Cold Beverages Research Articles

Non-nutritive sweetened beverages versus water after a 52-week weight management programme: a randomised controlled trial

Background/objectiveSugar-sweetened beverages are a substantial source of dietary sugar that can contribute to weight gain and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Dietary guidelines recommend non-nutritive sweetened (NNS) beverages to reduce sugar consumption, however, there is a need for long-term randomised controlled trials on their use. We aimed to compare the effects of NNS beverages and water on body weight during weight loss and maintenance in a behavioural weight management programme.MethodsIn this parallel-group, open-label, controlled equivalence trial, adults with a BMI of 27–35 kg/m2 who regularly consumed cold beverages were randomised 1:1 to water or NNS beverages. Participants underwent a group behavioural weight management programme comprising weekly (during the 12-week weight-loss phase) then monthly (during the 40-week weight-maintenance phase) meetings. The primary endpoint was weight change at week 52 (equivalence: two-sided P > 0.05). Secondary endpoints included changes in anthropometrics, cardiometabolic risk factors, appetite and activity levels.ResultsOf 493 participants randomised (water: n = 246; NNS beverages: n = 247), 24.1% were NNS-naïve. At week 52, water and NNS beverages were non-equivalent, with significantly greater weight loss in the NNS beverages group. Participants consuming water maintained a weight loss of 6.1 kg over 52 weeks versus 7.5 kg with NNS beverages (difference [90% CI]: 1.4 kg [–2.6, –0.2]; p < 0.05).ConclusionsDuring a 52-week behavioural weight management programme, water and NNS beverages were non-equivalent, with weight loss maintained to a statistically greater extent with NNS beverages compared with water. However, this difference was not clinically significant.Clinical trial registrationThis trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02591134

Enhancing Small Culinary Business Competitiveness: A Business Model Canvas Analysis of a Boba Drink UMKM

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; This study focuses on a culinary business in Tanjungpinang City, investigating the application of a business model canvas for UMKM Fortunate Boba, renowned for its signature boba-topped cold beverages. With the aim to enhance competitiveness amidst similar ventures, qualitative analysis employing the business canvas model approach was conducted through interviews with UMKM Fortunate Boba's owner. The results of the Business Model Canvas (BMC) analysis unveil strategic utilization of social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, e-money transaction systems, and collaborations with delivery services such as Go-Jek and Maxim to streamline order deliveries. This research underscores the practical implementation of a business model canvas to optimize the operations of UMKM Fortunate Boba, highlighting key strategies for thriving in the competitive culinary market.&#x0D; Highlight:&#x0D; &#x0D; UMKM Enhancement: This study examines the application of a business model canvas for UMKM Fortunate Boba, specializing in boba-topped cold beverages, to enhance competitiveness in a competitive culinary market.&#x0D; Qualitative Approach: Through qualitative analysis and owner interviews, the study employs the business canvas model to uncover strategic approaches, including social media utilization, e-money transactions, and delivery collaborations.&#x0D; Operational Optimization: The research underscores the practical implementation of the business model canvas, providing valuable insights into strategic adaptations that enable UMKM Fortunate Boba to thrive amidst competition and streamline operational efficiency.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keyword: Culinary Business, Business Model Canvas, Competitiveness, Qualitative Analysis, Strategic Optimization&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Mate Drinks: Evolution, History, and Contemporary Times!

