Life Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Food Label Education On Consumers' Sensory Perception And Awareness In Chicken Meat, Shilpa Samant

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recently, sustainability and process-related label claims have gained immense popularity especially for meat products like chicken. Apart from providing consumers with required product information, these labels have an impact on consumer perception and purchase behavior. The objective of this study was to determine whether providing label information affects consumers’ awareness and attitude toward the claims found on chicken products. Additionally, it was analyzed if enhanced label understanding affects consumers’ sensory and quality perceptions along with purchase intent. A total of 110 participants were randomly distributed into 1 of 3 types of education sessions: (1) reading a flyer (passive learning), (2) …

Electrostatic Atomization Of Antimicrobial Treatments On Ground Beef Processing, Instrumental Color, Sensory Color, Taste And Aroma Characteristics, Jorge Abraham Marcos

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The general objectives of this research were to evaluate the interaction effects of sixteen different antimicrobial treatments throughout seven days of display on physical, chemical and sensory characteristics of ground beef patties, when compared to an un-treated control. Antimicrobial treatments included: fumaric acid, malic acid, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, sodium propionate, propionic acid solution, potassium lactate/diacetate blend, sodium benzoate, hexanoic acid, pyruvic acid, levulinic acid, lactic acid/ citric acid blend, sodium diacetate, lemon juice and acetic acid. Prior to grinding, beef trimmings (80/20) were electrostatically sprayed with antimicrobial treatment solutions. Ground beef was processed into meat patties and sampled for …

Characterization Of Cellulase Enzyme Inhibitors Formed During The Chemical Pretreatments Of Rice Straw, Kalavathy Rajan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Production of fuels and chemicals from a renewable and inexpensive resource such as lignocellulosic biomass is a lucrative and sustainable option for the advanced biofuel and bio-based chemical platform. Agricultural residues constitute the bulk of potential feedstock available for cellulosic fuel production. On a global scale, rice straw is the largest source of agricultural residues and is therefore an ideal crop model for biomass deconstruction studies. Lignocellulosic biofuel production involves the processes of biomass conditioning, enzymatic saccharification, microbial fermentation and ethanol distillation, and one of the major factors affecting its techno-economic feasibility is the biomass recalcitrance to enzymatic saccharification. Preconditioning …

Application Of Essential Oil Compounds And Bacteriophage To Control Staphylococcus Aureus, Anisha Ghosh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important pathogens, causing various diseases in humans and animals. In addition, S. aureus is a common foodborne pathogen. As methicillin- resistant S. aureus (MRSA) becomes increasingly prevalent, controlling this pathogen in animals and humans with standard antibiotic treatment has become challenging. Combinations of different antimicrobial agents represent one of the most promising approaches for combating multidrug - resistant bacteria both for treatment of clinical disease as well as in food. Two such antimicrobials with potential application in the food industry include essential oils (EO) and host-specific bacteriophage (phage). The objectives of this study …

Milling And Functional Properties Of Co-Mingled Rice Cultivars, Nikhil N. Basutkar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Differences have been observed in the milling and functional properties of different rice cultivars, particularly between hybrid and pureline cultivars. Co-mingling of rice cultivars commonly occurs during harvest, storage and drying operations. Thus, there is a need to study the effect of co-mingling on the milling and functional properties of rice cultivars. Two long-grain, hybrid (H) cultivars CL XL745 and CL XL729 and two long-grain, pureline (P) cultivars CL 151 and Wells were used to prepare CL XL745/CL 151 (H/P), CL XL745/CL XL729 (H/H) and Wells/CL 151 (P/P) co-mingles, mixed in various proportions. Milled rice yield (MRY), head rice yield …

Effect Of Modified Starch On Bake-Only Chicken Nuggets, Sarah Purcell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The food industry has become increasingly focused on healthier items. Fried foods especially are actively pursuing non-fried alternatives to attract health conscience consumers. This study investigated the bake-only chicken nugget formulation in attempts to provide characteristics of fried items. Starch was hydrolyzed by amyloglucosidase to create a porous structure that had the ability to absorb oil. Oil was plated into the enzyme-treated starch and blended into nugget formulation, and the coated nuggets were steam-baked until fully cooked. The enzyme-treated starches showed a decrease in gelatinization range and pasting viscosities for all starch types. The addition of oil-plated enzyme modified starch …

