Role of Sensory Appeal, Nutritional Quality, Safety, and Health Determinants on Convenience Food Choice in an Academic Environment

Breaking Conventional Eating Habits: Perception and Acceptance of 3D-Printed Food among Taiwanese University Students

Considering the prevalent strain on environmental resources imparted by existing food systems, prioritizing environmental sustainability is an imperative course of action. Subsequently, the shift towards sustainable production and consumption patterns engenders an escalating demand for environmentally conscious food systems. Thus, 3D-printed food technology surfaces are a promising solution noted for their efficacy in curtailing food waste, bolstering environmental sustainability, and imparting innovative strategies to the food supply chain. Herein, we amalgamate the theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework with several variables, namely 'sensory appeal', 'food neophobia', 'perceived health risk', and 'environmental friendliness' to probe the behavioral intentions of Taiwanese university students' perceptions about 3D-printed food. Employing the snowball sampling method, 370 questionnaires were disseminated, out of which 319, constituting an effective retrieval rate of 86.2%, were deemed valid. Statistical analysis produced intriguing findings. Consumers' inclination to purchase 3D-printed food is substantially determined by their attitudes, subjective norms, sensory appeal, food neophobia, perceived health risks, and environmental friendliness. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, perceived behavioral control did not exhibit a significant impact on consumers' propensity to purchase 3D-printed food. Therefore, businesses should focus on magnifying the sensory appeal of 3D-printed food, coupled with precise nutritional labeling, to bolster consumer interest, enhance acceptance, and augment behavioral intentions. This study sheds light on the potential for the development of 3D-printed food in Taiwan, providing an indispensable reference for future endeavors in Taiwan's 3D-printed food industry.

Effect of Biobased Cling Films on Cheese Quality: Color and Aroma Analysis for Sustainable Food Packaging

Biobased and biodegradable polymeric materials are a sustainable alternative to the conventional plastics used in food packaging. This study investigated the possible effect of biobased cling films derived from renewable and circular and sustainable sources on key cheese sensory parameters (appearance and odor) able to influence consumer acceptance or rejection of a food product over time. For this purpose, a semi-hard cheese was selected as food model and stored for 14 days at 5 °C wrapped with five cling films: two bio-plastic materials from renewable circular and sustainable sources (R-BP1 and R-BP2), one bio-plastic film from a non-renewable source (NR-BP), and two conventional cling films (LDPE and PVC). Three analytical approaches (image analysis, electronic nose, and sensory test) were applied to evaluate the variation and the acceptability in terms of appearance and odor of the cheese. In preserving cheese color, the R-BP1 and RBP2 films were comparable to LDPE film, while NR-BP film was comparable to PVC film. In terms of odor preservation, R-BP2 film was comparable to LDPE and PVC. The consumer test showed that appearance and odor scores were higher for cheeses stored in R-BP1 and R-BP2 films than NR-BP film. Moreover, in terms of odor, R-BP1 film performed better than conventional films. This study shows how biodegradable cling films from renewable circular and sustainable resources could have comparable performance to conventional plastics (LDPE and PVC) used in the food sector.

Regulation mechanism of ionic strength on the ultra-high freeze-thaw stability of myofibrillar protein microgel emulsions

The regulation mechanism of ionic strength (0-1000 mM) on the freeze-thaw (FT) stability of emulsions stabilized by myofibrillar protein microgel particles (MMP) was systematically investigated. High ionic strength emulsions (300-1000 mM) exhibited stability after five FT cycles. With ionic strength increasing, the repulsive force between particles gradually reduced, the flocculation degree (20.72 ∼ 75.60%) and apparent viscosity of emulsions gradually rose (69 ∼ 170 mPa·s), promoting the formation of protein network structures in the continuous phase. Concurrently, the interfacial proteins rearranged (18.8 ∼ 104.2 s^-1) and aggregated rapidly, facilitating the formation of a stable interface network structure, ultimately improving its stability. Besides, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed that the interfacial proteins gradually aggregated, further forming a network with the MMP in the continuous phase, allowing MMP emulsions with enhanced FT stability at high ionic strength (300-1000 mM). This study was beneficial to produce emulsion-based sauces with ultra-high FT stability.

