Negative Consumer Perceptions Research Articles

205 An autosomal recessive mutation in PYGM causes myophosphorylase deficiency in composite cattle

Abstract Between 2020 and 2022, eight calves (6 heifers, 2 bulls) in a Nebraska herd (composite Simmental, Red Angus, Gelbvieh) experienced exercise intolerance during extended physical activity. These calves exhibited an inability to keep pace with the rest of the herd, with some eventually succumbing to physical collapse from which they did not recover. Increased creatine kinase, an indication of muscle degeneration, was confirmed in biopsy and necropsy samples. Available sire pedigrees revealed a common paternal ancestor within 2 to 4 generations in all the affected calves. Dam pedigrees were unavailable; however, the herd retained replacement females that occasionally shared common ancestors with breeding bulls. Thus, a de novo autosomal recessive mutation was hypothesized as the cause of exercise intolerance in these calves. Genomic data (100K SNP) from 6 affected calves and 715 herd mates were initially used for a whole genome-wide association study, pinpointing a significant region on chromosome 29. Whole-genome sequencing of 2 affected calves combined with 145 other sequenced cattle led to the identification of a nonsense mutation in the PYGM gene, also located on chromosome 29. The mutation, confirmed to be present in the skeletal muscle transcriptome, was predicted to produce a premature stop codon. The protein product of PYGM, myophosphorylase, has a crucial role in metabolizing glycogen stored within skeletal muscle to generate energy for muscle cells. As a result, the recessive genotype led to greater (P < 0.05) glycogen concentrations in affected calves (n = 2) compared with heterozygous animals (n = 3) and wild-type controls (n = 2). Immunohistochemistry and label-free quantitative proteomics analysis confirmed the absence of the PYGM protein product in skeletal muscle. Myophosphorylase is needed for efficient glycogen utilization, which is crucial for producing high-quality beef. In the 2 affected calves harvested, increased skeletal muscle glycogen persisted postmortem, resulting in increased pH and dark-cutting beef, which is associated with a negative consumer perception and economic losses to the industry. In addition to identifying the cause of exercise intolerance and welfare concerns in these cattle, this study is among the first to identify a specific genetic mutation associated with dark-cutting beef. Carriers of the mutation did not display any discernible differences in meat quality or measures of animal well-being. While cattle heterozygous for the mutation may not immediately impact the beef industry, identifying carriers is paramount for implementing proactive selection and breeding strategies to prevent the production of affected calves.

Enhancing Adoption of Sustainable Product Innovations: Addressing Reduced Performance with Risk-Reducing Product Modifications

Past studies have shown that the probability of the successful diffusion of sustainable product innovations is strikingly low. A potentially promising marketing strategy to reduce negative consumer perceptions of sustainable product innovations is risk-reducing product modifications (RPMs), which account for behavioral adjustments and performance uncertainties by employing an additional component that uses established technology. This research strives to empirically test the potential positive effects of RPMs using two studies on electric vehicles with and without range extenders as prime examples of RPM: (1) an online survey of potential adopters and (2) a postadoption survey of early adopters. The results show that RPMs increase the adoption of sustainable product innovations. Consumers’ tendency to overestimate their true needs and their need for insurance against insufficient performance explain the effectiveness of RPM.

Life cycle carbon analysis of packaging products containing purposely grown nonwood fibers: A case study on the use of switchgrass pulp for linerboard and corrugating medium

Sustainability is driving innovation in the pulp and paper industry to produce goods with lower carbon footprints. Although most of the efforts are currently focused on increasing energy efficiency or switching to renewable fuels, the attention toward alternative feedstocks has increased in recent years. Claims of nonwood fibers requiring lower use of chemicals and energy than wood fibers, along with negative consumer perceptions of tree felling, are helping purposely grown nonwoods to gain market share. The potential nonwood fiber environmental superiority over virgin or recycled wood fibers remains controversial and is often driven more by emotion and public perception rather than facts. This paper estimates the carbon footprint of corrugating medium and linerboard containing switchgrass pulp compared to analogous wood-based materials. The study includes a life cycle carbon analysis spanning from cradle to gate, which comprises stages for fiber production, pulping, papermaking, and corresponding transportation. Carbon footprints for virgin linerboard, recycled linerboard, virgin medium, and recycled medium were estimated at around 510, 620, 460, and 670 kg carbon dioxide equivalent per metric ton (kg CO2eq/t), respectively. Replacing 30% of the virgin or recycled material with switchgrass pulp translated into carbon footprint increases of around 60%, 45%, 62%, and 38%, respectively. Thus, for the proposed case study, the results suggest that switchgrass-based medium and linerboard can present a higher carbon footprint than products made from virgin and recycled wood fibers. The main driver is the production of nonwood mechanical pulp. This study was designed to mitigate part of the uncertainty around the environmental sustainability of medium and linerboard made from the selected purposely grown nonwood fibers.

