Life Sciences Commons^™

Sourwood: An Apiforestation Story, Tammy Horn

Tammy Horn

No abstract provided.

Melamine Contamination Of Infant Formula In China: The Causes, Food Safety Issues And Public Health Implications, Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

No abstract provided.

The Internet Archive: How You Can Look Into The Web’S Past And Plan Your Future, Joe Zumalt

Joseph R. Zumalt

How to find historical pages on the World Wide Web with the Internet Archive.

Reflections On Recycling, Pollution And History Or, How To Beat The High Cost Of Living, Richard B. Philp

Richard B. Philp

Lessons learned during the Great Depression and World War II may have to be relearned. The three Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) were essential then to individual and national survival. A fourth R, repair, was practised as well. These lessons, if relearned, will stand us in good stead when dealing with the current economic climate as well as with problems of pollution and global warming.

Stress-Induced Attenuation Of Acoustic Startle In Low-Saccharin-Consuming Rats., Clinton Chapman, Nancy Dess, Mitzi Gonzales, Cameryn Garrett

Clinton D Chapman

Exposure to stress can lead to either increased stress vulnerability or enhanced resiliency. Laboratory rats are a key tool in the exploration of basic biobehavioral processes underlying individual differences in the effect of stress on subsequent stressors' impact. The Occidental low (LoS) and high (HiS) saccharin-consuming rats, which differ in emotional reactivity, are useful in this effort. In the present study, footshock affected acoustic startle amplitude 4 h later among LoS but not HiS rats. Surprisingly, shock attenuated startle rather than sensitizing it, a finding not previously reported for male rats exposed to shock. Attenuation was blocked by administering the …

Modelling Tempering Behaviour Of Dark Chocolates From Varying Particle Size Distribution And Fat Content Using Response Surface Methodology, Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Alistair Paterson, Mark Fowler, Joselio Vieira

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) for K=2 was used to study the combined effects of multi-stage heat exchangers for Stages 1 (14–30 °C) and 2 (12–28 °C) coolant temperatures at constant Stage 3 coolant and holding temperatures during tempering of dark chocolates using laboratory-scale mini-temperer. Quantitative data on chocolate temper index (slope) were obtained for products with varying particle size distribution (PSD) (D90 of 18, 25, 35 and 50 μm) and fat (30% and 35%) content. Regression models generated using stepwise regression analyses were used to plot response surface curves, to study the tempering behaviour of products. The results showed …

A Darwinist View Of The Living Constitution, Scott Dodson

Scott Dodson

The metaphor of a “living" Constitution imports terms from biology into law and, in the process, relies on biology for its meaning. A proper understanding of biology is therefore central to understanding living constitutionalism. Yet despite its rampant use by both opponents and proponents of living constitutionalism, and despite the current fervent debate over whether biology can be useful to the law, no one has evaluated the metaphor from a biological perspective.

This Essay begins that inquiry in an interdisciplinary study of law, science, and philology. The Essay first evaluates the metaphor as it is currently used and concludes that …

Flavor Formation And Character In Cocoa And Chocolate: A Critical Review, Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Alistaiar Paterson, Mark Fowler, Angela Ryan

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Chocolate characters not only originate in flavor precursors present in cocoa beans, but are generated during post-harvest treatments and transformed into desirable odor notes in the manufacturing processes. Complex biochemical modifications of bean constituents are further altered by thermal reactions in roasting and conching and in alkalization. However the extent to which the inherent bean constituents from the cocoa genotype, environmental factors, post-harvest treatment and processing technologies influence chocolate flavor formation and relationships with final flavor quality, has not been clear. With increasing speciality niche products in chocolate confectionery, greater understanding of factors contributing to variations in flavor character would …

Characterization Of Melting Properties In Dark Chocolates From Varying Particle Size Distribution And Composition Using Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Alistair Paterson, Mark Fowler, Joselio Vieira

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Melting properties in dark chocolates processed from varying particle size distribution (PSD), fat and lecithin content were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Compositional parameters were PSD (D90 (90% finer than this size) of 18, 25, 35 and 50 lm), fat (25%, 30% and 35%) and lecithin (0.3% and 0.5%) contents. Variations in PSD had no influence on crystallinity of products. Fat and lecithin content influenced the degree of crystallinity and melting properties (Tend, Tindex and DHmelt) of the products. Increasing fat content caused consistent increases in degree of crystallinity and crystal size distribution, thus effecting significant changes in Tend, …

School Feeding Programmes In Africa - A Case Study, Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Tempering And Fat Crystallisation Behaviours On Microstructure, Mechanical Properties And Appearance In Dark Chocolates, Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

No abstract provided.

Factors Influencing Quality Charateristics Of Chocolate Systems During Industrial Manufacture, Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

No abstract provided.

Improving Productivity In Mixed-Species Plantations, Mila Bristow, J Doland Nichols, Jerome K. Vanclay

Professor Jerome K Vanclay

Mixed species plantations are often promoted as being environmentally preferable to monocultures, but are rarely considered operationally viable by commercial forest growers. Despite many publications documenting benefits demonstrated in research studies (e.g., Kelty 2006; Forrester et al. 2006b; Wood and Vanclay 1995), and despite continuing calls from a wide range of advocates for mixed-species plantations, polyculture remains the exception rather than the rule in industrial plantation forestry (Nichols et al 2006)...

