Food Products (food + products)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Kinds of Food Products

  • new food products


  • Selected Abstracts


    PREVALENCE AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE OF LISTERIA SPECIES IN FOOD PRODUCTS IN BANGKOK, THAILAND

    JOURNAL OF FOOD SAFETY, Issue 1 2010
    SIRIPORN STONSAOVAPAK
    ABSTRACT A total of 380 meat and meat products, dairy and dairy products, fresh vegetables, fresh seafood, and ready-to-eat food samples from supermarkets in Bangkok, Thailand were collected and analyzed for the occurrence of Listeria spp. and of Listeria monocytogenes. The overall incidence of Listeria spp. was 16.8%, most of them were isolated from raw meat and vegetables. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 18 (4.7%) out of 380 studied samples. Other species isolated were L. innocua (6.6%), L. ivanovii (0.8%), L. seeligeri (0.5%), L. grayi (1.6%) and L. welshimeri (2.6%). The antimicrobial susceptibilities of the 64 isolate of Listeria spp. were also examined by the standard disk diffusion method. Listeria spp. were resistant to penicillin (6.3%), chloramphenicol (3.1%) and tetracycline (1.6%), but sensitive to amoxicillin, vancomycin, ampicillin, rifampicin and sulfamethoxazole. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Listeria monocytogenes prevalence in food products in Bangkok has been documented. More studies on the occurrence of L. monocytogenes are needed to establish microbiological criteria of foods in the country. The findings of our study, increases in antibiotic resistance among Listeria spp. will provide useful information for the development of public health policy in the use of antimicrobials in food animal production. [source]


    PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF LYSOSTAPHIN FROM STAPHYLOCOCCUS SIMULANS AGAINST GROWTH OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS IN MILK AND SOME OTHER FOOD PRODUCTS

    JOURNAL OF FOOD SAFETY, Issue 3 2007
    PIOTR SZWEDA
    ABSTRACT The effect of lysostaphin from Staphylococcus simulans expressed in Escherichia coli TOP10 strain on Staphylococcus aureus used for inoculation of milk, ground pork and mayonnaise salad was investigated. The populations of this pathogen in ultrahigh-temperature milk preserved at 4C by lysostaphin added up to concentrations of 1.5 or 3.0 µg/mL were reduced by 0.73 and 0.92 log(cfu/mL) in control samples without enzyme addition. The protective influence of lysostaphin was diminished in case of milk storage (20C) prolonged up to 24 h. Furthermore, a final reduction level by 0.92 log(cfu/mL) was achieved after 24 h of pork storage. The smaller and more dependent on enzyme concentration inactivation of S. aureus was observed in the case of the mayonnaise salad, and it led to the conclusion that some food components or proteolytic enzymes originating from other bacteria caused lysostaphin inactivation. [source]


    European Food Marketing: Understanding Consumer Wants , The Starting Point in Adding Value to Basic Food Products La commercialisation des aliments en Europe : comprendre des désirs des consommateurs , point de départ pour ajouter de la valeur aux produits alimentaires de base Lebensmittelhandel in Europa: Das Verständnis der Kundenwünsche ist Voraussetzung für zusätzliche Wertschöpfung bei Grundnahrungsmitteln