Life cycle carbon analysis of packaging products containing nonwood residues: A case study on linerboard and corrugating medium

Circularity is creating momentum toward utilizing waste feedstock in a myriad of applications. The paper industry is not an exception to this trend, and packaging products made from agricultural or agro-industrial residues are receiving more attention now than ever. Additionally, negative consumer perceptions of tree felling are accelerating the acceptance of these fibers. Nevertheless, adopting these residues raises the issue of whether they constitute a better alternative to fight climate change than wood. Answering this question is imperative to ensure that pledges to reduce carbon footprints across the industry are fulfilled. This paper aims to estimate the carbon footprint of corrugating medium and linerboard containing wheat straw and sugarcane bagasse pulp compared to analogous wood-based materials. The goal was also to understand how methodological decisions to allocate emissions to nonwood residues can affect the results. This study includes a life cycle carbon analysis spanning from cradle to grave, which comprises stages for residue production, pulping, paper-making, waste management, and corresponding transportation. For the proposed case study, the results suggest that straw- and bagasse-based medium and linerboard can present a higher carbon footprint than products made from virgin and recycled wood fibers. The main driver is the production of nonwood chemimechanical pulp. In addition, the lower capacity of nonwood residues to be recycled increases the overall impact. Finally, decisions around emissions allocation highly influence the results. This study helps mitigate part of the uncertainty around the environmental sustainability of corrugating medium and linerboard made from the selected nonwood residues.

Meat-ing expectations? The influence of plate materials on consumer perceptions of novel mycoprotein

Alternative proteins have gained significant interest as useful adjuncts to facilitate the dietary transition towards more sustainable diets. However, negative consumer perceptions of these products hinder their widespread acceptance and adoption. With emerging research uncovering the role of multisensory factors in consumer perceptions and preferences, manipulating the materials of plates used to serve alternative proteins may help to address these concerns. This within-subject study investigated the influence of a natural material (banana leaf) and a synthetic material (stainless steel) on consumers’ perceptions and preference for mycoprotein. Specifically, perceived product naturalness, healthfulness and tastiness were assessed. Results demonstrated a significant favourable influence of a natural material on consumer perceptions of mycoprotein, compared to a synthetic material (all ps < 0.05). However, differences in preferences were not observed (p =.292). This suggests that other multisensory factors (e.g., product taste and mouthfeel) may play a more important role in consumer preferences for such products. Additionally, having a baseline preference for mycoprotein appeared to moderate the differences in ratings for perceived naturalness of mycoprotein (p <.001). Overall, these findings highlight the role of plate materials in consumer perceptions of mycoprotein and offer valuable insights to potentially develop more effective messaging strategies for these products.

Assessing the Millennials’ Intention Toward Green Fast Food Retail: The Use of the Theory of Planned Behavior

The existence of this interest can indirectly affect the existence of fast-food retail because of negative consumer perceptions related to fast-food retail. Therefore, several fast-food retailers have offered eco-friendly products, in great demand by Millennials. However, it is still rare for fast-food retailers to launch new outlets with green themes due to the adverse insight of fast food itself. It is also caused by data deficiency on consumer behavior intention towards green fast-food retail, even though the existence of this restaurant itself continues to increase, especially in West Java. Therefore, this study aims to examine the intention of millennial consumers in West Java’s green fast-food retail by applying the Theory-of-Planned-Behavior approach with the role of green knowledge, perceived green practices, perceived physical servicescape, and perceived price fairness. 402 respondents were gathered in this study by implementing TPB theory as the variable under study, supported by Green Knowledge, Perceived Green Practices, Perceived Physical Servicescape, and Perceived Price Fairness. A quantitative approach is employed and processed using SPSS and Smart-PLS. Based on the results, the company's green practices, physical service scape, and price fairness affect consumer behavior control which leads to a positive influence on consumer behavior intention in green fast-food retail. Another result proved that green knowledge has a positive and significant impact on consumer attitude

