Evaluation Of Quality Attributes Research Articles

A Discrete Event Simulation Model for the Analysis of Software Quality Attributes


 
 
 A discrete event simulation model for evaluating quality attributes, employing the software architecture, is proposed in this work. A metamodel of the software architecture domain that includes the concepts required for measuring quality attributes at runtime is specified. So, a simulation model is built from it, following the principles of hierarchy and modularity, assembling simple blocks to obtain complex blocks. DEVS framework is applied to obtain a decoupled model from the simulator, and the DEVS formalism is used to specify the elements of the simulation model.
 The objective of this approach is to provide information about the quality attributes that can be measured at runtime, introducing the discrete event simulation in the context of the software architecture design. This quantitative information will assist the architect to make decisions about the design of the system.
 
 

Evaluating Quality Attributes of Four Fresh Fig (Ficus carica L.) Cultivars Harvested at Two Maturity Stages

The effect of two fruit maturity stages on the quality attributes of four fresh fig cultivars was examined, including consumer acceptance and antioxidant capacity. Fig quality attributes such as weight, soluble solids concentration (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), SSC:TA, firmness, antioxidant capacity, and consumer acceptance varied by cultivar. Fig cultivars harvested at the advanced maturity stage (“tree ripe”) had lower TA and firmness but higher weight, SSC, and SSC:TA than figs harvested at “commercial maturity.” Fig maturity did not affect antioxidant capacity, but tree ripe figs had higher consumer acceptance than commercial maturity figs. SSC was more highly correlated with consumer acceptance than TA or SSC:TA, but other factors may also be important in controlling this relationship. Cultivars with high SSC and firmness, at a maturity stage high enough to tolerate harvesting and postharvest handling, should be selected to develop the fresh fig industry. Because fig firmness is a concern, changes to packaging should be evaluated to protect the flavor of advanced maturity figs during postharvest handling.

Evaluation of a pre-cut heat treatment as an alternative to chlorine in minimally processed shredded carrot

Abstract The effect of a pre-cut heat treatment (100 °C/45 s) as an alternative decontamination treatment to chlorinated-water (200 ppm active chlorine/1 min, 5 °C) was evaluated in minimally processed carrot (shredded). The quality of shredded carrots was studied just after minimal processing and during storage at 5 °C (10 days) by evaluating microbial (total mesophilic aerobic, yeast and moulds and lactic acid bacteria counts), physical–chemical (soluble solids content, pH, titratable acidity, whiteness index), physiological (peroxidase activity and headspace analysis) and sensorial attributes (colour, fresh-like appearance, aroma and general acceptance). The relationships between sensory perception of undesired changes, microbial contamination threshold, physico-chemical and physiological indices were investigated and compared between heat-treated and control samples. The use of heat in pre-cut carrot proved to be more efficient than chlorinated-water concerning microbial control (threshold concentration of 7 Log10 cfu g− 1), providing an acceptable fresh-like quality product during 10 days of storage (5 °C), which corresponds to a 3-day shelf-life extension compared to control samples. Heat-treated shredded carrot showed lower respiratory and POD activities than chlorinated samples suggesting that the use of heat provides a metabolic activity lowering effect besides the microbial effect which could be important to shelf-life extension of the fresh-cut product. Industrial relevance In minimally processed vegetables, namely in shredded carrot, chlorine solutions have been widely used by the industry for sanitization purposes. However, reduced microbiological efficiency allied to sensorial changes and eventual formation of carcinogenic chlorinated compounds pointed out the need for alternative decontamination methodologies. Also, the evermore conscious consumers are demanding minimization of the potentially negative impact of food processing on human health and the environment. From the practical experience of a fresh-cut industry directly involved in the R&D research project which supported this study, the marketability of minimally processed shredded carrot is limited due to rapid microbial growth and colour loss (decrease of orange intensity and/or whitening of the shreds). As a result, a pilot-plant scale study was performed, evaluating quality attributes of shredded carrot processed according to a clean pre-cut alternative decontamination process.

Home-Style Beef Jerky: Effect of Four Preparation Methods on Consumer Acceptability and Pathogen Inactivation

The safety of homemade jerky continues to be questioned. Producing a safe product that retains acceptable quality attributes is important. Lethality of Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes as well as consumer acceptability and sensory attributes of jerky prepared by four methods were examined. Preparation methods were drying marinated strips at 60°C (representing a traditional method), boiling strips in marinade or heating in an oven to 71°C prior to drying, and heating strips in an oven after drying to 71°C. A 60-member consumer panel rated overall acceptability. A 10-member descriptive panel evaluated quality attributes. Samples heated after drying and samples boiled in marinade prior to drying had slightly higher acceptability scores but were not statistically different from traditional samples. Although the four treatments were significantly different in color (P = 0.0001), saltiness (P = 0.0001), and texture (P = 0.0324), only texture appeared to influence overall consumer acceptability. Microbial challenge studies subjecting the pathogens to the four treatments showed a 5.8-, 3.9-, and 4.6-log reduction of E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella, respectively, even with traditional drying. Oven treatment of strips after drying was shown to have the potential to reduce pathogen populations further by approximately 2 logs. In conclusion, a safer, yet acceptable home-dried beef jerky product can be produced by oven-heating jerky strips after drying.

The development of a vocabulary and sensory profile for the assessment of watercress quality

SummaryThe development of a vocabulary and sensory profile for evaluating quality attributes is described. Simple profiles for colour, sheen, aroma, flavour, texture and the overall acceptability and appcarance of watercress are established. The use of odour reference samples is discusse and an attribute ranking test carried out to establish the order of importance of the quality attributes.