Stimulating beverages are often consumed by people because these help them to rejuvenate. There are a variety of non-alcoholic drinks that are prepared for consumption daily. Caffeine is the primary stimulant observed in most beverages like coffee and tea. People worldwide consume this drink. On the other hand, green tea is a new but popular concoction prepared by steeping green tea leaves, but the caffeine content here is low enough. Therefore, despite the benefits of green tea, people still searched for a potent caffeine drink that was not safe for regular consumption. In the search for appropriate caffeinated drinks, the name Yerba Mate features a prominent one. Yerba mate is extracted from Ilex paraguariensis plants, commonly found in North-East Argentina, Southern Brazil, and Paraguay. Yerba Mate is not a discovery. People traditionally consumed it as a hot or cold beverage before the Spanish colonial era. It was common among the Káingang and Guaraní people. The Yerba Mate became famous in South America during the Spanish colonial era. In the 1900s, Julio Martin initiated the first commercial and organized production of Yerba Mate. Argentina is the biggest producer and exporter of Yerba Mate among other South American countries. Several different varieties of tea are available for consumption, but the drinking of Yerba Mate is associated with a friendly gesture, and its drinking is rooted in deep social ties. The sense of sharing in a community is a prominent feature associated with the drinking of Yerba Mate. Sharing the drink in a community serves as an invitation to open communication among people. The custom of giving messages through the Yerba Mate drink is age-old. For instance, if a woman served Yerba Mate to a Man with lemon verbena leaves, it hinted love. On the other hand, if the drink was served with bombú tree leaves, it showed rejection. During the Pandemic, the physical sharing custom of the drink replaced this tradition with video sharing. But this brought people closer in another form. The popularity of Yerba Mate, with its social roots, made its way into the world. The study aims to document the history and present popularity of Yerba Mate. Apart from the social and aphrodisiac nature of the drink, the study also focuses on the benefits of Yerba Mate. The research compares Yerba Mate with other popular beverages to assess the effectiveness of this drink.

Effects of non-nutritive sweetened beverages versus water after a 12-week weight-loss program: A randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to compare non-nutritive sweetened (NNS) beverages versus water for weight loss after a 12-week behavioral weight-management program. This is an ongoing, 2-year, parallel-group, open-label, controlled equivalence trial; week-12 data are reported. Adults with BMI of 27 to 35 kg/m2 who regularly drank cold beverages were randomized 1:1 to intention-to-treat water or NNS beverages while undergoing a weekly 12-week group behavioral weight-management program. Weight change to week 12 was the primary end point (equivalence: two-sided p > 0.05); changes in waist and hip circumference, blood pressure, glycemic control markers, fasting lipid profiles, liver function tests, hunger (visual analog scale), sugar and sweetener consumption, and activity levels were secondary end points. Overall, 493 participants were randomized (water: n = 246; NNS beverages: n = 247); 24.1% were NNS beverage naïve. Weight change was equivalent with water versus NNS beverages (-5.6 vs. -5.8 kg; difference [90% CI]: -0.2 kg [-0.7 to 0.4]). There were no significant differences between groups for secondary end points except reductions in waist circumference (greater with NNS beverages vs. water), glycated hemoglobin, and consumption of any type of sweetener (both greater with water vs. NNS beverages). Weight loss was equivalent with NNS beverages and water following a 12-week behavioral weight-management program.

Biodegradable, eco-friendly, and hydrophobic drinking straws based on delignified phosphorylated bamboo-gelatin composites

Single-use plastic straws have become one of the major global challenges due to its abundant consumption, non-degradability, and accumulation as a waste causing detrimental effects on humans, aquatic life, and the ecosystem. Recently, plastic straws have been replaced with paper straws, however, it has multiple shortcomings, such as poor water stability, wet strength, utilize non-degradable adhesives or coatings, and are of single-use only. Therefore, finding new alternative straws which are sustainable, biodegradable, mechanically robust, and water-stable is the need of the hour. The current work reports the fabrication of gelatin-infiltrated and crosslinked, mechanically robust, biodegradable, and hydrostable straws prepared using delignified phosphorylated bamboo (DPB). The presence of both charge-based electrostatic interactions (positively charged gelatin and negatively charged phosphate in DPB) and hydrogen bonding were responsible for uniform distribution of cross-linked gelatin in porous bamboo, which was optimized by varying pH and gelatin concentration. The drinking straws infiltrated with 7.5% gelatin at pH 4, shows high mechanical strength of 138 MPa, Young’s modulus of 1.38 GPa, hydrophobic surface wettability with a contact angle of 103.3°, and water stability upto ∼ 24 h. The bamboo-gelatin straws also show improved biodegradability (degradation up to 98% in 36 days), with a reduction in global warming potential by 54% and 17.6% less damage to ecosystems during end-of-life, compared to plastic straws. The migration values of straws were within the standard limits when in contact with various types of simulants such as acidic, alkaline, alcoholic, carbonated, and fatty foods tested in temperature range of 0–95 °C, making it suitable for both hot and cold beverages. In the present work, bamboo-gelatin straws derived from abundantly available biomass have the required properties to become a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic or paper straws, a step towards reducing global plastic waste and our dependency on petroleum-based products.

Study to assess the association of PMS with sociodemographic factors and various coping behaviors adopted for premenstrual symptoms

Background: Some women get through their monthly periods easily with few or no concerns. However, other women experience a host of physical and/or emotional symptoms just before and during menstruation (heavy bleeding and missed periods to unmanageable mood swings). These premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms usually start to be problematic in the adolescent years and decline in the climacteric. Symptoms have a devastating effect which starts early in life. Aims and Objectives: The study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of PMS and its association with sociodemographic factors among female students of colleges situated in Ujjain city and coping behavior adopted to alleviate these symptoms. Materials and Methods: An observational follow-up study was conducted at 4 colleges selected by convenience sampling located in Ujjain city. PMS and menstrual profile-related data from 250 girls (18–25 years) who consented to participate were collected using a modified version of the Daily Record of Severity of Problems for at least 2 consecutive menstrual cycles. The diagnosis of PMS was made using the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology criteria. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 16.0. Results: The prevalence of PMS was 39.6% and was not associated with any of the sociodemographic factors. It was found that majority of participants turned to healthy way of dealing with symptoms, i.e., taking hot or cold beverages and talking to family members. Conclusion: The frequency of PMS is relatively common in young girls, and most of the girls adopt home remedies to alleviate symptoms.

Single-use take-away cups of paper are as toxic to aquatic midge larvae as plastic cups

Single-use plastics and food packaging are the most common items polluting the environment, commonly identified in surveys and litter monitoring campaigns. There are pushes to ban these products from production and use in different regions, and to replace them with other materials viewed as “safer” or “more sustainable”. Here, we address the potential environmental impacts of take-away cups and lids used for hot and cold beverages, consisting of plastic or paper. We produced leachates from plastic cups (polypropylene), lids (polystyrene), and paper cups (lined with polylactic acid), under conditions representative of plastic leaching in the environment. The packaging items were placed and left to leach in sediment and freshwater for up to four weeks, and we tested the toxicity of contaminated water and sediment separately. We used the model aquatic invertebrate Chironomus riparius and assessed multiple endpoints both on larval stages and on emergence to the adult phase. We observed a significant growth inhibition with all the materials tested when the larvae were exposed in contaminated sediment. Developmental delays were also observed for all materials, both in contaminated water and sediment. We investigated teratogenic effects via the analysis of mouthpart deformities in chironomid larvae, and observed significant effects on larvae exposed to polystyrene lid leachates (in sediment). Finally, a significant delay in time to emergence was observed for females exposed to paper cups leachates (in sediment). Overall, our results indicate that all the tested food packaging materials can have adverse effects on chironomids. These effects can be observed from one week of material leaching in environmental conditions, and tend to increase with increasing leaching time. Moreover, more effects were observed in contaminated sediment, indicating that benthic organisms might be especially at risk. This study highlights the risk posed by take-away packaging and their associated chemicals, once discarded into the environment.

Infections transmitted by the fecal-oral route: developing a global score.

Enteric pathogens circulate widely in low-income countries, exposing residents and travelers to untreated tap water and contaminated foods. A score could enhance awareness for the risk of fecal-oral transmission. A simple score was developed based on the frequency of defecating in the open (country prevalence >1%), occurrence of domestic cholera in the period between 2021 and 2017 (≥1 case in a country in 5 years) and reported typhoid fever cases between 2015 and 2019 (rate >2/105/year). Scores were available for 199 of 214 countries; 19% scored 3 (high risk), 47% scored 1 or 2 (moderate risk), and 34% scored 0 (minimal risk). As expected, the percentage of countries scoring 3 was highest in Africa (53%) and lowest in Oceania (0%) and Europe (0%). In contrast, only 2 (4%) countries in Africa scored 0 (Canary Islands and Madeira). Travelers, expatriates, and residents should be made aware that tap water and cold beverages are unsuitable for drinking in score 3 countries. The score should help to reduce water- and food-borne illnesses.

