Attractive Food Research Articles

Comparison of different traps and attractants in 3 food processing facilities in Greece on the capture of stored product insects.

Certain lures are marketed toward particular pests or classes of pests, while others might be multi-species lures. Investigative aims for this study included both which trap was most sensitive and whether different combinations of traps and attractants were delivering novel information about the stored product insect community. Comparisons were made for all combinations of 3 commercial traps and 4 different attractants plus an untreated control on the capture of stored-product insects for 2 consecutive years in 3 food processing facilities in Central Greece. The traps used in the experiments were Dome Trap (Trécé Inc., USA), Wall Trap (Trécé) and Box Trap (Insects Limited, Ltd., USA). The attractants that were evaluated were 0.13 g of (i) PantryPatrol gel (Insects Limited), (ii) Storgard kairomone food attractant oil (Trécé), (iii) wheat germ (Honeyville, USA), and (iv) Dermestid tablet attractant (Insects Limited). The traps were inspected approximately every 15 days and rotated. A total of 34,000+ individuals were captured belonging to 26 families and at least 48 species. The results indicated that Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), and cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.) were the most abundant. Although there were noticeable differences among the different traps and attractants for specific species, all combinations provided similar information on population dynamics. Generally, Dome traps baited with either the oil or the gel, were found to be the most sensitive. The results of the present study demonstrate the importance of long-term trapping protocols, as a keystone in IPM-based control strategies in food processing facilities.

Cultural Value of Cassava Food as a Tourism Attraction in Cireundeu Traditional Village

This study aims to describe the cultural value of cassava food as an attraction for tourists visiting the Cireundeu Traditional Village. The method used in this study is a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. Research data sources consist of primary data sources, namely from research data obtained through observation activities, interviews, and documentation directly to the field, while secondary data are obtained through literature studies related to the study. The results showed that the cultural value of cassava food in Cireundeu Traditional Village was divided into 3 parts, including cultural values regarding symbols related to cassava food, behavior related to cassava food, and embedded beliefs related to cassava food. The results of the next study explained the attractiveness of cassava food in the Cireundeu Traditional Village through the point of view of its cultural uniqueness, then originality, authenticity and diversity. From the results of this study, it is hoped that it can provide input for managers or all elements in the Ciruendeu Traditional Village in order to develop cassava food culture into a leading tourist attraction in Cimahi City.

An Analysis of International Tourist Motivations Towards Phuket Food Attractiveness

ABSTRACT Food tourism is rapidly growing, and so is the number of destinations promoting its culinary product as a major attraction. In order to remain competitive in the global markets, appropriate and effective marketing strategies must be employed. This research attempted to identify the main attractiveness of Phuket foods for international tourists, adopting both qualitative and quantitative approach. There was a consistency found in the results of descriptive statistics and content analysis, wherein it was discovered that “fresh seafood,” “delicious food,” and “good selection/variety of food” are the main attractions of Phuket food for international tourists. Factor analysis also identified five food factor dimensions, which include: “service quality & hygiene,” “food taste and uniqueness,” “food variety and event availability,” “dining atmosphere and convenience,” and “food types and quality. Moreover, independent t-test and one-way ANOVA found some significant differences between specific socio-demographic/travel pattern variables and the factor groups. Furthermore, content analysis revealed that generally, tourists have had no major problems encountered in Phuket food tourism, but “too expensive” and being “spicy” emerged as the second and third most frequently mentioned concerns, which may inhibit tourists desire to visit/revisit the destination. Implications and recommendations based on the findings were likewise provided.

Microwave-Triggered 4D Automatic Color Change in 3D-Printed Food Materials Incorporating Natural Pigments.

The feasibility of using microwaves to quickly stimulate automatic color change in 3D-printed food containing curcumin or anthocyanins was studied. Firstly, with a dual-nozzle 3D printer, stacked structures included mashed potatoes (MPs, upper part, containing anthocyanins) and lemon juice-starch gel (LJSG, lower part) were 3D-printed and post-treated using a microwave. The results indicated that the viscosity and gel strength (indicated by the elastic modulus (G') and complex modulus (G*)) of LJSG were improved with the increase in starch concentration, while water mobility was reduced. During microwave post-treatment, the color change speed was negatively correlated with the gel strength but positively correlated with the diffusion of H+ and anthocyanin concentration. Secondly, nested structures were 3D-printed using MPs containing curcumin emulsion and baking soda (NaHCO3). During microwave post-treatment, the curcumin emulsion structure was destroyed, and NaHCO3 was decomposed, along with an increase in alkalinity; thus, the automatic color change was achieved with the automated presentation of hidden information. This study suggests that 4D printing could enable the creation of colorful and attractive food structures using a household microwave oven, leading to more imaginative solutions regarding personalized foods, which may be particularly important to people with poor appetites.

BANANA BLOSSOM: NUTRITIONAL VALUE, HEALTH BENEFITS AND ITS UTILIZATION

Bananas are an attractive and low-cost food supply for poor countries, where bananas are consumed by the majority of the population. Typically, only the fruit of the banana tree is consumed, and before the fruit is cooked, the banana heart is chopped out and thrown. However, many people are unaware that the banana heart, also known as the banana blossom, has a high nutritional content and numerous health benefits. The blossom of a banana contains a lot of fiber and can be used to make fiber-rich foods. In addition, the flower includes a variety of bioactive substances, such as alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, all of which have anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and antioxidant activities. This plant is often used as a food additive in many Asian countries. On the other hand, the banana flower has received only sporadic attention. As a result, the aim of this review is to evaluate the nutritionally dense compact pack of banana blossoms and highlight the value-added product fortified with banana blossoms. So, these unique nutritional values of banana blossom should get maximum utilization, and incorporation of this banana blossom in food products can be performed for value addition.

Patterns of Eating Behavior among 13-Year-Old Adolescents and Associated Factors: Findings from the Generation XXI Birth Cohort.

Eating behavior adopted during adolescence may persist into adulthood. The aims of this study were to identify eating behavior patterns among Portuguese adolescents and to explore whether groups differ in terms of early life and family characteristics, severity of depressive symptoms, and body mass index (BMI) z-score. Participants were 3601 13-year-olds enrolled in the birth cohort Generation XXI. Eating behavior was assessed using the self-reported Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire (AEBQ), validated in this sample. The severity of depressive symptoms was measured through the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and data on sociodemographic and anthropometrics were collected at birth and 13-years-old. Latent class analysis was conducted, and associations were estimated using multinomial logistic regression models. Five patterns of individuals were identified: "Picky eating", "Disinterest towards food", "Food neophilia", "Emotional eating", and "Food attractiveness". The adolescents' sex, maternal education, BMI z-score, and severity of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with the identified patterns. In particular, adolescents with a higher BMI z-score were more likely in "Food neophilia" while individuals with more severe depressive symptoms were in the "Picky eating", "Emotional eating", and "Food attractiveness" patterns. These findings suggest a starting point for the development and planning of targeted public health interventions.

Lethal and sublethal effects of toxic bait formulations on Doryctobracon areolatus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and implications for integrated fruit fly management.

The use of toxic baits has become one of the main methods of management of fruit flies in Brazil. The application of toxic baits may cause side effects on the native parasitoid Doryctobracon areolatus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Based on the results, formulations made from the food attractants 3% Biofruit, 1.5% Ceratrap, 1.25% Flyral, 3% Isca Samaritá, 3% Isca Samaritá Tradicional, and 7% sugarcane molasses associated with the Malathion 1000 EC and the ready-to-use toxic bait Gelsura (containing the active ingredient alpha-cypermethrin) were classified as harmful (class 4) to D. areolatus (mortality > 85% at 96 HAE). In contrast, for toxic baits formulated with insecticide phosmet, the mortality ranged from 38% to 72%, classified as slightly harmful or moderately harmful. However, when phosmet was added to the 3% Samaritá Tradicional bait, the mortality was only 3.9% (class 1-harmless), similar to the toxicity observed for the Success 0.02 CB ready-to-use bait (0.24 g a.i. spinosad/l) (<5% mortality). Although toxic baits were formulated with spinosyn-based insecticides, all toxic bait formulations were classified as harmless or slightly harmful (<50% mortality) to D. areolatus, with the exception of 1.5% Ceratrap + spinetoram and 7% Sugarcane molasses + spinosad (≈ 60% mortality-moderately harmful). In addition, these formulations did not show sublethal effects in reducing the parasitism and emergence rate of the F1 generation of D. areolatus in A. fraterculus larvae. The results serve as a basis for the correct use of toxic food baits without affecting the biological control.

Impact of Snack Food Packaging Design Characteristics on Consumer Purchase Decisions

The recent growth in snack food types has led to increasing demand for attractive snack food packaging. To attract consumers’ attention successfully, it is essential to influence their decisions by meeting their packaging needs. This study examines the interrelationship between different packaging design characteristics and their influence on consumers’ purchase decisions. Twenty-five design professionals and 121 students participated in the study. A survey developed for applying the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method was used to evaluate the importance of design characteristics. The results showed that color, shape, image, line, and typography were the five most essential design characteristics influencing consumer purchase behavior, and that image is the most significant impact factor on consumer purchase decisions. Surprisingly, materials and technology have little influence on consumers’ decisions. Therefore, enhancing these packaging design characteristics can improve the interaction between snack food packaging and consumers and increase food sales.

The role of different sensory organs in the feeding behavior of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

Because of the complex aquatic environment, it is difficult to research the behaviors of crustaceans. As we know, the feeding behavior of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) has rarely been reported so far, although the crabs have high commercial value in China. Understanding its feeding behavior is helpful for supporting the development of aquaculture. In this study, we first observed the feeding preferences of E. sinensis regarding a series of diets. The results showed that E. sinensis has a significant preference for the muscle of Bellamy aquadrata (P < 0.05). However, the crab was not picky about the meat of several different aquatic animals after starvation, except for pellet feed. We then used a method of physical ablation of the setae to determine the functions of several sensory organs in detecting food sources. The feeding reaction time significantly increased after the ablation of the antennule and leg setae (P < 0.05), and the feeding reaction time increased the most in the antennule group compared with the control group and the mouthpart group. In addition, a real and fake food test was designed to further explore the role of the mouthparts in feeding behavior. We found that the time to manipulate the real and fake food was significantly increased after ablation of the mouthpart setae (P < 0.05). Finally, the food color preference of E. sinensis was observed by using several foods dyed in different colors. However, the crabs performed no food color preference in this study. In conclusion, the different chemical sensory organs play different roles in the feeding behavior of E. sinensis. According to the results, the ablation of the antennule and leg setae impairs the crab's ability to explore food and reduces the food intake. Moreover, ablation of the mouthpart setae affected the crabs' judgment of food quality and prolonged the time of food manipulation. However, E. sinensis exhibited a weak color preference. This study provided insights into the more attractive food of E. sinensis; at the same time, it also determined the importance of chemical information for animals and the role of different chemical sensory organs, laying a foundation for the study of food attractants.

Evaluation of an Edibleİinsect (Locusta migratoria) as a Substrate for Microbial β-fructofuranosidase Production

Rising population in the world causes reduction on present food resources. Investigators have been looking for sustainable, nutritional and alternative food-stocks. Insects have been consumed as snacks or as food supplement in many countries, but they are still not attractive food resource worldwide. In the current study, β-fructofuranosidase enzyme production by Galactomyces geotrichum TS61 (GenBank accession: MN749818) strain was investigated using an edible insect (Locusta migratoria) as substrate. β-fructofuranosidase is a valuable enzyme in food industry. Taguchi L16 design of experiment (DOE) was employed to achieve an effective statistical optimization process, including three factors (concentration of locust powder, concentration of sucrose and initial pH) with four levels. The optimized conditions were determined as 40 g/L locust powder, 30 g/L sucrose and 6.0 pH. The analysis of variance results showed that locust powder had more effect on the enzyme production than sucrose and pH. At the end of the optimization process, approximately 4-fold higher β-fructofuranosidase production (40.91 U/mL) was obtained when compared with unoptimized experimental run (9.91 U/mL). Consequently, powdered insects may serve as an effective supplement for valuable enzyme production in food industry.

Use of food attractants to monitor and forecast Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) seasonal abundance in southern China

Use of food attractants to monitor and forecast Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) seasonal abundance in southern China

Wildlife trafficking as a societal supply chain risk: Removing the parasite without damaging the host?

AbstractHumanity's intrusion into nature—with the objective of selling animals and plants as medicine, food, and tourist attractions—is detrimental not only to biodiversity and the health of ecosystems but also to local communities, global society, and human health. Often, traffickers exploit legal supply chains to secretly move endangered species and protected wildlife to end consumers. Serendipitous discoveries of wildlife trafficking attempts raise concerns that existing efforts to prevent wildlife trafficking and other criminal exploitation of legal supply chains brought about by international laws, regulations, and voluntary initiatives may often fail. Indeed, most supply chains are designed for economic purposes such as efficiency or responsiveness rather than security. Scholarship in supply chain management has thus far dedicated scarce attention to the overarching phenomenon of illegal exploitation of otherwise legal supply chains, referred to as “supply chain infiltration.” Because we were unable to speak with perpetrators directly, we obtained insights from expert stakeholders in order to study the delicate and covert topic of what makes supply chains vulnerable to wildlife trafficking, as well as how this vulnerability can be mitigated. Our data set comprises 37 semi‐structured interviews with knowledgeable stakeholders concerning wildlife trafficking, specifically in maritime supply chains. This research develops a model that explains supply‐chain‐related vulnerabilities to wildlife trafficking and elaborates regarding how respective actors can contribute in addressing this understudied issue. We introduce the concept of “societal supply chain risk” to refer to hazards that emanate from or materialize within supply chains, which primarily affect actors in the supply chain context—and possibly even humanity in its entirety. Our research calls for more supply chain research, exploring situations in which individual firms may not be affected but can contribute to the solution.