Sweet Wine Production from the Side-Stream of Industrial Corinthian Currant Processing: Product Quality, Antioxidant Capacity, and Volatilome

In the frame of efforts to add value to the Mediterranean currant cultivation and processing sectors, which is essential for their sustainability, sweet wine production is proposed from the finishing side-stream (FSS) of premium quality Corinthian currants, involving complete fermentation using an alcohol-tolerant yeast followed by (i) the addition of FSS to extract sugars or (ii) syrup made from FSS to adjust sweetness. Wine was also made by (iii) ceasing fermentation at the desired sugar level by ethanol addition. The non-fortified wines had 15.2-15.5% ethanol, 115-145 g/L residual sugar, 7.2-7.6 g/L titratable acidity, low volatile acidity (VA; <0.33 g/L), 280-330 mg/L phenolic content (TPC) (as gallic acid), and 23.8-35.6 mg/L antioxidant capacity (AC) (as ascorbic acid). In total, 160 volatiles were identified by SPME GC-MS, including compounds derived from the grapes, the raisin drying, and the fermentation process. The non-fortified wines had better characteristics (mainly VA, AC, and TPC) than the fortified wine, while sweetness adjustment by FSS is the simplest and lowest cost method since it does not involve ethanol or syrup addition. The proposed methods can lead to good quality sweet wines with a characteristic fruity (grape/raisin) flavor that could be commercialized as specialty raisin beverages or liqueurs.

Effect of Acidic Electrolysed Water and Pulsed Light Technology on the Sensory, Morphology and Bioactive Compounds of Pennywort (Centella asiatica L.) Leaves

Pennywort (Centella asiatica) is a herbaceous vegetable that is usually served in the form of fresh-cut vegetables and consumed raw. Fresh-cut vegetables are in high demand as they offer convenience, have fresh-like quality and are potentially great for therapeutic applications. However, it could be the cause of foodborne outbreaks. Pulsed light is known as a decontamination method for minimally processed products. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of pulsed light in combination with acidic electrolysed water on the sensory, morphological changes and bioactive components in the leaves of pennywort during storage. A combination of soaking with acidic electrolysed water (AEW) at pH 2.5 and pulsed light (PL) treatment (1.5 J/cm²) was tested on the leaves of pennywort. After treatment, these leaves were refrigerated (4 ± 1 °C) for two weeks and evaluated on the basis of sensory acceptance, the visual appearance of the epidermal cell and bioactive compounds. In terms of sensorial properties, samples treated with the combined treatment were preferred over untreated samples. The combination of AEW and PL 1.5 J/cm² was the most preferred in terms of purchasing and consumption criteria. Observations of the epidermal cells illustrated that PL treatment kept the cell structure intact. The bioactive phytocompounds found in the leaves of pennywort are mainly from the triterpene glycosides (asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid) and are efficiently preserved by the combined treatment applied. In conclusion, the combination of acidic electrolysed water and pulsed light treatment is beneficial in retaining the sensory quality and bioactive compounds in the leaves of Pennywort during storage at 4 ± 1 °C.

Integrasi Metode Kano dan Turf dalam Evaluasi Sensori Minuman Cokelat Instan Komersial

Sensory attribute is one of quality parameter that affects buying intention of consumer for commercial instant chocolate drink product. Evaluation of consumer liking using hedonic method or ideal profile method was not enough to fulfill consumer satisfaction. This research aims to identify sensory attributes which are able to give consumer satisfaction using survey method integrated with structural equation model (SEM), Kano method, and total unduplicated reach and frequency (TURF). Kano method is used to evaluate sensory attributes based on consumer satisfaction, while TURF is used to identify sensory component which is able to increase buying intention of consumers with regard to the range and frequency for chocolate instant commercial drink. Preliminary research conducted by modelling consumer preferences suggested that there was an influence of 0.76 sensory attributes to consumer satisfaction. Seven samples were purchased from market and evaluated by 30 untrained panelists using home use test with an approach of consumer habit to consume hot chocolate drink once a week. The panelists were chosen from people who consume commercial instant chocolate drink. Results of this research showed that sensory attributes creamy (texture) and dark chocolate (color) were attractive features which were able to improve consumer satisfaction. Atribute sweet (taste) was categorized as must-be features, while flavor, aroma, and color were classified as one-dimensional features. Combination of attributes in one category can improve the range to reach the targeted consumers and frequency of consumers towards the product, for example attribute creamy can reach 97%, but combination of attributes creamy and thickness can reach 100% of the targeted consumers.

Food Handling Practices for Apple Drying in Home Kitchens in the United States: A Survey

ABSTRACT

Fruit drying has traditionally received little food safety attention in spite of Salmonella outbreaks and recalls involving low-moisture foods. This study was conducted to assess the food safety implications during the home drying process, with dried apples as an example. A cohort of home apple dryers (n = 979) participated in an online survey through Qualtrics XM in May 2021. The results showed that participants' knowledge of safe food handling practices regarding dried fruit was low. On average, participants used only 8 of 18 identified food safety practices during apple drying. The survey revealed inadequate frequency of hand washing during apple preparation, potential points of cross-contamination from kitchen tools, lack of hurdle technology without a pretreatment step, failure to incorporate a thermal kill step during drying, and a lack of objective measurements to ensure that target parameters are attained. Participants mainly pretreated apples for sensory improvement instead of microbial reduction. When presented with some benefits of pretreatment, participants who did not pretreat their apples considered doing so to kill bacteria. The use of safe food handling practices differed within demographic groups. Participants 18 to 39 years old (mean = 7.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.26, 7.67) and 40 to 59 years old (mean = 7.43; 95% CI = 7.16, 7.70) reported using fewer safe practices than did those >60 years old (mean = 8.49; 95% CI = 8.22, 8.75), and participants who identified as male (mean = 7.38; 95% CI = 7.16, 7.60) reported using fewer safe practices than did those identifying as female (mean = 7.92; 95% CI = 7.74, 8.11). The findings of this study provide food handling data to support the development of more accurate food safety risk assessment models and to guide the development of food safety education for consumers who dehydrate produce in the home.