Cold stress induces colitis-like phenotypes in mice by altering gut microbiota and metabolites.

The modernized lifestyle has been paralleled by an epidemic of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Excessive consumption of cold beverages is especially common among the modern humans. However, whether cold stress contributes directly to the gut barrier and gut-brain axis is not clear. We conducted a cold stress model induced by cold water. The mice were treated with 14 consecutive days of intragastric cold or common water administration. We observed changes in gut transit and gut barrier in the colon. We also employed RNA sequencing-based transcriptomic analysis to identify the genes potentially driving gut injury, and simultaneously examined the gut microbiota and metabolites in the feces. We found that cold stress disturbed the intestinal function and increased gut permeability. A set of core genes related to immune responses were consistently overexpressed in the cold stress group. Additionally, cold stress induced decreased bacterial diversity, ecological network, and increased pathogens mainly belonging to Proteobacteria. The dopamine signaling pathway-related metabolites were largely reduced in the cold stress group. This study revealed that cold stress could trigger an IBD-like phenotype in mice, implying that cold stress is a possible risk factor for IBD development.

Assessment of Self-Care Methods for Acute Dental Pain Among Adults During COVID-19 Dissemination and the Implementation of Teledentistry in Makkah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This cross-sectional study aims to explore the prevalence ofacute dental pain, different self-care methods done by adults to manage this pain, and the utilization of teledental platformsduring the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period. The study was conducted in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. A total of 727 participants answered the study questionnaire, which was distributed as an online survey on different social media platforms. The modified dental pain screening questionnaire (M-DePaQ) was used to obtain dental pain-related characteristics of subjects. Also, self-care and formal-care strategies for pain relief questionnaire for most recent toothache and additional questions developed by the authors related to virtual clinics were used to determine the need for implementation of teledentistry and remote dental consultations. Data was entered in SPSS (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression. Around 39% out of 727 participants experienced dental pain during the COVID-19 Makkah city lockdown; 58%of them reported that the pain was related to a tooth.The majority reported that it was exaggerated with coldbeverages and foods [67.1%]. A chi-square association test showed that the age group between 20-30 significantly used the Sehaty(Lean, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) application more than other age groups. Additionally, women were notably found to use home remedies more frequently than men. Furthermore, individuals with a bachelor's degree believed more in the importance of having a virtual dental clinic during the periods of lockdown. During the COVID-19 pandemic, acute dental pain and self-medication were found common among this study population.The practice of self-medication was also documentedfrequently, therefore, it is important to educate the general population on the proper way to manage dental pain. However, The use of teledentistry services was found uncommon, so to improve patient care especially when accessibility to professional treatment is difficult, the implementation of teledental services need to be considered.

Modelling and optimisation of ultrasound-assisted extraction of roselle phenolic compounds using the surface response method

Extracts from Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (roselle) have been used traditionally as a food, in herbal medicine, in hot and cold beverages, as flavouring or coloring agent in the food industry. In vitro and in vivo studies and trials provide evidence, but roselle is poorly characterised phytochemically due to the extraction processes. The optimization of the extraction of phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activities is still a hot topic. In this study, the effect of solute/solvent ratio (33, 40 and 50 mg/mL), extraction temperature (40, 50 and 60 °C) and extraction time (30, 60 and 90 min) was evaluated through the content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. A response surface methodology through a Box–Behnken design was applied and model fit, regression equations, analysis of variance and 3D response curve were developed. The results showed that TPC, TFC, DPPH and FRAP were significantly influenced by temperature, extraction time and solvent/solute ratio. Thus, TPC, TFC, DPPH and FRAP varied from 5.25 to 10.58 g GAE/100 g DW; 0.28 to 0.81 g QE/100 g DW; 0.24 to 0.70 mg/mL; 2.4 to 6.55 g AAE/100 g DW respectively. The optimal experimental condition (41.81 mg/mL; 52.35 °C and 57.77 min) showed a significant positive effect compared to conventional methods. The experimental values at this extraction condition show that this optimization model is technologically, financially and energetically viable as it requires a reasonable concentration, time and temperature.