“Eco‐style” perceptions: The interplay of different sustainability cues and fashion styles in consumers' fashion brand attitudes

AbstractSustainable fashion is becoming increasingly integrated in today's society. However, the use of the term “eco” in fashion branding may evoke negative consumer perceptions, especially in terms of the perceived fashionability of clothing items. Hence, this study investigates consumer responses to environmental versus social sustainability cues used by an online fashion shop. In particular, the moderating influence of basic versus modern fashion style is examined, considering the idea that fashion style is central to consumers' brand evaluations. Using a 2 (environmental vs. social sustainability cue) × 2 (timeless basic vs. modern fashion style) between‐subjects factorial design, this study explored the effectiveness of sustainability cues on fashion brand value perceptions (emotional, social, and functional value) and brand attitudes. Among the 358 respondents, the results indicate more positive brand attitudes when fashion items are presented with an environmental (vs. social) sustainability cue. In particular, this effect is stronger for the timeless basic (vs. modern trend‐based) fashion style. Yet, a cue referring to environmental sustainability increases social brand values for the modern fashion style. This study offers valuable contributions to the sustainable fashion literature and recommendations for online fashion retailers.

PSVIII-9 Consumer Acceptance of Corn Fermented Protein Compared with Traditional Yeast and Dried Distillers Grain in Extruded Dog Food

Abstract Sustainability is one of the trending keywords in the pet food industry today. Utilizing protein-rich fermented co-products such as corn fermented protein (CFP) can promote sustainable pet food. However, co-product ingredients have been avoided in pet food due to negative consumer perception. Unlike traditional dried distillers grain, corn fermented protein (CFP) contains 50% protein due to a substantial yeast component, which may improve consumer perception. The objective was to evaluate the effect of CFP inclusion in dry dog food on consumer acceptance. Treatments included a control diet (CON, no fermented co-products), a brewer’s dried yeast diet (BDY, 3.5% brewer’s dried yeast), a distillers dried grains with solubles plus brewer’s dried yeast diet (DDGS+BDY, 17.5% DDGS + 2.5% brewer’s dried yeast), and a corn fermented protein diet (CFP, 17.5% corn fermented protein). The consumer acceptance data were collected from 104 dog owners who purchased dry dog food and feed their dogs during a central location test. Data were collected using RedJade software and analyzed by one-way ANOVA (Sensory XLStat package) to determine significant differences among overall appearance, color, aroma, and assumed dog liking. The effects were assessed using Fisher’s Least Significant Difference with significance at P &amp;lt; 0.05. All treatments were equally liked (P &amp;gt; 0.05) based on 9-point scale. More consumers showed liking in aroma for yeast containing treatments (CFP, n = 51; DDGS+BDY, n = 46; BDY, n = 45) than CON (n = 37). Consumer opinion of pet food ingredients were also evaluated. Chicken and salmon were considered most appropriate (&amp;gt; 85%) by consumers, while brewer’s dried yeast, corn meal, yeast, and corn gluten meal were considered appropriate from less than 10% of consumers. The most inappropriate ingredients according to consumers were corn gluten meal (&amp;gt;50%), corn meal, brewer’s yeast, dry yeast, and yeast. In conclusion, consumers liked the kibble that contained BDY, DDGS, or CFP at the same level as the control diet when evaluated based on sensory perceptions. However, there is a need to improve consumer perception of corn and yeast ingredients to promote sustainable pet foods.

