Food Science Commons^™

Influence Of Dietary Fibers And Whole Grains On Fecal Microbiota During In Vitro Fermentation, Junyi Yang

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

There has been a dramatic increase in obesity, which presents a risk of many chronic health problems. Recent studies have shown that obese individuals harbor an abnormal gut microbiota (dysbiosis), which has sparked interest in the gut microbiota as a target for weight management. Dietary fiber and whole grains that can be metabolized by gut microbiota have been shown to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Increased consumption of dietary fiber and whole grains may improve host / gut microbiota interactions in obesity and other metabolic diseases by normalizing gut dysbiosis. The present thesis describes two research …

Characterization Of Igg And Ige Binding To Parvalbumin Derived From Commercially Important Fish Species, Poi-Wah Lee

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Parvalbumin is a calcium-binding muscle protein that is present in all vertebrates. Despite being a pan-allergen in fish and frog, fish-specific IgE and antiparvalbumin IgG antibodies displayed varying cross-reactivity among fish species. In this research, the parvalbumin-binding characteristics of several antibodies were investigated, including 3 IgG antibodies against frog, carp, and cod parvalbumins, and human IgE.

By immunoassay and IgG-immunoblotting, 3 antiparvalbumin antibodies revealed inconsistent specificity among 29 raw fish muscle extracts, which may be partially attributed to the decreased levels of fish muscle parvalbumin from anterior to posterior positions. Parvalbumin-binding by antibodies was unaffected in 112 days of frozen-stored …

Role Of Lactic Acid Bacteria As A Bio-Sanitizer To Prevent Attachment Of Listeria Monocytogenes On Deli Slicer Contact Surfaces, And The Influence Of Listeria Innocua On The Attachment Of L. Monocytogenes On Selected Materials Located In The Food-Processing Environment, Jean Baptiste Ndahetuye

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes an important foodborne pathogen that continues to be a serious problem for the food industry. This pathogen contaminates food primarily during post-harvest in the food-processing environment. Its ecology in the food-processing environment is not well understood but previous research has demonstrated the ability of L. monocytogenes to survive on food contact surfaces after cleaning and disinfection. The current study explored the attachment of three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, Lactobacillus animalis , Lb. amylovorus and Pediococcus acidilactici , their combination in a cocktail, and their influence to prevent the attachment of L. monocytogenes at room temperature by examining …

Integration Of Nutrition Education Classes Into English As Second Language Classes For Refugees, Sarah Gunnell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Each year approximately 73,000 refugees are resettled into the United States because it is unsafe for them to return to their country of origin. Resettlement agencies help refugees learn about their new environment and provide assistance with housing, food, English classes, and job skills training. The goal of resettlement programs is to help refugees become self-sufficient as quickly as possible.

Recently resettled refugees face many challenges that make it difficult to eat healthy food. Transportation, English skills, and conflicting work hours are some of the barriers to receiving nutrition education. This research evaluated the integration of nutrition lessons into English …

Parent Nutrition Education And The Influence On Family Lifestyle Behavior Changes, Kelsey Rich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah State University in the collaboration with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) proposes to develop and implement a program to help families develop healthy eating habits and lifestyle behaviors. Recently, childhood overweight and obesity has reached epidemic proportions. The diseases associated with adult obesity are now being seen in the pediatric population; therefore, there is a call for preventative efforts. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in combination with an active lifestyle discourages the presence of obesity. Currently, most childhood obesity prevention efforts have taken place in the school setting and have only had short term …

Effects Of Soy Supplementation On Bone Characteristics And Egg Quality In Peak Production Laying Hens, Kealani Izquierdo

All Theses

In the last few decades equol, a metabolite of the isoflavone daidzein, has become the target of various animal and human studies. Coined the key to health benefits associated with soy foods, equol formation been implicated in the healthy profiles associated with Asian populations. As a metabolite of daidzein, equol must be synthesized from its precursor by intestinal bacteria; however, clinical and epidemiological studies indicate that only about a third of the general human population possess the microflora necessary to metabolize equol. Research indicates that by supplementing laying hens with soybean meal, equol deposition into table eggs can be stimulated, …

Extraction And Identification Of Volatile Constituents Of Oplopanax Horridus , Gregory Jones

All Theses

O. horridus is an important medicinal and spiritual plant for native peoples where it natively grows. Secondary volatile metabolites which compose the essential oil were isolated by atmospheric simultaneous distillation-solvent extraction (SDE) and headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) from the bark and leaves of Oplopanax horridus. The differences between the two extraction methods was investigated for their sensitivity, precision and use in separating volatile compounds from sample matrices.The extracts were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. Compounds were identified according to their non-isothermal Kovats indexes, mass spectra, or by comparison with analytical standard substances. The bark essential …