Effects Of Tempering And Fat Crystalization Behaviours On Microstructure, Mechanical Properties And Appearance In Dark Chocolate Systems., Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa, Alistaiar Paterson, Mark Fowler, Joselio Vieira

Professor Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa

Fat crystallisation behaviours in dark chocolates from varying particle size distribution (PSD) (D90 of 18, 25, 35 and 50 µm) was studied, yielding products from different temper regimes (optimal temper, over-temper and under-temper), and their effects on mechanical properties and appearance evaluated. Microstructures of derived products were determined using stereoscopic binocular microscopy. Wide variations in mechanical properties and appearance were noted in products from different particle size and temper regimes. Particle size (PS) was inversely related with texture and colour, with the greatest effects noted in hardness, stickiness and lightness at all temper regimes. Over-tempering caused significant increases in product …

Polypyrrole Based Switchable Filter System, Yanzhe Wu, Lorrain Nolan, Shirley Coyle, King Tong Lau, Gordon G. Wallace, Dermot Diamond

Gordon Wallace

BioTex is an EU funded project aiming to develop textile-based sensors for monitoring biological fluids. In the context of the project, there is a need to develop an effective sample delivery strategy for the wearable biomedical devices. A compact, electroactive switchable membrane would be useful as a valve to control the sample delivery within such devices. A method that employed inherently conducting polymers deposited onto a permeable substrate to form a switchable membrane was investigated [1, 2, 3]. By application of specific voltages, the permeability (pore size) of the membrane can be switched to swollen (expand) and contracted forms, which …

Big Bobby Bonaduce: Still Searching For The Rink Of Dreams, Don Morrow

Donald Morrow

No abstract provided.

Survey Of Health Claims For Australian Foods Made On Internet Sites, H. Dragicevich, P. G. Williams, L. Ridges

Peter Williams

Aim: Australia and New Zealand are currently preparing a new food standard code, which will allow the use of health claims on food products and in associated advertising. The aim of this study was to obtain preliminary information about the current use of health claims on the Internet and the level of compliance of these claims with existing regulations. Methods: From August to October 2005 a survey was conducted of 1068 websites associated with the top 20 food processing companies in Australia, and an additional 683 websites for food products found to carry health claims in previous studies of product …

Nutritional Composition Of Red Meat, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

Lean red meats are: • An excellent source of high biological value protein, vitamin B12, niacin, vitamin B6, iron, zinc and phosphorus • A source of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, selenium and possibly also vitamin D • Mostly low in fat and sodium • Sources of a range of endogenous antioxidants and other bioactive substances including taurine, carnitine, carnosine, ubiquinone, glutathione and creatine.

Food Fears: A National Survey On The Attitudes Of Australian Adults About The Safety And Quality Of Food, P. G. Williams, E. Stirling, N. Keynes

Peter Williams

A national telephone survey of a representative sample of 1200 Australian adults was conducted in March 2002 in order to identify the factors of greatest concern to consumers in relation to the safety and quality of food, to measure recent trends in views about hazards in the food supply, to explore beliefs about the safety of additives and to discover whether consumers use food labels to check for ingredients of concern. Forty five percent of Australians responded that they were more concerned about the safety and quality of food than they were five years previously, while only 5% were less …

Composition Of Australian Red Meat 2002. 2. Fatty Acid Profile, V. Droulez, P. G. Williams, G. Levy, T. Stobaus, A. Sinclair

Peter Williams

Australian retail samples of nine beef, six lamb, four veal and two mutton cuts were purchased from 10 retail outlets (butchers and supermarkets) in different socio-economic areas of Sydney and Melbourne. The lean and fat components were analysed for contents of total and individual fatty acids. The content of total fatty acids was less than 5g/100g edible meat in the lean component of all cuts analysed. Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids comprised, on average, 40% and 42% respectively of total fatty acids in the lean component of red meat cuts. The saturated fatty acid content of the lean component of …

Serve Sizes Of Grain Based Foods In Australia, P. G. Williams, B. Gibson, N. Smith

Peter Williams

A survey was conducted of the recommended serve sizes used on the labelling of 807 grain based foods sold in Sydney stores in 2000. These values were compared with the serve sizes used in a variety of food selection guides, including the Australian Guide to Health Eating (AGHE). In most food categories there was a great deal of variation in the serve sizes recommended, sometimes up to 20 fold. The most consistent recommendations were for sliced breads, with most manufacturers recommending two slices as a serve, and ready-to-eat breakfast cereals (one cup). The median values for cereal products were mostly …

Food Service Trends In New South Wales Hospitals, 1993-2001, R. Mibey, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

A survey of the food service departments in 93 hospitals throughout NSW Australia (covering 51% of hospital beds in the state) was conducted using a mailed questionnaire and the results compared with those from similar surveys conducted in 1986 and 1993. Over the past eight years there has been a significant increase in the proportion of hospitals using cook-chill food service production systems, from 18% in 1993 to 42% in 2001 (p<0.001). Hospitals with cook-chill systems had lower staff ratios than those with cook-fresh systems (8.3 vs 6.4 beds/full time equivalent staff; p<0.05), but there was no significant …

