Convenience Foods (convenience + food)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Microbiological and Sensorial Quality Assessment of Ready-to-Cook Seafood Products Packaged under Modified Atmosphere

JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 9 2009
B. Speranza
ABSTRACT:, The effects of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) (30:40:30 O2:CO2:N2 and 5:95 O2:CO2) on the quality of 4 ready-to-cook seafood products were studied. In particular, the investigation was carried out on hake fillets, yellow gurnard fillets, chub mackerel fillets, and entire eviscerated cuttlefish. Quality assessment was based on microbiological and sensorial indices determination. Both packaging gas mixtures contributed to a considerable slowing down of the microbial and sensorial quality loss of the investigated seafood products. Results showed that sensorial quality was the subindex that limited their shelf life. In fact, based primarily on microbiological results, samples under MAP remained acceptable up to the end of storage (that is, 14 d), regardless of fish specie. On the other hand, results from sensory analyses showed that chub mackerel fillets in MAP were acceptable up to the 6th storage d, whilst hake fillets, yellow gurnard fillets, and entire cuttlefish became unacceptable after 10 to 11 d. However, compared to control samples, an increase in the sensorial shelf life of MAP samples (ranging from about 95% to 250%) was always recorded. Practical Application: Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is an inexpensive and uncomplicated method of extending shelf life of packed seafood. It could gain great attention from the fish industrial sector due to the fact that MAP is a practical and economic technique, realizable by small technical expedients. Moreover, there is great attention from the food industry and retailers to react to the growing demand for convenience food, thus promoting an increase in the assortments of ready-to-cook seafood products. [source]


CHARACTERISTICS OF GELLAN GUM BASED FOOD GELS

JOURNAL OF TEXTURE STUDIES, Issue 4 2010
DIPJYOTI SAHA
ABSTRACT Fruit-based gels with gellan gum as the gelling agent was prepared. Textural attributes of the gellan gum gels, formed with different concentrations of the gum (0.5,3.0%) and sugar and/or pineapple juice, were determined employing the methods of large-deformation uniaxial compression and stress relaxation. Fracture stress/energy markedly increases with an increase in the concentration of gellan gum while fracture strain exhibits a marginal effect. The change in these compressive textural parameters is more pronounced for sugar added samples compared with gels without sugar. Marked decay in stress relaxation curves was observed; the extent of relaxation decreases marginally with an increase in gum content up to 2% but shows much lesser values beyond 2% addition. The sugar added samples exhibit lesser relaxation characteristics but higher relaxation times indicating elastic characteristics compared with samples without sugar. Use of gellan gum provides an innovative method for developing fruit juice based gels as a convenience food because of attractive transparent appearance and textural attributes. PRACTICAL APPLICATION The use of hydrocolloids like gellan gum can develop fabricated foods in the form of fruit juice based gels having unique textural properties. These properties can be altered to suit the consumer preference by varying the proportions of gellan gum, fruit juice and sugar. The results in the present investigation arising from compression and relaxation testing thus help in characterizing the developed gels. [source]


INHIBITION OF STALING IN CHAPATI (INDIAN UNLEAVENED FLAT BREAD)