    EUROCHOICES, Issue 3 2009
    David Hughes
    Summary European Food Marketing: Understanding Consumer Wants , The Starting Point in Adding Value to Basic Food Products European consumers have been in sombre mood as they battle to make ends meet in an economic recession. Yet, for many countries, the past 50 years or so has been a halcyon period of economic growth and, in real terms, declining food prices. Apart from lower food prices, attributes of convenience, health, pleasure and more esoteric social elements such as animal welfare-friendliness and environmental sustainability are increasingly important to consumers in their food choices. With higher household incomes has come an increasingly segmented food market, as businesses seek to differentiate their products from competitors to earn a premium above the basic commodity price. In an increasingly competitive European and global market, whether the firm is small or large, the first step in successful product differentiation requires an insightful understanding of the drivers of consumer purchase and consumption behaviour. These have fundamental commercial importance in the marketing strategy of any business. Yet, a surprising number of businesses in the food and beverage industry know very little about who buys and consumes their products. In the 21st century, the primacy of consumers and citizens will be substantially more ,front and centre' than in the previous 50 years of production-driven agricultural and food policy. Les consommateurs européens font grise mine depuis qu'ils peinent à joindre les deux bouts dans un contexte de récession économique. Pourtant, dans de nombreux pays, les cinquante dernières années ont formé une période en or de croissance économique et de baisse des prix alimentaires en termes réels. Outre des prix plus bas, les consommateurs accordent, dans leurs choix alimentaires, une importance de plus en plus grande à des attributs en termes de commodité, de santé, de plaisir et d'éléments sociaux plus ésotériques comme le bon traitement des animaux et la durabilité environnementale. La hausse des revenus des ménages a entraîné une segmentation accrue des marchés des produits alimentaires car les entreprises cherchent à différencier leurs produits de ceux de leurs concurrents pour obtenir une prime en sus du prix du produit classique. Dans un marché européen et mondial de plus en plus concurrentiel, que l'entreprise soit petite ou grande, la première étape d'une différentiation de produit réussie consiste à bien comprendre les motivations des consommateurs en termes d'achat et leur comportement en terme de consommation. Ces considérations ont une importance commerciale primordiale dans la stratégie de commercialisation de toute entreprise. Pourtant, un nombre surprenant de firmes de l'industrie des aliments et boissons savent très peu de chose sur les clients qui achètent et consomment leurs produits. Au vingt-et-unième siècle, la primauté des consommateurs et des citoyens sera nettement plus ,,frontale et centrale" qu'elle ne l'était dans les cinquante dernières années durant lesquelles la politique agricole et alimentaire était axée sur la production. Gedrückte Stimmung hat sich unter den europäischen Verbrauchern breit gemacht, da sie in der Rezession über die Runden kommen müssen. Dabei konnten viele Länder in den vergangenen etwa 50 Jahren auf eine glückliche Zeit wirtschaftlichen Wachstums und real rückläufiger Lebensmittelpreise blicken. Einmal abgesehen von den geringeren Lebensmittelpreisen, richtet der Verbraucher sein Hauptaugenmerk bei der Auswahl seiner Lebensmittel zunehmend auf Kriterien wie Verbraucherfreundlichkeit, Gesundheit, Genuss sowie esoterischere soziale Elemente wie Tierschutzfreundlichkeit und Umweltverträglichkeit. Höhere Haushaltseinkommen führten zu einem immer stärker segmentierten Lebensmittelmarkt, da die Unternehmen danach streben, ihre Produkte von denen der Konkurrenz abzuheben, um einen Aufschlag auf den Grundwarenpreis zu erzielen. Ob es sich nun um ein kleines oder großes Unternehmen handelt: Auf einem zunehmend wettbewerbsorientierten europäischen Markt und Weltmarkt und auf dem Weg hin zu einer erfolgreichen Produktdifferenzierung ist es zunächst einmal erforderlich, die Triebfedern für die Kaufentscheidung und das Konsumverhalten des Verbrauchers zu verstehen. Diese spielen eine wichtige wirtschaftliche Rolle in der Marketingstrategie eines jeden Unternehmens. Dennoch wissen erstaunlich viele Unternehmen aus der Lebensmittel- und Getränkeindustrie nur sehr wenig darüber, wer ihre Produkte kauft und konsumiert. Im 21. Jahrhundert werden die Wünsche der Verbraucher und Bürger wesentlich stärker Vorrang haben als dies in den vergangenen 50 Jahren produktionsorientierter Agrar- und Lebensmittelpolitik der Fall war. [source]


    Combining Stated and Revealed Preferences on Typical Food Products: The Case of Dry-Cured Ham in Spain

    JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2010
    Helena Resano-Ezcaray
    C25; D12; Q13; Q18 Abstract An extensive body of research concerns the valuation of EU certification schemes of quality based on the origin of food products. This literature focuses mainly on stated preferences (SPs) and reported behaviours by the consumers. We combine consumers' SPs, obtained through a conjoint ranking experiment, with revealed preferences (RP), obtained through a retail scanner database. We evaluate SPs as predictors of RP, and investigate whether SPs and RPs are consistent. Dry-cured ham in Spain is chosen as the anchor product, mainly because of its broad customer base and long history of origin certification. A ,trick' nested logit model with non-identical and identical samples of consumers is estimated to answer each of the objectives. Results show that, irrespective of the analysed samples, SP can predict general market trends and choices but not accurately predict market shares, and that consumers' actual behaviour is partly consistent with their SPs. We find that consumers prefer ham produced in Teruel, compared with unspecified Spanish origin. Quality Certification and a Distributor's Brand are preferred over the alternatives of no quality label or identified with a brand owned by the producer. Interestingly, SPs for the Quality Certification and the distributor's brand lead to an over- and under-estimation, respectively, of the market share. [source]


    Tariff Peaks for Agricultural and Food Products: their Incidence and Alternatives for their Removal

    JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2002
    Javier Fernández
    The aim of the paper is the analysis of the current market access situation in global agricultural markets for the post-Uruguay Round period. It identifies those commodity groups in the food and agricultural sector for which tariff peaks exist, and examines how various tariff-cutting formulae would affect their levels. The related issues of tariff complexity and of the administration of Tariff Rate Quotas are also reviewed here. Results show that the implementation of the Uruguay Round agreement has not significantly reduced agricultural protection, since high tariff peaks and nontransparent tariff structures still persist. A repetition of the Uruguay Round cuts would not solve the problem of high protection levels either, and only the introduction of more aggressive harmonising formulae could lead to a true liberalisation of world agricultural and food markets. [source]


