Lifestyle as a cultural force in brand phenomena: analysing Red Bull Portugal

This dissertation presents a comprehensive analysis towards lifestyle brands, with a specific focus on the case study of Red Bull. Lifestyle brands have become increasingly influential in shaping consumer preferences and behaviors, as they offer products and experiences that align with consumers' values, aspirations, and self-identities. Understanding how consumers perceive and engage with lifestyle brands is essential for marketers to develop effective strategies and build strong brand-consumer relationships. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative data collection methods, such as interviews (Desai, 2002), participant observation (Kawulich, 2005), in depth analysis using Kapferer Identity Prism (Kapferer, 2015) that provide in-depth insights into consumers' perceptions, attitudes, and emotional connections with Red Bull as a lifestyle brand. In addition, a secondary data analysis (Vartanian, 2011) was conducted to gain insights into how Red Bull strategically positions its brand and communicates its message to individuals. Specifically focuses on Red Bull Portugal, this study examines various aspects of consumer reception, including brand image, brand personality, consumer identity formation, and brand loyalty. It investigates how Red Bull strategically positions itself as a lifestyle brand and appeals to its target audience through its marketing efforts and brand experiences. Overall, this dissertation contributes to the existing literature on consumer behavior and brand management by providing an in-depth analysis towards lifestyle brands, using Red Bull as a case study. By examining the specific strategies and tactics employed by Red Bull, this research sheds light on the effectiveness of lifestyle branding and provides valuable insights for marketers seeking to navigate the dynamic landscape of consumer preferences and engagement with lifestyle brands

Two new troglobitic species of Scleropactidae (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) from Pará, Brazil

The South America Scleropactidae includes 53 nominal species distributed in 14 genera. In Brazil, there are 16 species recorded in the north and southeast regions. Here, two new species of Scleropactidae are described based on material collected in caves in the state of Pará, both troglobitic and allocated in the genus Circoniscus. Circoniscus buckupi sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the long second article of antennal flagellum, inner endite of maxillula with a small hook-like spine at the apex, a long dactylar organ with pectinate apex conferring a knife-shaped appearance and the absence of schisma in adults. Circoniscus carajasensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from Circoniscus buckupi sp. nov. by the presence of schisma on pereionite 1 in adults and dactylar organ with a fringe appearance

Identificação da origem botânica do mel por DNA barcoding

O mel e um produto natural muito apreciado pelas suas propriedades sensoriais, nutricionais e medicinais. Os méis monoflorais são produtos de valor acrescentado por serem considerados de elevada qualidade e com aroma e sabor bem definidos, sendo por isso susceptíveis a adulterações. Tal facto torna importante o desenvolvimento de novas metodologias para a avaliação da autenticidade e origem botânica. 0 método usado atualmente para a determinação da origem botânica baseia-se na analise melissopalinol6gica, que e morosa e requer técnicos especializados [1]. Os métodos de ADN apresentam-se como alternativas promissoras para a identificação de espécies em matrizes complexas e processadas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A SYBR green real-time PCR assay to detect and quantify pork meat in processed poultry meat products

Species identification in meat products has grown in interest in recent years since these foodstuffs are susceptible targets for fraudulent labelling. In this work, a real-time PCR approach based on SYBR Green dye was proposed for the quantitative detection of pork meat in processed meat products. For the development of the method, binary meat mixtures containing known amounts of pork meat in poultry meat were used to obtain a normalised calibration model from 0.1 to 25% with high linear correlation and PCR efficiency. The method revealed high specificity by melting curve analysis, being successfully validated through its application to blind meat mixtures, which confirmed its adequacy for pork meat determination. The fully applicability of the method was further demonstrated in commercial meat products, allowing verification of labelling compliance and identification of meat species in processed foods

Real time polymerase chain reaction for the quantitative detection

Soybean protein is reported to be the most widely used vegetable protein in the meat industry. Several characteristics of soybean protein such as the emulsifier properties, preventing the coalescence of fat during heating, and the increased capacity of water-holding improving the texture of the final product are reasons for its generalised use. However, as soybean is included in the group of ingredients potentially allergenic, if not declared, it can be considered a hidden allergen, representing a potential risk to sensitised individuals. Various methods have been proposed for the detection of soybean in food products, mainly based on the analysis of proteins, such as immunological assays, electrophoretic and chromatographic methods. Due to the higher stability of nucleic acids when compared to proteins and to their ubiquity in every type of cells, DNA molecules have been the target compounds for species identification in several recent works [1]. The aim of this work was to develop highly sensitive and fast DNA-based techniques as alternative to the currently used protein-based methods. For that purpose, binary mixtures of soybean protein in pork’s meat were prepared. In a previous stage of this project, qualitative PCR techniques were successfully applied in the species-specific PCR detection of soybean lectin gene in Frankfurt type sausages [2]. In the present work, we propose a novel approach for the quantitative detection of soybean in processed meat products by means of real-time PCR coupled with fluorescent TaqMan probes. The assays involved the amplification targeting an eukaryotic DNA fragment with specific primers and probe as reference gene for quantification. The amplification of soybean lectin gene was performed in parallel reactions using specific primers and probe. With the values of cycle threshold (Ct) a calibration standard curve was obtained using the Ct method, allowing the detection and quantification of soybean protein in pork’s meat in the proportions of 0.1% to 50%. The established real-time PCR technique was successfully applied in the confirmation of qualitative PCR results and in the estimation of soybean protein in commercial meat products

Improving DNA isolation from honey for the botanical origin identification

Honey is a natural product highly consumed due its known association with health benefits. Monofloral honeys are perceived as better quality products, being the most appreciated by consumers, thus attaining higher market values. Therefore efficient tools are needed as alternatives to the classical microscopic analysis presently used for the botanical origin identification of honey. In the present work, the use of DNA-based methods for the botanical species identification of honey is proposed. For this purpose, five DNA extraction methods (the kits NucleoSpin Plant (methods A and B) and DNeasy Plant Mini Kit, and the in-house CTAB-based and Wizard methods) combined with three different sample pre-treatments were applied to four honey samples (3 monofloral honeys of Calluna vulgaris, Lavandula spp. and Eucalyptus spp. and one multifloral honey). The 15 DNA extraction protocols were compared in terms of DNA integrity, yield and purity, as well as capacity of amplification targeting universal and adh1 specific genes of C. vulgaris. The results demonstrated the superior efficacy of the Wizard method in terms of DNA quality and amplification capacity, when combined with the sample preparation treatment with a mechanical disruption step of pollen to improve DNA yield. Although with considerable lower DNA yields, the CTAB and DNeasy methods were also successful because both were able to clearly amplify heather DNA from the monofloral heather honey.This work has been supported by FCT through grants PEst-C/ EQB/LA0006/2013 and NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000069-Food Science. S. Soares is grateful to FCT PhD grant (SFRH/BD/75091/2010) financed by POPH-QREN (subsidised by FSE and MCTES).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio