Life Sciences Commons^™

Gaseous Ozone To Improve The Microbial Safety Of Spices, Seeds, And Nuts, Arshpreet Kaur Khattra

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Due to the increasing number of reported outbreaks of pathogens in low-moisture foods (LMFs), there is a need to investigate novel non-thermal gaseous technologies to increase the microbiological safety of spices, nuts, and seeds without compromising the product quality. The objective of this study was to inactivate Salmonella spp. in different spices, seeds, and nuts using gaseous ozone treatment and evaluate the suitability of Enterococcus faecium as a potential surrogate for Salmonella. Each food product (dried basil leaves, black peppercorn, chia seeds, and walnuts) was separately inoculated with a 5-strain Salmonella and E. faecium cocktail and equilibrated to water activity …

Moisture Sorption And Quality Characteristics Of Instant Rice, Anna Mays, Griffiths Atungulu

Food Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Market demand for instant rice--a processed form of rice that is cooked and dehydrated before it is sold--has risen tremendously and become a significant component of the rice industry. Compared to freshly cooked rice, the quality of instant rice (in terms of texture, color, aroma, etc.) is much lower. There exists little information regarding how instant rice’s storage conditions affect its quality. Such information may be elucidated by studying sorption isotherms which describe the storage temperature, relative humidity, and instant rice moisture relationships.

The purpose of this study was to generate moisture sorption isotherms of instant rice for temperatures and …

Solar Cooking Solutions For Haiti, Isaac Mergner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on enhancing the efficiency of solar cooking through the use of solar cookers and heat retention boxes. The research involved testing various cooking vessels and lids in a solar cooking experiment, with a specific focus on the performance of different materials and their heat retention capabilities. The experiment aimed to increase the efficiency of solar cookers, which are popular in developing nations due to their relatively low cost. The findings indicate that the combination of a solar cooker and a heat retention box can significantly improve the cooking process, particularly in areas with limited access to cooking …

Arkansas Wheat Performance Tests 2022-2023, J. F. Carlin, R. B. Mulloy, R. D. Bond

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Wheat variety performance tests are conducted each year in Arkansas by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Crop Variety Improvement Program.

The tests provide information to companies developing cultivars and marketing seed within the state and aid the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in formulating variety recommendations for small-grain producers. The tests were conducted at the Northeast Research and Extension Center at Keiser, the Vegetable Substation near Kibler, the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station near Marianna, the Pine Tree Research Station near Colt, and the Rohwer Research Station near Rohwer. Specific location and cultural practice information accompany each …

Summaries Of Arkansas Cotton Research 2022, Fred Bourland

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The current economic environment continues to drive the need to produce record or near-record yields to be profitable. Price volatility in 2022 added another level of difficulty in the quest for being profitable. The cotton market saw significant movement after reaching a $1.5802 per pound high in May 2022, cotton prices corrected and more than halved in value at the October 2022 low, and then consolidated around the 80 cents per pound level in December 2022 (Cotton is Consolidating). Great uncertainties still exist for the upcoming season, most of which are outside of our control. These include, but are not …

B. R. Wells Arkansas Rice Research Studies 2022, J. Hardke, X. Sha, N. Bateman

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Arkansas is the leading rice producer in the United States. The state represents 50.1% of total U.S. rice production and 49.8% of the total acres planted to rice in 2022. Rice cultural practices vary across the state and across the U.S. However, these practices are also dynamic and continue to evolve in response to changing political, environmental, and economic times. This survey was initiated in 2002 to monitor and record changes in the way Arkansas rice producers approach their livelihood. The survey was conducted by polling county extension agents in each of the counties in Arkansas that produce rice. Questions …