Effect of Hot and Cold Beverages on the Flexural Strength of Nanofilled and Nanohybrid Composites: An In-vitro Study

Introduction: Nanocomposites is the latest development in the field of dentistry. It has improved mechanical properties. The clinical success is dependent on the effect of changes in the oral temperature due to consumption of various beverages. Aim: To evaluate and compare the effect of hot and cold beverages on the flexural strength of nanofilled and nanohybrid composites. Materials and Methods: This in-vitro study was carried out in the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics at Bharati Vidyapeeth Dental College and Hospital, Sangli, Maharashtra, India, from March 2021 to December 2021. Two types of nanocomposites (nanofilled and nanohybrid) were tested for flexural strength under effect of hot (like tea) and cold (like carbonated drink) beverages. All composite specimens were immersed in tea, carbonated beverage and distilled water thus the present study included six groups. A total of 60 specimens (25 mm in length, 3 mm in width, 2 mm in thickness were prepared using teflon moulds with 10 samples for each combination. Maximum load for distortion of the sample was measured after seven days of immersion and flexural strength was calculated. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test, Post-hoc Tukey test and Independent t-test were utilised to compare the differences in flexural strength among study groups. Statistical significance was fixed at p-value ≤0.05. Results: The flexural strength of nanohybrid composite immersed in tea was 85.78 MPa, in aerated drink was 95.55 MPa and in distilled water was 126.78 MPa. The flexural strength of nanofilled composite immersed in tea was 73.66 MPa, in aerated drink was 85.35 MPa and in distilled water was 120.54 MPa. Nanohybrid composite compared to nanofilled composite showed higher flexural strength in all beverages. Conclusion: Nanohybrid composites were found to have greater mechanical properties as compared to nanofilled composites when subjected to both hot and cold temperatures.

Evaluation of Color Stability of Temporary Crown and Bridge Materials against External Staining: A Comparative In vitro Study

Abstract Background: Temporary restorations are essential part of fixed prosthodontic treatment as they function to protect the abutment tooth during the fabrication of final prosthesis. Objectives: The objective of the study was (i) to assess color stability of three temporary crown and bridge restorative materials toward external staining due to commonly consumed beverages and also at different time intervals of 1, 3, and 5 weeks and (ii) To assess the discoloration effect of different staining agents on the three temporary crown and bridge materials. Materials and Methods: Protemp4, Accutemp, and Oratemp, commercially available temporary crown and bridge restorative materials, were assessed after immersion into the staining solutions such as coffee, cold beverage (Coke), chlorhexidene mouthwash, turmeric solution, and synthetic saliva for 1, 3, and 5 weeks. The color measurement was performed using an NS 810 spectrophotometer, which is in accordance with the International Commission on Illumination. The statistical analysis used was analysis of variance test, Bonferroni test, post hoc correction, and Tukey’s test. Results: It was observed that the factors which significantly affected color stability included the constitution of provisional material, type, and exposure time of the staining solution. Oratemp manifested maximum discoloration, whereas Accutemp manifested the least discoloration on exposure to staining solutions for 5 weeks. Turmeric solution had the most remarkable color change on all types of temporary crown and bridge materials. Conclusion: Accutemp could be preferred for long-term provisional restorations, whereas Protemp4 and Oratemp can be given for a shorter time period.

Beneficial Effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa in Diabetic Wistar Rats

Hibiscus sabdariffa is a yearly shrub that is widely grown in some Asian and African countries including Nigeria where it is commonly prepared as a hot or cold beverage and also used as medicine. It is applied in folklore remedies in the treatment of some ailments. This study was aimed at investigating the effects of the aqueous calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa on some biochemical parameters of diabetic male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into four (4) groups of five (5) rats each. Group one (1) which served as non diabetic (negative) control received distilled water only. Group 2 served as diabetic control and received distilled water after alloxan-induced diabetes. Group three (3) and group four (4) were diabetic rats that received 250mg/kg bw and 500mg/kg bw of the aqueous calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa respectively, for a period of four (4) weeks. The Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS version 21.0) was used for the analysis. Differences between group means was tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and compared using the post hoc test. P&lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. The results obtained showed that the higher dose of the extract caused a significant decrease in blood glucose level in 4 weeks of the study. The changes observed in the plasma concentrations of electrolytes indicated that the extract significantly improved diabetes induced decrease in Cl- level while changes in Na+, K+ and HCO3- were not statistically significant. It also significantly improved lipid profile and reduced oxidative stress in diabetic male Wistar rats. This study revealed that, the calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa demonstrated anti-hyperglycemic effects in diabetic Wistar rats.

