Dietitians’ Attitudes, Perceptions, and Usage Patterns For Fresh-cut Fruit and Vegetables

2008 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine A. Sanford ◽  
Elizabeth M. Johnston ◽  
Jennifer L. Porter ◽  
Judith Lowe ◽  
Debra M. Oxby
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Sensory Quality ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Fruit And Vegetables ◽  
Nutrient Value ◽  
Vegetable Products ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Fresh Cut ◽  
Nutrition Educators

Purpose: New fresh-cut fruit and vegetable products are being developed worldwide. Nutrition educators’ perceptions of these products were studied. Methods: Professional dietitians in Nova Scotia were asked to complete a questionnaire on their use of fresh-cut produce. The questionnaire also elicited their attitudes and perceptions about the convenience, taste/quality, nutrition/health benefits, cost, and safety of fresh-cut fruit and vegetables. Results: Sixty-three percent of respondents reported eating five to six servings of fruit and vegetables a day. This group most frequently consumed fresh-cut fruit as snacks or dessert, and vegetables in stir-fry dishes or salads or cooked with meals. In general, fresh-cut fruit and vegetables were perceived as convenient, safe, and nutritious. While approximately 50% of participants felt fresh-cut produce did not differ in taste from whole fresh produce, almost the same number considered whole fresh produce superior in taste. Conclusions: Dietitians have a generally positive perception of fresh-cut products; however, there is uncertainty about the nutritional value, cost/benefit, and use of the products. Dietitians require more information on the nutrient value of these products and on suggested alternative uses. Attention should be paid to developing fresh-cut products that have good sensory quality.

scholarly journals Comparison of Generally Recognized as Safe Organic Acids for Disinfecting Fresh-cut Lettuce

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiayi Wang ◽  
Dongbing Tao ◽  
Yubo Liu ◽  
Siwen Han ◽  
Fenge Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lactic Acid ◽  
Organic Acids ◽  
Electrolyte Leakage ◽  
Sensory Quality ◽  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Microbial Reduction ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Minimal Processing ◽  
Log Reduction ◽  
Fresh Cut

ABSTRACTIn this study, we aimed to determine the organic acids (acetic, lactic, citric, malic, propionic, succinic, and tartaric acids; 1% and 0.5%, w/w or v/v) that were most effective for fresh-cut lettuce disinfection based on analysis of quality (i.e., color, electrolyte leakage, and sensory quality) and microbial examination. The results showed that these acids did not negatively affect the color quality (i.e., L*, a*, b*, whiteness index, and sensory color). Additionally, 0.5% lactic acid led to the lowest electrolyte leakage (0.83%), which was not significantly different (p > 0.05) from that of distilled water (0.46%). Lactic acid (1%) did not affect the sensory quality and led to the highest microbial reduction (1.45 log reduction in aerobic plate counts [APCs]; 2.31 log reduction in molds and yeasts [M&Y]) and was therefore recommended as the primary choice for lettuce disinfection. Malic acid (0.5%), with a 1.07% electrolyte leakage rate, 0.73 log reduction in APCs, and 1.40 log reduction in M&Y, was better than the other six acids (0.5%) and was recommended as a pH regulator and a potential synergistic agent for oxidizing sanitizers. Acetic acid (1%) negatively affected the sensory quality and led to the highest electrolyte leakage (2.90%). Microbial analysis showed that propionic acid (0.5% and 1%) was ineffective for disinfection of lettuce (p > 0.05); thus, acetic and propionic acids were not recommended. Our results provide insights into the choice of sanitizers and formula design in food safety.IMPORTANCESince chlorine is forbidden in several countries, generally recognized as safe organic acids are used in minimal processing industries and in household sanitizers. The disinfection efficacy of organic acids has been studied when used alone or with oxidizing sanitizers. However, since different antibacterial mechanisms, contact time, fresh produce, and concentration have been reported, the acids most effective for single fresh produce disinfection, especially that of lettuce, an important salad vegetable, are not known. Moreover, in developing countries, because of imperfections in field management, cold chain transportation, and minimal processing industry development, the demand for low-cost household sanitizers is greater than that for minimally processed fresh produce. In this work, microbial load in lettuce was determined after disinfecting with seven GRAS organic acids. The changes in quality were also determined. These results provide insights into the choice of minimal processing sanitizers and a formula design for household sanitizers.