What is driving consumer resistance to crypto‐payment? A multianalytical investigation

AbstractDespite the extensive interest in cryptocurrencies over the past years, their application as a means of payment in e‐commerce and retail purchases continues to be much slower than anticipated. This paper investigates the underlying mechanisms and elements that drive consumer resistance in this space. Drawing upon the stimulus‐organism‐response paradigm and the innovation resistance theory, the paper explores how the characteristics of the current cryptocurrency landscape contribute to different factors associated with crypto‐payment rejection. Our findings from empirical and experimental studies reveal how ecosystem volatility and the lack of structural assurances for cryptocurrencies foster negative consumer perceptions, leading to resistance against crypto‐payment use. The paper develops new insights into the main predictors of consumer resistance to crypto‐payment, which is a precursor to the mainstream use of cryptocurrencies. Moreover, it sheds light on the interactions among context‐specific, psychological, and functional determinants of behavioral consumer response.

Potential quorum-sensing inhibitor of Hafnia alvei H4-theaflavin-3,3´-digallate analyzed by virtual screening and molecular simulation.

Hafnia species can cause food spoilage via the quorum-sensing (QS) system. Thus, strategies that target QS in these bacteria might be a good approach to safeguard the quality of processed food. In this study, the amino acid sequence of the LasI Ha protein, a key QS regulator from Hafnia alvei H4, was used to construct its 3D structure for the virtual screening of potential QS inhibitors (QSIs) from the Bioactive Compound database. Four potential QSIs were obtained, and these were all theaflavins (TFs). Among them, theaflavin-3,3´-digallate (TF3) was found to outperform the others, displaying a higher docking score according to molecular docking analysis, and required only a sub-minimal inhibitory concentration (31.25 mM) to cause a significant decrease in the production of the autoinducer N-acyl homoserine lactone in H. alvei H4 and up to 60.5% inhibition of its motility. Furthermore, molecular simulation results indicated that TF3 could stably bind to a cavity within LasI Ha to form stable hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with various key residues of the protein to exert the inhibitory effect. Thus, TF3 may be considered a potential compound to protect against food spoilage caused by H. alvei H4 via the quorum quenching. IMPORTANCE Hafnia alvei, the main strain studied in this paper, is often isolated from spoiled foods, especially refrigerated protein-based raw foods, and is generally considered to be a spoilage bacterium whose spoilage-causing properties may be closely related to its own very strong population-sensing activity, so the strategy of quorum quenching against H. alvei H4 may be a good way to guarantee the quality of processed foods. Given the current global requirements for food safety and quality, coupled with negative consumer perceptions of the excessive inclusion of synthetic chemicals in food products, the use of natural compounds as QSIs in the storage of aquatic food products would seem more attractive.

Comparing the effects of corn fermented protein with traditional distillers dried grains fed to healthy adult dogs on stool quality, nutrient digestibility, and palatability

Traditional distillers dried grains, co-products from the ethanol industry, can be utilized as sustainable ingredients for pet food. However, negative consumer perception prevents their widespread use. Corn fermented protein (CFP) is produced using post-fermentation separation technology, resulting in a high protein ingredient, which may increase consumer appeal compared to traditional distillers dried grains. The study objective was to compare the effect of CFP with that of traditional distillers dried grains on stool quality, nutrient digestibility, and palatability when fed to dogs. The control diet (CON) contained 15% soybean meal and the experimental diets contained 3.5% brewer’s dried yeast (BDY), 2.5% brewer’s dried yeast plus 17.5% distillers dried grains with solubles (BDY+DDGS), or 17.5% corn fermented protein (CFP). Experimental diets were fed to adult dogs (n = 12) in a 4 × 4 replicated Latin square design. Dogs were adapted to the diets for 9 days; this was followed by 5 days of total fecal collection. Titanium dioxide (0.4%) was added to all diets as an external marker to estimate digestibility. Data were analyzed using a mixed model in SAS, with treatment as a fixed effect and dog and period as random effects. Fecal output was greatest (p&amp;lt; 0.05) for dogs fed BDY+DDGS. The feces of dogs consuming CFP were firmer (p&amp;lt; 0.05) than those of dogs consuming CON and BDY+DDGS. Overall, nutrient digestibility was greatest (p&amp;lt; 0.05) for CON and BDY and lowest for BDY+DDGS, with that for CFP being intermediate. There were no differences (p &amp;gt; 0.05) in total short-chain or branched-chain fatty acid concentrations in the fresh fecal samples of dogs fed these dietary treatments. However, the percentage of propionate was higher (p&amp;lt; 0.05) in the fecal samples of dogs fed CON than in those of dogs fed BDY+DDGS, whereas the percentage of valerate was higher (p&amp;lt; 0.05) in the fecal samples of dogs fed CON than in those of dogs fed CFP. In the palatability evaluation, dogs had no preference when CON was compared with BDY or BDY+DDGS. However, dogs appeared to prefer CON over CFP. Overall, CFP resulted in improved stool quality and nutrient digestibility when compared with DDGS, which could increase consumer appeal for inclusion into pet food. The impact of CFP on palatability, however, warrants further investigation.