The Nutritional And Microbiological Characteristics Of An Equol-Enriched Table Egg Produced In A Free-Range Or Conventional Production System, Michelle Parisi

All Dissertations

The specialty foods market has grown by 30% since 2006 with specialty eggs now making up about 5% of all eggs sold at retail. Specialty eggs like those produced in alternative production systems and enhanced in beneficial nutrients can provide a profitable opportunity for egg producers while meeting consumer demands for nutritious, safe, and humanely-produced eggs. Isoflavone-enriched eggs can be marketed as a new specialty egg that would offer a valuable source of health-promoting isoflavones, nutrients that are typically lacking in diets of Western culture. Equol, a potent soy isoflavone is found naturally in eggs of laying hens and can …

Feed Supplementation With Natural Extracts Of Cranberry And Its Efficacy On Campylobacter Colonization In Poultry, Ann Woo-Ming

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Campylobacter spp. has been identified as one of the leading causative agents of food borne diarrheal illness. Epidemiological evidence has shown that poultry is the main source for human infection. Poultry are asymptomatic carriers of Campylobacter within their gastrointestinal tract, with colonization levels reaching 106-108 cfu/g cecal content. Surveys of domestic poultry flocks have estimated that approximately 90% of flocks are positive for Campylobacter colonization. Risk assessment studies have determined that by reducing levels of Campylobacter colonization during rearing, incidences of human infection will be significantly reduced. Currently there are no consistently effective treatments to eliminate Campylobacter from poultry flocks. …

Biological Strategies And Mathematical Approaches For Limiting Bacterial Contaminants And Chemical Pollutants In Bioethanol Fermentations, Alia Chahed Ep Limayem

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the most recent decades increased interest in fuel from biomass in the United States and worldwide has emerged each time petroleum derived-gasoline registered well publicized spikes in price. The willingness of the U.S. government to face the issues of more heavily high-priced foreign oil and climate change has led to more investment on plant-derived sustainable biofuel sources. Biomass derived from corn has become one of the primary feedstocks for bioethanol production for the past several years in the U.S. However, the argument of whether to use food as biofuel has led to a search for alternative non-food sources. Consequently, …

Isolation And Purification Of Anthocyanins From Black Bean Wastewater Using Macroporous Resins, Xiaoxi Wang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Isolation and purification of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater by column chromatography with macroporous resins were investigated in this study. Different adsorption materials and adsorption conditions were compared and the most effective material and adsorption conditions were selected to purify anthocyanins. Purified anthocyanins then were identified by high performance liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. The most effective macroporous resin was selected by comparing the adsorption performance of five different types of macroporous resins (Diaion Hp20, Sepabeads Sp70, Sepabeads Sp207, Sepabeads Sp700, and Sepabeads Sp710). Equilibrium adsorption isotherms of five resins with wastewater were measured and analyzed using Langmuir …

Development Of Markets For Local Food Crop To Enhance Incomes And Improve Food Security For Smallholder Farmers In East Africa, Betty Bugusu

Changing World Conference

No abstract provided.

Response Surface Methodology Approach For The Optimization Of Lab Fermentation Using Vegetable Based Substrate, Amit Jaiswal, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam, Juan Valverde

Conference papers

In the present studies, an attempt was made to optimize the conditions for the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation using Irish York cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata alba subvar. conica) as a substrate. Prior to fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum, York cabbage was blanched at 95°C for 12 min to inactivate surface microflora. To achieve an optimal fermentation condition which would result in higher release of phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity in the broth, Box-Behnken design integrating a desirability approach was used. The optimized factors (fermentation time 36h, solid/liquid ratio 0.25 g/ml and agitation rate 100 rpm) were used for …

Bioactive Potential Of Marine And Terrestrial Vegetables: A Comparative Study, Amit Jaiswal, Gaurav Rajauria, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam

Conference papers

Polyphenols are extensively used in food, beverage, pharmaceuticals and nutraceutical industry for their positive effects on human health. Present study was designed to estimate the differences in polyphenols level and antioxidant capacity between marine and terrestrial vegetables. Considerable variations in the total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were observed, which ranges from 20.4 to 140.2 mg GAE/g of extracts (dw) for TPC and 15.4 to 50.4 mg QE/g of extracts (dw) for TFC. Furthermore, antioxidant capacity was confirmed by all the extracts. Results showed that marine vegetables had significantly higher polyphenols content and antioxidant property compared to …

Effect Of Solvents On The Extractability Of Phenolic Constituents And Their Antioxidant Capacity From Irish Seaweed, Gaurav Rajauria, Amit Jaiswal, Nissreen Abu-Ghannam