    Peanut Allergy, Peanut Allergens, and Methods for the Detection of Peanut Contamination in Food Products

    COMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SAFETY, Issue 2 2007
    Hsiao-Wei Wen
    ABSTRACT:, Attention to peanut allergy has been rising rapidly for the last 5 y, because it accounts for the majority of severe food-related anaphylaxis, it tends to appear early in life, and it usually is not resolved. Low milligram amounts of peanut allergens can induce severe allergic reactions in highly sensitized individuals, and no cure is available for peanut allergy. This review presents updated information on peanut allergy, peanut allergens (Ara h1 to h8), and available methods for detecting peanuts in foods. These methods are based on the detection of either peanut proteins or a specific DNA fragment of peanut allergens. A summary of published methods for detecting peanut in foods is given with a comparison of assay formats, target analyte, and assay sensitivity. Moreover, a summary of the current availability of commercial peanut allergen kits is presented with information about assay format, target analyte, sensitivity, testing time, company/kit name, and AOAC validation. [source]


    A Perspective on Developing and Marketing Food Products to Meet Individual Needs of Population Segments

    COMPREHENSIVE REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SAFETY, Issue 4 2004
    I. Mehrotra
    ABSTRACT The promise of evolving research in the area of genomics suggests a move toward an individualized or customized approach to the diet. However, these advances in research do not come without complexities and raise much tougher questions, such as how will the food industry view this as an opportunity? What challenges will it face? Will it play a pivotal role? [source]


    Policosanol characterization and accumulation during ripening of Tunisian Olea europaea,L. fruits

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
    Faouzi Sakouhi
    Abstract Policosanol is a mixture of bioactive molecules shown to have beneficial effects in treating hypercholesterolemia. Food products enriched in policosanol are currently available in the US market. In the present study, eight policosanol components were identified by GC-MS during the ripening of Meski olives. The quantitative characterization of these compounds was performed using GC-FID. The results showed that the maximum level of total policosanol components (947.20,mg/100,g oil) was reached at the 26th week after the flowering date of Meski olives. Hexacosanol and tetracosanol were the predominant policosanol components at Meski olive maturity. However pentacosanol, heptacosanol and tricosanol were less present in the olives and they accounted for 14% of the total policosanol at complete maturity of the fruit. The total policosanol content of Meski olives was higher than that of beeswax and whole sugar cane, which belong to the sources of dietary supplements containing policosanol. These findings indicate that olive is a potential source of these health-enhancing compounds for functional foods and nutraceutical applications. [source]


    High-pressure processing effects on the mechanical, barrier and mass transfer properties of food packaging flexible structures: a critical review

    PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Issue 1 2004
    Cengiz Caner
    Abstract Food products can be high-pressure processed (HPP) either in bulk or prepackaged in flexible or semi-rigid packaging materials. In the latter case the packaging material is subjected, together with the food, to high-pressure treatment. A number of studies have been performed to quantify the effects of high-pressure processing on the physical and barrier properties of the packaging material, since the integrity of the package during and after processing is of paramount importance to the safety and quality of the food product. This article reviews the results of published research concerning the effect of HPP on packaging materials. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Acceptance of Functional Foods: A Comparison of French, American, and French Canadian Consumers

    CANADIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 4 2006
    JoAnne Labrecque
    Food products have diversified with industry globalization. To market functional foods efficiently, food managers must gauge cross-cultural variance of functional food acceptance. Expanding on previous research, we investigate young consumers' acceptance of functional foods. Data collected in French Canada, United States, and France in 2004 reveal that business students are slightly in favor of functional foods, and associate health benefits with these foods but very few product-related benefits. Students do not have strong opinions on the trustworthiness of information and expressed a slight interest in purchasing this type of product. Analyses of cultural differences revealed significant, albeit small, divergence in these variables. Statistical analysis performed on the full sample assessed the impact of food attitudes and other cognitive and attitudinal factors on the general attitude toward functional foods. Health and product-related benefits and belief about the credibility of information are the main positive determinants of the acceptance of functional foods, followed by high knowledge. Apart from the negative impact of Neophobia, none of the other food attitudes influences attitudes toward functional foods. Linear regressions performed on each subgroup indicated similar positive cross-cultural results for health and product-related benefits. However, cross-cultural differences are detected for knowledge, credibility of information, and food attitudes that influence acceptance of functional foods. Les produits alimentaires se sont diversifiés avec l'avènement de la mondialisation. Pour commercialiser efficacement les aliments fonctionnels, les gestionnaires du secteur alimentaire doivent évaluer l'acceptation des aliments fonctionnels par les diverses cultures. À partir de travaux de recherche antérieurs, nous avons examiné l'acceptation des aliments fonctionnels par les jeunes consommateurs. Des données recueillies en 2004 au Canada français, aux États-Unis et en France ont révélé que les étudiants en commerce étaient légèrement en faveur des aliments fonctionnels, leur associaient des avantages pour la santé, mais très peu d'avantages liés aux produits. Les étudiants n'avaient pas une très bonne opinion concernant la crédibilité de l'information et ont manifesté un faible intérêt pour l'achat de ces produits. Des analyses des différences culturelles ont révélé des divergences, petites mais significatives. Les analyses statistiques effectuées sur l'échantillon total ont évalué l'impact des attitudes envers les aliments ainsi que d'autres facteurs cognitifs et attitudinaux sur l'attitude générale envers les aliments fonctionnels. Les avantages pour la santé, les avantages liés aux produits et les croyances concernant la crédibilité de l'information sont les principaux facteurs favorables à l'acceptation des aliments fonctionnels, suivis d'un degré de connaissances élevé. Outre l'impact négatif de la néophobie, aucune autre des attitudes envers les aliments n'influe sur les attitudes envers les aliments fonctionnels. Les régressions linéaires effectuées pour chaque sous-groupe ont indiqué des résultats positifs similaires. Toutefois, nous avons noté des différences interculturelles quant à la connaissance, à la crédibilité de l'information et aux attitudes envers les aliments qui influencent l'acceptation des aliments fonctionnels. [source]