Effects of Dongchimi Powder as a Natural Nitrite Source on Quality Properties of Emulsion-Type Sausages.

The use of nitrite as a conventional curing agent is decreasing because of the negative consumer perception of synthetic compounds in foods. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of dongchimi as an alternative to synthetic nitrite and its effect on the qualitative properties of emulsion-type sausages. Under all tested fermentation conditions, both nitrite and nitrate contents were the highest when dongchimi was fermented at 0°C for 1 wk. The fermented dongchimi was powdered and added to the sausages. Emulsion-type sausages were prepared with 0.25% (treatment 1), 0.35% (treatment 2), 0.45% (treatment 3), or 0.55% (treatment 4) dongchimi powder, with 0.01% sodium nitrite-treated (control 1) and 0.40% celery powder-treated (control 2) sausages as controls. There were not different (p>0.05) in the pH, cooking yield, CIE L*, and CIE a* between the control 1 and treatments 2, 3, and 4. CIE b* was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the control 2 and lower (p<0.05) in the control 1 than that in the other groups. Treatment 4 and control 1 had similar contents of residual nitrite, nitrosyl hemochrome, and total pigment. Additionally, treatment 4 exhibited a significantly better (p<0.05) curing efficiency than the control 1. However, naturally cured sausages showed higher (p<0.05) lipid oxidation than the control 1. This study suggests that the use of more than 0.35% dongchimi powder could replace sodium nitrite or celery powder as curing agents for emulsion-type sausages.

Minthostachys Mollis Essential Oil and Its Combination with Tert‐butylhydroquinone for Control of Lipid Oxidation

AbstractLipid oxidation constitutes a problem because it affects food quality and safety. The aim is to study the effect of Minthostachys mollis essential oil and its combination with Tert‐butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) on lipid oxidation mechanisms to control lipid deterioration and maintain adequate food protection. An accelerated oxidation test with sunflower oil is carried out at 60 °C, and samples are extracted in triplicate every week (0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days). Peroxide value, conjugated dienes, p‐anisidine, and oxidation volatiles compounds are measured. M. mollis showed low antioxidant activity (AA) and worse AA combined with TBHQ. However, combined TBHQ and M. mollis essential oil systems impact on the secondary reactions of lipid oxidation, which result in smaller amounts of oxidation volatile compounds.Practical applications: Nowadays, synthetic additives, compared to natural ones, presents a negative consumer perception. Regarding antioxidant activity, the essential oils show a good antioxidant response, but sometimes they do not have a very strong effect, unlike synthetic antioxidant such as Tert‐butylhydroquinone or butylated hydroxytoluene. The essential oil as an antioxidant in food system implies that they need to put a high concentration of it, bringing a strong odor to the food. However, the essential oil provides flavor to food with a good consumer perception. This combination can be used as an alternative to prevent lipid oxidation, using a lower concentration of both.

The Effect of the Addition of Gambir Catechins on Antioxidants and Antibacterial Hard Candy Products

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer demands for food products due to the importance of eating functional foods capable of increasing the body's immune system, such as those containing natural bioactive compounds. Immune system enhancement through food intake is one of the top priorities for consumers globally. Hard candy products are ordinary foods consumed by people of all ages and social classes with numerous negative consumer perceptions due to their ability to cause dental caries. Therefore, it is imperative to develop hard candy as a functional food with antioxidant and antibacterial properties derived from natural ingredients. This research aims to innovate and design hard candy products that are acceptable to consumers with the addition of gambir catechins to its formulas. This research is considered novel for it provides innovation and design of hard candy products that are acceptable to consumers with the addition of gambir catechins. The result showed that all hard candy product formulas have Staphylococcus aureus with antimicrobial and antioxidant activities; hence, increased catechin concentration significantly affects these activities. Products in formulas 17, 8, 18, 4, and 7 with 4-5 ratings after organoleptic testing are standard products manufactured in accordance with SNI 3547.1:2018.