Names of food and beverages in Russian-Ukrainian translation dictionaries of the early 20th century

Various dictionaries created for peculiar purposes play an important role in obtaining the necessary information as well as the translated general language reference books. Nowadays we observe considerable interest in the lexicographic heritage of the first post-revolutionary years and the times of Ukrainization. Among the popular sources are: «Moscow-Ukrainian Dictionary» (1918) by V. Dubrovskyi, «Russian-Ukrainian Dictionary» (1918) by S. Ivanytskyi and F. Shumanskyi, academic «Russian-Ukrainian Dictionary» (1924–1933) A. Krymskyi and S. Yefremov under ed. Consequently, the above mentioned resources became the subject of our research.&#x0D; The main purpose of this study is to both select and analyze the food and beverages vocabulary which is recorded in these three dictionaries, compare its spelling and word-formation features within the diverse dictionaries of the same timeframe, as well as to trace the usage and fixation of these words in the modern Ukrainian language.&#x0D; Lexicographic works of the post-revolutionary era contain a considerable number of units related to food and beverages. All three dictionaries contain as many as 700 of such units. The vast majority of identified names have remained popular till today, with the exception of some interesting, little-known, rare, dialectal and regional units.&#x0D; According to our estimates, the recorded food vocabulary is quantitatively greater than the amount of units related to beverages. Nevertheless, the analyzed dictionaries highlight a high number of diverse types of beverages, specifically alcoholic ones.&#x0D; The highest toll of units accounts for diversified flour products (including baked, boiled and fried ones). Especially varied are the names of pastries that are intendedly used for daily consumption, although there are also present the names of the festive bread products. Predominantly, it happens to be Ukrainian traditional and well-known till nowadays (in rare cases – foreign) food vocabulary units.&#x0D; Additionally, the analyzed dictionaries show a record of quite a large scale of the animal source foods, including meat and fish ones. A large number of dairy products both raw and cooked are found throughout the research. There are many names of dishes from different vegetables and cereals, for instance – soups, porridges etc. Meat is often supposed to be one of the components of such a meal. The most commonly noticed ingredients include potatoes and cabbage out of vegetables and millet, buckwheat, corn, peas, and oats out of cereals.&#x0D; The names of sweets and desserts which are quite diverse in most of the cases form the long-established and modernly used lexical units. These nouns include both colloquial and non-normative lexemes that have different spelling, grammatical structure and features, etc.&#x0D; Wide group of listings in the analyzed sources is related to the names of drinks. Especially commonly used are the names of alcoholic beverage groups like liqueurs, bitters, wines, varieties of vodka, etc. The names of those beverages vary humongously and arise on the basis of raw material they are made of. Modern lexicographical sources contain both well-known types of these beverages as well as less familiar names.&#x0D; Dictionaries include the names of non-alcoholic hot and cold beverages which are grossly understated compared to other groups. All the topic related names are widely spread and are commonly known.&#x0D; In addition, together with the above mentioned food and beverages vocabulary, the studied sources present us a number of lexemes that are used to have completely different meanings in modern lexicographic sources. The analysis, additionally, demonstrates the words that normally belongs to different lexical and semantic groups, but in the modern Ukrainian vocabulary is also used to define food. This include both ambiguous and homonymous lexemes.

