The oxidation stability of extra virgin avocado oil : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology in Food Science at Massey University

Extra virgin avocado oil (EVAO) is extracted from avocado fruit with minimal processing. It contains a wide range of non-lipid compounds that have a profound affect on oil stability. The deterioration of oil quality is due to autoxidation and photooxidation reactions that occur during oil storage. The objectives of this research were to determine the effect of prooxidant factors (light, temperature, oxygen level) on oil oxidation and quality; make recommendations for oil processing and packaging procedures to minimise oxidation; predict the shelf life of the oil and to determine the effect of commercial antioxidants on oil oxidation. An accelerated oxidation reactor was developed to test the effects of fluorescent light, elevated temperature and varying oxygen levels on the peroxide value (PV) (initially 0.96 ± 0.03 meq/kg oil) and chlorophyll content (initially 16.2 ± 0.1 ppm) of EVAO. The production and packaging processes of Olivado NZ. were analysed for exposure to oxidation promoting factors. EVAO was exposed to dark storage at 50°C and 60°C in order to determine Q10 values for oil oxidation. Several commercial antioxidants were evaluated by examining their affect on EVAO using the Rancimat oil stability index analysis and hot air oven testing. It was found that fluorescent light at 4500 lux and aeration with dry air strongly accelerated the oxidation (determined by PV) and reduced the chlorophyll content of EVAO. The average effect of 4500 lux fluorescent light compared to 0 lux over seven hours was a PV increase of 4.5 ± 1.4 meq/kg oil and decrease in chlorophyll content by 0.9 ± 0.3 ppm. The average effect of aerated EVAO compared to EVAO stored at ambient oxygen levels over seven hours was a PV increase of 3.5 ± 1.7 meq/kg oil and a chlorophyll content decrease of 0.3 ± 0.2 ppm. Exposure to an elevated temperature of 60°C for seven hours did not cause a significant increase in PV. Recommendations were made to minimise the exposure of the oil to light, aeration, water and fruit sediment during production and packaging in order to minimise oxidation of the oil. Due to the breakdown of natural antioxidants and alternative side reactions that occurred at elevated test temperatures but not at ambient temperatures, the shelf life of the oil could not be defined. EVAO containing ascorbyl palmitate at a level of 100 ppm had a peroxide value 80 % less than control EVAO with no antioxidants after 500 hours storage at 60°C. Ascorbyl palmitate has GRAS status and was concluded to be the most effective antioxidant of those tested in EVAO

Community and Resilience among Sherpas in the Post-Earthquake Everest Region

In this article, I examine how residents of the Mount Everest region of Nepal responded after two major earthquakes occurred on April 25th and May 12th, 2015. This article is based on my participant-observation of discussions among Sherpas, on-foot surveys of earthquake damage, and the experiences of residents, which I recorded in Pharak, between the two major seismic events. I also reviewed institutional activities and reports that pertained to the Everest region and spoke at length with other Sherpas. In these discussions, the boundaries of ‘community’ were both fluid and self-understood. A ‘sense of community’ and ‘resilience’ emerged as salient themes, and provided an analytical framework to understand the Sherpa communities’ responses to these earthquakes. The case studies presented herein are selected based on my direct engagement with them. The narratives present critical social responses to the process of relief and recovery and illustrate Sherpa resilience. ‘Resilience,’ as an analytical lens, also reveals the residents’ ambivalent attitudes about the situation. Although the community was highly aware of devastation and post-earthquake recovery needs, ‘external’ discussions of these topics were subdued. This article then addresses how ‘internal’ Sherpa discussions arose as a response to external portrayals of the Everest region, a popular tourism destination, as a ‘non-affected’ or ‘less-affected’ earthquake zone. Interactions and discussions that took place ‘externally’ were unidirectional and top-down, wherein the villagers were at the receiving end, and often absent. While internal discussions strengthened the community’s ability to rebuild itself, external discussions were instrumental in diverting large-scale relief and rebuilding assistance, not only from the region, but from the entire Solukhumbu district

Sustainability and Replicability of Multiple-Use Water Systems (MUS)

The concept of multiple-use water services and systems (MUS) has received increasingattention in international water and development fora and has emerged as a promising wayto enhance the social and gender equity and productivity of water systems designed forsingle use, e.g. for irrigation or water supply. In Nepal, several MUS models have beenpiloted and implemented for more than a decade by the International DevelopmentEnterprises (iDE) and a few other development organizations. Whereas the short-termbenefits of these systems on gender relationships, women's empowerment, nutrition andhealth have been documented, the sustainability and resilience of these systems has not yetbeen analyzed. The latter is the focus of the research study presented in this report, whichwas conducted by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Western Nepalas part of the USAID-funded Market Access and Water Technology for Women (MAWTW)project

210— Factors Affecting Teenage Pregnancy in the Philippines

The Philippines has one of the highest adolescent birth rates among the Southeast Asian countries. In 2019, the Philippines National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) declared the number of teenage pregnancies a national social emergency . Rodrigo Duterte, the President of the Philippines, realized the urgency as the Commission on Population and Development in 2019 recorded that almost seven girls, aged ten to fourteen, gave birth everyday- 2,411 girls that year. Teenage pregnancy prevents the opportunity for women to escape from poverty and improve their human development levels. Increased risk of these outcomes are predominantly caused by inadequate sex education, lack of access to birth control, increasing cohabitation, and misconceptions led by religion or stereotypes. Trade is crucial to increase women\u27s employment and wages. Leveraging trade to increase women\u27s education and empowerment is essential for a sustainable path to significant development. The research examines the policies implemented to tackle important determinants of teen pregnancy and connects trade policies within the Philippines to measure the profound impact of trade on girls\u27 education and empowerment