Consumers’ growing appetite for natural foods: Perceptions towards the use of natural preservatives in fresh fruit

Recent changes in food purchasing and consumption have led consumers to place greater importance on aspects such as convenience and the impact of food production and processing on health and the environment. This, in turn, poses a challenge for the food industry, especially with respect to highly perishable foods such as fruit. Great efforts have been made by the industry to reduce post-harvest losses by using natural preservatives that can replace traditional chemical fungicides, which are increasingly rejected by both citizens and governments. In this context, the purpose of this study was to obtain an overview of consumer perceptions towards the application of these novel products in fruit. In order to achieve this goal, five focus group sessions were held in multiple Spanish cities from December 2019 to February 2020. A total of 48 people with a mixed socio-demographic background took part in the study. The results showed both positive and negative consumer perceptions towards fruit, on the one hand being healthy and natural, and on the other lacking convenience. Packaging increases fruit convenience at the cost of its perception as a natural food product. In addition, consumers reported negative opinions associated with both the use of chemicals to improve fruit preservation and the environmental impact of the packaging. Participants showed interest in the use of natural preservatives in fruit, as these are considered more natural, healthier and more environmentally friendly. Although natural preservatives can influence consumers' fruit purchasing decisions, lack of information about such preservatives can cause doubts about their effectiveness and misjudgements about the price premium they add. Therefore, information about these types of preservatives, their characteristics and their benefits is key to overcoming mistrust and communicating to consumers the differentiation that their use adds to foods.

Efficacy of phage therapy in pigs: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Limits on the use and efficacy of various antibiotics coupled with negative consumer perception of the practice have together spurred substantial research into compounds that could reduce the use antibiotics to control bacterial diseases in pigs. Bacteriophages are often among such potential compounds, and various groups have examined the efficacy of bacteriophages or bacteriophage products in limiting transmission or colonization of targeted bacteria. The study presented here provides a systematic review of such studies followed by a meta-analysis of aggregated data produced by each study. The data set was limited to inputs (n = 19; 576 total observations) from studies where: 1) live pigs were inoculated with a known quantity of challenge bacteria; 2) challenged animals were treated with a known quantity of phages; 3) concentrations of the challenge bacteria were measured in different tissues/fluids following phage treatment; and 4) SD (or SE to allow calculation of SD) was reported. Concentrations of challenge bacteria were significantly lower in phage-treated pigs versus challenged but untreated pigs (P < 0.0001; effect size = −1.06 1log10 colony-forming units [CFU]/g). The effect size of phage treatment was significantly greater (P < 0.05) in samples collected 48 to 96 h following phage treatment versus those collected ≤ 24 h following phage treatment. Likewise, effect size of phage treatment was significantly greater in piglets versus market-weight pigs. Across observations, phage treatment effect sizes were greatest (P < 0.01) in fecal samples versus ileal or cecal samples. Taken together, these data indicate that phage treatment can significantly reduce the concentrations of targeted bacteria in pigs; scenarios exist, however, where phage treatment could predictably be more or less effective.

Deal or No Deal? Online Deals, Retailer Heterogeneity, and Brand Evaluations in a Competitive Environment

Daily deal platforms, such as Groupon, peaked in the mid-2000s, by letting retailers offer 50% promotions to consumers using an app. When used right, retailers were able to get consumers to try them for the first time and build a customer base. When used wrong, retailers lost revenue unnecessarily and sometimes went out of business. Even now, in 2020, you can find lovers and haters of daily deals, and yet they remain an integral part of the marketing mix for many retailers. One lingering question about these deals remained: How do customers perceive a retailer that offers daily deals before going to the retailer? Do retailers look desperate or confident? Through a series of laboratory experiments, we test whether offering a deal changes consumers’ preconsumption brand evaluations. Our research shows that brand evaluations are contingent on the retailer type (i.e., price segment and age), the success of the current deals offered (i.e., number of page visits and purchases), and the number of competitors that are also using deals. Together, our work demonstrates specific conditions where offering deals may lead to positive or negative consumer perceptions even before arriving at the retailer.