    Allergic contact dermatitis from sodium stearoyl lactylate, an emulsifier commonly used in food products

    CONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 2 2005
    Charlotte D. Jensen
    No abstract is available for this article. [source]


    Identification of shrimp species in raw and processed food products by means of a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method targeted to cytochrome b mitochondrial sequences

    ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 15 2008
    Ananías Pascoal
    Abstract A novel PCR-RFLP method has been developed for the identification of six commercially relevant penaeid shrimp species in raw and processed food products. The method can be completed within 8,h. To implement the method, PCR amplification with the crustF/crustR primers, targeted to the amplification of a ca. 181,bp region of the cytochrome b (cytb) mitochondrial gene in penaeid shrimps, was coupled to restriction analysis with CviJI, DdeI and NlaIV. The method was also applied successfully to the identification of shrimp species in complex processed foods, including this type of shellfish as an added-value food ingredient. The small size of this molecular target facilitates amplification from fresh, frozen, or precooked samples, where DNA fragmentation may be relevant and fragment size critical. We also report the first cytb mitochondrial sequences described to date for the species Farfantepenaeus notialis, Parapenaeus longirostris and Pleoticus muelleri, and these nearly triplicate current knowledge of reference nucleotide sequences in this mitochondrial region for this group of species. The cytb mitochondrial gene may also be considered as a molecular marker for identification and phylogenetic purposes in penaeid shrimp species. [source]


    Lignan profile in seeds of modern and old Italian soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars as revealed by CE-MS analyses

    ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 22 2007
    Giovanni Dinelli Professor
    Abstract The health-promoting effects of whole-grain consumption have been attributed in part to their unique phytochemical contents and profiles. Wheat is an important component of the human diet; however, little is known about the phytochemical profiles of different wheat varieties, especially of old wheats. The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of lignans, a class of phytochemicals with proved health benefit effects, of four modern and six old Italian soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. In this work, we describe the first analytical method involving CE coupled to MS (CE-MS) used to identify and quantify lignan compounds in grains of different cultivars of wheat. Total lignan content determined by CE-ESI-MS was 2.60,±,0.21 and 5.00,±,1.30,,g/g dry seed weight for modern and old cultivars, respectively. Secoisolariciresinol and pinoresinol were detected in all ten investigated soft wheat cultivars, whereas arctigenin, hinokinin, and syringaresinol were exclusively detected in old genotypes. Significant differences between modern and old cultivars were also observed for the number of glycosidic forms. Results highlighted the high content and unique composition in lignans of old cultivars suggesting their uses into a wide range of regular and speciality food products naturally enriched with health-promoting compounds. [source]


    Oxidative stability and acceptability of camelina oil blended with selected fish oils

