Other Food Science Commons^™

Comparative Analysis Of Metabolic Pathways Of Bacteria Used In Fermented Food, Keanu Hoang, Kiran Bastola

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study presents a novel methodology for analyzing metabolic pathways. Utilizing KEGG REST API through a Biopython package and file parser, data about whether or not a bacteria has an enzyme or not was extracted. The results found that differences in metabolic pathway enrichment values follow along the lines of genera and pathway type. In particular, bacteria found in food spoilage and commercial nitrogen fixing products had high values of enrichment.

Authentication Of Species In Bison Products Using Molecular Methods, Zerika Scales

Food Science (MS) Theses

American bison (Bison bison) meat is vulnerable to species substitution due to its high value and similar appearance to less expensive meats, such as beef from domestic cattle (Bos taurus). DNA barcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene is a commonly used method to test for meat species mislabeling. However, due to historical hybridization between the American bison and domestic cattle, additional testing is required to confirm species. The objective of this study was to perform a market survey of products sold as bison meat and verify the species of each product using a combination of DNA ...

Labeling Compliance, Species Authentication And Net Weight Identification Of Frozen Fish Fillets Sold In Grocery Stores In Southern California, April Peterson

Food Science (MS) Theses

Proper labeling of seafood is important to prevent economic deception, promote consumer awareness, and prevent exposure of at-risk groups to certain allergens and toxins. The objective of this study was to investigate prepackaged frozen fish sold in Southern California for Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) compliance, species authentication, use of acceptable market names, net weights, and percent glaze. A total of 111 frozen fish fillets from 13 different fish categories were purchased from grocery stores in Southern California. The fish categories targeted for this study were: catfish, cod, flounder, halibut, mahi-mahi orange rough, pollock, salmon, swai, swordfish, tilapia, tuna, and ...

The Impact Of Stress On Diet, Sleep, And Exercise Amongst College Students, Jessica Rizzo

Senior Honors Projects

Stress is something that everyone faces in their lifetime and has an everlasting impact on their health. College students face high levels of stress throughout the semester, but how is that impacting their behavior? I conducted a survey alongside Dr. Melanson, a professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, to see just how college students are reacting to stress. The survey was circulated to different departments and classes to achieve a widespread collection of data. The survey remained completely anonymous and posed questions about eating, exercise, and sleep habits, along with questions on demographics and stress levels. Our ...

Protein Availability And Consumption, And Stunting Rates, For Primary School Children In The Southern Regions Of Ethiopia And Zambia, Megan Wackel

NUTR/GLST 498b: Global Research Experiences in Nutrition & Health

•Stunting is common in Sub-Sahara Africa, with millions of children who are short in stature also experiencing poor overall health and development, as well as poor school performance (Semba 2016; Semba, et al., 2016). •As many as 39% of children under 5 years of age in Ethiopia’s Sidama Region (formerly SNNPR) can be classified as stunted (CSA & ICF 2016). By comparison, 29% of under 5’s in Zambia’s Southern Province have short height for age (CSA, MOH, & ICF 2018). •Low protein and essential amino acid intake, among populations of 116 countries, has been suggested as the primary cause of stunting (Semba 2016; Semba, et al., 2016). •Given that Ethiopia and Zambia have high rates of stunting, children are unlikely to be consuming protein on a regular basis. Because data on protein availability and dietary intake are limited, this study was designed to explore availability ...

Characterization Of Jasmine Rice Cultivars Grown In The United States, Anastasia Mills

Food Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Jasmine rice from Thailand accounts for about 60-70% of U.S. imported rice, primarily due to its preference by ethnic Asians as well as general American population. Recently new U.S. jasmine rice cultivars have been developed independently at three rice research stations in Arkansas, California, and Louisiana, but their properties have not been characterized. The objective of this research was to characterize and compare the physical appearance, chemical composition, thermal and pasting properties, cooked rice texture and starch structures of the newly-developed U.S. jasmine rice from Arkansas, California and Louisiana, to be compared with jasmine rice samples from ...

Breastfeeding Or Formula Feeding: A Mother's Choice, Trista Briggs, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos, Lydia Bangerter, Casey Coombs

All Current Publications

Deciding how to feed an infant is a decision that should be made by a mother and her family. The benefits of exclusively breastfeeding an infant for the first six months of life are well established (World Health Organization [WHO], 2017); however, it may not always be feasible or a preferred option. For mothers who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, formula feeding is a great option that can support a healthy and thriving infant. This fact sheet will address common questions about breastfeeding and formula feeding to help mothers make an informed decision on how to feed their infant ...