89 Controlling intrinsic pathways to optimize efficiencies of mineral and vitamin use by sows

Abstract Nutrient efficiency concepts seem to have been ignored in applications of diet formulations for the breeding herd, especially for minerals and vitamins. Historically, gestating sows were notably the animal that could withstand marginal, or minimal fortifications of nutrients. The sow was resilient to nutrient inputs. Ample examples illustrate the ability of sows to adapt to marginal nutrient inputs by improvements in efficiency, and thus, avoid reduced productivity. Over-supplementation of nutrients precludes adaptive improvements in efficiency and leads to substantial environmental impacts and economic losses. Failure to focus on optimizing nutrient efficiency contributes to negative consumer perceptions, which imply that modern swine production is not sustainable. Understanding intrinsic pathways provide opportunities to improve nutrient efficiencies for both macro- and micro- minerals, and fat-soluble vitamins. As an example, over-supplementation of 0.10% excess P to sow herd diets equates to an excess of 4,745 metric tons of P that must be accommodated in manure nutrient management plans. The recent global shortage of vitamins captured the attention of nutritionists and raised questions around sufficient safety margins needed for vitamins. Based on our research efforts, the minimal vitamin D requirement for sows is likely around 300 IU D3/kg diet, yet commercial diets are commonly supplemented at 6X that level. The historical recommendations that 1.5X requirements for fat soluble vitamins and 3X requirements for water soluble vitamins provide sufficient safety margins have been largely ignored in current production applications. Does scientific evidence support such extreme over-supplementation? In conclusion, understanding intrinsic pathways to improve gestating sow nutrient efficiencies provides opportunities for significant impacts on the balance between meeting animal needs and minimizing environmental impacts. As an industry our research efforts and practical applications must focus on positive ways to capture nutrient efficiency, especially in mineral and vitamin fortifications, in order to promote a sustainable industry.

Addition of a visual cue to rice increases perceived flavour intensity but not liking

Rice is a common staple for about 50% of the world population. Sodium based ingredients such as table salt (NaCl) and mono-sodium glutamate (MSG) are often added to rice to increase flavour intensity and subsequent liking. Due to negative health consequences of excessive NaCl consumption and negative consumer perception of MSG, alternative strategies to increase perceived flavour intensity of rice are needed. As such, the present research aimed to investigate the effect of a visual product cue on perceived flavour intensity and liking of rice. In a within-subject, randomised design, 151 participants tasted six different rice samples (i.e., with and without a visual cue, at 0%, 0.05% and 0.1% MSG concentrations). Next, they rated perceived flavour intensity (rank-order and general labelled magnitude scale measures), liking (9-point hedonic scale) and preference (rank-order), over two sessions separated by one week. Across all MSG concentrations, the presence of the visual cue significantly increased reported perceived flavour intensity. No effect of the visual cue on liking nor preference were found. In conclusion, a visual product cue increased perceived flavour intensity of rice, but not liking or preference.

Identification and Quantitation Studies of Migrants from BPA Alternative Food-Contact Metal Can Coatings.

Bisphenol A (BPA)-based epoxy resins have wide applications as food-contact materials such as metal can coatings. However, negative consumer perceptions toward BPA have driven the food packaging industry to develop other alternatives. In this study, four different metal cans and their lids manufactured with different BPA-replacement food-contact coatings are subjected to migration testing in order to identify migratory chemical species from the coatings. Migration tests are conducted using food simulants and conditions of use corresponding to the intended applications and regulatory guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Extracts are analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high resolution GC-MS. The migratory compounds identified include short chain cyclic polyester migrants from polyester-based coatings and bisphenol-type migrants including tetramethyl bisphenol F (TMBPF), tetramethyl bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (TMBPF DGE), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol C (BPC), and other related monomers or oligomers. The concentration of the migrants is estimated using an internal standard, and validated trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatization GC-MS methods are developed to specifically quantify TMBPF, BPF, BPC, and BPA in the coatings. The results will aid the safety evaluation of new food-contact material coating technology based on TMBPF chemistry and will provide an important reference for the industry in identifying and quantifying non-BPA coating-borne migrants.