scholarly journals Effect of Inulin on the Physical, Chemical and Sensory Quality Attributes of Polish Chicken Burgers

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aneta Cegielka ◽  
Krzysztof Tambor
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Processing ◽  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Sensory Quality ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Font Size ◽  
Control Product ◽  
Physical Chemical ◽  
Sensory Analyses ◽  
Addition Level

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p>Four formulations of chicken burger were prepared: control product without inulin, and products with 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0 % of inulin (in relation to the weight of meat, fatty raw material, and water), respectively. Physical, chemical and sensory analyses were made to evaluate the effect of inulin on the quality of cooked burgers. The results showed that the application of inulin did not cause significant decrease of the thermal processing yield nor the shear force of the products. However, the addition of inulin resulted in slight, but significant differences (P &lt; 0.05) in chemical composition and energy value of burgers. Burgers of all formulations were acceptable in sensory characteristics. The addition level of inulin not higher than 1.0 %, did not result in deterioration of physical, chemical and sensory quality characteristics of chicken burgers. To improve the nutritional value of chicken burgers, the modification of fatty acid composition is recommended.</p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span>

scholarly journals ANTIOXIDANT ENZYME ACTIVITY AND FRESH-CUT ARRACACHA QUALITY

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 276-282
Author(s):  
Hêmina Carla Vilela ◽  
Patrícia de Fátima Pereira Goulart ◽  
Kamila Rezende Dázio de Souza ◽  
Ana Carolina Vilas Boas ◽  
Jane Silva Roda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Antioxidant Enzymes ◽  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Storage Period ◽  
Antioxidant Enzyme Activity ◽  
Useful Life ◽  
Fresh Cut ◽  
Processing Techniques ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Microbiological Aspects

The arracacha is an alternative of fresh-cut product; however it can be easily degraded after the processing techniques. The objective of this work was to evaluate the useful life of fresh-cut arracacha submitted to two types of cuts and storage, as well as to evaluate the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The roots were selected, sanitized and submitted to two cut types: cubed and grated. Then they were evaluated at 3 times: 0, 3 and 7 days. The cutting in cubes provided higher quality and lower SOD, CAT and APX activity. However, the grated product presented higher PG activity and lower PPO activity. The microbiological safety and the nutritional value were maintained in both cuts during the whole storage period. The useful life, regarding the physicochemical, nutritional and microbiological aspects, can be established at 7 days under refrigeration for fresh-cut arracacha.

scholarly journals Nutritional, Textural, and Sensory Quality of Aloe Vera Leaf Gel Powder Fortified Plain Cake

J ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 430-443
Author(s):  
Dhrubajyoti Singha ◽  
Md. Fahad Jubayer ◽  
Kumkum Devnath ◽  
Delara Akhter ◽  
Thottiam Vasudevan Ranganathan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Activity ◽  
Sensory Quality ◽  
Aloe Vera ◽  
Quality Characteristics ◽  
Total Flavonoids ◽  
Total Polyphenols ◽  
Nutritional Profile ◽  
Nutrient Value ◽  
Freeze Dried

