Non-dairy Creamers Research Articles

Physicochemical properties and feasibility of coconut oil-based diacylglycerol as an alternative fat for healthy non-dairy creamer.

Non-dairy creamers have been widely used for coffee whitening and texture improvement. To avoid the intake of trans fatty acids from partially hydrogenated oil, coconut oil-based diacylglycerol (CO-DAG) was applied in non-dairy creamer as core material. In this study, effects of DAG content (30, 50, 70, 90%) on the characteristics of CO-DAG were evaluated, including rheological and thermodynamic properties. The CO-DAG with a content of 50% exhibited a wide plastic range and contained mixture of β and β' polymorphic forms. Using CO-DAG (50%) as core material, the physicochemical properties of non-dairy creamer were characterized and compared with commercial products. The results indicated that CO-DAG-based non-dairy creamers showed similar encapsulation efficiency (92.74%) and thermal stability to commercial products. Furthermore, CO-DAG-based non-dairy creamer showed higher whiteness index (54.20) than commercial non-dairy creamers (50.22) when applied to black coffee. Overall, it is anticipated that CO-DAG-based non-dairy creamers have great potentials in coffee whitening.

College Students' Preferences for Milk Tea: Results from a Choice Experiment.

(1) Background: Although China is one of the largest tea-producing countries in the world, the Chinese tea industry is facing a decline in profits. However, an explosive market, namely milk tea, has garnered the attention of certain famous tea companies, several of which have launched milk tea products through sub-branding or co-branding. However, there is a scarce amount of literature on consumers' attitudes toward these marketing strategies of the milk tea market. (2) Methods: Utilizing the choice experiment (CE) approach, the aim of this study was to explore consumer preferences for milk tea and investigate consumers' socio-demographic characteristics regarding the preference for milk tea. (3) Results: Firstly, although consumers show positive attitudes toward tea bases that come from famous tea companies, they barely pay attention to the types of tea bases of milk tea products. As for ingredients, consumers show significantly negative attitudes toward non-dairy creamers when compared with fruit bases. Moreover, new brands could undermine consumers' evaluations of milk tea. Secondly, education, the weekly frequency of drinking milk tea, and monthly allowance have a significant influence on consumer preferences. (4) Conclusions: Tea bases from famous tea companies can enhance consumer utility and promote consumer preference for milk tea. Thus, famous tea companies could seek cooperation with milk tea manufacturers, which would be a win-win strategy for both sides. On the other hand, tea companies should make use of their established reputations to gain consumers in the milk tea market, and co-branding or sub-branding strategies could be cost-effective methods to achieve this goal in the highly competitive milk tea market.

Simulation of fatty acid peak profile on a 100-m CP-Sil 88 column and application for analysis of commercial trans fat alternatives in Thailand

A program to simulate fatty acid peak profiles on a gas chromatograph coupled with a 100-m CP-Sil 88 column has been developed. The concept of a quantitative structure-retention relationship (QSRR) with a Gibbs energy additivity approach and Gaussian function was used to create the program, which can be performed on Excel spreadsheets. The present method is applicable for optimizing multi-step temperature-programmed gas chromatography (GC) for determination of fatty acid profiles in samples. Strong correlation coefficients were obtained between experimental and simulated retention times (tR), with R2 = 0.9981. Based on simulation results, the AOAC2012.13 GC condition was recommended for the trans fat analysis. The proposed method was applied to analyze fatty acid compositions in 12 samples of trans fat alternatives, including shortenings, margarines, butter blends and non-dairy creamers, sold commercially in Thailand. The major trans fatty acid (TFA) isomer found after fractionation on Ag-Ion SPE was C18:1t11 (trans-vaccenic acid). The samples contained 0.0–6.3 g TFA/100 g fat, which is similar to the level found in nature. Contents of TFA in the samples determined by GC after fractionation on Ag-Ion SPE were comparable to those obtained by Fourier transform infrared analysis.

