Food Chemistry Commons^™

Edible Insects As A Source Of Food Allergens, Lee Palmer

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

Increasing global population increasingly limited by resources has spurred interest in novel food sources. Insects may be an alternative food source in the near future, but consideration of insects as a food requires scrutiny due to risk of allergens. Currently, the insect Dactylopius coccus, known as cochineal, is used to produce carmine, a natural red pigment used in food, which has caused allergic reactions. This study investigated allergens of cochineal focusing on purification from the pigment. Mass spectrometry identified a previously described major allergen of cochineal and a tropomyosin, although further work is required.

Tropomyosin is a major cross-reactive allergen …

Comparison Of Real-Time Pcr And Elisa-Based Methods For The Detection Of Beef And Pork In Processed Meat Products, Adam T. Perestam, Kayleigh K. Fujisaki, Omar Nava, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Two commonly used methodologies for species detection within processed meat products are real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a DNA-based method, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a protein-based method. In this study, a real-time PCR assay was compared to a commercial ELISA kit based on sensitivity, specificity, agreement among duplicate samples, cost, time, and ease of use. Fifteen reference samples containing known percentages (0.1–99.9%, w/w) of pork and beef were analyzed in duplicate using both methods. Thirty commercial products, including sausages, pet treats, and canned meats, were also tested in duplicate with each method. Reference sample analysis showed real-time PCR was …

Enzyme Stabilization In Hierarchical Biocatalytic Food Packaging And Processing Materials, Dana Erin Wong

Doctoral Dissertations

The partnership of biocatalysts and solid support materials provides many opportunities for bioactive packaging and bioprocessing aids beneficial to the agricultural and food industries. Biocatalysis, or reactions modulated by enzymes, allows bioactive materials to assist in bringing a substrate to product. Enzymes are proteins which catalyze reactions by lowering the activation energy required to drive the production of a desired product. Enzymes are commonly utilized in food processing as catalysts with specificity in order to enhance product quality through the production of beneficial food components, and to break down undesirable components that may be harmful or may decrease product quality. …

Characterization Of Extraction Methods To Recover Phenolic-Rich Extracts From Black Beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris) That Inhibit Alpha-Amylase And Alpha-Glucosidase Using Response Surface Approaches, Mazen Alharbi

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Black beans contain high phenolic contents that are considered potent antioxidants. Relatively little is known about their ability to inhibit the carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase from releasing glucose from starch and/or disaccharides. The objective of this project was to determine the optimum procedures for extracting total phenols (TP), total flavonoids (TF) and total condensed tannins (TCT) from black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), and then to determine the ability of the phenolic rich extracts to inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Due to their high phenolic levels, it was hypothesized that black beans would be an effective inhibitor of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, which …

A Competitive Assessment Of Commercial Elderberry (Sambucus Sp.) Products And The Evaluation Of Copigmentation Within Elderberry Tinctures, Joseph A. Galetti Phd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Elderberry (Sambucus sp.) fruit is a healthful food with a variety of reported curative properties and is among the richest sources of anthocyanic pigmentation, which are the primary factors for its commercial use. Although a variety of value-added elderberry products are available to consumers, it is questionable as to which product form contains the highest nutrient levels and color stability characteristics, and represents the best value to consumers. It was the objectives of this research to evaluate a variety of commercial elderberry products, and to develop a value-added elderberry product with enhanced nutrient and color stability.

The first part …

The Influences Of Texture And Mastication Pattern On Flavor Perception Across The Lifespan, Curtis Robert Luckett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Texture is an often-overlooked food attribute and is known to influence other food characteristics. More specifically, texture has been repeatedly to influence how we perceive flavor. Several studies have linked this change in flavor perception to the altered mastication patterns that accompany texture changes. This dissertation is composed of four studies that were designed to address how American food consumers view texture and other food attributes as well as characterize how texture and mastication can influence temporal flavor dynamics. The first study was a survey that outlined consumer attitudes towards a variety of different foods. This study solidified that texture …

Comparative Evaluation Of The Effect Of Methyl Bromide Fumigation And Phytosanitary Irradiation On The Quality Of Fresh Strawberries, Tamar Serapian, Anuradha Prakash

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Fresh strawberries are highly perishable and have a short shelf-life especially when the cold chain is not maintained. Strawberries exported to Asia are currently fumigated with methyl bromide for phytosanitary purposes, which exposes strawberries to warm temperatures for several hours and air freight without temperature control, resulting in a shelf life of just a few days in the destination country. Irradiation offers an efficacious alternative to fumigation and can be performed on cold fruit. This study was conducted to compare the quality of strawberries subject to methyl bromide fumigation or irradiation followed by simulated commercial air freight shipment of strawberries …