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 8 2010
    Deirdre Ní Eidhin
    Abstract The effects of blending camelina oil with a number of fish oils on oxidative stability and fishy odour were evaluated. Camelina oil was found to be more stable than tuna oil, ,omega-3' fish oil and salmon oil as indicated by predominantly lower ,-anisidine (AV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and conjugated triene levels (CT) during storage at 60,°C for 20,days (p,<,0.05). Peroxide values (PV) were similar for all oils until Day 13 when values for camelina oil were higher. Values for blends of the fish oils (50, 25, 15, 5%) with camelina oil were generally between those of their respective bulk oils indicating a dilution effect. Camelina oil had a similar odour score (p,<,0.05) to sunflower oil (9.2 and 9.6, respectively) indicating, as expected, an absence of fishy odours. In comparison, the fish oils had lower scores of 6.1 to 6.6 (p,<,0.05) indicating mild to moderate fishy odours. Odour scores were improved at the 25% fish oil levels (p,<,0.05) and were not different to camelina oil at the 15 or 5% levels (p,<,0.05). Practical applications: Camelina oil is a potentially important functional food ingredient providing beneficial n-3 PUFA. Oil extracted from Camelina sativa seeds contains greater than 50% polyunsaturated fatty acids of which 35-40% is ,-linolenic acid (C18:3,3, ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid 1. While EPA and DHA from fish oils are more potent nutritionally, they are less stable than ALA. This work evaluated innovative blends of fish oil with camelina oil for stability and acceptability. The results demonstrate that there is potential for use of blends of camelina oil with fish oils in food products, as the results show some benefits in terms of reduction of fishy odours. Such information could be valuable in relation to formulation of food products containing high levels of n-3 PUFA from both plant and fish sources. [source]


    Near-infrared spectroscopy for the determination of lipid oxidation in cereal food products

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 12 2006
    Abderrahmane Aït Kaddour
    Abstract The present study was aimed at determining the ability of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to in situ describe fat oxidation kinetics in three different cereal-based products: salted crackers (20% saturated palm oil and lauric oil, sprayed on surface); healthy crackers (10% unsaturated rapeseed oil, homogeneously distributed inside the product matrix); and moist pasteurised Asian noodles (1.5% unsaturated rapeseed oil, sprayed on surface). Products were stored under accelerated oxidation conditions at 40,°C. Lipid oxidation rates were determined from peroxide value (PV) measurements. We observed no significant changes in PV for the dry crackers (3,meq/kg after 60,days), a slight linear increase in PV for the healthy crackers (40,meq/kg after 60,days), and a rapid increase for the Asian noodles (80,meq/kg after 20,days). The NIR spectra were recorded between 1000 and 2500,nm by using a Fourier Transform NIR spectrometer, using an external probe. Measurements were done directly in situ on the product, on the ground samples, and on the extracted fat phase. The analysis of NIR spectral data by PLS statistical methods demonstrated some correlation trends (R2,=,0.575,0.897; RMSEC,=,17,55%) for the products having a significant increase in PV. It was not possible to propose predictive models to calculate the oxidation rate. [source]


    An investigation of some food-approved polymers as agents to inhibit hydroxyapatite dissolution

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 6 2005
    Michele E. Barbour
    Dental erosion involves dissolution of the hydroxyapatite fraction of enamel and dentine, so agents that reduce the dissolution rate of hydroxyapatite could find application in food products aimed at reducing erosion. This study was performed to test some common food ingredients and additives for their effect on the dissolution rate of hydroxyapatite in a citric acid solution representative of soft drinks. Pyrophosphate, tripolyphosphate and a linear chain polyphosphate (average 25 phosphate units) significantly reduced the hydroxyapatite dissolution rate by 35, 46 and 64%, respectively. Xanthan gum and carboxymethylcellulose significantly reduced the hydroxyapatite dissolution rate by 29 and 16%, respectively. The protective effect may be ascribed to the binding of condensed phosphate or to the formation of an adsorbed layer of gum at the hydroxyapatite surface. Several other common food additives had no statistically significant effect on the hydroxyapatite dissolution rate. Polyphosphate exhibited a considerable persistence of action, causing a reduction in the dissolution rate for 3 h after treatment. Tripolyphosphate was slightly persistent, and pyrophosphate and xanthan gum did not exhibit a substantial persistence of action. A solution containing polyphosphate and xanthan gum reduced the hydroxyapatite dissolution rate by 70% and exhibited a similar persistence of action to the solution containing only polyphosphate. These compounds are suggested to have potential as erosion-reducing agents in soft drinks. [source]


    Variability of the masticatory process during chewing of elastic model foods

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 6 2000
    Claire Lassauzay
    Many studies show a consistent individual chewing pattern; chewing being governed by a pattern generator and regulated by sensory feedback. The aim of this study was to determine the variation in chewing between sessions, replicates and subjects using elastic model foods. Fifteen young male subjects were selected to chew four food products differing in hardness. Four sessions were performed at 1-wk intervals for each subject and, within each session, the four model foods were presented 3 times each. Jaw movement was recorded simultaneously with masseter and anterior temporalis electromyographic activities. Several chewing characteristics increased progressively from one session to the next; the largest increase occurred from the 1st to the 2nd session, with little difference between the last two sessions. No differences were observed between the samples of the same food product within a session. As mastication progressed, the amplitude and speed of the cycles and the muscular work decreased progressively. The first cycle appeared to be very different from the subsequent for all parameters except for occlusal duration. Thus, under our experimental conditions, the origin and amount of variation in chewing patterns were identified and provide information to improve the accuracy and comparability of results in studies of mastication. [source]