Use Of Microorganisms For The Enrichment Of Zn And Se By Using Solid-State Fermentation, Rashmi Rangaswamaiah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) are essential minerals for human health and naturally found in many food sources. However, the risk of Zn and Se deficiency has been recognized in several countries. As most people throughout the world consume rice, grains, and cereals as staple foods in their daily diet, which contain a certain amount of phytic acid (antinutrients), the phytic acid content inhibits mineral absorption (Zn and Se) by the human body. Moreover, the low levels of Zn and Se content found in the crop's soil also reduce the amount of minerals in the food sources. Therefore, it is …

How Does Increasing The Darkness Of A Plate Affect The Perception Of Both Bitter And Sweet Flavors?, Jessica Williams

Food Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Extrinsic cues like plate color have been shown to effect taste perception. Previous studies conducted show a consensus that plate colors can modulate taste perception (Piqueras-Fizman et al., 2012, Stewart & Gross, 2013). No studies, however, have investigated varying color hues and their effect on taste perception. This study aims to determine whether the change in the black to white ratio of plate color can affect consumer perception of sweetness or bitterness.

We presented a group of volunteers two different brownies on plates varying from 100% white to 0% white in 25% increments. A 30:70 male to female gender ratio …

Rice Material State Diagrams: Trends Of Contemporary Cultivars And Influence Of Nitrogen Application During Production, Evans Ameyaw Owusu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rice is typically harvested at high moisture content (MC) levels which necessitates drying to low MC levels for safe storage. However, drying at inappropriate temperatures and durations can lead to deterioration of kernel quality such as fissure formation. Kernels with these fissures are typically associated with reduced head rice yields and significant economic losses. Material state diagrams for rice have been created by the University of Arkansas Rice Processing Program (UARPP) as a tool to aid in predicting the ideal temperatures to use during drying and tempering (a process of holding rice at the drying temperature for some duration). The …

Use Of X-Ray Imaging To Elucidate Impacts Of Drying Approach On Rice Seed Health, Samuel Olayiwola Olaoni

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Improper drying, which causes fissuring of rice kernels, may influence the overall seed health. This study evaluated the impacts of various drying conditions on rice fissures, seed germination and vigor. A long – grain rice cultivar with a moisture content (MC) of 15.5% w.b. (wet basis) was used during the experiments. Samples were dried as thin layers at temperatures of 30 ℃, 40 ℃ and 50 ℃ with a constant relative humidity (RH) of 50% and air velocities (AV) of 0.66 m/s and 1.65 m/s. X – ray imaging was used for fissure detection before and after drying the samples …

Radiofrequency And Gaseous Technologies For Enhancing The Microbiological Safety Of Low Moisture Food Ingredients, Surabhi Wason

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

High heat resistance and long survival of Salmonella in low moisture food ingredients (LMFIs) such as spices and seeds are concerning as they are typically consumed without cooking. Therefore, it is challenging to effectively inactivate pathogenic bacteria without negatively impacting the quality of the treated product. This dissertation aimed to develop and evaluate novel intervention technologies: in-package radiofrequency steaming and non-thermal gaseous technologies to improve the microbial safety of LMFIs. The dissertation can be divided into three parts. The first part of this dissertation on the thermal inactivation kinetics of Salmonella and a surrogate, Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354on black pepper …

Arkansas Soybean Performance Tests 2022, J. F. Carlin, R. B. Mulloy, R. D. Bond

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Soybean variety and strain performance tests are conducted each year in Arkansas by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Crop Variety Improvement Program. The tests provide information to companies developing varieties and/ or marketing seed within the state, and aid the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in formulating variety recommendations for soybean producers.

International Rice Outlook: International Rice Baseline Projections 2022-2032, A. Durand-Morat, S. Bairagi, W. Mulimbi

Research Reports and Research Bulletins

Rice prices in Asia increased since the Summer of 2022 mainly due to worries about a reduction in rice production in India caused by an abnormal monsoon season (Fig. 1). The upward trend in export prices solidified after India implemented a 20% export tariff on brown and milled long-grain rice, and a complete ban on exports of broken rice, in September 2022 to curve down exports and release the pressure on domestic rice prices. India’s rice export prices increased since then and proportionally to the value of the export tax. The latest estimates put rice production at 128 million metric …

