Consumer-Preferred Attributes of a Fresh Ground Beef and Turkey Product: A Conjoint Analysis

A random sample of 3,400 Louisiana households was surveyed by mail to determine their ratings for a number of product profiles involving a combined fresh ground beef and turkey product. The attributes and levels of the new product included form (fresh, frozen), identity of the packager (retailer, processor), percentage of beef in product (50,70,90), and price of the combined product as a percentage of ground beef (80,90,100). Based on 2,781 observations, the order of importance of the attributes were, in order of declining importance, content, form, price, and packager. Consumer utility was highly sensitive to the content of beef, with a higher content being preferred.Consumer/Household Economics,

Adolescent Healthful Foods Inventory: Development of an Instrument to Assess Adolescents\u27 Willingness to Consume Healthful Foods

Interventions to increase adolescents\u27 healthful food and beverage consumption often fail to demonstrate change. An alternative is to measure a shift in willingness to consume these items as an indicator of movement toward change. A survey was developed to estimate willingness to consume a variety of foods and beverages. Twenty items were identified from five focus group interviews with adolescents. A survey of 234 youths indicated their willingness to consume each item. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in lists of high-fat/sugar-rich items and more healthful foods. Extension educators can use the survey instrument to demonstrate early positive participant change as they strive to deliver programs that meet mission mandates

TASTE PANEL EVALUATIONS OF THE ACCEPTABILITY AND WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR ALTERNATIVE BLENDS OF GROUND MEATS

An untrained consumer panel evaluated the acceptability, willingness to purchase and pricing of several different combinations of fresh ground beef and ground turkey. Important product attributes were flavor and texture, along with previous at home experience with the combined product. Thirty percent turkey appears to be the maximum for acceptability.Consumer/Household Economics,

Effect of hot water treatment of in-shell pecans on physicochemical properties and consumer acceptability of roasted pecan kernels

The effect of hot water pre-treatment of in-shell pecans on physicochemical properties, consumer acceptance and purchase intent of dehulled and roasted kernels was evaluated. In-shell pecans were first subjected to hot water at 70, 80 and 90 °C for 8.6, 6.6 and 4.6 min respectively and kernels were later dry roasted at 160 °C for 10 min. The physicochemical properties of hot water treated and untreated nuts, before and after roasting were determined. Furthermore, consumer acceptance and purchase intent of the roasted kernels were determined. Hot water treatment, alone and subsequent roasting had minimal effect on pecans’ physicochemical properties. Consumers liked (P \u3c 0.05) the colour and aroma of treated pecans. No effect (P \u3e 0.05) of pre-treatment was observed on the acceptability of other sensory attributes. Safety claim increased treated pecans’ overall liking; however, it decreased purchase intent. Hot water treatment showed promise as a post-harvest microbial intervention strategy without affecting the physicochemical properties and consumer acceptability

Hot water treatment as a kill-step to inactivate Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes and Enterococcus faecium on in-shell pecans

In-shell pecans are susceptible to microbial contamination. This study was performed to investigate feasibility of using hot water treatment as a kill-step for food-borne pathogens during pecan shelling. In-shell pecans were subjected to hot water at 70, 80 or 90 °C for 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 min. The time-temperature treatments to achieve a 5-log reduction of Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and non-pathogenic Enterococcus faecium were determined. Thermal death values were determined for each tested condition. L. monocytogenes was most susceptible to heat treatment and were reduced by 4.6 ± 0.35 log CFU/g at 70 °C for 5 min, while 3–5 min at 80 and 90 °C treatments was required to achieve a similar reduction level for S. enterica, E. coli O157:H7, and E. faecium. S. enterica were most resistant and required 4 min treatment time to achieve a 5-log reduction at 80 and 90 °C. The D-values ranged from 1.15 to 1.72, 0.83 to 1.19, and 0.41–0.92 min at 70, 80 and 90 °C, respectively. E. faecium had the highest D-value (1.72 min at 70 °C), indicating a potential surrogate for process validation for pecan industries. Utilizing proper hot water treatment during pecan shelling could reduce food safety risk

Lipase and Lipoxygenase Activity, Functionality, and Nutrient Losses in Rice Bran During Storage (Bulletin #870)

This bulletin includes information on the feasibility of using microwave heat to inactivate lipase and LOX, determine the optimum storage and packaging conditions with the fewest adverse effects on functionality, and to determine changes in functionality of rice bran as a result of heat treatment.https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/agcenter_bulletins/1031/thumbnail.jp

Relationships between Emotion, Acceptance, Food Choice, and Consumption: Some New Perspectives

