2,042 research outputs found
Summary report on sensory-related socio-economic and sensory science literature about organic food products
Organic foodâs initial attraction to the public was that it was perceived to be healthier and tastier, but scientists and policy makers have mainly stressed the benefits to the environment of organic and sustainable farming. Scientific support for marketing actions addressed to those who want to be healthier and who want to enjoy better taste, and are willing to pay more for these benefits is scarce. Past research has produced little clear evidence about the importance of sensory characteristics such as taste, smell, appearance etc in consumersâ preferences with regard to organic food. The Ecropolis project, funded by the E.U., was set up with the aim of investigating the role of the senses in consumersâ preferences regarding organic food, and leading to research into how best to satisfy those preferences.
This deliverable is aimed at providing a solid basis for such research with an in-depth review of, and two reports on, the relevant scientific literature. The first report (Annex I) regards what consumers expect from organic products in terms of taste, smell, appearance, etc and how these expectations are (or are not) met; the second is about the science of the senses (Annex II).
The first project tasks included creating and agreeing on a glossary of terms, deciding on search criteria (key words, etc.), setting up a bibliographical data base, preparing then circulating the above-mentioned reports, and finally preparing a summary of the reports.
The report on consumers expectations highlights the suggestion that while organic food has traditionally been marketed through specialized retailers, its market share will only grow significantly if it is promoted by multiple retailers. Research literature from all over the world seems to agree in indicating that consumersâ choices are largely motivated by health, the environment, price and social status. Other considerations include ethics, the localness of the product and lifestyle choices.
The literature also indicates that the organic market will expand significantly only if consumers are more willing, and able, to recognize quality, but this presents serious issues. When buying the product they cannot personally verify its quality and genuineness and thus must rely on
regulation and inspection bodies. The recognition of quality can also be encouraged by effective communication by producers and retailers through appropriate branding, labelling and presentation. There are connections between this information and questions of sense perception, but researchers disagree about how important the latter is in influencing the customer, and in which ways it does so.
The following report focuses, in fact, on the science of the senses, which tries to analyze in detail peopleâs responses to food, despite the many potential pitfalls in carrying out the research which might influence the reliability of the results. There is broad agreement on two points:
- there is no proof that organic food is more nutritious or safer, and
- most studies that have compared the taste and organoleptic quality of organic andconventional foods report no consistent or significant differences between organic and conventional produce. Therefore, claiming that all organic food tastes different from all conventional food would not be correct. However, among the well-designed studies with respect to fruits and vegetables that have found differences, the vast majority favour organic produce. Organic produce tends to store better and has longer shelf life, probably because of lower levels of nitrates and higher average levels of antioxidants. The former can accelerate food spoilage, while antioxidants help preserve the integrity of cells and some are natural antibiotics.
The first conclusion may, however, depend on factors not directly connected to organic farming, such as harvesting and storage methods and the type of land used for growing the food.
About the second finding it must be considered that measuring organoleptic quality is difficult and inherently subjective and evaluations may be clouded by the influence of numerous factors on the consumerâs perceptions of the food and not just its appearance and taste. Experimental research indicates that the information that a food is organic confers upon it a âhalo effectâ (making it seem better sense-wise simply because it is organic) which might make consumers like it more.
Ecropolis researchers will analyze in detail which senses are indeed impacted on, and how, and try to match them to consumer needs and expectations in order to be able to offer suggestions for future policy, including how the food is stored, transported and presented, which is also essential for maintaining sensory properties.
The workpackage WP1 has also produced a specific report on how organic food sensory aspects are regulated. International standards, with some important exceptions, are largely in line with European ones. Differences in standards usually regard whether there is orientation towards freshness âper seâ as opposed to increasing shelf-life, or quality standardization as opposed to quality differentiation. Differences in regulations regard such aspects as ingredients, additives, processing aids and methods, packaging, storage and transport.
