Evaluation of MAP engineering design parameters on quality of fresh-sliced mushrooms

Modified atmosphere packaging (previous termMAPnext term) relies on the interplay between product-respiration and package-film-permeability with the aim of maintaining initial quality and extending shelf-life of fresh produce. This work evaluates the effect of previous termMAPnext term engineering design parameters (amount of product, number of perforations and weight of CO2 scavenger) on quality of sliced mushrooms. Sliced button mushrooms were packed in a tray, covered with cellophane film, and stored at 10 °C for 3 days. Headspace gas composition and chemical and physical quality parameters (weight loss, pH, firmness and colour) were measured throughout the storage period. All design parameters produced a significant effect (p < 0.05) on quality. Addition of CO2 scavenger in the package increased the deterioration of mushrooms. previous termMAP optimisation design requires consideration of mushroom weight and number of film perforations. The optimal conditions found were 110 g of sliced mushrooms and 2 perforations (0.33 mm diameter) which led to an equilibrium gas composition of 3.6% O2 and 11.5% CO2, after 3 days of storage at 10 °C.The first author acknowledge financial support from the Erasmus Program (2009) and research funding was provided under the NDP, through FIRM (08/R&D-UL/661), administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ireland. Authors would also like to acknowledge Innovia Films Ltd. (UK) for supplying the packaging materials

Development of shelf-life kinetic model for modified atmosphere packaging of fresh sliced mushrooms

Mushrooms are highly perishable and their shelf-life depends on processing, package properties and environmental conditions during storage and distribution. The aims of this work were to evaluate the effect of temperature and number of film perforations on quality and develop shelf-life kinetic model for a modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) for sliced button mushrooms. Sliced mushrooms were packed in a tray, covered with cellophane film, and stored for 7 days at four levels of temperature (0,5, 10, and 15 C) and three levels of perforations at each temperature ranging the number of perforations from 1 (58 perforations per m2) to 6 (349 perforations per m2). Headspace gas composition and quality parameters (weight loss, pH, firmness and colour) were measured throughout the storage period. Increasing the storage temperature required an increase of the number of perforations in order to obtain the optimum MAP conditions. Temperature had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on quality of sliced mushrooms. Firmness was identified as a critical quality parameter; therefore, a kinetic model was developed to describe the influence of temperature on firmness and predict shelf-life of sliced mushrooms. Fresh sliced mushrooms had a shelf-life of 1, 2, 4, and 7.5 days at 15, 10, 5, and 0 C, respectively, under optimum MAP conditions.The first author acknowledge financial support from the Erasmus Programme (2009) and research funding was provided under the NDP, through FIRM (08/R&D-UL/661), administered by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food, Ireland. Authors would also like to acknowledge Innovia Films Ltd. (UK) for supplying the packaging materials

Use of galactomannan edible coating application and storage temperature for prolonging shelf-life of “regional” cheese

The objectives of this work were to determine the influence of the application of two different coatings (galactomannan and chitosan) and of storage temperature on the gas exchange rate of “Regional” cheese; subsequently, the coating that showed the greatest influence on the cheese gas exchange and simultaneously decreased the O2 consumption (RO2) and the CO2 production (RCO2) rates was applied on cheese, being the shelf-life parameters monitorized through the performance of chemical and microbiological analyses. Both coatings caused a reduction of RO2 and RCO2 of the cheese (between 0.19- and 1.30-fold for RO2 and between 0.19- and 1.50-fold for RCO2, depending on the temperatures). The cheese coated with the galactomannan coating was the one with the lower values of RO2 (between 0.195 and 0.635 mL kg−1 h−1) and RCO2 (between 0.125 and 0.900 mL kg−1 h−1). Temperature was also found to have an important effect on RO2 and RCO2, its influence being well described by an Arrhenius equation with coefficients of determination, R2, of 0.85 and above. The chemical and microbiological analyses showed that the application of the coating in cheese samples can be used to decrease the water loss and the colour changes during the storage time. The presence of the coating decreased the moisture loss of the cheese in 2.5% and 1.9%, and the weight loss in 3.8% and 3.1% at 4 °C and 20 °C, respectively. Also, the hardness of the cheese can be decreased as a result of the interaction of the presence of the coating with changes in the storing temperature. In the studied range (4–20 °C) temperature has a statistically significant effect in moisture loss, colour change, hardness and total mesophilic bacterial growth. Overall, galactomannan coating can be used to improve “Regional” cheese shelf-life as it decreases RO2 and RCO2, improves its weight and appearance and can be used to incorporate natural preservatives to reduce post contamination.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brazil (Capes, Brazil)Queijo Saloio S.A.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Moving from advocacy to activism? The fourth WHO global forum on human resources for health and implications for dentistry