Food is more than just a source of nutrients—it also provides basic pleasure as well as aesthetic experiences. A number of studies have reported that acceptance, food choice, and consumption are affected by a large number of factors, including both intrinsic and extrinsic factors and cues, as well as consumer characteristics. Food-elicited emotions are becoming a critical component in designing products that meet consumers’ needs and expectations. Several studies have reported emotional responses to food and their relationships to product acceptability, preference, and choice. This Special Issue brings together a small range of studies with a diversity of approaches that provide good examples of the complex and multidisciplinary nature of the subject matter

The Influence of Whey Protein Heating Parameters on Their Susceptibility to Digestive Enzymes and the Antidiabetic Activity of Hydrolysates

The inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) and the release of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) could normalize blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. This study evaluated the susceptibility of whey proteins to enzyme hydrolysis and the antidiabetic properties of protein hydrolysates from β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) and α-lactalbumin (α-LA) solutions compared with whey protein isolate (WPI) solution treated at different heating temperatures (65, 75, and 85 °C). α-LA hydrolysate provided the lowest degree of hydrolysis (DH). Those heating temperatures did not significantly affect the DH of all protein hydrolysates. α-LA hydrolysate significantly increased GLP-1 levels and DPP-IV inhibitory activity more than β-LG hydrolysate. WPI hydrolysate inhibited DPP-IV activity less than an α-LA hydrolysate, but they were no significant differences for GLP-1 release activity. Heat treatment could affect the antidiabetic properties of all protein hydrolysates. Heating at 75 °C resulted in greater inhibition of the activity of DPP-IV than at 65 and 85 °C. The highest increase in GLP-1 release was also observed by heating at 75 °C. The recently obtained information is useful for the utilization of α-LA, heated at 75 °C for 30 min, in the preparation of antidiabetic food supplements

Effects of high-molecular-weight chitosan coating prepared in different solvents on quality of catfish fillets during 6-month frozen storage

Effects of high-molecular-weight (800 kDa) chitosan coating on quality of catfish fillets were examined during 6-month frozen (-20 degrees C) storage. Coating solutions, included distilled water (Control), 800AC1% (1% w/v chitosan in 1% v/v acetic acid), AS3% (3% w/v aspartic acid), and 800AS3% (3% w/v chitosan in 3% w/v aspartic acid). Changes in physicochemical, microbial, and consumer perception of chitosan-coated catfish fillets during frozen storage were examined. The 800AS3% coating was found to be effective in inhibiting microbial growth, controlling lipid oxidation, reducing drip loss and cooking loss, and retaining color and texture of catfish fillet during frozen storage. After 6-month frozen storage, the aroma of thawed fillets coated with 800AS3% was accepted by 77.92% of consumers with 66% positive purchase intent. This study demonstrated that a nonpungent aspartic acid, instead of commonly used pungent acetic acid, can be used in preparation of preservative high-molecular-weight chitosan coating. Practical Application The findings of this study indicated that high-molecular-weight chitosan coating showed preservative effects on quality of frozen raw catfish fillets. In our previous study, chitosan (800 kDa) at 1% and 3% concentrations showed antibacterial activity in vitro. The nonpungent aspartic acid can be used as a solvent to dissolve high-molecular-weight chitosan instead of the commonly used pungent acetic acid. The most effective coating treatment was 3% w/v chitosan in 3% w/v aspartic acid. This finding would be applicable to other seafood and fish products.USDA NIFA Hatch project, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center LAB9447

Effect of high molecular weight chitosan coating on quality and shelf life of refrigerated channel catfish fillets

This study investigated effects of the high molecular-weight (800 kDa) chitosan coating on quality and shelf life of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fillets stored at 4 degrees C. Distilled water (control), CHAC1% (1% w/v chitosan in 1% v/v acetic acid), AS3% (3% w/v aspartic acid), and CHAS3% (3% w/v chitosan in 3% w/v aspartic acid) were used as coating solutions. Microbial (total aerobic mesophilic bacteria-TAMB; total aerobic psychrophilic bacteria-TAPB), physicochemical, and consumer perception parameters of chitosan-coated catfish fillets were analyzed at 0, 3, 6, 8, and 10 days. Chitosan coating treatments, especially CHAS3%, effectively inhibited microbial growth, delayed lipid oxidation, reduced cooking loss, and retained water holding capacity, color, and texture. Overall acceptance and purchase intent of CHAS3% fillets drastically decreased from 6.16 to 84% on the 8th day to 4.31 and 44.67% on the 10th day of storage. Shelf life of catfish fillets was extended by CHAS3% from 6 days to 8 (based on consumer acceptance) and/or 10 (based on TAMB and TAPB) days compared to the control. This study demonstrated that CHAS3% coating showed promise as a natural preservative to extend shelf life by delaying chemical and microbial deterioration of refrigerated catfish fillets, and potentially for other fish fillets