    Listeria monocytogenes response regulators important for stress tolerance and pathogenesis

    FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 1 2001
    Birgitte H. Kallipolitis
    Abstract Environmental sensing by two-component signal transduction systems is likely to play a role for growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes both during transmission in food products and within a host organism. Two-component systems typically consist of a membrane-associated sensor histidine kinase and a gene regulatory protein, the response regulator (RR). We have identified seven putative RR genes in L. monocytogenes LO28 by PCR using degenerate oligonucleotide primers. By insertional inactivation we obtained data suggesting that three of the putative RRs contribute to the pathogenicity of L. monocytogenes in mice. Strikingly, the mutants that were attenuated in virulence also had a decreased ability to grow in the presence of various stress conditions potentially encountered in an infection process. Thus, our data point to a connection between the ability of the putative two-component systems to sense and respond to certain environmental stimuli, and the virulence of L. monocytogenes. [source]


    Ease of reading of mandatory information on Canadian food product labels

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 4 2009
    Mary Alton Mackey
    Abstract Food product labels present individual product information, safety, nutrition, electronic inventory, container and environmental information, in various formats, languages and images. Some information is mandatory; much is promotional. The food label is an essential tool for regulators of safe food handling, nutrition policy and fair competition. Mandatory information on food labels in Canada is required to be presented in both English and French, readily discernable, prominently displayed and legible. This study examines the ease of finding and reading of mandatory label components on selected Canadian food products. A validated typographical scoring system assessed the lists of ingredients on a purposive sample of 100 food labels representing foods in all groups in Canada's Food Guide. Seven percent of the ingredient lists were easy to read; 26% were difficult to read and 67% were very difficult to read. Well-educated resourceful readers in consumer focus groups examined food labels for key elements that influence ease of finding and reading information. Focus groups and typographical scoring identified: colour contrast, case, print style, print size, space between the lines, reverse print, organization, justification, type of surface, hyphenation and print reproduction as factors that affect ease of reading. Print that curves around a container, lack of paragraphing or point form organization make reading difficult; text blocks at right angles to each other make comparisons difficult; separation of the nutrition facts table from the list of ingredients makes decision making tedious. Inadequate spacing between lines of print creates problems for readers of English and exacerbates problems for readers of French. Words placed over illustrations, busy backgrounds or watermarks increase reading difficulty. Hazard statements, instructions and storage information imbedded in other information without added space or appropriate heading is difficult to find and read. Canadian consumers echo consumers in 28 European countries who find label information difficult to find and to read and want clear guidelines/regulations on the placement and the typography of mandatory food label components [source]


    Cross-cultural evaluation of factors driving intention to purchase new food products , Beijing, China and south-east England

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 4 2007
    Anita Eves
    Abstract It has been reported that consumers in different countries have distinctive perceptions of, and attitudes to, products. This study investigated consumers' thoughts on new food products in south-east England (n = 222) and Beijing, China (n = 139), using a questionnaire-based largely on the Theory of Reasoned Action. Results indicated that consumers in both countries believe it is necessary for the food industry in their respective countries to introduce new food products and they would like to try new products. There appears to be great interest in new products among the Beijing Chinese, with most interest in new healthy food products. The influences on choices suggest that a marketing focus on quality, utility and health benefits would be most fruitful, as personal beliefs were more important in intention to purchase than the influence of other people. Results point away from the expected result that the Chinese, as a collectivist culture, would place more emphasis on others' opinions than their own beliefs. This may be linked to food not being an item of conspicuous consumption, or to a cultural shift among urban Chinese. [source]


    Consumers' everyday food choice strategies in Finland

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 4 2006
    Katja Järvelä
    Abstract In developed countries, choosing and purchasing food is today perhaps more complex than ever. In recent years, European consumers have experienced several food crises. We face a rapidly expanding range of novel food products, the food chain has become longer, and the origin of food more anonymous. At the same time, consumers confront increasing amounts of information on food every day. Consumers build their conceptions of modern food-related risks on the basis of their everyday knowledge and coping strategies. Hence, the focus of this paper is on consumers' food choices and everyday practices in relation to food safety and quality as well as food-related risks. The paper is based on a Finnish study1 examining consumers' food choices. The data for the study were collected in September 2004 using an Internet-based food diary accompanied by open-ended questions on food-related views and strategies. Altogether, 92 consumers completed the diary. The method combining the tradition of dietary intake and food consumption surveys with open-ended questions was developed in order to gain an insight both on the types of foods purchased and on consumers' conceptions of food-related issues. In this paper, we focus on the key findings of the study as regards to consumers' notions on food quality and safety issues and the practices they use in their everyday lives. We found eight everyday strategies consumers use. We suggest, first, that the strategies are important in simplifying food choice and making daily life easier, and second, that consumers use food-related information flexibly in creating these strategies. [source]