Conference papers

Seaweeds are being used for human consumption in the Orient and help them live longer with low levels of hypertension, cancer and other ailments. The study aimed at extraction of principle constituents using a wide range of solvents and their mixtures on the basis of polarity, from Irish brown seaweeds namely Himanthalia elongata, Laminaria saccharina and Laminaria digitata. All the extracts were screened for total phenolic content (TPC) and their potential antioxidant capacity, using 2, 2´-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Among all the solvents tested, 60% methanolic extract and equi-volume mixture of chloroform, …

Analysis Of Zinc And Copper In Foods, Merlly Zavala

Undergraduate Research Conference

Deficiencies in vitamins and calcium have always been known and a remedy for it has always been around. The deficiency of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are not very popular and some people do not understand how important the two metals are for one’s health. If one tends to encounter such deficiency the goal is to give foods that contain these metals in order to add to the diet. In this study, various foods were analyzed for Cu or Zn concentration levels using absorptions spectrophotometer Shimadzu AA-6800 flame. The samples were crushed, digested with nitric acid, and then analyzed through …

Amphiphilic Polyanhydride Nanoparticles Stabilize Bacillus Anthracis Protective Antigen, L. K. Petersen, Y. Phanse, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, M. J. Wannemueler, B. Narasimhan

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Advancements towards an improved vaccine against Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, have focused on formulations composed of the protective antigen (PA) adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide. However, due to the labile nature of PA, antigen stability is a primary concern for vaccine development. Thus, there is a need for a delivery system capable of preserving the immunogenicity of PA through all the steps of vaccine fabrication, storage, and administration. In this work, we demonstrate that biodegradable amphiphilic polyanhydride nanoparticles, which have previously been shown to provide controlled antigen delivery, antigen stability, immune modulation, and protection in a single …

Table Of Contents April 2012 Agricultural Research Magazine

Agricultural Research Magazine

Table of Contents

4 A Bit of Gold and Nanotechnology Bring Viruses to Light

6 Digital Detectives Decipher Ingredients

8 SERS: High-Tech Tactic May Newly Expose Stealthy Salmonella

10 What’s in Your Blood? The Ongoing Hunt for Metabolites

12 Protein Biomarkers Identify Disease-Carrying Aphids

13 A New Approach to Molecular Plant Breeding

14 Cotton Gets Nanotech and Biotech Treatment in New Orleans

16 Barcoding Insects To Control Them

18 Metagenomics Offers Insight Into Poultry Diseases

20 Longstanding Erosion Calculator Enters 21st Century

23 Locations Featured in This Magazine Issue

Forum: Innovations Through Biotechnology, Jack Okamuro, Kay Simmons

Agricultural Research Magazine

"We need to put a premium on creating innovative solutions to address our current and future problems."- U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on priorities for the 2012 Farm Bill.

This month in Agricultural Research, we highlight Agricultural Research Service projects grown from seeds planted on what were once the distant horizons of biotechnology- metagenomics, genomic selection, metabolomics, and more.

Each project represents a fusion of leading-edge science and technological innovation that is helping to shape ARS's response to the growing food, fiber, and fuel needs of a U.S. and world population forecasted to exceed 430 million and 9 …

Back Matter Agricultural Research Magazine 60(4): April 2012

Agricultural Research Magazine

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Research Magazine

5601 Sunnyside Ave.

Beltsville, MD 20705-5129

Barcoding Insects To Control Them, Dennis O’Brien

Agricultural Research Magazine

Mention barcodes and it often brings to mind the sales tags and scanners found in supermarkets and other stores. But Agricultural Research Service scientists are using “DNA barcodes” in their search for ways to control and monitor insects that pose the greatest threats to crops as diverse as wheat, barley, and potatoes.

In DNA barcoding, scientists sequence a designated part of an organism’s genome and produce a barcode from it for a systematic comparison with the sequenced DNA of other closely related species. DNA barcodes are being developed on a wide range of plants and animals as part of a …

Cotton Gets Nanotech And Biotech, Jan Suszkiw, Brian Condon

Agricultural Research Magazine

Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service’s Cotton Chemistry and Utilization Research Unit (CCUR) in New Orleans, Louisiana, have a long history of research successes leading to advances in the use, manufacturing, and quality of cotton fiber.

For example, groundbreaking studies led by chemist Ruth Benerito at the Cotton Chemical Reactions Laboratory (CCUR’s predecessor), starting in the 1950s, gave rise to easy-care, permanent-press clothing and other consumer-friendly improvements that helped cotton better compete with synthetic fibers, like polyester and nylon.

New challenges and consumer demands have since emerged, but the ARS lab’s tradition of excellence and innovation in research continues.

High-Tech Tactic May Newly Expose Stealthy Salmonella, Marcia Wood, Bosoon Park

Agricultural Research Magazine

At laboratories of the future, even the smallest quantity of Salmonella bacteria may be easily detected with a technology known as “SERS,” short for “surface-enhanced Raman scattering.”