The Effects Of Salinity On Pythium Disease Of Rice And Soybean, Terea Jeanette Stetina

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Increasing salinity is an important factor limiting agricultural productivity worldwide. In addition to direct effects on growth and yield, diseases also may be affected. This study characterized the effects of soil salinity on seedling disease of soybean and rice caused by Pythium spp. Controlled environment experiments on soybean used two cultivars which differed in chloride tolerance and soil treated with a CaCl₂ solution to create a range of electrical conductivity (EC) levels. For soybean, soil was either not infested or infested with Pythium sylvaticum or P. aphanidermatum (pathogenic to soybean), or P. oligandrum (not pathogenic to soybean). Twenty-one days …

Effect Of Functional Starch In Brown Rice And Grain Sorghum On Plasma Glucose And Insulin Responses In Humans, Nicole Marie Poquette

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes and obesity are chronic illnesses increasing at dramatic rates in the U.S. and around the world. Research has looked to prevent or control diabetes and obesity through functional ingredients such as healthy-dietary carbohydrates to control blood glucose levels. Starch is a principle carbohydrate, which influences blood glucose levels, and measuring starch digestibility fractions can help predict the glucose response in the body. The objectives of this study were to investigate the functional starch content of parboiled brown rice flour and grain sorghum flour, and measure the effects on postprandial plasma glucose and insulin levels of 14 and 10 healthy …

Phenotypic, Physiological And Growth Interactions Among Salmonella Serovars, Juliany Rivera Calo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis consists of four research parts: a literature review that covers Salmonella spp., one of the more prominent foodborne pathogens that represents a major risk to humans (chapter 1). Understanding the growth of Salmonella serovars and strains is an important basis for more in depth research. In this case we studied a) the aerobic and anaerobic growth responses of multiple strains from six different serovars, b) how the spent media from different serovars, more importantly S. Heidelberg, affect the growth of S. Typhimurium, and c) determined whether or not two different serovars undergo competitive interactions when they were …

Effect Of Electrostatic Spraying Of Food-Grade Organic And Inorganic Acids, And Grape Seed Extract On Salmonella Typhimurium And Escherichia Coli O157:H7 On Spinach And Iceberg Lettuce, Vijayalakshmi Ganesh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The safety of fresh produce is often challenged by the sporadic incidences of outbreaks owing to Salmonella Typhimurium (S.T.) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E.c.). Washing and current disinfection strategies do not completely decontaminate leafy greens such as spinach and iceberg lettuce. Therefore, more effective treatments are essential to ensure the microbial safety of the produce at the selling point. Here, a multiple hurdle approach was applied: (1) Natural antimicrobials - organic acids (malic, lactic and tartaric acids; MA, LA, TA, respectively) and plant extract (grape seed extract, GSE) and (2) Application method - Electrostatic spraying, was …

Electrostatic Spray Application Of Food-Grade Organic Acids And Plant Extracts To Decrease Escherichia Coli O157:H7 And Salmonella Typhimurium On Select Produce, Leighanna Maeree Massey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Both consumers and suppliers have been negatively affected by an increase in foodborne pathogens contaminating fruits. Consequently, there is a need for the development of more efficient antimicrobials and application techniques to decrease contamination. Natural preservatives such as organic acids and plant extracts have demonstrated promising results in decontaminating produce. In addition, the effectiveness of such preservatives may be enhanced by the use of an electrostatic sprayer. The objective of this research was to determine the combinations and concentrations of organic acids and plant extract that were able to reduce Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EC) inoculated fruits …

A Comparison Of Milled Rice Fissuring Kinetics Of Hybrid And Pureline Cultivars, Semehar Haile Tesfaye

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, the use of hybrid rice cultivars has greatly increased, and this has led to questions about the processing behavior of hybrid cultivars. This study compares the milled rice fissuring kinetics of hybrid and pureline cultivars. Also, this study elucidates the effects of kernel type (long-grain vs. medium-grain rice cultivars), surface lipid content (SLC), and kernel thickness on fissuring rates.