Development Of An Intervention For Improving Food Acceptance Of People With Hearing Loss, Sara Esther Jarma Arroyo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hearing loss, defined as the partial or total inability to hear sound in one or both ears, is the most common sensory deficit in adults to date. Approximately 15% of American adults aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing. The impact of hearing loss may be profound, with consequences for the social, functional, and psychological well-being of the person. Surprisingly, very little attention has been paid on whether auditory loss can significantly impact consumers’ sensory perception and overall enjoyment of food. There were four objectives of this dissertation study. Chapter 1 aimed to determine the impacts of hearing loss …

Starch Granule And Crystalline Structures With Relation To Enzyme Digestibility, Ana Isabel Gonzalez Conde

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Porous starch produced by enzyme hydrolysis has attracted much attention for its adsorption and delivery properties. Porous starch has been successfully prepared from A-type starch, but not from B-type and C-type starches, which is partly attributed to the surface and crystalline structure. The present study aimed to characterize the role of the crystalline structure and the structure-function relationship impacting the susceptibility of starch with different crystalline polymorphs to amylase digestion. The starches were subjected to chemical modification (acid hydrolysis or surface gelatinization), physical modification (heat-moisture treatment, HMT, or high-pressure processing, HPP) or their combinations prior to amylase digestion, and the …

Study Of Weight Gain In Freshman Students At The University Of Arkansas, Lily Maleknia

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to examine the poor (non-nutritional) food choices that college freshman make when living on-campus and eating at on-campus dining facilities. These poor choices lead to excessive weight gain, eating disorders, declining health and wellness, and mental health issues (i.e. depression, anxiety, lack of self-confidence). These side effects can lead to a less than desirable 1st year college experience and lack of academic success. Based on these concerns, different investigations have been performed to determine the causes of this phenomena. Given adolescent weight gain is highly linked to being overweight and obesity in adults, a better understanding …

Potential Control Of Invasive Mesquite Through Improving The Consumer’S Understanding Of Liquid Smoke Applications., Seth W. Ellsworth

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mesquite trees continue to invade forests and range lands in many countries across the world. The cost to remove these trees is staggering. In Texas, landowners spent $25 million over a 10- year period to clear 300,000 ha of mesquite trees, a fraction of the 22 million ha of Texas land affected by this invasion. Estimates are that the mesquite continues to negatively impact one to two percent of additional land in selected counties each year in Texas. However, the problem is not unique to Texas, but rather to the 44 species of mesquite trees, belonging to the genus Prosopis …

Featured Faculty Mentor/Student Team, Gisela Erf, Alessandro Rocchi

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Time-Restricted Feeding And Whey Protein Isolate Supplementation On Dietary Intake, Mood, And Sleep In A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial, Sydney E. Boudrey, Aubree L. Hawley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Obesity affects adults in the United States, leading to chronic diseases and reduced well-being. Time-Restricted Feeding (TRF) is a type of dietary intervention lacking current data regarding the effectiveness on facets of well-being. This study’s objective was to determine the effect of time-restricted feeding supplemented with whey protein isolate on food intake, sleep, and mood in overweight or obese adults. Nineteen participants were randomly assigned to the control or experimental group: 1) control, TRF, and 2) experimental, TRF with whey protein supplementation. Participants followed the assigned dietary intervention for 12 weeks. Every 4 weeks (baseline, week 4, week 8, and …

Rice Biomass Response To Various Phosphorus Fertilizers In A Phosphorus-Deficient Soil Under Simulated Furrow-Irrigation, Jonathan B. Brye, Kristofor R. Brye, Diego Della Lunga

