Organoleptic Scores Research Articles

Comparative quality attributes and sensory acceptance of deep-fried and oven-cooked broiler chicken nuggets

The growing concern over consumption of fatty foods had increased the focus on formulating and developing nutritious and tasty low-fat meat products. However, the cooking methods employed during preparation of a food can change consumer’s perception about the product. Breast and thigh muscles were deboned, grounded, mixed with nugget ingredients to form an emulsion, and then divided into two. Each part was deep-fried or oven-cooked after cutting into nugget pieces (3.5 cm diameter, 1.5 cm thickness, 20.5 g weight). Yield (%), moisture (%), organoleptic characteristics (9 point hedonic scale), cholesterol (%), phenol (mgGAE/100g), were assessed on fresh while Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS µg MDA/Kg) and Total Viable Counts (TVC cfu/g) were observed at 0, 7, 14 days of storage. Data were analysed using T-test and factorial analysis @ α = 0.05. Oven cooked nuggets yield (90.43) and moisture (55.84) were significantly higher (Pr t <0.05) than 79.94 (yield) and 52.39 (moisture) deep fried nuggets. No significant differences (Pr t>0.05) in colour, aroma, tenderness and overall acceptability were observed in both nuggets. Flavour (6.00) and juiciness (5.00) of oven-cooked nuggets are significantly higher (Pr t<0.05) than 4.83 (flavour) and 3.17 (juiciness) of deep-fried nuggets. Cholesterol (62.74) and phenol (176.12) contents of deep-fried nuggets were higher (Pr t<0.05) than 55.72 (cholesterol) and 144.53 (phenol) of oven cooked nuggets. Oven-cooked nuggets TBARS (2.44, 2.69, 4.21) were significantly higher (p<0.05) than 2.18, 2.41, 3.96 in deep-fried nuggets at 0, 7 and 14 days respectively. Oven-cooked TVC at 0 (2.50), 7 (4.51) and 14 (5.98) days were significantly higher (p<0.05) than 2.10, 4.09 and 5.62 of deep-fried nuggets at 0, 7 and 14 days respectively. The high yield and organoleptic scores elucidated that oven-cooked nuggets are well accepted and this method can be used in the preparation of chicken nuggets.

Anti-inflammation and Anti-tyrosinase effect of Robusta coffee BP-42 extract gel on clinical appearance after skin grafting in long evans rats

This study compares the anti-hyperpigmentation activity of kojic acid and Robusta BP-42 coffee bean extract on skin-grafted rats. Kojic acid is one of the standards for reducing pigmentation on the skin. But, kojic acid usage presents side effects for some patients, such as skin irritation, redness, and itching. Robusta BP-42 is one of the best robusta coffee strains found in Indonesia. The Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute, Jember Regency, East Java, provides this coffee. BP-42 coffee has the highest quality grain and organoleptic score compared to other strains. Three groups of grafted skin on long Evans rats were treated with 2% kojic acid gel (positive control), 5% robusta BP-42 coffee extract gel, and placebo gel (negative control). Observation occurred for 21 days. The photos of grafted skin were taken on days 0, 4, 7, 11, 18 and 21. Skin pigmentation was measured using ImageJ software. Histological examination was performed on days 7, 14, and 21 for all treatment groups. These histological preparations were stained with Masson Fontana. The result showed that Robusta BP-42 coffee extract gel showed a similar clinical and histological measurement to positive control. Robusta BP-42 coffee can be a new candidate to treat hyperpigmentation after skin graft surgery.