The lack of harmony among the different regulatory systems often reflects different traditions and market conditions, however, more complicated compliance procedures result in higher costs for importers. Greater homogeneity would not only reduce such costs but would also increase consumer confidence in international standards. Ecropolis will also investigate the effect of different regulations on how people perceive organic goods sense-wise.
The work done to date is seen as a starting point for future research aimed at producing practical results in the organic food market. Ecropolis will try to bring together separate strands of research concerning how organic goods are regulated and marketed with regard to taste, appearance, etc., and how consumers themselves are affected by such factors. The aim is to find optimal matches between the two, and thus to greatly increase organic foodâs share of the food
market
Highly efficient spin-orbit torque and switching of layered ferromagnet Fe3GeTe2
Among van der Waals (vdW) layered ferromagnets, Fe3GeTe2 (FGT) is an
excellent candidate material to form FGT/heavy metal heterostructures for
studying the effect of spin-orbit torques (SOT). Its metallicity, strong
perpendicular magnetic anisotropy built in the single atomic layers, relatively
high Curie temperature (Tc about 225 K) and electrostatic gate tunability offer
a tantalizing possibility of achieving the ultimate high SOT limit in monolayer
all-vdW nanodevices. The spin current generated in Pt exerts a damping-like SOT
on FGT magnetization. At about 2.5x1011 A/m2 current density,SOT causes the FGT
magnetization to switch, which is detected by the anomalous Hall effect of FGT.
To quantify the SOT effect, we measure the second harmonic Hall responses as
the applied magnetic field rotates the FGT magnetization in the plane. Our
analysis shows that the SOT efficiency is comparable with that of the best
heterostructures containing three-dimensional (3D) ferromagnetic metals and
much larger than that of heterostructures containing 3D ferrimagnetic
insulators. Such large efficiency is attributed to the atomically flat FGT/Pt
interface, which demonstrates the great potential of exploiting vdW
heterostructures for highly efficient spintronic nanodevices
Effect of distance on photoluminescence quenching and proximity-induced spin-orbit coupling in graphene-WSe2 heterostructures
Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in graphene can be greatly enhanced by proximity
coupling it to transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) such as WSe2. We find
that the strength of the acquired SOC in graphene depends on the stacking order
of the heterostructures when using hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as the
capping layer, i.e., SiO2/graphene/WSe2/h-BN exhibiting stronger SOC than
SiO2/WSe2/graphene/h-BN. We utilize photoluminescence (PL) as an indicator to
characterize the interaction between graphene and monolayer WSe2 grown by
chemical vapor deposition. We observe much stronger PL quenching in the
SiO2/graphene/WSe2/h-BN stack than in the SiO2/WSe2/graphene/h-BN stack, and
correspondingly a much larger weak antilocalization (WAL) effect or stronger
induced SOC in the former than in the latter. We attribute these two effects to
the interlayer distance between graphene and WSe2, which depends on whether
graphene is in immediate contact with h-BN. Our observations and hypothesis are
further supported by first-principles calculations which reveal a clear
difference in the interlayer distance between graphene and WSe2 in these two
stacks
Pressure-induced spin reorientation transition in layered ferromagnetic insulator Cr2Ge2Te6
Anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) of Cr2Ge2Te6 (CGT), a layered
ferromagnetic insulator, is investigated under an applied hydrostatic pressure
up to 2 GPa. The easy axis direction of the magnetization is inferred from the
AMR saturation feature in the presence and absence of the applied pressure. At
zero applied pressure, the easy axis is along the c-direction or perpendicular
to the layer. Upon application of a hydrostatic pressure>1 GPa, the uniaxial
anisotropy switches to easy-plane anisotropy which drives the equilibrium
magnetization from the c-axis to the ab-plane at zero magnetic field, which
amounts to a giant magnetic anisotropy energy change (>100%). As the
temperature is increased across the Curie temperature, the characteristic AMR
effect gradually decreases and disappears. Our first-principles calculations
confirm the giant magnetic anisotropy energy change with moderate pressure and
assign its origin to the increased off-site spin-orbit interaction of Te atoms
due to a shorter Cr-Te distance. Such a pressure-induced spin reorientation