Three hybrid (CL XL745, CL XL729 and XL753) and five pureline (Wells, CL151, Cheniere, Jupiter and CL261) cultivar lots were procured. Jupiter and CL261 are medium-grain cultivars, whereas the rest are long-grain cultivars. Two experiments were conducted. …

Physical And Biochemical Factors Affecting Breast Fillet Tenderness In Broilers Reared For Divergent Market Demands, Valerie Belle Brewer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Market trends have dictated that broilers be reared for divergent market demands for decades. Also, broiler genetic strains have been adapted to meet market demands which include: genetic selection for improved breast meat, the practice of growing birds to older ages and greater market weights to meet demands, and decreasing postmortem (PM) aging time to improve processing efficiency and fillet yield. These production practices can also affect product quality, specifically boneless breast fillet tenderness and water-holding capacity. To address these factors, a series of experiments were conducted to determine the effect of strain and slaughter age on meat quality parameters, …

Congruent And Incongruent Effects Of Ethnic Music On Ethnic Menu Item Selection, Ryan David Muniz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated what impact ethnic music had on ethnic menu item selection. College students were randomly divided into three groups and listened to one randomly assigned sound treatment in sensory booths. Three hundred and five participants completed the questionnaire with measures of expected price value and willingness to pay value. One of the groups listened to an Italian folk music, the second group listened to a Thai folk music, and the third group listened to a restaurant background noise in order to examine if the music will impact each participant menu items selection and perceived price values. The result …

The Color And Consistency Of Steaks And Ground Beef Produced From Mature Bulls, Jace Joseph Hollenbeck

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two experiments were conducted to compare the color and cooked attributes of steaks and ground beef produced from mature bulls. Beef from mature bulls was used to test the effects of lactic acid (LA) enhancement solution pH (2.5, 3.0, or 3.5; B25, B30, B35, respectively) on fresh (5 d of display) and cooked color and tenderness of strip loin steaks (Exp. 1) and the effect of high pH trim on precooked ground beef patties (Exp. 2). In experiment 1, mature bull strip steaks were enhanced to 111% with a LA, sodium bicarbonate, and tap water solution, in comparison to USDA …

Development Of Rapid Detection Methods And Novel Control Measures For Salmonella In Poultry, Si Hong Park

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three research parts: 1) development of rapid detection methods for foodborne pathogens; 2) immune response of chicken cells against Salmonella and bacteriophage P22; 3) evaluation of novel control measures for poultry productions. In order to develop rapid and accurate detection methods for foodborne pathogens, two types of PCR assays were utilized. Three foodborne pathogens included Campylobacter, Escherichia coli and Salmonella in watershed were qualitatively and quantitatively detected by multiplex PCR and qPCR (chapter 2). Since Salmonella species are commonly present in poultry and poultry products as well as most popular foodborne pathogen in …

Excretion Of Phenolic Compounds After Consumption Of Fresh Versus Aged Chokeberry Juice In Rats, Sarah Elizabeth Graves

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Flavonoids, such as anthocyanins, may be responsible for the health benefits of chokeberries, as they are present in large quantities in chokeberries and are potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. Despite these health properties, previous investigations on the bioavailability of flavonoids illustrate that little of the ingested amount reaches the bloodstream. This study investigated two factors that may help to explain these inconsistencies. First, storage of berry fruits and berry fruit products leads to extensive polymerization of their anthocyanins with procyanidins. Additionally, after consumption flavonoids may undergo metabolism into phenolic acids and subsequent conjugation to an extent that may explain their …

Influences Of Music Genre And Components On Food Perception And Acceptance, Alexandra Jean Fiegel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Managers of consumer goods companies (i.e., restaurants, grocery stores, and bars) have the potential to effectively utilize environmental factors to stimulate desired consumer behaviors. Background music has been identified as one of the most readily manipulated and influential elements to which a shopper or consumer may be exposed to in a service setting. Nevertheless, little is known about the effect of background sound on food perception and acceptance. This research sought whether background music genre and musical components can alter food perception and acceptance, but also to determine how the effect can vary as a function of food type (i.e., …