Standardization and Evaluation of Quality Attributes and Bioactive Components of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) and Kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy) Based Herbal Tea

The present investigation entitled “Standardization and evaluation of quality attributes and bioactive components of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) and Kokum (Garcinia indica Choisy) based herbal tea” was carried out in the Central Instrumentation Laboratory, College of Horticulture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. The experiment was carried out with Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two experiments, experiment-I consists of 7 treatments and three replications. and experiment -II consists of 8 treatments and 3 replications. Tea bags of 3.5grams will be prepared as per the treatments and Standard cup volume of 100 ml is considered for study. The results revealed that the treatment combination of ginger -kokum mix (first best T7 Dry ginger powder 90 % + Dry Kokum powder 10 %), second best -T3 (Dry ginger powder 50 % + Dry kokum powder 50 %) based on organoleptic evaluation were selected from experiment one and proceeded to experiment two for evaluation of ginger kokum based herbal tea. The results related to physico-chemical parameters and organoleptic evaluation indicated that, among the different herbal teas, the treatment T3 (First best -90 %+ Cardamom -10 %) recorded best with pH (4.54) of 0th day, T2 (Second Best -100 % -Control) recorded highest titratable acidity (4.02 %) of 60th day, T2 (Second Best -100 %) recorded best with Ascorbic acid (1.32 mg/100 g) of 0th day. T4 (First best 90 % +Turmeric -10 %) at 0th day found to be best with total Phenol content (88.95 mg GAE/g). The maximum organoleptic score for overall acceptability (8.47) was in “Like very much range” on nine-point hedonic scale which is recorded in treatment T4: (First best-90 % +Tulasi-10 %) at the end of storage period. it can be concluded that T4-(First best -90 % + Tulasi - 10%) and T8 (Second best 90 % + Turmeric -10%) are best two standardized herbal teas from this research work.

Characteristics of extra-oral halitosis induced by functional constipation: a prospective cohort study

Characteristics of extra-oral halitosis induced by functional constipation (FC) have never been revealed. To address this, this prospective cohort was conducted with 100 FC patients, who were divided into a halitosis group and a negative group. Organoleptic score (OLS) ⩾ 2 in nose breath was diagnosed as extra-oral halitosis. Concentration of overall volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) measured by Halimeter, concentration of hydrogen sulfide (HS), methanethiol (MT), dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and their total amount measured by OralChroma in nose breath was recorded as C-VSC, C-HS, C-MT, C-DMS and C-sum respectively. We found that 82% (82/100) of the FC patients had extra-oral halitosis. However, only 12.5% (3/82) and 1.22% (1/82) of halitosis group were correctly diagnosed with the current diagnostic threshold of C-VSC ⩾ 110 parts per billion (ppb) and ⩾150 ppb. C-VSC, C-DMS and C-sum were significantly higher in the halitosis group compared to the negative group (all P < 0.001), with ratios of about 2.2 times, 3.1 times and 2.1 times respectively. C-HS and C-MT were low and not significantly different between the groups. Positive correlations were observed among OLS, C-VSC, C-DMS and C-sum. The area under curve of receiver operating characteristics of C-VSC, C-DMS and C-sum for predicting FC-induced halitosis was 0.909, 0.9073 and 0.962 respectively, with the threshold values of ⩾36 ppb, ⩾52 ppb and ⩾75 ppb respectively. Therefore, we conclude that: (1) DMS is the primary contributor to FC-induced extra-oral halitosis. (2) OLS, Halimeter and OralChroma are consistent in detecting FC-induced extra-oral halitosis. (3) The diagnostic threshold for Halimeter should be adjusted to C-VSC ⩾ 36 ppb and the diagnostic threshold for OralChroma should be set as C-DMS ⩾ 52 ppb for diagnosing FC-induced extra-oral halitosis.

Studies On The Effect Of Sugar In Bioactive Components Retention On Amla Products

Amla fruit (Emblica officinalis) commonly known as Indian gooseberry or Amla, is perhaps the most important medicinal plant in the Indian traditional system of medicine, the Ayurveda.Vitamin C, tannins and flavonoids present in amla have powerful antioxidant activities. Due to rich Vitamin C content, amla is successfully used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. It is one of the oldest Indian fruits and considered as "wonder fruit for health". Amla pulp of fresh fruit contains 200-900 mg/100 g of vitamin C. Ascorbic acid retention was found to be decreased with increase in temperature. The fruit is highly perishable in nature and is available for short period from October to January. The amla fruit possess excellent nutritive and therapeutic value and to promote the use of amla among the public. Hence an attempt was made to standardized sweet-based products viz. jam, squash and jelly with different treatments. The prepared amla products were standardized based on sensory evaluation. The bio active components and sensory evaluation of amla products were analysed during the storage period. The shelflife studies of amla jam, squash and jelly were also done at room temperature and it has more shelflife with high organoleptic scores.