Aloe Vera leaves have great potential as an economic supplement with an adequate nutritional profile. The current study aimed to fortify plain (loaf) cakes with Aloe Vera leaf gel (AVG) powder. AVG was freeze-dried to produce Aloe Vera powder (ALP), and four plain (loaf) cakes were prepared with different proportions of ALP (0, 4, 6, and 8%). ALP contained significantly (p < 0.05) more protein (22.23 vs. 12.24), ash (19.83 vs. 0.64), and iron (175 vs. 3.05) than refined wheat flour (RWF). Along with total polyphenols and total flavonoids, ALP demonstrated good antioxidant activity. ALP-cakes and RWF-cakes were also evaluated for their nutritional and functional properties. The addition of 6 and 8% ALP to the formulation increased total polyphenols, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity in plain (loaf) cakes. Hardness and chewiness increased in ALP-cakes but decreased in RWF-cakes, while cohesiveness and springiness decreased in ALP-cakes. In conclusion, the best formulation was a 4% ALP incorporated cake, and ALP can be supplemented in plain cakes at a rate of up to 8% to improve nutrient value. This is the first study to evaluate the quality characteristics of fortified plain (loaf) cakes using ALP.

scholarly journals Artificial Rice As an Alternative Functional Food to Support Food Diversification Program

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica Valencia ◽  
Maria Goretti Marianti Purwanto
Keyword(s):  
Functional Food ◽  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Sensory Quality ◽  
Rice Flour ◽  
Paddy Rice ◽  
The Body ◽  
Local Resources ◽  
Risk Of Disease ◽  
Nutritional Effects

Functional food is a food that has a beneficial effect to the body beyond its adequate nutritional effects. It can help improve someone’s health and/or decrease the risk of disease. The awareness in the community of the importance of health encourages the development of functional food. One of the functional food that has been developed in Indonesia is the artificial rice. Artificial rice, an alternative paddy rice substitute, has a minimally equal value to paddy rice. Artificial rice is made to reduce people’s dependence on paddy rice and to support food diversification program to achieve food security in Indonesia. Artificial rice is made from a non-paddy rice flour with a certain compositions, so that it can be used as a vehichle to make a functional food and can be fortified with ingredients that contain functional active compounds. Indonesian researchers have developed artificial rice products by utilizing local resources, such as corn, sorghum, spices, tubers, and others, to obtain an artificial rice with improved nutritional and functional characters that have some health benefits such as antidiabetic, antioxidant, antihypertensive, and anticancer. Such development has resulted in the observation that artificial rice can be used as a functional food for rice substitute with an equal or better nutritional value than paddy rice. However, further research is still needed to improve the sensory quality of artificial rice so that it can be accepted easily by the community. Keywords: Artificial rice, food diversification, functional food, rice analogue

scholarly journals Perspectives from healthcare professionals on the nutritional adequacy of plant-based dairy alternatives: Results of a mixed methods inquiry

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bridget E. Clark ◽  
Lizzy Pope ◽  
Emily H. Belarmino
Keyword(s):  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Nutritional Value ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Nutritional Adequacy ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Nutrient Value ◽  
Dietary Choices ◽  
Template Analysis ◽  
Survey Responses

Abstract Background Healthcare professionals are important sources of nutrition and health information for Americans. As plant-based (PB) dairy alternative products increase in popularity, concerns have been raised about their nutritional adequacy, and whether consumers understand that they are not nutritionally equal to dairy. Healthcare professionals directly advise consumers on dietary choices, therefore we sought to examine their understanding and opinions of PB dairy alternatives. Methods We analyzed comments submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by health professionals (n = 191) in 2018–2019 in response to a request for public comment on the nutrition and use of dairy terms like “milk”, “cheese”, and “yogurt" on PB product labels. Survey data from healthcare professionals (n = 417) was collected in 2020–2021. Comments and survey responses to open-ended questions were coded using template analysis and thematically analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression models examined perceptions across health professional characteristics for close-ended survey responses. Results Three-fourths of health professionals believe consumers are confused about the nutritional differences between dairy and PB dairy alternatives. Over half (53%) do not believe either product is nutritionally superior to the other. Many believe dairy products have higher nutrient value, but also believe PB dairy alternatives can be part of a healthful diet. Compared to other types of health professionals, dietetics professionals demonstrated a more accurate understanding of the nutritional value of both products and were more likely to believe nutrients like protein (OR 2.02; 95% CI 1.22–3.34, p = 0.006) and vitamin D (OR 2.46; 95% CI 1.48–4.09, p = 0.001) may be nutrients of concern for PB dairy alternative consumers. They were also more likely to believe consumers are confused about these products (OR 3.44; 95% CI 1.65–7.21; p = 0.001). Health professionals who submitted comments to the FDA showed stronger opinions in favor of PB dairy alternatives. Conclusions Although PB dairy alternatives have nutritional value in certain diets, responses from health professionals suggest that changing their labeling may reduce confusion. Improved nutrition education among health professionals may also be necessary, and health professionals participating in the federal rulemaking process may not be representative of the views held by all U.S. healthcare professionals.