Developing Core/Shell Capsules Based on Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose and Gelatin through Electrodynamic Atomization for Betalain Encapsulation

Betalains are bioactive compounds with remarkable functional and nutritional activities for health and food preservation and attractiveness. Nevertheless, they are highly sensitive to external factors, such as oxygen presence, light, and high temperatures. Therefore, the search for new structures, polymeric matrices, and efficient methods of encapsulation of these compounds is of great interest to increase their addition to food products. In this work, betalains were extracted from red beetroot. Betacyanin and betaxanthin contents were quantified. Subsequently, these compounds were successfully encapsulated into the core of coaxial electrosprayed capsules composed of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and gelatin (G). The effect of incorporating the carbohydrate and the protein both in the core or shell structures was studied to elucidate the best composition for betalain protection. Morphological, optical, and structural properties were analyzed to understand the effect of the incorporation of the bioactive compounds in the morphology, color, and chemical interactions between components of resulting electrosprayed capsules. The results of the thermogravimetric and encapsulation efficiency analysis coincided that the incorporation of beetroot extract in G in the core and HPMC in the shell resulted in the structure with greater betalain protection. The effectiveness of the core/shell structure was confirmed for future food applications.

Storage stability of texture, organoleptic, and biological properties of goat milk yogurt fermented with probiotic bacteria.

Goat milk is an attractive food due to its high nutritional values, easy digestibility and hypoallergenicity, but has an undesirable "goaty" flavor. In this study, goat yogurt was fermented with four probiotics, respectively, including Lactobacillus acidophilus (GYA), Bifidobacterium animalis (GYB), Lactobacillus casei (GYC) and Lactobacillus plantarum (GYP), and tested for texture, organoleptic, and biological properties during a 4-week storage period at the refrigerated temperature. All goat yogurt with probiotics showed an increase on titratable acidity and a corresponding downward trend on pH value. Viable counts of L. acidophilus and L. casei were above 6 log cfu/mL at the end of the storage, which met the minimum standards for viable probiotic bacteria in yogurt specified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nation (FAO). The texture and organoleptic characteristics of fermented goat milk depended on the strain and the storage period. DPPH free radical scavenging rate and ferric reducing antioxidant power activity gradually increased in all goat yogurts during the storage and yogurt with probiotic bacteria showed higher values than those of GY0. Among all probiotic containing goat yogurts, GYC exhibited the desirable characteristics of hardness, adhesiveness, water holding capacity, antioxidant activity during the whole storage. Furthermore, the addition of L. casei effectively weakened the goaty flavor and enhanced the overall acceptability. Thus, fermented goat milk with L. casei is optional for the development of goat milk product with satisfactory texture properties, pleasant sensory quality and high bioactivity.

Consumer attitudes to upcycled foods in US and China

A trend has emerged seeking to transform edible food waste into new consumable products, a process known as upcycling. However, there are limited studies on consumer knowledge and attitudes towards upcycled foods. This study is the first to compare a Western (United States (US)) and Eastern (China) country, in terms of consumer attitudes to upcycled foods and consumer preferences on new upcycled food combinations. The survey was distributed online and statistical analyses were performed to calculate differences between the two countries relating to willingness to try (WTT), willingness to buy (WTB), liking, familiarity, attractiveness, purchase likelihood and previous knowledge of upcycled foods. Results indicate that more participants in China had heard previously of upcycled foods than in the US, however familiarity was low in both countries. Overall, liking towards upcycled foods was higher in the USA than in China. In the US, the most popular combinations were snack foods with upcycled spent grains and upcycled vegetables included in soups, followed by upcycled fruit in snacks. In China the most popular combinations were fruit in snacks, breakfast foods and drinks. The preferred by-products in both countries were plant-based, but dairy was the third preferred choice in China. Chinese participants characterised upcycled foods in terms of quality and health more than the US, while ‘reducing food waste’ and being ‘good for the environment’ were equally associated with upcycled foods in both countries.