    Combating deceptive advertisements and labelling on food products , an exploratory study on the perceptions of teachers

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 3 2003
    Wai-ling Theresa Lai Yeung
    People are becoming more health conscious nowadays, but most of them are not able to adopt a lifestyle with adequate physical exercise and a healthier eating pattern. Many attempt to compensate by taking ,health foods'. Despite the recent economic recession, the functional food market expands rapidly in Asian countries. Recent statistics indicate a huge increase in weight loss and functional food product advertising expenditure in Hong Kong and other Asian countries. In a massive survey conducted by the Hong Kong Consumer Council, it was found that 85% of the medicines, health food and therapies sampled contain questionable claims and misleading messages (Consumer Council, 1999). In fact, young people do not understand much about modern food processing, in particular those present in low energy and functional foods, and they know very little about the modern food marketing strategies. The situation is detrimental to consumer welfare especially to the younger generation. This study attempts to reflect critically on the implications of these issues for the health and well-being of young people in Hong Kong. It explores directions for designing relevant and effective education programmes to empower young people in understanding food advertising strategies and making informed decisions on food choice. The paper will begin with a critical review on the current situation in Hong Kong. An interview survey on preservice and in-service teachers' perception towards misleading food advertising and labelling will then be reported. The situations at schools will be defined and problems faced by teachers in providing relevant consumer education programmes to students will be identified. Finally, the study will look to the future, with a view to developing students' critical skills in evaluating claims offered in food advertisements. [source]


    Organic purchasing motivations and attitudes: are they ethical?

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 2 2002
    M.G. McEachern
    Abstract Despite the increased documentation of consumers' purchases of organic food products, the motivations for such purchases are relatively under-researched. An individual's choice of food products can be linked clearly to ethical stances, but ethical choices can also vary from individual to individual, from industry to industry and among countries. Consequently, this paper investigates the degree to which ethical beliefs influence Scottish consumer perceptions, beliefs, attitudes and purchasing decisions, with regard to organic dairy products. Consumer purchasing motivations are revealed as being self-interest-centred (i.e. better tasting, safer), rather than altruistic. Therefore, to achieve future market development, organic dairy producers cannot rely upon the minority of hardcore green consumers to sustain growth, but must aim to modify perceptions and attitudes of larger consumer segments by implementing educational marketing campaigns that reinforce the ethical, environmental and societal benefits of organic production. [source]


    High-pressure-induced changes in bovine milk: a review

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DAIRY TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2006
    THOM HUPPERTZ
    High-pressure (HP) treatment of food products is a novel processing technique during which the product is treated in a vessel of suitable strength at a high pressure, generally in the range 100,1000 MPa. As a result, several constituents and properties of the treated product are altered. HP-induced changes in the constituents and properties of milk are arguably among the most extensive of the range of food products studied to date. HP treatment of milk induces solubilization of minerals associated with the casein micelles, denatures whey proteins and, depending on pressure, can either induce aggregation or disruption of the casein micelles. These HP-induced changes in milk constituents affect the properties of the milk; cheesemaking properties of milk can be enhanced considerably, indicating potential application of HP treatment in this area; furthermore, encouraging results have also been reported for HP treatment of milk prior to yogurt manufacture. HP treatment of milk also affects its microflora; however, considerable variation in baroresistance between bacterial species and strains exists. Further applied research appears warranted to establish the full commercial potential of HP treatment of milk. [source]


    Food process engineering and dairy technology at the Technical University of Munich

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DAIRY TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2003
    Ulrich Kulozik
    The Chair for Food Process Engineering and Dairy Technology at the Technical University of Munich in Freising-Weihenstephan has been installed since 1992 in a new building hosting modern and well-equipped laboratories and pilot-plant facilities. Its objectives in terms of research are to participate in the development of the scientific understanding of complex food systems and their constitutive components, and the way they interact with the process during manufacturing. The aim is to allow the production of food products with desired properties, improved quality and optimal safety, while ensuring an efficient use of raw materials and of the energy required for industrial production. The methodology used involves the fractionation of complex systems and the systematic study of their constitutive components taken in isolation as well as in various combinations. Milk, as a naturally complex raw material, receives particular attention, but research activities increasingly extend to other functional food substrates such as eggs. The research activities are organized into three working groups that reflect the core competencies developed at the chair throughout the years: Bio-Processes and Aseptic Processing, Formation of Structures in Food Systems, and Protein Technology. Its key position within the ,Centre of Life and Food Science' of the Technical University of Munich fosters interdisciplinary interactions with many specialized scientists, and therefore provides a broad perspective regarding the comprehension of the complex implications of modern food and pharmaceutical product manufacturing. [source]