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION, Issue 3 2008
IRSHAD M. SHAIKH
ABSTRACT Chapati is an unleavened Indian flat bread made from whole wheat flour usually consumed immediately after preparation as it becomes hard on keeping because of staling. Large-scale mechanized preparation of ready-to-eat chapatis will have to address this problem. Investigations were made to study the effect of sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL), glycerol monostearate, propylene glycol, sorbitol, ,-amylase, xylanase, maltodextrin and guar gum when added to chapati dough, on the inhibition of staling in chapatis stored at 29 ± 1C and 4 ± 1C. Chapatis were prepared from whole wheat flour dough containing (salt, 5% oil, appropriate preservatives and the aforementioned additives. Chapatis were packed in self-sealing low-density polyethylene bags and were stored for 10 days at 29 ± 1C and 4 ± 1C. Stored chapatis were analyzed for various staling parameters such as moisture content, texture, water-soluble starch, in vitro enzyme digestibility, enthalpy change (,H) and sensory quality. Staling of chapatis at 29 ± 1C and at 4 ± 1C of storage was inhibited by all additives to different extents; the extent of staling was less at 4 ± 1C. Maltodextrin at 0.3% (w/w) was found to be the most effective. Several combinations of additives were also studied, and the best combination was (100 ppm) + SSL (0.375%) levels. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Chapati, a traditional staple food of Indians, is unleavened flat bread made from whole wheat flour. With rapidly changing lifestyles, changing socio-economic trends and increasing urbanization and consumerism there is a rising demand for convenience foods which require minimum or no preparation time particularly the ready-to-eat (RTE) type of foods. Chapatis are generally baked fresh twice a day for lunch and dinner, and unless eaten immediately after baking, these stale rapidly and become difficult to chew. The most important parameter of chapati quality is its texture. The texture is generally evaluated in terms of tenderness, flexibility and its suitability to be folded into a spoon shape for eating with curried preparation. RTE chapatis are the latest addition to the species of "convenience foods." Keeping this in mind the research was undertaken to improve quality of chapati with the addition of various additives and improvements for the inhibition of staling in chapati. [source]


Infant feeding practices of Pakistani mothers in England and Pakistan

JOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 6 2002
T. Sarwar
Abstract Objectives To investigate infant feeding practices followed by Pakistani mothers in Pakistan and in England. To establish if practices conform to current guidelines and to investigate reasons for adherence and nonadherence. Methods Ninety mothers of weaning age children were interviewed; 45 were in England and 45 in Pakistan. A questionnaire available in English and Urdu sought to find out about the methods of milk feeding and weaning used and the advice received, together with general beliefs about weaning. Results Characteristics of the infants in terms of current age, gender distribution, birth order of baby and age of weaning showed no significant differences between the two groups. Thus, differences between the two groups could be attributed to cultural differences rather than any of these factors. Chi-square analysis showed that the initial method of feeding chosen was significantly different (P < 0.001, d.f. = 2) with 73% of mothers in Pakistan breast-feeding compared with 24% in England. Similar proportions of mothers in both groups commenced weaning between 3 and 4 months. Common weaning foods included rice, cereals and eggs with progression to fruit and vegetables and family food in Pakistan, and fruit, vegetables, meat and convenience foods (especially sweet options) in England. Both groups of mothers wanted more information about infant feeding practices. Conclusion Mothers in Pakistan demonstrated more confidence in weaning practices than in England because of experiences with other siblings and advice from relatives. More advice from health professionals was requested and is needed by all mothers in order to improve weaning practices of the infants. [source]


Sauce hollandaise, mit drei Sternen oder als Tüte aus dem Supermarkt.

CHEMIE IN UNSERER ZEIT (CHIUZ), Issue 3 2008
Delikate Grenzflächen Teil
Die mit Eigelb aufgeschlagenen Saucen gehören zum Feinsten, was eine gute Küche bieten kann. Die physikalisch-chemischen Grundlagen dieser empfindlichen Öl-in-Wasser-Emulsionen machen die manuelle Herstellung mühselig. Deswegen bieten Supermärkte für die schnelle Küche verschiedenste Fertigprodukte an, wobei vor allem kalorienarme Produkte vom Verbraucher gefragt sind. Die Rezepturen verschiedener Fertigprodukte werden mit denen selbstgemachter Saucen verglichen. Auf wissenschaftlicher Basis wird ein narrensicheres Rezept zur Herstellung einer klassischen und einer leichteren Variante der Sauce hollandaise vorgestellt. Egg yolk based sauces belong to the most delicious dishes in gourmet cuisine. Unfortunately, the physical-chemical bases of these unstable oil-in-water emulsions make the manufacturing process quite time consuming. Therefore, supermarkets offer various convenience foods and especially low-calorie products play an especially prominent role. The recipies of various fast food sauces are analyzed with respect to their hydrocolloid components and compared with those of homemade sauces. Foolproof and science based recipies are given for a classical and a lighter version of Sauce hollandaise. [source]