Search hours for food attractant by Anastrepha fraterculus and Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) adults in guava orchards

Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann, 1830) and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) are considered the main pests of Brazilian fruit production. Understanding the behavior of species is of great importance for the success of management strategies. This study was to determine the period and search time by attractive food for A. fraterculus and C. capitata adults by using three commercial food attractants: BioAnastrepha™ 5%; Isca Samaritá Tradicional™ 5% and Ceratrap™ 1.5%. The largest catches of A. fraterculus and C. capitata adults in McPhail traps occurred during the day between 6:30 am and 6:30 pm for both species. The BioAnastrepha™ food attractant provided the largest catches compared to Isca Samaritá Tradicional™ and Ceratrap™. In addition, there was a higher prevalence of capturing females than males, for both flies' species. The period of largest search activity for food attractant was observed from 12h:31 pm to 04:30 pm for A. fraterculus and C. capitata, time of greatest temperature on the day. The definition of the period of largest activity of A. fraterculus and C. capitata adults in the field helps in the elaboration of management strategies to be adopted.

Evaluate Efficacy of Malathion and Spinosad Alone and Mixed with Some Food Attractants Against Cucurbit Fly Dacus ciliatus

Evaluate Efficacy of Malathion and Spinosad Alone and Mixed with Some Food Attractants Against Cucurbit Fly Dacus ciliatus

Social learning in a nocturnal marsupial: is it a possum-ability?

Social learning can reduce the costs associated with trial-and-error learning. There is speculation that social learning could contribute to trap and bait avoidance in invasive species like the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)-a marsupial for which social learning has not previously been investigated. In large outdoor pens, we presented wild-caught 'demonstrator' possums with puzzle devices containing an attractive food reward; 2 of 8 demonstrators accessed the reward the first night the puzzle was presented and another three succeeded on later nights. Meanwhile, 'observer' possums in adjacent pens watched the demonstrators for five nights and then were given the opportunity to solve the puzzle themselves; 15 of 15 succeeded on their first night (a highly significant improvement). This experiment thus provides strong evidence of social learning by common brushtail possums. Future research should investigate whether information about aversive stimuli (such as traps and toxic baits) can similarly be transmitted between possums by social learning; if so, this could have important implications for possum pest control.

Bioactive, Mineral and Antioxidative Properties of Gluten-Free Chicory Supplemented Snack: Impact of Processing Conditions.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of chicory root addition (20-40%) and extrusion conditions (moisture content from 16.3 to 22.5%, and screw speed from 500 to 900 rpm) on bioactive compounds content (inulin, sesquiterpene lactones, and polyphenols) of gluten-free rice snacks. Chicory root is considered a potential carrier of food bioactives, while extrusion may produce a wide range of functional snack products. The mineral profiles were determined in all of the obtained extrudates in terms of Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu contents, while antioxidative activity was established through reducing capacity, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) tests. Chicory root addition contributed to the improvement of bioactive compounds and mineral contents, as well as antioxidative activities in all of the investigated extrudates in comparison to the pure-rice control sample. An increase in moisture content raised sesquiterpene lactones and minerals, while high screw speeds positively affected polyphenols content. The achieved results showed the important impact of the extrusion conditions on the investigated parameters and promoted chicory root as an attractive food ingredient in gluten-free snack products with high bioactive value.

Views on the usability, design, and future possibilities of a 3D food printer for people with dysphagia: outcomes of an immersive experience

Purpose Although 3D food printing is expected to enable the creation of visually appealing pureed food for people with disability and dysphagia, little is known about the user experience in engaging with 3D food printing or the feasibility of use with populations who need texture-modified foods. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility and usability of using domestic-scale 3D food printer as an assistive technology to print pureed food into attractive food shapes for people with dysphagia. Materials and Methods In total, 16 participants engaged in the unfamiliar, novel process of using a domestic-scale 3D food printer (choosing, printing, tasting), designed for printing pureed food, and discussed their impressions in focus group or individual interviews. Results and Conclusions Overall, results demonstrated that informed experts who were novice users perceived the 3D food printing process to be fun but time consuming, and that 3D food printers might not yet be suitable for people with dysphagia or their supporters. Slow response time, lack of user feedback, scant detail on the appropriate recipes for the pureed food to create a successful print, and small font on the user panel interface were perceived as barriers to accessibility for people with disability and older people. Participants expected more interactive elements and feedback from the device, particularly in relation to resolving printer or user errors. This study will inform future usability trials and food safety research into 3D printed foods for people with disability and dysphagia. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION 3D food printers potentially have a role as an assistive technology in the preparation of texture-modified foods for people with disability and dysphagia. To increase feasibility, 3D food printers should be co-designed with people with disability and their supporters and health professionals working in the field of dysphagia and rehabilitation. Experts struggled to be able to print 3D pureed shapes owing to relatively low usability of the 3D food printer tested with problems using the interface and resolving problems in the print. 3D food printing is a fun and novel activity and may help to engage people with disability and dysphagia in making choices around the shape of the food to be printed.