Physio-Chemical And Sensory Properties Of A Nutrient-Fortified Extruded Product, Tajudini Lassissi Akande

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Protein malnutrition is responsible for half the deaths of children under the age of five each year in developing countries. More than 4%, 26%, and 70% of children with protein malnutrition live in Latin America/the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia, respectively. The objective of this research was to develop a novel snack made with millet, black eye bean (from Niger Republic), and rice flour fortified with soybean meal protein using extrusion technology. Proximate analysis of the four flours was carried out to determine their chemical composition. Central composite design (CCD) was used to obtain best extrusion conditions to develop a protein-enriched …

Production Of Bioethanol By Fermentation Of Sugars Released By Dilute-Acid And Enzymatic Hydrolysis Of Soybean Meal, Deivis E. Lujan-Rhenals

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soybean meal (SBM) is a co-product of soybean oil extraction mostly used as animal feed due to its protein content ranging from 40 to 49%. Additionally, SBM contains 35-42% of carbohydrates, half of which are structural, and the remaining consists of approximately 17% of mono- and disaccharides--especially sucrose--up to 8% oligosaccharides, and 1-2% starch. When used as animal feed, only sucrose and starch are digested and absorbed by monogastric animals. Although SBM contributes carbohydrates to their diet, its main function is to provide proteins. Therefore, the selective removal of carbohydrates would create a protein-enriched meal with a greater value, which …

Extraction And Purification Of Gamma-Tocotrienol From Rice Bran Oil Deodorizer Distillate, Mary Kordsmeier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The tocols (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta- tocopherols (T); alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocotrienols (T3)) make up the vitamin E family of antioxidants. Tocols have many health benefits. Gamma-T3 has been shown to protect against harmful radiation effects in mice. During rice bran oil refining up to 90% of tocols in rice bran are lost to the deodorizer distillate. The objective of this study was to optimize parameters for analyzing and isolating tocols from rice bran oil deodorizer distillate (RBODD). NP-HPLC analysis of tocol standards was optimized by testing ten mobile phases. Tocol extraction was optimized by testing three concentration …

Measuring The Energy Required To Dry Rice In Commercial Rice Dryers, Maria Alejandra Billiris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to quantify and assess the energy use and efficiency of commercial cross-flow dryers when drying rice using a range of drying and ambient conditions. First, equations that predict the theoretical energy required to dry rice from any given initial moisture content to a desired final moisture content were developed for several rice cultivars using a semi-theoretical approach to obtain a basis for comparison to calculate energy efficiency. Theoretical energy requirements, expressed as the energy required per unit mass of water removed, increased exponentially as initial moisture content decreased. Additionally, medium-grains required more energy to …

Predictability Of Food And Wine Pairing Using A Sensory Approach, Rebeckah L. Koone

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore significant differences in perception of match for a variety of food and wine styles; evaluate the impacts of wine sweetness level, wine acidity level, and wine tannin level on perception of match; and to investigate the impact of food and wine expertise on perceived level of match. A field research design was used to explore expert recommendations of food and wine combinations to obtain broader feedback on consumer perceptions. The population consisted of a convenience sample of 248 students enrolled in a continuing education course in food and wine pairing at George …

Effect Of Heat Treatments On The Properties Of Two Long-Grain Rice Cultivars During Storage, Youngbum Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During storage, the milling and physicochemical properties and eating quality of rice change, which is generally termed `aging'. Aged rice is preferred by processors, and there are attempts to develop accelerated aging process using various heat sources. In this study, the effects of various heat treatments and their influence on the milling, pasting, thermal, and cooking properties of two long-grain rice cultivars during storage were investigated using a full-factorial experimental design. Two long-grain rice cultivars, Wells and XP723, was treated with 8 different heat treatments including one control and stored at room temperature for 180 days. Heat treatments included 2 …