transition is very rare in three-dimensional ferromagnets, but it may be common
to other layered ferromagnets with similar crystal structures to CGT, and
therefore offers a unique way to control magnetic anisotropy
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated activity of gas-phase ambient air derived from passive sampling and an \u3cem\u3ein vitro\u3c/em\u3e bioassay
The gaseous fraction of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) in ambient air appears to be responsible for a significant portion of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)âmediated activity, but the majority of compounds contributing to this activity remain unidentified. This study investigated the use of polyethylene passive samplers (PEs) to isolate gaseous HOCs from ambient air for use in in vitro bioassays and to improve our understanding of the toxicological relevance of the gaseous fraction of ambient air in urban and residential environments. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organic flame retardants (OFRs) were measured in PE extracts. Extracts were also analyzed using an in vitro bioassay to measure AhRâmediated activity. Bioassayâderived benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) equivalents (BaPâEqbio), a measure of potency of HOC mixtures, were greatest in the downtown Cleveland area and lowest at rural/residential sites further from the city center. BaPâEqbio was weakly correlated with concentrations of 2âring alkyl/substituted PAHs and one organophosphate flame retardant, ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP). Potency predicted based on literatureâderived induction equivalency factors (IEFs) explained only 2â23% of the AhRâmediated potency observed in bioassay experiments. This study suggests that health risks of gaseous ambient air pollution predicted using data from targeted chemical analysis may underestimate risks of exposure, most likely due to augmentation of potency by unmonitored chemicals in the mixture, and the lack of relevant IEFs for many targeted analytes
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Coexistence of Magnetic Orders in Two-Dimensional Magnet CrI3.
The magnetic properties in two-dimensional van der Waals materials depend sensitively on structure. CrI3, as an example, has been recently demonstrated to exhibit distinct magnetic properties depending on the layer thickness and stacking order. Bulk CrI3 is ferromagnetic (FM) with a Curie temperature of 61 K and a rhombohedral layer stacking, whereas few-layer CrI3 has a layered antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase with a lower ordering temperature of 45 K and a monoclinic stacking. In this work, we use cryogenic magnetic force microscopy to investigate CrI3 flakes in the intermediate thickness range (25-200 nm) and find that the two types of magnetic orders, hence the stacking orders, can coexist in the same flake with a layer of âŒ13 nm at each surface being in the layered AFM phase similar to few-layer CrI3 and the rest in the bulk FM phase. The switching of the bulk moment proceeds through a remnant state with nearly compensated magnetic moment along the c-axis, indicating formation of c-axis domains allowed by a weak interlayer coupling strength in the rhombohedral phase. Our results provide a comprehensive picture on the magnetism in CrI3 and point to the possibility of engineering magnetic heterostructures within the same material
Field validation of a novel passive sampler for dissolved PFAS in surface waters
Numerous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of growing concern worldwide due to their ubiquitous presence, bioaccumulation and adverse effects. Surface waters in the United States have displayed elevated concentrations of PFAS, but so far discrete water sampling has been the commonly applied sampling approach. In the present study we field-tested a novel integrative passive sampler, a microporous polyethylene tube, and derived sampling rates (Rs) for nine PFAS in surface waters. Three sampling campaigns were conducted, deploying polyethylene tube passive samplers in the effluent of two wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and across Narragansett Bay (Rhode Island, USA) for 1 month each in 2017 and 2018. Passive samplers exhibited linear uptake of PFAS in the WWTP effluents over 16â29 days, with in situ Rs for nine PFAS ranging from 10âmlâdayâ1 (perfluoropentanoic acid) to 29âmlâdayâ1 (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid). Similar sampling rates of 19â±â4.8âmlâdayâ1 were observed in estuarine field deployments. Applying these Rs values in a different WWTP effluent predicted dissolved PFAS concentrations mostly within 50% of their observations in daily composite water samples, except for perfluorobutanoic acid (where predictions from passive samplers were 3 times greater than measured values), perfluorononanoic acid (1.9 times), perfluorodecanoic acid (1.7 times), and perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (0.1 times). These results highlight the potential use of passive samplers as measurement and assessment tools of PFAS in dynamic aquatic environments