MON-100 DIETARY PHOSPHATE INTAKE PATTERNS IN MALAYSIAN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS: UNDERSTANDING DETERMINANTS OF PATIENT BEHAVIORS

A neglected area of dialysis patient care in Malaysia is the dietary management of hyperphosphatemia. Information on patient’s food habits is critical in determining strategies in nutrition intervention and monitoring services. This study accordingly investigated dietary patterns (DPs) of hemodialysis (HD) patients to determine food consumption behaviors detrimental to serum phosphate levels. We used screening data (n=382) from the ongoing multicentered (n=12) Palm Tocotrienols in Chronic Hemodialysis(PaTCH) study. An à posteriori approach examined 3-day dietary records leading to short-listing 31 food groups. DPs were derived through principal component analysis with eigenvalue >1.0. Dietary phosphorous as per total, organic (animal and plant) and inorganic phosphates, phosphate to protein (Pho:Pro) ratio, along with serum phosphate were parameters examined as per tertiles of DP consumption. In final analyses (n=366) four DPs emerged namely, Home foods (HF), Eating out (EO), Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and Monotonous diet (MD). Within DP Tertiles (T3 vs T1), younger patients chose EO (T3 = 49.96 ± 15.15 vs T1 = 57.42 ± 13.18 years) and SSB (T3 = 50.65 ± 14.54 vs T1 = 58.20 ± 12.86 years) patterns. T3 of HF pattern reflective of greater food variety, carried the highest organic phosphate load from animal foods (287 ± 160 mg vs 228 ± 130 mg, p = 0.007) and least from inorganic phosphates (85 ± 82 mg vs 117 ± 102 mg, p= 0.032). The EO pattern, mainly cereal-based, carried the highest load of plant organic phosphates (323 ± 130 mg/T2 and 289± 107 mg/T3). T3 of MD pattern reflective of limited food variety, carried the lowest Pho:Pro ratio (11.42 ± 2.24 mg/g). But T3 of SSB pattern which significantly correlated to the highest serum phosphate levels (1.90 ± 0.54 vs 1.74 ± 0.46 mmol/L, p = 0.048), also carried the highest load of inorganic phosphate content (144.2 ± 109.4 vs 80.5 ± 76.8 mg, p = 0.001) and Pho:Pro ratio (12.93 ± 2.34 vs 11.89 ± 3.00 mg/g, p = 0.011). The SSB pattern was dominated by beverages (1206 ± 304 vs 1000 ± 326 ml, p = 0.001) carrying inorganic phosphates mainly from non-dairy creamers and condensed milk. The SSB pattern appears detrimental to serum phosphate control in Malaysian HD patients, as it increases inorganic phosphate load. Interventions should target patient behaviors towards a healthier DP such as the HF pattern which had greater food variety.

Impact of oil droplet concentration on the optical, rheological, and stability characteristics of O/W emulsions stabilized with plant-based surfactant: Potential application as non-dairy creamers

The development of plant-based foods and beverages is becoming increasingly popular because of growing consumer concerns about perceived ethical, health, and environmental issues. The current study examined the influence of oil droplet concentration on the physicochemical properties of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions stabilized with a plant-based surfactant. Emulsions were utilized as model creamers, which consisted of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) as the oil phase and quillaja saponin as a plant-based surfactant. The optical, rheological and stability properties of these model creamers were measured at varied oil content from 0 to 15%, at a constant surfactant-to-oil ratio (1:15). The model creamers had an appearance similar to that of commercial non-dairy creamers, and their whiteness increased with increasing droplet concentration due to enhanced light scattering: L* from 77 to 91 for creamer and L* from 5 to 55 for white coffee. The quillaja saponin-coated lipid droplets were stable to aggregation and gravitational separation when added to hot acidic coffee solutions (85°C, pH4.9), which was attributed to strong steric and electrostatic repulsions. The apparent viscosity of the model creamers increased with increasing droplet concentration due to increased frictional losses associated with the presence of the droplets. This study provides valuable information into the impact of oil content on the physicochemical properties of liquid creamers using plant based surfactants, which is important for the formulation of healthier products.

