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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Food Safety And Functionality Assessment Of Kombucha Systems Through Bacillus Cereus Spore And Probiotic Inoculations, Alexandria L. Bromley Dec 2021

Food Safety And Functionality Assessment Of Kombucha Systems Through Bacillus Cereus Spore And Probiotic Inoculations, Alexandria L. Bromley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Kombucha is a SCOBY-fermented tea beverage known for its taste, sensorial qualities, and high endogenous microbial load. In recent years, kombucha has become a popular functional food with a compound annual growth rate of 25% from 2015 to 2020 in American kombucha sales alone, and sales are predicted to keep increasing significantly over the next decade. However, kombucha is lacking in scientific research, and there is still much to be explored regarding its safety and native probiotic content. This research looked into the various routes of contamination of several kombucha systems as well as the feasibility of the producing a …


Consumer Characteristics, Acceptance And Knowledge Of, And Preferences For Kombucha, Matthew Walker Dec 2021

Consumer Characteristics, Acceptance And Knowledge Of, And Preferences For Kombucha, Matthew Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Consumer interest in fermented and functional foods, including kombucha, continues to grow at exponential rates. However, there is limited research on consumer demographics, preferences, beliefs, and behaviors related to kombucha consumption. The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of current kombucha consumers, better understand their preferences and buying habits, and identify groups that could be likely kombucha consumers in the future. These preferences and identifying factors were determined via an online consumer survey. The online survey was launched in February 2021. A total of 2,149 participants met the inclusion criteria of living in the United States, being …


Adult-Use Cannabis And State Research Agencies An Exploratory Study And Development Of A Harm-Reduction Course, Abigail Wiegand Dec 2021

Adult-Use Cannabis And State Research Agencies An Exploratory Study And Development Of A Harm-Reduction Course, Abigail Wiegand

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increasing demand of adult-use cannabis is outpacing the regulatory stride of the states that legalize recreational marijuana. This work is the product of two studies that focus on those states’ agencies that closely work with their constituents. They include those who are invested or reliant on cannabis businesses and those who consume cannabis for medical or recreational purposes. State agencies and resources are funded by those same constituents’ taxes, for which they have the responsibility to protect the public’s best interests as the industry grows. Chapter 2 describes an inquiry on what information and support is shared with adult-use …


Health-Related Quality Of Life (Hrqol) In Sexual Minority (Sm) College Undergraduate Students, Leigh Neptune Dec 2021

Health-Related Quality Of Life (Hrqol) In Sexual Minority (Sm) College Undergraduate Students, Leigh Neptune

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is well documented that disparities exist in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among sexual minority (SM) youth and adults compared to their heterosexual peers, and among college undergraduate students compared to all young adults. Yet, no studies have been conducted to date examining HRQOL, diet quality, or weight dissatisfaction at the intersection of SM and college undergraduate student status. In 2020, a cross-sectional convenience sample of college undergraduate students (N=690) from the University of Maine and Rutgers University completed an online survey consisting of items assessing demographic variables, HRQOL, diet quality, and weight dissatisfaction. Of this sample, 23.9% (n=165) …


The Impact Of Diet Quality On Health-Related Quality Of Life In College Students, Kayla Parsons Dec 2021

The Impact Of Diet Quality On Health-Related Quality Of Life In College Students, Kayla Parsons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective The objective of this research was to explore the influence of diet quality on health-related quality of life among college undergraduate students. Methods A cross-sectional convenience sample of college students completed an online survey consisting of the Center for Disease Control’s Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) modules, shortened Perceived Stress Scale, sleep questionnaire, and the National Cancer Institute’s Fruit and Vegetable Screener. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using self-reported height and weight. Independent t-test were used to compare HRQOL between students who consumed above/below average fruit and vegetable intake. Two multiple regression analyses were used to determine …


To Know The Land With Hands And Minds: Negotiating Agricultural Knowledge In Late-Nineteenth-Century New England And Westphalia, Justus Hillebrand Aug 2021

To Know The Land With Hands And Minds: Negotiating Agricultural Knowledge In Late-Nineteenth-Century New England And Westphalia, Justus Hillebrand