Stunting And Infectious Disease In Ethiopian And Zambian Children, Alyssa Arndt

NUTR/GLST 498b: Global Research Experiences in Nutrition & Health

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether children who are malnourished/stunted are more likely to have experienced infectious disease.

METHODS: 6th and 7th students (n=546) were interviewed about health history and assessed using anthropometry.

RESULTS: Children who are short for their age also have higher rates of stunting. Malaria is the most experienced infectious disease.

CONCLUSIONS: Given that malaria was the most common infectious disease experience listed among middle school children, and that those who have experienced disease are more likely to be stunted, increased malaria prevention methods may improve the long-term health of Ethiopian and Zambian schoolchildren.

De Novo Sequencing And Analysis Of Salvia Hispanica Tissue-Specific Transcriptome And Identification Of Genes Involved In Terpenoid Biosynthesis, James Wimberley, Joseph Cahill, Hagop S. Atamian

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Salvia hispanica (commonly known as chia) is gaining popularity worldwide as a healthy food supplement due to its low saturated fatty acid and high polyunsaturated fatty acid content, in addition to being rich in protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Chia leaves contain plethora of secondary metabolites with medicinal properties. In this study, we sequenced chia leaf and root transcriptomes using the Illumina platform. The short reads were assembled into contigs using the Trinity software and annotated against the Uniprot database. The reads were de novo assembled into 103,367 contigs, which represented 92.8% transcriptome completeness and a diverse set of ...

Exploring Attitudes And Reactions To Unfamiliar Food Pairings: An Examination Of The Underlying Motivations And The Impact Of Culinary Education, Mark Traynor, Andrew Moreo, Lisa Cain, Roisin Burke, Catherine Barry-Ryan

Articles

A mixed-methodology study was conducted to better understand consumer attitudes and behaviors toward novel food pairings and the impact of culinary education. Focus groups were conducted to investigate the underlying motivational factors to the reactions and behaviors toward unfamiliar foods. The second phase of the study consisted of sensory evaluation by two separate cohorts, panelists with and without culinary education, of food products created through the novel pairings of foods. Panelists with culinary education expressed a greater overall liking for the animal-based pairing. Sensory-Affective and Ideational factors appeared to be underlying motivational factors of these hedonic reactions.

Pcr Cloning Combined With Dna Barcoding Enables Partial Identification Of Fish Species In A Mixed-Species Product, Anthony J. Silva, Michael D. Kawalek, Donna M. Williams-Hill, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

DNA barcoding is a valuable tool for regulatory identification of fish species; however, it does not perform well when multiple species are present within the same food product. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the use of PCR cloning to identify fish in a mixed-species product that cannot be identified with standard DNA barcoding. A total of 15 fish ball mixtures were prepared with known amounts of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus), and walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). Three subsamples from each fish ball underwent DNA extraction, full DNA barcoding (655 bp), and mini-barcoding (226 ...

Growing Torula Yeast (Candida Utilis) For Food Grade Fatty Acids, Zachary Christman

Theses, Dissertations, and Student Research in Agronomy and Horticulture

The focus of this article is the cultivation of a food grade yeast for the production of fatty acids without the restrictions of climate or growing season. Torula yeast (Candida utilis) was selected since it can grow on a wide variety of culture media and has over 60 years of use in the food industry. The fatty acid composition of Candida utilis grown on two different media are presented in this article; the first example using completely synthetic media and another using distiller’s vinasse. Also, the effect of different culturing conditions on the percentage of various fatty acids will ...

Moisture Sorption Behavior And Shelf Life Prediction Of Teff Seed And Flour, Baba Abdissa, Rudrayya Math, Kodandaramreddy Desham, Srinivasulu Korra

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

Moisture sorption isotherms of Teff seed and its flour were determined over the range of relative humidity (11–92%) using a gravimetric technique at constant temperature (27°C). The results obtained showed that the moisture sorption isotherm of both is almost similar and sigmoid with increasing equilibrium water content at the constant temperature. The curves start raising high above 64% RH indicating the products deteriorates faster above 64% RH. Hence the moisture content equilibrating to 64% RH was taken as critical for both Teff seed and flour variants. The sorption isotherm fits the GAB equation as per GAB generalized equation ...