The Illawarra Healthy Food Price Index. 1. Development Of The Food Basket, P. G. Williams, M. Reid, K. Shaw

Peter Williams

Objective To define a basket of foods that could be used to monitor trends in the affordability of healthy food in the Illawarra region. Design A reference family of five was defined reflecting the population of the Illawarra region. A draft basket of foods was selected based on recommendations of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE), and using information on typical eating patterns from the 1995 National Nutrition Survey and data from local supermarket sales. Products were chosen to conform where possible to the National Heart Foundation guidelines for acceptability in the Pick the Tick food approval program. Seven …

Nutrient Function, Health And Related Claims On Packaged Australian Food Products - Prevalence And Compliance With Regulations, P. G. Williams, H. Yeatman, Leisa Ridges, A. Houston, J. Rafferty, A. Roesler, M. Sobierajski, B. Spratt

Peter Williams

Australia and New Zealand are currently reviewing the regulations governing nutrition function, health and related claims on foods. Health claims currently are not permitted on food labels, with one exception. The aim of this study was to describe the use of such claims on packaged food for sale in Australia (excluding nutrient content claims) prior to any changes to the regulations, and measure compliance with existing regulations. A survey was conducted of the labelling of 7850 products (including multiple pack sizes of individual foods) in 47 different food categories on sale in New South Wales in 2003. A total of …

Overweight Consumers' Salient Beliefs On Omega-3-Enriched Functional Foods In Australia's Illawarra Region, C. Patch, Linda C. Tapsell, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

Objective: To determine consumer salient beliefs toward functional foods enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. Design: Focus group interviews with adult consumers using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework. Setting: Community-based residents living in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. Participants: Forty-two overweight participants (29 female; 13 male) aged 30-80y recruited by advertisement and attending one of six focus groups which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis: Content analysis was carried out and sub-categories were developed to capture the emerging themes according to the TPB model. Results: Most participants were aware of a range of …

The Illawarra Healthy Food Price Index. 2. Pricing Methods And Index Trends From 2000-2003, P. G. Williams, Y. James, J. Kwan

Peter Williams

Objective To develop a method to monitor trends in the cost of the Illawarra Healthy Food Basket (IHFB) and report trends from 2000 to 2003. Design Detailed instructions for the method of pricing the IHFB were developed and tested. The price of the IHFB was collected each year in September at a major supermarket, green grocer and butcher in five Illawarra suburbs, representing a range of socio-economic locations. Data on welfare payments available to the reference family, assuming all members were unemployed, were collected from staff of Centrelink. Main outcome measures The average weekly cost of the IHFB, the Illawarra …

Sugar: Is There A Need For A Dietary Guideline?, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

There have been dietary guidelines in Australia since 1979 and all editions have included recommendations about sugar. This paper reviews changing recommendations in Australia, current levels of conumption, recent studies on the potential effects of nutrient dilution and dental caries, and discusses potential risks associated with a dietary guideline.

Consumer Reactions To Different Health Claim Formats On Food Labels, L. Singer, P. G. Williams, Leisa Ridges, S. Murray, Anne Mcmahon

Peter Williams

Health claims on foods act as health messages and have a role in communicating and educating the consumer about diet-disease related issues. Previous studies have suggested that different formats of health claims communicate differently with the consumer. The aim of our study was to investigate whether splitting of the claim (a brief claim at the front package directing consumers to the back of the package where the full health claim is located) and/or endorsement of the claim (by Food Standards Australia New Zealand), have an impact on the acceptance of the claim by the consumer. Participants were recruited by a …

Composition Of Australian Red Meat 2002. 1. Gross Composition, P. G. Williams, V. Droulez, G. Levy, T. Stobaus

Peter Williams

This study aimed to update data on the gross composition Australian red meat to reflect changes in butchering practices since the 1980s and 1990s when the current values were derived. Australian retail samples of fifteen beef, eleven lamb, four veal and two mutton cuts were purchased from 10 retail outlets (butchers and supermarkets) in different socio-economic areas of Sydney and Melbourne. For both raw and cooked samples, mean external fat width (mm) was measured and the average percentage of separable internal, external and total fat, lean and waste was determined by dissection of each cut. For raw beef, total separable …

Breakfast And The Diets Of Australian Adults: An Analysis Of Data From The 1995 National Nutrition Survey, P. G. Williams

Peter Williams

The aim of this study was to describe the nutrients provided to Australian adults by the breakfast meal and compare the food and nutrient intakes and health of regular breakfast eaters and skippers. The Australian Bureau of Statistics was commissioned to undertake additional analysis of data collected in the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey (NNS). The survey included 24 hour recalls, physical measurements and a food habits questionnaire collected during the period February 1995 to March 1996, with a nationally representative sample of 10851 Australians aged nineteen years and older. The median nutrient intakes at breakfast and the proportion of …