, yielded the best quality unmatured pot-still brandy. Based on the results of this study, it is possible to recommend the best juice clarification method(s) for optimal turbidity as well as optimal levels of yeast lees addition, and to identify chemical compounds that positively relate to quality

Rapid Induction of Ageing Character in Brandy Products – Part I. Effects of Extraction Media and Preparation Conditions

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of different wood types and treatments, and extraction mediato induce rapid ageing of brandy. Extracts were prepared from American and French oak, specially preparedand supplied by a cooper, and from commercially obtained oak; both representative of different toasting levels,including untoasted, light, medium and heavy toasted. To extract the wood components, wood chips in either 55%(v/v) neutral wine spirits or water media were boiled under reflux. Distillation was followed by either open (higherboiling temperature) or closed (vacuum or reduced pressure – lower boiling temperature) concentration of thedecanted solvent by 45, 65 and 85% (v/v). The concentrated extracts were fortified. Screened extracts were addedto unmatured pot-still brandy and aged for eight months at room temperature in glass containers. Controls werestored below 0°C. Matured and unmatured (control) pot-still brandy samples were analyzed for wood-derivedcongeners by means of HPLC and GC. This article focuses on the effects of the extraction media, and on level andmethod of concentration (open and reduced pressure) on sensory quality and chemical composition. The treatmentsthat gave acceptable extracts, and the best overall quality pot-still brandy were those that entailed (1) using ethanolinstead of water as extraction medium, and (2) levels of concentration above 45% (v/v). Open and reduced-pressureconcentrations showed little difference in the quality of the products yielded. Treatments yielding the most acceptableextracts and best overall quality pot-still brandy generally also contained higher concentrations of volatile andless volatile wood-derived congeners. Multivariate data analysis was conducted on the pot-still brandy samplesrepresenting the different treatments. Discriminate analysis provided better separation of samples than principalcomponent analysis

Supporting students’ development through collaborative reflection: interrogating cultural practices and perceptions of good practice in the context of a field trip

This study examines the perspectives of a group of 10 UK undergraduate students and one Master’s student on a residential field trip to four Danish forest kindergartens. Two dimensions are examined: the impact of collaborative reflection and co-construction of knowledge on student learning; and the influence of cultural assumptions on understandings of early childhood education and care in practice. The methodology was interpretive, and inductive approaches were employed to analyse qualitative data-sets. The study is framed by cultural-historical theory, acknowledging that learning and development takes place in social context and is shaped by cultural and societal values and practices. Findings suggest that students’ collaborative reflections enabled them to identify and question their own assumptions about good practice and to develop their understanding of the relationship between culture and pedagogy. The community of learning that developed afforded rich opportunities for drawing out meaningful relationships between practice and theory. Students emerged with greater understanding of the relevance of research and of their identity as researchers

On parameters related to strong and weak domination in graphs

AbstractLet G be a graph. Then μ(G)⩽|V(G)|−δ(G) where μ(G) denotes the weak or independent weak domination number of G and μ(G)⩽|V(G)|−Δ(G) where μ(G) denotes the strong or independent strong domination number of G. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for equality to hold in each case and also describe specific classes of graphs for which equality holds. Finally, we show that the problems of computing iw and ist are NP-hard, even for bipartite graphs

Evaluation of the first pharmacist administered immunisations in Western Australia: a mixed methods study

Objectives This study evaluated the uptake of Western Australian (WA) pharmacist vaccination services, the profiles of consumers being vaccinated and the facilitators and challenges experienced by pharmacy staff in the preparation, implementation and delivery of services. Design Mixed-methods methodology with both quantitative and qualitative data through surveys, pharmacy computer records and immuniser pharmacist interviews. Setting Community pharmacies in WA that provided pharmacist vaccination services between March and October 2015. Participants Immuniser pharmacists from 86 pharmacies completed baseline surveys and 78 completed exit surveys; computer records from 57 pharmacies; 25 immuniser pharmacists were interviewed. Main outcome measures Pharmacy and immuniser pharmacist profiles; pharmacist vaccination services provided and consumer profiles who accessed services. Results 15,621 influenza vaccinations were administered by immuniser pharmacists at 76 WA community pharmacies between March and October 2015. There were no major adverse events, and <1% of consumers experienced minor events which were appropriately managed. Between 12% and 17% of consumers were eligible to receive free influenza vaccinations under the National Immunisation Program but chose to have it at a pharmacy. A high percentage of vaccinations was delivered in rural and regional areas indicating that provision of pharmacist vaccination services facilitated access for rural and remote consumers. Immuniser pharmacists reported feeling confident in providing vaccination services and were of the opinion that services should be expanded to other vaccinations. Pharmacists also reported significant professional satisfaction in providing the service. All participating pharmacies intended to continue providing influenza vaccinations in 2016. Conclusions This initial evaluation of WA pharmacist vaccination services showed that vaccine delivery was safe. Convenience and accessibility were important aspects in usage of services. There is scope to expand pharmacist vaccination services to other vaccines and younger children; however, government funding to pharmacists needs to be considered

Community pharmacists' opinions of their role in administering non-prescription medicines in an emergency

Objective: To obtain community pharmacists’ opinions of their role in administering Pharmacy (S2) and Pharmacist Only (S3) Medicines in a medical emergency. These medicines can only be sold in a pharmacy and are not available for self-selection by patients. Whilst qualified pharmacy assistants can supply S2 medicines, pharmacists must be directly involved in the supply of S3 medicines. Setting: Community pharmacies in South East Queensland, Australia. Method: A survey of 151 Gold Coast and Toowoomba community pharmacists was conducted during October 2009. Main outcome measures: Pharmacists were asked their opinions as to whether the administration of S2 and S3 medicines should fall within their scope of practice, whether they had administered S2 and S3 medicines in a medical emergency in the past and if clarification of this role was required. Results: The study achieved a 30% (n = 45) response rate and demonstrated similar results regarding whether pharmacists should administer salbutamol (22/44), adrenaline (23/42), glyceryl trinitrate (22/43) and aspirin (18/36) in a medical emergency. The majority (36/43) believed that role clarification was required. Pharmacists were more likely to administer an S3 medicine in a medical emergency when they considered potential outcomes first, had no easy access to a doctor and the patient could not administer the medicine they carried with them themselves (40/45).Conclusion: Community pharmacists have direct access to S2 and S3 medicines that could be required in the management of a variety of medical emergencies. This study demonstrates that some pharmacists have administered S2 and S3 medicines in an emergency situation. However, there are currently no clear guidelines for pharmacists when faced with a medical emergency other than to act within their professional competence. To promote patient safety through the appropriate use of S2 and S3 medicines in the event of a medical emergency, additional training of pharmacists on the administration of these readily accessible medicines is needed. Clarification of the role of pharmacists in an emergency situation is required