Dental Health Factors Among Primary School Children In Southern Regions Of Ethiopia And Zambia, Gisselle Hernandez

NUTR/GLST 498b: Global Research Experiences in Nutrition & Health

Purpose: Assess oral health status, and factors affecting oral health, among primary schoolchildren in southern Ethiopia and Zambia. Methods: Visual dental assessments, anthropometric measurements, and questionnaires used to collect data among 6th and 7th grade students. Results: Although stunting rates were nearly equal, decay rates were not; 17.51% of Zambian students and 47.27% of Ethiopian students had one or more decayed teeth. Ethiopian students with dental fluorosis (74.55%) had higher rates of decay than those without the condition (p < .05). There were also significant differences between Ethiopians and Zambians regarding use of dental hygiene tools: Ethiopians were more likely to use dental sticks, while Zambians employed toothbrushes for cleaning. Conclusions: Dental health and hygiene education, focused on unique socioecological settings, could improve the oral health status of Ethiopian and Zambian children.

PowerPoint file attached below

Effects Of Ivermectin And Perfluorobutanesulfonic Acid (Pfbs) On Lipid Metabolism, Weipeng Qi

Doctoral Dissertations

Accumulating evidence has shown a link between environmental contaminants and altered lipid metabolism. There is currently, however, limited knowledge regarding the causal molecular mechanisms. Therefore, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of two environmental contaminants, ivermectin and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), on lipid metabolism in adipocytes and hepatocytes using cell culture models. We first studied the effects of ivermectin, an anti-parasitic agent, on the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Our current results suggest that ivermectin inhibits adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and the expression of adipogenic genes where these effects were found to be partially via PPARγ-dependent, but not FXR-dependent, pathway. Additionally, ivermectin also ...

Optical Meets Mechanical: Use Of Luminescence Spectroscopy To Assess Ageing In Biodegradable Films, Louis Colaruotolo

Masters Theses

With the growing concern of the accumulation of plastic-based food packaging waste, the search for bio-based biodegradable packages is on the rise. These materials differ from their petro-based counterparts in their degradation rates, which are much higher in the former. Not only do bio-based biodegradable materials degrade faster during post-usage processes but also they age faster during usage and storage, which affects their performance and functionality. The application of noninvasive testing methods with the capability to report on the matrix’s state could assist in the development of a more ubiquitous way to assess ageing in food packaging, particularly in ...

College Field Preceptor Contracted Partnership, Kimberly Procaccino Mba, Rd, Ldn, Melissa Faura Rd, Ldn, Ann Flickinger Ms, Rd, Ldn, Susan Gargano Rd, Ldn

Clinical Nutrition Service

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Knowledge Surrounding Folate And Folic Acid In A Cohort Of Vegetarians, Michael Dolan, Katherine Younger, Lucy Brennan, Jessica Roche

Sure-J: Science Undergraduate Research Journal

Background
The aim is to identify any gaps in the knowledge of folate and folic acid in vegetarians, which is of interest given the increasing adoption of vegetarian type diets.

Methods
In this convenience sample, 106 people answered an online questionnaire regarding folate intake and awareness among vegetarians. This was created using Google Forms and was shared via Facebook, including on various national and college vegetarian group pages. There were 44 questions. Twenty-four participants were excluded, because they reported eating fish, chicken or other meat. Final data analysis included 82 subjects. The majority of these vegetarians were females over the ...

Application Of Active And Edible Films Of Sodium Caseinate To Extend The Shelf-Life Of Argentine Pategrás Cheese, Brenda S. Álvarez, Natalia Damiani, Marina Czerner, Josefa F. Martucci, Liesel B. Gende

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

Argentine Pategrás cheese is one of the most popular types of cheese in Argentina. The main spoilage causes in these products are microbiological contamination and lipid rancidity. Semi-hard cheeses are usually covered with a paraffin wax that favors its preservation. When pieces are stored, cutting faces must be protected to prevent desiccation and contamination. Active biodegradable films are an alternative to the traditional materials, in particular, casein-based edible films are attractive for food applications. In the present work, active films of sodium caseinate with oregano (Origanum vulgare) and laurel (Laurus nobilis) essential oils were produced for packaging a processed Pategrás ...

Microbial Diversity Of The Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria And Yeast (Scoby) And Its Impact On The Organoleptic Properties Of Kombucha, Danielle L. St-Pierre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Kombucha is an effervescent fermented tea beverage that is gaining popularity for its probiotic nature and purported health benefits. The market for kombucha is expected to reach $1.8 billion by the year 2020. The composition of microbes that compose the symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) is highly variable with some species commonly found from the Gluconobacter, Acetobacter, Zygosaccharomyces, Saccharomyces, and Schizosaccharomyces genera.

It was hypothesized that different SCOBYs, obtained from different sources would vary in microbial diversity and produce different biochemical and flavor profiles in the resulting beverage over several generations. Kombucha is a fermented product and ...