Environmental and socio-psychological drivers of building users’ behaviours: a case study of tertiary institutional offices in Auckland

PurposeBetter identification of comfort preferences and occupant behaviour drivers is expected to improve buildings’ user-centred designs and energy operations. To understand the underline drivers of occupant behaviours in office buildings, this study aims to evaluate the inter-relationships among occupant energy behaviours, indoor environmental quality satisfaction, user control and social-psychological factors influencing occupant behaviours in New Zealand offices.Design/methodology/approachUsing an occupant perception survey, this study identifies the occupant behaviour patterns based on multi-domain comfort preferences. A case study was conducted in five office spaces of a university in Auckland, New Zealand. Data were collected from 52 occupants and analysed using descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis. Indoor environmental quality, user control, motivational, opportunity and ability factors were the independent variables considered. A model to predict the behaviours using environmental, building and social-psychological aspects was developed.FindingsThe results showed that the primary sources of indoor environmental quality discomfort were related to thermal and air quality, while occupants’ indoor environmental quality satisfaction correlated with their comfort preferences. The outcomes emphasise how the connection between building systems and occupants’ comfort preferences affect the choice of occupant behaviours in offices. Also, the primary occupant behaviours were drinking hot and cold beverages, opening/closing windows and internal doors and adjusting clothing. The binary logistic regression analysis showed that occupants’ perceived user control satisfaction is the main driver for increasing window actions. No other independent variable showed a statistically significant association with other behaviours.Originality/valueThis study adopted a novel approach to assess the combined effects of comfort preferences, occupant energy behaviours and various environmental, building and socio-psychological factors for modelling energy-saving behaviours in office buildings.

Comparative Flavor Profile of Roasted Germinated Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Beverages Served Hot and Cold Using Electronic Sensors Combined with Chemometric Statistical Analysis.

In order to fulfill the objective of the comparative flavor profiling of hot and cold serving, different concentrations of hot (hot infusion) and cold (boiled and cold serving) roasted-steamed-germinated wheat beverages were prepared in order to explore the comparative profile of the amino acids, volatiles, taste, total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant capacities, including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH) and the Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity (TEAC). The instrumental analysis was performed using electronic sensors (an electric nose and an electric tongue), high-performance liquid chromatography, and spectrophotometry, and the statistical assessment was conducted using univariate (correlation pattern and heatmap) and multivariate (clustering and principal component analysis) analyses. The cold beverages at the highest concentration showed the highest values of TFC, TPC, DPPH, and TEAC, showing 32.31 ± 1.13 μg CE/100 mL, 202.37 ± 20.94 μg GAE/100 mL, 68.43 ± 3.41 μM TE/100 mL, and 126.66 ± 4.00 mM TE/100 mL, respectively. The correlation analysis revealed a remarkable correlation between the taste and the flavor compounds. The clustering analysis and the PCA clearly divided the key metabolites, which were attributed to the different tastes in the hot and cold beverages. This study clearly demonstrates the impact of different temperatures on the aroma metabolites, the taste, and the characteristics of wheat beverages.

Natural Antioxidant from Hibiscus Sabdariffa Extract: Assessments on Extraction Yield, Antioxidant Capacity and Total Polyphenol Content of Different Polarities of Solvent Extracts

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (H. sabdariffa, roselle; Malvaceae) has traditionally been used as food, in herbal drinks, hot and cold beverages, as a flavoring agent in the food industry and as herbal medicine. The effect of solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol) on extraction yield, antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content were studied. The antioxidant capacities of the H. sabdariffa extracts were evaluated using a ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and the free-radical scavenging capacity was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. The polyphenols from H. sabdariffa extracts were determined by total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). The ethanol extract showed the highest extraction yield (38.39 ± 0.29%) and total antioxidant activity: DPPH (73.96 ± 0.7%) and FRAP (72.93 ± 2.4 mmol Fe2+ g−1). The same extract also exhibited the highest phenolic content (312.25 ± 0.17 mg gallic acid equivalent g−1). Meanwhile, for flavonoid content, the ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts shared the same amount, at 6.29 ± 0.35 mg quercetin equivalent g−1. High antioxidant capacity was significantly correlated with high phenolic content. This study suggests that ethanolic extracts of H. sabdariffa can be used as good sources of natural antioxidants for health benefits.