Response of antioxidant activity and sensory quality in fresh-cut pear as affected by high O2 active packaging in comparison with low O2 packaging

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
WL Li ◽  
XH Li ◽  
X Fan ◽  
Y Tang ◽  
J Yun
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Quality ◽  
Radical Scavenging ◽  
Modified Atmosphere Packaging ◽  
Modified Atmosphere ◽  
Dpph Assay ◽  
Surface Color ◽  
Scavenging Capacity ◽  
High O2 ◽  
Fresh Cut

Effects of active modified atmosphere packaging (initial O2/CO2: 5/5; 30/5; and 80/0) and passive packaging [initial O2/CO2: 20.8/0 (air)] on the antioxidant capacity and sensory quality of fresh-cut ‘Yaoshan’ pear stored at 4 °C for 12 days were investigated. Samples stored in high O2 (30% and 80%) packages had higher phenolics and anthocyanin contents compared with those in passive and low O2 packages. After 12 days of storage, phenolics and anthocyanin contents of 80% O2 samples were 2.5 and 12 times, respectively, higher than those in the passive package and 3 and 2 times higher than those in low O2 package. High O2 modified atmosphere packaging was effective in keeping free radical scavenging capacity as measured by the DPPH assay. The sensory evaluation indicated that surface color of cut fruits were stable for at least 12 days in the high O2 modified atmosphere packaging. The results suggested that high O2 modified atmosphere packaging could be used to inhibit browning and prolong the shelf life of fresh-cut ‘Yaoshan’ pears in spite of more than 50% loss in vitamin C content.

Texturizers for fresh-cut fruit and vegetable products

2020 ◽  
pp. 121-149
Author(s):  
Sindhu Chinnaswamy ◽  
Shalini Gaur Rudra ◽  
Ram Roshan Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Vegetable Products ◽  
Fresh Cut

scholarly journals ‘Mbare Musika is ours’: An analysis of a fresh produce market in Zimbabwe

2020 ◽  
Vol 119 (476) ◽  
pp. 311-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiela Chikulo ◽  
Paul Hebinck ◽  
Bill Kinsey
Keyword(s):  
Fresh Produce ◽  
Fresh Fruit ◽  
Fruit And Vegetables ◽  
Collaborative Relationships ◽  
Food Markets ◽  
Daily Interactions ◽  
The Creation ◽  
State Interventions ◽  
Market Infrastructure ◽  
The City

Abstract The functioning of markets is premised on the creation of collaborative relationships and networks. Food markets in Zimbabwe are evolving in response to state interventions that aim to restructure the marketplace and the flow of produce. This article explores Mbare Musika, the oldest and largest marketplace in Harare supplying the city with fresh fruit and vegetables. We analyse Mbare Musika from the perspective of the interactions among farmers and retailers, vendors, transporters, intermediaries, officials, and customers, in creating and sustaining a specific enduring market. We use actor narratives to understand the ordering and (re)ordering of people and produce in the context of informalization, shifting polycentric relationships, and market infrastructure to sustain livelihoods anchored on the circulation of large volumes of diverse fresh produce. The market is overtly economic in outlook but, intrinsically, it is a social arena where discourses are continuously reconstructed, reproduced, and expressed through daily interactions. We situate Mbare Musika in past and present sociopolitical processes of transformation in Zimbabwe.

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