Legacy and Novel Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Juvenile Seabirds from the U.S. Atlantic Coast
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic, globally distributed chemicals. Legacy PFAS, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), have been regularly detected in marine fauna but little is known about their current levels or the presence of novel PFAS in seabirds. We measured 36 emerging and legacy PFAS in livers from 31 juvenile seabirds from Massachusetts Bay, Narragansett Bay, and the Cape Fear River Estuary (CFRE), United States. PFOS was the major legacy perfluoroalkyl acid present, making up 58% of concentrations observed across all habitats (range: 11â280 ng/g). Novel PFAS were confirmed in chicks hatched downstream of a fluoropolymer production site in the CFRE: a perfluorinated ether sulfonic acid (Nafion byproduct 2; range: 1â110 ng/g) and two perfluorinated ether carboxylic acids (PFO4DA and PFO5DoDA; PFO5DoDA range: 5â30 ng/g). PFOS was inversely associated with phospholipid content in livers from CFRE and Massachusetts Bay individuals, while ÎŽ 13C, an indicator of marine versus terrestrial foraging, was positively correlated with some long-chain PFAS in CFRE chick livers. There is also an indication that seabird phospholipid dynamics are negatively impacted by PFAS, which should be further explored given the importance of lipids for seabirds
Time trends and trophic transfer of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) in Antarctic biota
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are âemergedâ contaminants that were produced and used as flame retardants in numerous consumer and industrial applications for decades until banned. They remain ubiquitously present in the environment today. Here, a unique set of \u3e200 biotic samples from the Antarctic was analyzed for PBDEs, including phytoplankton, krill, fish, and fur seal milk, spanning several sampling seasons over 14 years. PBDE-47 and -99 were the dominant congeners determined in all samples, constituting \u3e60% of total PBDEs. A temporal trend was observed for â7PBDE concentrations in fur seal milk, where concentrations significantly increased (R2 = 0.57, p \u3c 0.05) over time (2000â2014). Results for krill and phytoplankton also suggested increasing PBDE concentrations over time. Trends of PBDEs in fur seal milk of individual seals sampled 1 or more years apart showed no clear temporal trends. Overall, there was no indication of PBDEs decreasing in Antarctic biota yet, whereas numerous studies have reported decreasing trends in the northern hemisphere. Similar PBDE concentrations in perinatal versus nonperinatal milk implied the importance of local PBDE sources for bioaccumulation. These results indicate the need for continued assessment of contaminant trends, such as PBDEs, and their replacements, in Antarctica
An assessment of aerosolâcloud interactions in marine stratus clouds based on surface remote sensing
An assessment of aerosol-cloud interactions (ACI) from ground-based remote sensing under coastal stratiform clouds is presented. The assessment utilizes a long-term, high temporal resolution data set from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program deployment at Pt. Reyes, California, United States, in 2005 to provide statistically robust measures of ACI and to characterize the variability of the measures based on variability in environmental conditions and observational approaches. The average ACIN (= dlnNd/dlna, the change in cloud drop number concentration with aerosol concentration) is 0.48, within a physically plausible range of 0â1.0. Values vary between 0.18 and 0.69 with dependence on (1) the assumption of constant cloud liquid water path (LWP), (2) the relative value of cloud LWP, (3) methods for retrieving Nd, (4) aerosol size distribution, (5) updraft velocity, and (6) the scale and resolution of observations. The sensitivity of the local, diurnally averaged radiative forcing to this variability in ACIN values, assuming an aerosol perturbation of 500 c-3 relative to a background concentration of 100 cm-3, ranges betwee-4 and -9 W -2. Further characterization of ACI and its variability is required to reduce uncertainties in global radiative forcing estimates
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