Testing the validity of immersive eating environments against laboratory and real life settings

IntroductionImmersive environments are widely used as a proxy for real life settings for consumer and sensory evaluations. Yet, the external validity of immersive environments is poorly understood. This study investigated whether sense of presence, liking, beverage desire, consumption, and choice are consistent across a real-life setting compared to a sensory laboratory and two different immersive environments. MethodologyThis study followed a randomised balanced cross over design. Participants (n = 80; n = 25 male, n = 55 female, aged 18–65 years) completed four evaluations separated by two to four weeks. Conditions included 1) an individual partitioned testing booth (control), 2) an evoked context showing photos of a café, 3) a virtual reality (VR) session showing a 360○ recording of the same café via a VR headset (360VR), and 4) the same café in real life. After one-minute immersion time, participants rated desire (9-point scale) for hot and cold beverages. Then, participants tasted 25 ml samples of water (control n = 1) and apple juice (n = 5, randomised) varying in sweetness and sourness, and rated liking (9-point hedonic scale) and prospective consumption (5-point scale from ‘none’ to ‘two or more cups’). Participants were then provided with a ∼ 530 ml cup of apple juice and asked to sip, complete the 25 item EsSense Profile (a measure of emotion), and then consume ad libitum. On completion, participants ordered a drink from a menu of eight hot or cold, high or low energy options, and reported sense of presence (7-point Likert scale). ResultsSense of presence increased significantly from the laboratory (estimated means 1.81 ± 0.12), evoked context (3.60 ± 0.15), 360VR (5.25 ± 0.15), and real café (6.40 ± 0.11) conditions, all p values < 0.001. Compared to the laboratory, samples were liked more when evaluated in the evoked context (estimated mean difference from the laboratory 0.22 ± 0.11, p = 0.04) and the real café (estimated mean difference 0.22 ± 0.09, p = 0.01), but not the 360VR condition (estimated mean difference = 0.17 ± 0.10, p = 0.10). There was no significant difference in the frequency of emotion terms selected between conditions (all p values > 0.05), and condition was not significantly associated with apple juice prospective consumption (p = 0.10), intake (grams) (p = 0.16) and time taken for consumption (p = 0.41). Moreover, there was no significant association between the type of drink chosen from the menu and condition (p = 0.76). ConclusionThe 360VR condition was more successful than the picture evoked context in making participants feel they were present in a café. However, liking measures recorded in the 360VR condition were consistent with liking measured in the laboratory. In this case, measurement of apple juice liking is not suitable under controlled laboratory conditions and should be measured under more realistic context, either in real life or realistic conditions that are more immersive than those used in this study. Whereas both the laboratory and immersive environments were valid settings for measuring beverage choice and desire (to some extent), apple juice emotion profile and consumption, suggesting that taking these measurements under immersive or real-life café conditions is unnecessary for apple juice.

Paradoxical Association Between Dietary Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Risk: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Patient Responses from A Tertiary Care Hospital

A decrease in cardiovascular event risk with a decrease in total and LDL – cholesterol level is termed as “cholesterol paradox” or “risk factor reversal”. Cardiovascular risk does not have a linear relationship between LDL – cholesterol levels, and other substantial risk factors of cardiovascular events are being disregarded. The aim of this study is, to identify modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular events other than those well proved to cause dyslipidemia. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 652 participants in a tertiary care hospital. Patients were grouped into two, based on the history of cardiovascular events. Demographics and patient responses captured using pre-validated questionnaires were analyzed. 5mL blood samples were collected by venipuncture and lipid profile was estimated. Association between cardiovascular events and explanatory variables. was determined using Chi square test and Odds ratio at 95% confidence intervals. Higher risk of CV events was found among smokers 0.232 [0.144 – 0.373]. Consumption of white sugar, refined oil, processed cold beverages and fast food products increased CV risk respectively. Moreover, total cholesterol, LDL-C and triglycerides were found to decrease after one year of counselling the patients. The classical hypothesis of dyslipidemia induced atherosclerosis may not be the predominant cause of CV events. Herein, we report no association between high fat diet and CV risk while we observed higher risk in consumers of refined and ultra processed food products. However, significant control of cholesterol was observed in patients who shifted to Unrefined food products.