Nanotechnology: Safety Issues

1. Kathleen Kenwright, MS, MT,MP(ASCP) SI[⇑][1] 1. University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163 2. Linda L. Williford Pifer, Ph.D.,SM(ASCP), GS(ABB) 1. University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163 1. Address for Correspondence: Kathleen Kenwright, MS, MT,MP(ASCP), SI, Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 930 Madison Avenue, Suite 672, Memphis, TN, 38163, 901-448-6338., kkenwrig{at}uthsc.edu 1. List the “watchdog” organizations and agencies that intend to improve oversight of the safety of nanotechnology development and research. 2. Describe potential personal risks posed by nanotechnology. 3. Differentiate between speculation about nanomaterial safety and data-supported “facts”. 4. List products that contain nanoparticles. 5. Identify sources of information concerning safety of handling nanotechnology products in the clinical laboratory. The Current Ubiquity of Nanotechnology Is nanotechnology safe for humans? Nanoproducts are everywhere. There are currently over 1000 nanotechnology-based consumer products on the market.1,2 An inventory of nanoengineered products is maintained by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) and published on their web site (Table 1).1 Some products boldly declare nanotechnology in their advertising such as Bionic Joint Support™ “…it's worth taking advantage of a nanosphere liposomal delivery system”3; other manufacturers use nanoparticles but choose not to advertise the fact. Employment of nanoengineered particles in manufacturing is increasing at an enormous rate, but reporting the use of nanomaterials is voluntary. Maynard and Rejeski say these voluntary efforts have been unsuccessful.4 The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that “approximately 90% of the different nanoscale materials likely to be commercially available were not reported”.4,5 Consumers are exposed to nanoparticles daily, without even realizing it, from natural sources as they are present in soot and many living and non-living entities in nature. Nanoparticles such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide are used in sunscreens and cosmetics. Titanium dioxide is also used as a food additive to whiten creamy products such as salad dressings, and it is used in candies and non-dairy creamers.6 Nanomaterials are internalized by ingestion of food, medication or supplements that contain microparticles (Figure 1). Silicates and aluminosilicates are added to food products as an adsorbent to prevent caking. The average person ingests approximately 1012 submicron-sized particles each day in the form of food additives.6 Exposure to Nanomaterials There… ABBREVIATIONS: FDA= Federal Drug Administration; MSDS= material safety data sheets; ASR= analyte specific reagents; NIOSH = National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIST = National Institute of Standards and Technology; OTC = over-the-counter; NIL= National Information Library; FTC= Federal Trade Commission; CDER= Center for Drug Evaluation and Research; EPA= Environmental Protection Agency; NST= Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology; NTF= Nanotechnology Task Force; PEN = Project on Emerging Technologies. 1. List the “watchdog” organizations and agencies that intend to improve oversight of the safety of nanotechnology development and research. 2. Describe potential personal risks posed by nanotechnology. 3. Differentiate between speculation about nanomaterial safety and data-supported “facts”. 4. List products that contain nanoparticles. 5. Identify sources of information concerning safety of handling nanotechnology products in the clinical laboratory. [1]: #corresp-1

Tea enhances insulin activity.

The most widely known health benefits of tea relate to the polyphenols as the principal active ingredients in protection against oxidative damage and in antibacterial, antiviral, anticarcinogenic, and antimutagenic activities, but polyphenols in tea may also increase insulin activity. The objective of this study was to determine the insulin-enhancing properties of tea and its components. Tea, as normally consumed, was shown to increase insulin activity >15-fold in vitro in an epididymal fat cell assay. Black, green, and oolong teas but not herbal teas, which are not teas in the traditional sense because they do not contain leaves of Camellia senensis, were all shown to increase insulin activity. High-performance liquid chromatography fractionation of tea extracts utilizing a Waters SymmetryPrep C18 column showed that the majority of the insulin-potentiating activity for green and oolong teas was due to epigallocatechin gallate. For black tea, the activity was present in several regions of the chromatogram corresponding to, in addition to epigallocatechin gallate, tannins, theaflavins, and other undefined compounds. Several known compounds found in tea were shown to enhance insulin with the greatest activity due to epigallocatechin gallate followed by epicatechin gallate, tannins, and theaflavins. Caffeine, catechin, and epicatechin displayed insignificant insulin-enhancing activities. Addition of lemon to the tea did not affect the insulin-potentiating activity. Addition of 5 g of 2% milk per cup decreased the insulin-potentiating activity one-third, and addition of 50 g of milk per cup decreased the insulin-potentiating activity approximately 90%. Nondairy creamers and soy milk also decreased the insulin-enhancing activity. These data demonstrate that tea contains in vitro insulin-enhancing activity and the predominant active ingredient is epigallocatechin gallate.

