Influence of modified atmosphere packaging on shelf-life of whole and sliced 'Cardoncello' mushroom (pleurotus eryngii)

The aim of this study was to optimize modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) for whole and sliced ‘Cardoncello’ mushrooms, a typical mushroom of south Italy. Whole mushrooms were packed in active MAP (initial gas concentrations 5 kPa O2 + 10 kPa CO2 in nitrogen) using polypropylene (PP) or polylactic acid (PLA) films, with or without microperforation (MP), and stored for 27 days at 0°C. Sliced mushrooms were packed in the same atmosphere in PP films with two levels of microperforations (MP1 and MP2) and stored for 14 days at 0°C. For both experiments, an air-control treatment (CTRL) was also considered. Mushroom respiration rate, headspace gas composition, weight loss, firmness, colour, pH, total soluble solids, acidity, total phenols, antioxidant activity, microbial and sensory quality were measured. For whole mushrooms, results indicated that the storage in microperforated packages better preserved the aroma compared with CTRL whereas samples stored in non-perforated films showed quick development of hypoxic conditions. Samples stored in PP-MP showed a lower oxygen reduction and a higher CO2 accumulation compared with PLA. Moreover, samples stored in PLA showed a higher weight loss compared with PP. Samples stored in PP-MP showed a lower growth of mesophilic bacteria, yeast and moulds compared with samples stored in PLA-MP. For sliced mushrooms, there were no differences in gas composition between PP-MP1 and PP-MP2 films. Cutting significantly affected aroma; mushrooms stored in PP-MP1 maintained the aroma better than samples in PP-MP2 or samples in CTRL. Storage in MAP delayed the growth of mesophilic bacteria as well as yeast and moulds compared with CTRL, with PP-MF1 being more effective than PP-MP2. In conclusion, the use of MAP delayed quality loss, extending the shelf-life of whole and sliced mushrooms at 0°C. In addition, best results were obtained with microperforated polypropylene, for both whole and sliced ‘Cardoncello’ mushroo

Physico-chemical parameters to predict microbiological and sensory quality aspects of baby lettuce leaves

Baby lettuce leaves are generally produced for the unwashed ready-to-eat market. The aim of this research was to predict sensory and microbiological aspects of this product based on physicochemical properties during storage at 4 and 10°C. Products were analysed at sampling times chosen on the basis of five sensory visual quality (VQ) levels. Samples scoring VQ5 and VQ4 were considered acceptable (Ac), whereas the remaining scores were defined as unacceptable (UAc). Each VQ level was then characterized for physico-chemical (colour, ammonium, antioxidant activity, electrolytic leakage, phenols, chlorophyll, respiratory activity) and microbiological (total viable count, Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, yeast and moulds) parameters. UAc samples also proved unsatisfactory from a microbiological point of view (total viable count ≥107 CFU g-1). Partial least squares (PLS) regression analysis allowed us to identify colour change (ΔE∗) and total chlorophyll (TC) as suitable variables to predict the microbial load (TVC) associated with each sensory VQ level. The model obtained showed R2CV=0.94, RMSECV=0.41 and a relative error of 5.61%. In conclusion, the use of these parameters as quality indicators could be a new strategy for discriminating green leafy vegetables into acceptable or unacceptable products

Capitalising on Value: Towards a Sociological Understanding of Kidnapping

Kidnapping is a crime that has not received due attention in sociological literature. Policy and risk assessment milieux discursively construct it as a 'threat to society', and administrative studies have focused on classifications that describe the phenomenon. The most widespread typology of kidnapping incidents takes as a starting point criminal motivation, producing a bipolar analysis of the crime as economic or political. This article re-examines classificatory and discursive approaches, placing emphasis on the social logic of kidnapping. It is argued that kidnapping presents all the characteristics of a rationalized system of exchange, based on rules and regulations reminiscent of legitimate business. The way that these regulations are described by state authorities or private agents alike allows us an in-depth analysis of the crime itself

Effects of different membranes and dialysis technologies on patient treatment tolerance and nutritional parameters

There is increasing evidence that the biochemical and cellular phenomena induced by blood/membrane/dialysate interactions contribute to dialysis-related intradialytic and long-term complications. However, there is a lack of large, prospective, randomized trials comparing biocompatible and bioincompatible membranes, and convective and diffusive treatment modalities. The primary aim of this prospective, randomized trial was to evaluate whether the use of polysulfone membrane with bicarbonate dialysate offers any advantages (in terms of treatment tolerance, nutritional parameters and pre-treatment beta(2)-microglobulin levels) over a traditional membrane (Cu-prophan(R)). A secondary aim was to assess whether the use of more sophisticated methods consisting of a biocompatible synthetic membrane with different hydraulic permeability at different ultrafiltration rate (high-flux hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration) offers any further advantages. Seventy-one Centers were involved and stratified according to the availability of only the first two or all four of the following techniques: Cuprophan(R) hemodialysis (Cu-HD), low flux polysulfone hemodialysis (LfPS-HD), high-flux polysulfone high-flux hemodialysis (HfPS-HD), and high-flux polysulfone hemodiafiltration (HfPS-HDF). The 380 eligible patients were randomized to one of the two or four treatments (132 to Cu-HD, 147 to LfPS-HD, 51 to HfPS-HD and 50 to HfPS-HDF). The follow-up was 24 months. No statistical difference was observed in the algebraic sum of the end points between bicarbonate dialysis with Cuprophan(R) or with low-flux polysulfone, or among the four dialysis methods under evaluation. There was a significant decrease in pre-dialysis plasma beta(2)-microglobulin levels in high-flux dialysis of 9.04+/-10.46 mg/liter (23%) and in hemodiafiltration of 6.35+/-12.28 mg/liter (16%), both using high-flux polysulfone membrane in comparison with Cuprophan(R) and low-flux polysulfone membranes (P=0.032). The significant decrease in pre-dialysis plasma beta(2)-microglobulin levels could have a clinical impact when one considers that beta(2)-microglobulin accumulation and amyloidosis are important long-term dialysis-related complications