HIGHLIGHTS

Influence of Common Reducing Agents on Technological Parameters of Dry-Fermented Sausages with Low Fat Content

The production of dry-fermented sausages currently presents several challenges to be addressed: nutrition, health, sensory traits and technology are among the main issues that concern consumers and the meat industry. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different reducing agents commonly used in the manufacture of dry-fermented sausages (salchichon type) with low fat content on the technological characteristics of the product. Four different reducing agents (ascorbic acid, a starter culture, sodium ascorbate and glucono-delta-lactone) were added to the meat batter to assess their impact on the physico-chemical traits, instrumental color, residual nitrates and nitrites and lipid oxidation of this meat product. High nitrate values were observed during both ripening and storage periods. All batches presented lipid oxidation values below the threshold that indicates meat rancidity. Adjustments of the original lean:fat proportion must be carried out on this low fat content sausage to obtain profitable results. Starter culture and sodium ascorbate have shown the best reducing and antioxidant activities among the additives studied. Once we have the technical design of the product, the next step will be oriented to identify the sensory characteristics in order to find a gap in the market.

Acceptability of orange corn-common bean as an alternative to corn-soybean complementary porridge in Malawi

This study assessed the acceptability of porridge from a corn-common bean flour blend to increase the diversity of complementary foods in Malawi. Porridges prepared using commercial corn-soybean flour (C-CSB), homemade orange corn-soybean flour (H-CSB), and orange corn-common bean flour (CCBB) were evaluated by 101 pairs of mothers and their respective children aged from 6 to 24 months. A home use test (HUT) setup was used in this study, and the flours were given sequentially to participating households following a randomized complete block design. Each sample type was evaluated for 3 days in a row followed by a 1-day break (washout period) between sample types. Based on aggregate mean scores, all the samples were liked by both the children and their mothers. However, clustering results revealed two distinct consumer segments for mothers as well as for children. Most of the mothers (59.4% in cluster 1) liked all the samples, while the minority (cluster 2) were neutral (neither like nor dislike) regarding the H-CSB porridge. Likewise, most children (66.3% in cluster 2) liked all the samples, while the rest in cluster 1 did not like CCBB porridge. Infants (≤12 months) and those from food-insecure households, respectively, were 5.42 and 6.75 times more likely to like the CCBB porridge than their counterparts. The study has demonstrated the potential of introducing CCBB complementary porridge in Malawi and possibly in other countries with similar food preferences and socioeconomic stature. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The study provides a solution to the limited diversity of complementary foods in sub-Saharan Africa and Malawi in particular. The findings can help food scientists, nutritionists, marketers, and policymakers develop strategies for promoting the consumption of orange corn-common bean porridge. Furthermore, the findings can inform decisions on commercializing orange corn-common bean flour by flour processors.

Sensory and Consumer Research Has a Role in Supporting Sustainability of the Food System

How can sensory and consumer research contribute to the sustainability of a food system [...]

The Edible Gray Oyster Fungi Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) P. Kumm a Potent Waste Consumer, a Biofriendly Species with Antioxidant Activity Depending on the Growth Substrate

Nowadays, climate change is not the only threat facing our planet. There are also other types of pollution such as waste that poisons soils and water and kills plants, harming humans and animals. Sustainability represents a key issue for the actual Global Citizen. For this reason, our article is dedicated to offering biofriendly solutions to decrease wastes, give them a positive meaning, such as a substrate for an edible oyster fungus with nutritive and biological properties usefully for humans. Three types of wastes such as coconut coir, pine sawdust, and paper waste-representative symbols of pollution in Ecuador-have been tested as suitable growing substrate for the edible fungi Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq. ex Fr.) P. Kumm by analyzing parameters such as Biological Efficiency, Mushroom Yield, and Productive Rate. The influence of these "waste" substrates on the nutritive (protein content), biological characteristic (antioxidant activity), and the content of human-health-sustaining compounds (phenols, flavonoids) were also evaluated using the Kjeldahal, DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and Folin-Ciocalteu methods. The results indicate that all the waste products represent desirable substrates for growing the edible fungi, with more focus on coconut coir waste (one of the principal pollution problems in Ecuador), but that also achieved the increase in the fungi's desirable characteristics. Coconut coir waste could be an environmentally friendly solution that also offers for humans additional nutritive and healthy benefits.