Effect of Storage Temperatures and Ingredients on Growth of Bacillus cereus in Coffee Creamers

Growth of Bacillus cereus ATCC 33018 was evaluated in half and half (10.5% fat), whipping cream (30% fat), and nondairy creamer (7.5% fat). Samples were inoculated with approximately 10 vegetative cells/ml or 100 spores/ml and were subsequently stored at 4, 7, 23, and 32°C. Within 9h at 32°C and 11h at 23°C, in both half and half and whipping cream, vegetative cells and spores reached population levels that can cause foodborne illness. No growth occurred in any product stored at 4 or 7°C. Sodium stearoyl lactylate, a fatty acid derivative that is used as an emulsifier, inhibited growth of spores and vegetative cells in the nondairy creamers stored at either 32 or 23°C.

Chinese Food Habit Perspectives

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to assess changes in food behaviors of a Chinese population by investigating a group of 32 mature students before and after they came to study in the United States. Using a modified version of the National Cancer Institute's Health Habits and History Questionnaire, data was collected to measure food acculturation, food behaviors, and frequency of consumption for more than one hundred foods. Results show considerable dietary change. Food intake decreased significantly in the “Bread and cereal” food group and in the “Vegetable” food group in the United States compared to intake in China. In contrast, foods in the “Fruit,” “Meat,” and “Dairy products” food groups increased significantly in the United States compared to in China. Intake of many individual items increased significantly including snacks and sweets, ice-cream, whole milk, non-dairy creamers, orange juice, white bread, and soda. The most significant decrease was in the consumption of rice. Other food behavior...

A Rapid Method for the Evaluation of Emulsion Stability of Non‐Dairy Creamers

ABSTRACTA rapid method based on the Lowry protein assay was developed for the determination of the emulsion stability of nondairy creamers in a model system. The method used the detergent and crystallization properties of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate to solubilize the casein present in the creamers. Increasing concentrations of the divalent cations Ca++ and Mg++ resulted in an increasing degree of emulsion breakdown in a commercial nondairy creamer. Significant differences in the emulsion stability of five commercial nondairy creamers were also demonstrated with this method.

Microbiological Quality of Non-Dairy Creamers, Fillings and Toppings

A study conducted in 1984–1985, in the province of Ontario, Canada, assessed the bacteriological quality of three types of non-dairy substitutes including creamers, fillings and toppings. All sample units tested contained acceptable levels of aerobic colony count (ACC), yeast/mold and aerobic sporeformers. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella were not detected in any of the 79 lots tested, indicating that good hygienic practices were used during the manufacture of these products.

Coffee Drinking and Cancer of the Lower Urinary Tract<xref ref-type="fn" rid="fn2">2</xref>

The relationship between coffee drinking and cancer of the lower urinary tract (LUT) was investigated by a case-control study of white women identified from hospitals in urban areas of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Data on coffee drinking, tea drinking, use of coffee additives, and cigarette smoking were obtained by mail questionnaire. Information was available for 135 women with LUT cancer and 390 controls. For women who usually drank 1+ cups of coffee per day, the risk ratio of having LUT cancer was 2.1 (95 percent confidence limits, 1.1-4.3), compared to a risk of 1 for women who drank less or not at all. However, no dose-response relationship was demonstrated between LUT cancer and usual daily coffee consumption or "cup-years" of coffee drinking. The association of coffee with disease was no different, whether decaffeinated, nondecaffeinated, regular, or instant coffee had been drunk, or whether the coffee was brewed strong or weak. Use of nondairy creamers, saccharin, or cyclamates was not associated with increased risk of disease. The risk of LUT cancer for cigarette smokers relative to nonsmokers was 1.6 (1.0-2.4). The attendant dose-response relationship was statistically significant. The absence of a dose-response relationship between coffee drinking and LUT cancer suggested that the association observed was noncasual.