As we debate shaping the future oral health workforce within the UK, to meet the needs of current and future populations, it is helpful to take an international perspective on this very important issue. Globally, there is a strong recognition that human resources for health (HRH) are fundamentally important to deliver effective care, accessible to all people. This paper reviews the outcome of the fourth global forum held by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Dublin which highlighted the urgency for action. The main objectives of the forum were to advance the implementation of (i) the WHO Global Strategy on HRH 2030 and (ii) the United Nations High-Level Commission's Health Employment and Economic Growth recommendations. From an oral health perspective, the global burden of oral disease remains huge with untreated dental caries, periodontal disease and tooth loss ranking among the most prevalent conditions worldwide. Major considerations are how dental education, practice delivery and/or oral health systems as a whole could and should innovate to accommodate the growing needs of the population. As dental professionals, it also becomes necessary for us to engage and play a proactive role in this change process. Due to growing differences between population needs and available services, it is necessary for oral health personnel to work more closely with the broader health workforce so as to identify solutions that are in the best interests of the patients and populations at large.M. Balasubramanian, L. Davda, S. D. Short, and J. E. Gallaghe

Effect of edible coating and storage temperature on gas exchange of regional cheese

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Increased BDNF levels and NTRK2 gene association suggest a disruption of BDNF/TrkB signaling in autism

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin fundamental for brain development and function, has previously been implicated in autism. In this study, the levels of BDNF in platelet-rich plasma were compared between autistic and control children, and the role of two genetic factors that might regulate this neurotrophin and contribute to autism etiology, BDNF and NTRK2, was examined. We found that BDNF levels in autistic children (n = 146) were significantly higher (t = 6.82; P < 0.0001) than in control children (n = 50) and were positively correlated with platelet serotonin distribution (r = 0.22; P = 0.004). Heritability of BDNF was estimated at 30% and therefore candidate genes BDNF and NTRK2 were tested for association with BDNF level distribution in this sample, and with autism in 469 trio families. Genetic association analysis provided no evidence for BDNF or NTRK2 as major determinants of the abnormally increased BDNF levels in autistic children. A significant association with autism was uncovered for six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) [0.004 (Z((1df)) = 2.85) < P < 0.039 (Z((1df)) = 2.06)] and multiple haplotypes [5 × 10(-4) (χ((3df)) = 17.77) < P < 0.042 (χ((9df)) = 17.450)] in the NTRK2 gene. These results do not withstand correction for multiple comparisons, however, reflect a trend toward association that supports a role of NTRK2 as a susceptibility factor for the disorder. Genetic variation in the BDNF gene had no impact on autism risk. By substantiating the previously observed increase in BDNF levels in autistic children in a larger patient set, and suggesting a genetic association between NTRK2 and autism, this study integrates evidence from multiple levels supporting the hypothesis that alterations in BDNF/tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) signaling contribute to an increased vulnerability to autism

An improved measurement of muon antineutrino disappearance in MINOS

We report an improved measurement of muon anti-neutrino disappearance over a distance of 735km using the MINOS detectors and the Fermilab Main Injector neutrino beam in a muon anti-neutrino enhanced configuration. From a total exposure of 2.95e20 protons on target, of which 42% have not been previously analyzed, we make the most precise measurement of the anti-neutrino "atmospheric" delta-m squared = 2.62 +0.31/-0.28 (stat.) +/- 0.09 (syst.) and constrain the anti-neutrino atmospheric mixing angle >0.75 (90%CL). These values are in agreement with those measured for muon neutrinos, removing the tension reported previously.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. In submission to Phys.Rev.Let

Search for the disappearance of muon antineutrinos in the NuMI neutrino beam

We report constraints on antineutrino oscillation parameters that were obtained by using the two MINOS detectors to measure the 7% muon antineutrino component of the NuMI neutrino beam. In the Far Detector, we select 130 events in the charged-current muon antineutrino sample, compared to a prediction of 136.4 ± 11.7(stat)^(+10.2)_(-8.9)(syst) events under the assumption │Δm^2│ = 2.32 X 10^(-3) eV^2, sin^2(2θ) = 1.0

Improved Search for Muon-Neutrino to Electron-Neutrino Oscillations in MINOS

We report the results of a search for ν_e appearance in a ν_μ beam in the MINOS long-baseline neutrino experiment. With an improved analysis and an increased exposure of 8.2×10^(20) protons on the NuMI target at Fermilab, we find 2sin^2(θ_(23))sin^2(2θ_(13))<0.12(0.20) at 90% confidence level for δ=0 and the normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy, with a best-fit of 2sin^2(θ_(23))sin^2(2θ_(13))=0.041^(+0.047)_(-0.031)(0.079^(+0.071)_(-0.053). The θ_(13)= 0 hypothesis is disfavored by the MINOS data at the 89% confidence level

Active to Sterile Neutrino Mixing Limits from Neutral-Current Interactions in MINOS

Results are reported from a search for active to sterile neutrino oscillations in the MINOS long-baseline experiment, based on the observation of neutral-current neutrino interactions, from an exposure to the NuMI neutrino beam of 7.07×10^(20) protons on target. A total of 802 neutral-current event candidates is observed in the Far Detector, compared to an expected number of 754±28(stat)±37(syst) for oscillations among three active flavors. The fraction f_s of disappearing ν_μ that may transition to ν_s is found to be less than 22% at the 90% C.L