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Wastewater-recovered phosphorus (P), in the form of the mineral struvite (MgNH4PO4∙6H2O), may provide a sustainable alternative to decreasing rock-phosphate reserves. Struvite can be generated via precipitation methods, potentially reducing the amount of P runoff to aquatic ecosystems. The objective of this greenhouse tub study was to evaluate the effects of chemically and electrochemically precipitated struvite (CPST and ECST, respectively) on aboveground plant response in a hybrid rice cultivar grown using furrow-irrigation compared to other common fertilizer-P sources [i.e., triple super phosphate (TSP) and diammonium phosphate (DAP)] using three replications of fertilizer treatment in a P-deficient silt loam (Typic Glossaqualfs). Aboveground …

Fostering Infant And Toddler Music Competence At The Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center, Ellen Mathews, Laura Herold, Shelley Mcnally, Donia Timby

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

This paper presents a creative research project that introduced musical instruments in an outdoor setting to infants and toddlers ages 0-to-3 years old. It was grounded in research suggesting that music plays a vital component in expanding development in the early childhood years, helping to promote learning across many domains. This project began with a survey distributed to 7 infant and toddler classroom educators, after which responses were analyzed for themes regarding perceived infant interests. Subsequent observations were conducted to evaluate the best fit for the implementation of an outdoor experiential music space. Based on the findings, a developmentally appropriate …

Effects Of Cyclic Heat Stress On The Acute Inflammatory Response In Broilers, Alessandro J. Rocchi, Chrysta N. Beck, Jossie M. Santamaria, Gisela F. Erf

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Heat stress (HS) is a growing concern in broiler production. Little is known regarding the effect of HS on immune function. To examine the effects of HS on innate immunity, the local- and systemic-inflammatory responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were examined in Cobb 500 male broiler chicks reared under thermoneutral (TN) or cyclic HS conditions. Beginning at four days of age, HS birds were subjected to 35 °C from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and TN temperatures from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. At 37 days of age, four groups of broilers were formed: LPS-TN (8 broilers), phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-TN (4 …

An Inclusive Playground For Infant And Toddler Development, Amanda M. Swartz, Jacquelyn D. Wiersma-Mosley, Donia Timby, Shelley Mcnally, Caitlyn Daniel

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The purpose of this project was to help children reach more developmental goals and to make outdoor play at the Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center more inclusive for all children. Children gain many developmental goals from playing outside and being exposed to other environments as compared to just being inside the classroom. Outdoor play should be as inclusive as indoor play and offer many different activities and outlets, just as the indoor classroom does. The implementation of this service-learning creative project was to add more versatility to the outdoor area at the University of Arkansas Jean Tyson Child Development …

Determining The Effectiveness Of Rosemary Essential Oil On The Shelf Life Of Ground Beef Under Different Lighting Conditions, Jordan T. Looper, Kelly R. Vierck

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

This study determined the effectiveness of rosemary extract on the shelf life of ground beef patties under different retail display conditions. Ground beef patties were produced from an 85%:15% blend (lean:fat). Patties were formed from batches of control or amended with rosemary extract. Patties were individually packaged using overwrap. Groups were assigned into one of two lighting groups (3000K and 3500K). Patties were placed in a simulated retail display for 5 d under continuous lighting and rotated once a day. Lipid oxidation and color samples were taken each day. Relating to lipid oxidation, there was no three-way interaction between display …

Validation Of A Diagnostic Marker For Primocane-Fruiting In Blackberry, Isabella Vaughn, Alexander Silva, Carmen Johns, Lacy Nelson, Margaret Worthington

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Typical blackberries (Rubus subgenus Rubus) have perennial crowns and roots and biennial canes. The first-year canes (primocanes) are usually vegetative, while second-year canes (floricanes) produce fruit. Primocane-fruiting blackberries produce fruit on first-year canes and are desirable to growers because they potentially allow for a longer harvest season in temperate regions and enable production in tropical areas where no natural chill hours are accumulated. The development of molecular markers for desirable traits can potentially increase efficiency in blackberry breeding. However, to date, there are no diagnostic molecular markers for economically important traits in blackberries. Primocane-fruiting is recessively inherited, and tetraploid blackberries …

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Dean, Jean-Francois Meullenet

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 24 2023, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.