Agricultural engineer Bosoon Park, in the Agricultural Research Service’s Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit in Athens, Georgia, is leading exploratory studies of this analytical technique’s potential for quick, easy, and reliable detection of Salmonella and other foodborne pathogens.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Salmonella causes more than 1 million cases of illness in this country every year.

Long-Standing Erosion Calculator, Don Comis, Robert Sowers

Agricultural Research Magazine

Seth Dabney is busy tweaking a soon-to-be-unveiled update of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, Version 2 (RUSLE2), which moves the original equation ever further from its origins in the age of slide rules to the era of computing. Dabney is research leader of the Watershed Physical Processes Research Unit, at the Agricultural Research Service’s National Sedimentation Laboratory in Oxford, Mississippi.

RUSLE2 has retained the integrity of the original Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)—in greatly expanded form—and integrated an updated database with a computer model that reflects both the latest in computer technology and scientific discoveries about erosion processes. It …

Digital Detectives Deciper Ingredients, Rosalie Marion Bliss, James M. Harnly, Pei Chen

Agricultural Research Magazine

Television shows featuring crime scene investigators have been keeping viewers intrigued for years. But the Agricultural Research Service’s intriguing “food composition investigators” are just as innovative at deciphering truth from fiction relating to ingredients of plant-based foods and dietary supplements. The researchers are at the ARS Food Composition and Methods Development Laboratory, which is headed by research leader James Harnly. The laboratory is part of the Beltsville [Maryland] Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC).

They’re using new equipment and a metabolomics approach to discover compounds and to accurately identify ingredients in foods and supplements. They are also looking at chemical composition …

Protein Biomarkers: Identify Disease-Carrying Aphids, Dennis O’Brien

Agricultural Research Magazine

Aphids can transmit viruses that cause crop diseases and reduce the quality and quantity of fresh foods. Spraying insecticides can control aphids and reduce the spread of viruses, but spraying is expensive and can harm the environment. Additionally, not all aphids transmit viruses. So a key question for growers is knowing when and what to spray to control viral diseases.

Agricultural Research Service scientists Michelle Cilia and Stewart Gray, in the Biological Integrated Pest Management Unit at the Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health in Ithaca, New York, have found a way to distinguish aphids that spread viruses …

Metagenomics Offers Insight Into Poultry Diseases, Sandra Avant

Agricultural Research Magazine

Less than 10 years ago, the world marveled at the completion of the human genome project, which involved traditional technology to identify all the genes in a single organism—the human. Today, a more powerful technology is being used to detect thousands of organisms in an entire community.

Unlike traditional gene sequencing, the new molecular technique—metagenomics— eliminates the need to cultivate and isolate individual microbial species. Scientists can apply genomic analysis to mixed communities of microbes instead of to just one organism.

For example, researchers examining viral enteric (intestinal) diseases in poultry can take intestinal samples from different poultry flocks. The …

A New Approach Tomolecular Plant Breeding, Dennis O’Brien, Jean-Luc Jannink

Agricultural Research Magazine

An ARS scientist in Ithaca, New York, is using a new statistical approach to help speed the development of improved varieties of crops.

Plant breeders constantly strive to breed new varieties that yield more, resist emerging pests and pathogens, tolerate heat and drought, and grow in marginal soils and environments. Increasingly, molecular tools are used to speed those efforts. By identifying genes associated with desirable traits, scientists don’t have to wait for timeconsuming field observations.

“To grow wheat and evaluate it for traits in the field takes 5 to 9 years. Using genomic data, we can do it in about …

A Bit Of Gold And Nanotechnology, Sandra Avant, William C. Wilson

Agricultural Research Magazine

All that glitters is not gold, but it is in the case of nanotechnology that’s being used to develop detection tools for viruses that affect animals and people. Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service’s Center for Grain and Animal Health Research (CGAHR) in Manhattan, Kansas, and the University of Wyoming are using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) with gold nanoparticles to design tests that rapidly identify the virus that causes West Nile fever.

The West Nile virus is spread by infected mosquitoesand can cause headaches, fever, and body aches. In some cases, it causes a more serious and sometimes fatal neuroinvasive …

What's In Your Blood? The Ongoing Hunt For Metabolites, Marcia Wood, John W. Newman

Agricultural Research Magazine

At any given time, blood circulating through your body carries thousands of small molecules known as “metabolites.” Medical and nutrition researchers are eager to discover more about these compounds—amino acids, sugars, fats, and more—that are formed in and by our bodies.

Metabolites are of interest because the presence and concentrations of some of them can provide meaningful profiles, sometimes referred to as “metabolic signatures” or “fingerprints.”

In the future, for instance, yourmetabolic fingerprint—detected in a small sample of blood taken for your annual physical examination—might prove to be a reliable indicator of your health and a predictor of certain diseases. …