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ever since the eighteenth century, experts have tried to tell farmers how to farm. The agricultural enlightenment in Europe marked the beginning of a long arc of new experts aiming to change agricultural knowledge and practice. This dissertation analyzes the pivotal period in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in Germany and the United States when scientists, improvers, and market agents began to develop comprehensive ways to communicate agricultural innovation to farmers. In a functional approach to analyzing the negotiation of agricultural knowledge through its communication in things, words, and practices, this dissertation argues that the process of change …


Enzyme-Assisted Fermentation And Chef Perspectives Of Green Crab Sauce, Holly Constance Leung Aug 2021

Enzyme-Assisted Fermentation And Chef Perspectives Of Green Crab Sauce, Holly Constance Leung

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The European green crab (Carcinus maenas) is an invasive species which has caused considerable economic and ecological damage along U.S. coasts. Due to their small size, meat extraction from green crabs is laborious, and there is currently no well-established use for this abundant biomass. Developing a high-value, high-volume food product such as a fermented green crab sauce may stimulate the commercial harvesting of these crabs. Overall, the purpose of this research was to accelerate fermentation of green crab sauce using proteases and to gain insight into chef perspectives of fish sauce and a green crab sauce concept. The specific objectives …


Milk Phospholipids Extraction Using Switchable Solvents, Kaavya Rathnakumar Jan 2021

Milk Phospholipids Extraction Using Switchable Solvents, Kaavya Rathnakumar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phospholipids (PLs) found in milk are of great interest due to their health and nutritional benefits associated with their consumption. By-products generated during the manufacture of dairy products represent a source of PLs with potential for value-added opportunities. Currently, the extraction of PLs from by-products results in overall lowefficiencies, and it involves subsequent solvent separation and lipid recovery. This dissertation studied the extraction of milk PLs from by-product streams with a tertiary anime (N, N-dimethyl cyclohexylamine, CyNMe2) as a switchable hydrophilicity solvent. This type of solvents can be reversibly switched between a hydrophobic and hydrophilic form in the presence or …


Improving Nutritional Properties And Extractability Of Pea Proteins For Human Consumption Via Fungal Bioprocessing, Camille Massmann Jan 2021

Improving Nutritional Properties And Extractability Of Pea Proteins For Human Consumption Via Fungal Bioprocessing, Camille Massmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Yellow peas are a rich source of protein and phytochemicals. Peas are compatible with many diets restricted by sensitivities, allergies, or personal choice. As a result, peas are gaining popularity in food markets, despite the challenges they present. The biggest challenges for pea proteins in food markets are high content of fiber, starch, and saponins. These components cause processing challenges and create undesirable textures and bitter flavors. Pea proteins are typically extracted with alkaline extraction or air classification methods which result in 80% and 50% protein products respectively. With low protein purity, these products are not competitive with other, more …


Developing Whey Protein Encapsulated Probiotics And Evaluating Environmental Listeria Using Whole-Genome Sequencing, Shayanti Minj Jan 2021

Developing Whey Protein Encapsulated Probiotics And Evaluating Environmental Listeria Using Whole-Genome Sequencing, Shayanti Minj

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, a novel value-added dairy-based health formulation was developed using whey protein hydrolysate and probiotic organisms. In the first part of the study, different forms of whey proteins, concentrate WPC80, isolate WPI90, and hydrolysates WPH10, WPH15 and WPH20 were screened for bioactivities (antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antihypertensive activity). Hydrolysate WPH10, exhibiting the highest bioactivities was conjugated with maltodextrin. A batch of 2L conjugated solution was spray dried in a Niro drier with an inlet and outlet temperature of 200⁰C and 90⁰C, and alternatively, freeze dried at −80 °C under 50 mTorr vacuum. The bioactivities of the conjugated samples were …


Development Of Bio-Based Nanocomposites For Biosensor And Indicator Applications In Smart Food Packaging, Abdus Sobhan Jan 2021

Development Of Bio-Based Nanocomposites For Biosensor And Indicator Applications In Smart Food Packaging, Abdus Sobhan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Smart food packaging based on biosensors has been attracting more and more interest to the industrial community because of the concerns of food quality and safety. A food packaging with biosensor has a scope to enable real-time monitoring of microbial breakdown products of packaged foods. Furthermore, one of the biggest challenges in implementing biosensor for smart packaging materials is the development of bio-sensing active materials that can leverage their electrical, thermal, biodegradable and other functional properties. In this regard, nanocellulose-based activated carbon (NAC) nanocomposite was developed using the activated carbon and nanocellulose gel using the casting method with their different …