The Role Of Antioxidant Rich Berries In The Prevention Of Postmenopausal Bone Loss, Lydia Karimi Kaume

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is the most prevalent form of osteoporosis and results in fragility fractures. Smoking is one of the major risk factors for osteoporosis and is known to aggravate bone loss in postmenopausal women due to increased oxidative stress and inflammation. Diet-based interventions using berries have shown bone protective affects in animal studies partially due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of their phenolic compounds. The goal of this research was to determine the effects of antioxidant-rich fruits in the prevention of postmenopausal bone loss. Our first study examined the dose dependent effects of blackberries in preventing bone loss in an …

Evaluation Of Prebiotic Fibers And Pectin On Probiotic Strains And Effect Of Bacteriocin-Like Substance On The Survival Of Listeria Monocytogenes, Dolar Pak

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Probiotics and prebiotics have been shown to provide beneficial effects on the host health and there are numerous research efforts being conducted on a variety of specific applications. However, most prebiotic carbohydrates are lower molecular weight oligosaccharides; and the health benefits of higher molecular weight pectins have not been fully evaluated. According to reviews, pectins are fermented in the large intestine due to the cooperative activities of colonic bacteria with complementary enzymatic activities. There are very few studies that demonstrate the fermentability of high methoxy pectin and low methoxy pectin by pure cultures of human isolates or probiotic bacteria. Thus, …

Lactic Acid Production Using Sweet Potato Processing Waste, Irene Pagana

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Organic waste generated from industrial sweet potato canning is estimated to be 30% of incoming raw material. This waste contains carbohydrates (sugars and starch) that could be used as substrates for the production of useful compounds via fermentation (e.g. lactic acid), resulting in the production of value-added products. The goal of this research project is to produce a substrate from the sweet potato processing waste material that supports the growth of lactic acid bacteria, which results in the production of lactic acid. The sweet potato waste product was characterized, and found to contain 16.5% solids. The solids components were 18.5% …

Consumer Sensory Preferences And Willingness-To-Pay For Nutraceutical-Rich Fruit, Lydia Lawless

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Health-oriented juices are prime candidates for the nutraceutical market due to their inherent healthfulness and convenience. Fruits such as açaí berries, blueberries, blackberries, black cherries, Concord grapes, cranberries, and pomegranates are rich in potentially health-supporting polyphenolics, which makes the juices of these fruits attractive for nutraceutical optimization. The compositional, sensory, and stability properties of blueberry, blackberry, and Concord grape juice blends were explored in an extended shelf-life study. Initially, 100% blueberry juice had the highest total monomeric anthocyanins (67.40 mg/100mL), 100% blackberry juice had the highest total phenolics (249.24 mg/100mL), and 100% Concord juice had the highest polymeric color (23.21%). …

Characterization And Consumer Acceptance Of White Striping In Broiler Breast Fillets, Vivek Ayamchirakkunnel Kuttappan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

White striping is an emerging issue in the broiler meat industry which causes concerns among the producers. The condition is characterized by the occurrence of white striations, parallel to the direction of muscle fibers, mainly in broiler breast fillets and thighs. Fillets can be categorized as NORM (normal or no striping), MOD (moderate) and SEV (severe) depending on the degree of white striping. As a result of few previous research studies on the condition, there is no information available on the impact of white striping on the consumer acceptance and various meat quality attributes. Our hypothesis was that the occurrence …

Single-Pass Drying Of Rough Rice Using Glass Transition Principles, George Owira Ondier

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to study the drying characteristics, milling quality, and functional properties of rough rice subjected to single-pass drying while controlling kernel material states. Drying experiments were conducted at 60, 70, and 80C and relative humidities ranging from 13 to 83%. High drying air relative humidities (greater than 63%) maintained both the kernel surface and core in a rubbery state during drying, whereas low drying air relative humidities caused rapid transitioning of the surface layers from a rubbery to a glassy state. Long-grain pureline cultivar, Wells, medium-grain pureline cultivar, Jupiter, and long-grain hybrid cultivar, CL XL729, …