    Freezing time calculations for various products

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 12 2003
    Esmail M. A. Mokheimer
    Abstract This article presents a numerical simulation that estimates the freezing time for different products. In this regard, the freezing process is mathematically modelled by transient heat conduction equations that incorporate the physical properties of the three distinct regions that exist during a freezing process. These regions are namely, the solid phase region, the liquid phase region and the interface region. This model is experimentally validated and used to estimate the freezing time for three different food products, which are namely, fish balls, cherry juice and peas balls. The freezing times estimated numerically through the present model agree well with those reported in the literature and are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Towards a multidisciplinary approach to structuring in reduced saturated fat-based systems , a review

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
    Paul Wassell
    Summary Although many food products are essentially emulsions, interest in the structuring of oil-continuous emulsions (and in specific cases water-continuous emulsions) is intense, particularly to meet the continuing challenge of reducing the degree of saturates in food systems. Consequently, it is necessary to observe the effects of structurants and to examine their impacts on current food systems. This is especially the case where novel structuring materials are used to wholly or partially replace traditional structurants. A multidisciplinary approach is discussed encompassing traditional and novel mechanisms considered able to structure within low saturated fat-based systems and which in themselves could also have emulsification properties. The presence of interfacial compositions as in emulsions requires a crucial understanding of the interactions within these compositions for the creation of building blocks in oil or fat structuring. Where a co-surfactant structure may be used, together with novel structurants, for example, wax esters, phytosterols, it is necessary to understand how these may influence interfacial film thickness, strength and flexibility. Understanding how to measure mechanical visco-elastic properties of structurant interactions both in model and real time dynamic measurements will be necessary to account for diffusion, orientation and self-assembly mechanisms. This review discusses combining traditional techniques with novel structurant technology; developing and validating dynamic measurement techniques; and investigation of real systems as opposed to purely model systems. [source]


    A novel photochromic time,temperature indicator to support cold chain management

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
    Judith Kreyenschmidt
    Summary A detailed investigation of the behaviour of a new printable photochromic time,temperature indicator (TTI) was conducted to characterise its properties under specific temperature conditions and to analyse the influence of ultra violet (UV) light irradiation (activation) on the discolouration process. The reproducibility of the charging process and the discolouration process of the TTI were analysed. For different charging times the calculated activation energies based on the Arrhenius model ranged from 23.2 to 25.3 kcal mol,1 depending on the UV light irradiation (charging time). A quality contour diagram was established to define the appropriate charging time for different kinds of products. Due to the possibility of defining the shelf life of a TTI by different charging times, this novel TTI constitutes a reliable tool to monitor the cold chains of a broad range of food products on their way from production to consumption. [source]


    Effect of the side chain size of 1-alkyl-pyrroles on antioxidant activity and ,Laba' garlic greening

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2008
    Dan Wang
    Summary Previous studies showed that 1-alkyl-pyrroles not only occur in fresh food products postulated as a natural antioxidant but also might be involved in garlic greening. In the present study, a series of 1-alkyl-pyrroles with different side chain size were synthesised to study the relationship of structure and antioxidative activity and their effects on ,Laba' garlic greening. The antioxidative activity of these compounds was evaluated by the method of scavenging ABTS, and DPPH,. Results showed that increasing the size of R groups on the side chain, the antioxidative activity decreased gradually against the two radicals. The 1-alkyl-pyrroles generally exhibited stronger scavenging activities against ABTS, than DPPH,. In contrast, their corresponding amino acids except for tyrosine showed almost no antioxidative activities while pyrrole exhibited much weaker activity as compared with the 1-alkyl-pyrroles, suggesting that the 1-alkyl-pyrroles donate H-atom from pyrrole moiety rather than side chain to quench the two radicals. On the other hand, all 1-alkyl-pyrroles can turn newly harvested garlic green but to a different extent. All these results suggested that these pyrrole derivatives occurring in foodstuff played an important role in either protecting foodstuff from oxidation or acting on pigment precursors during ,Laba' garlic greening. [source]


    Effect of water activity on the inactivation kinetics of Escherichia coli O157:H7 by electron beam in ground beef, chicken breast meat, and trout fillets

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
    Jennifer Leah Black
    Summary Water activity (aw) of ground beef, chicken breast meat, and trout fillets was modified to intermediate (aw 0.98,0.99) and lowest (aw 0.94,0.96) levels. The meat samples with modified and unaltered (native, aw 1.00) aw were inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 and subjected to electron beam (e-beam). Survivor curves were plotted and the D10 -values were calculated. The D10 -values ranged from 0.22 kGy for trout at native aw to 0.33 kGy for beef at intermediate, and chicken and trout at lowest aw. Regardless of the species, aw reduction increased E. coli resistance to e-beam, suggesting that even small depletion of unbound water from food increases survival. The difference of the D10 -values between the samples at intermediate and lowest aw was insignificant. E-beam could be used before aw -reducing techniques are applied to food products. However, this would require stringent microbial control following e-beam processing. The ,tailing' of survivors was observed for some samples with reduced aw. [source]