Gastric Helicobacter pylori infection does not contribute to extraoral halitosis and its eradication cannot achieve substantial reduction of halitosis

AbstractBackgroundSome researchers have suggested that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is attributed to extraoral halitosis. However, this viewpoint is increasingly challenged by clinical practice. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating changes of extraoral halitosis before and after H. pylori eradication.Materials and MethodsData of patients who had H. pylori infection and extraoral halitosis were retrospectively collected. H. pylori infection was diagnosed by positive 13C urea breath test (UBT). Extraoral halitosis was diagnosed by organoleptic score (OLS) ≥2 in nose breath. A 14‐day bismuth‐based quadruple therapy was administered for H. pylori eradication. Extraoral halitosis was examined before eradication (T1), on the first day after eradication (T2), 1 month after eradication (T3), and 3 months after eradication (T4). Eradication effect was checked by UBT at T3.ResultsA total of 100 patients were included. Eradication was successful in 74 out of 100 (74%) patients (success group) and failed in 26 out of 100 (26%) patients (failure group). 32 out of 74 (43.24%) patients in success group and 10 out of 26 (38.46%) patients in failure group had reduced halitosis at T2, 9 out of 74 (12.16%) patients in success group and 2 out 26 (7.69%) patients in failure group had relapsed halitosis at T3, and 23 out of 74 (31.08%) patients in success group and 8 out of 26 (30.77%) patients in failure group had relapsed halitosis at T4, without significant difference between groups at any time (p = 0.918, p = 0.808, and p = 0.808 respectively).ConclusionsHelicobacter pylori infection does not contribute to extraoral halitosis. H. pylori eradication can achieve sustained but slight reduction of extraoral halitosis, probably due to its antibiotic effects on the gut microbiota rather than H. pylori.

Effect of biodegradable coating from taro starch-duck bone gelatin on chemical and organoleptic quality of beef meatballs during room temperature storage

Beef meatball is a perishable food, so packaging is required to minimize the effect of storage time at room temperature. In this study, storage of beef meatballs without packaging and beef meatballs with natural biodegradable coating taro starch-duck bone gelatin was carried out. Effect of using biodegradable coating on beef meatballs during storage 0, 6, 12, 18, 24 hours at room temperature on chemical properties and organoleptic of meatballs were examined. The experimental design used was a factorial Block Randomized Design. Mean differences were tested with Duncan's New Multiple Range Test. The results of the statistical analysis showed that there was an interaction between the use of biodegradable coatings and the storage time. The use of biodegradable coatings had a significant effect (P&lt;0.05) and storage time also had a significant effect (P&lt;0.05) on chemical and organoleptic quality which increased the value of water content, decreased the value of water holding capacity, pH, protein content, fat content, as well as the organoleptic score. The application of a biodegradable coating taro starch-duck bone gelatin had a positive effect on the shelf life of beef meatballs during room temperature storage for 24 hours.

Response of carrot (Daucus carota Linn.) to different doses and sources of nitrogen in Sindhuli, Nepal

As a root crop known for its substantial nitrogen requirements, carrot responds well to both organic and inorganic fertilizers that supply different amounts of nitrogen. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of various proportions of farmyard manure (FYM) and recommended dosages of chemical fertilizers (RDF) in carrot production to address the issues posed by their sole use. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used to plan the field study, which consisted of five treatments and five replications with different nitrogen rates and sources, viz., T1 (100% FYM), T2 (25% RDF+75% FYM), T3 (50% RDF+50% FYM), T4 (75% RDF+25% FYM), and T5 (100% RDF) during December 2019 to April 2020 in the tropical region of Sindhuli, Nepal. Among the treatments, T3 exhibited the earliest germination (7.60 DAS) and the most desirable plant height (42.61 cm), root length (20.41 cm), root diameter (3.01 cm), fresh root weight plant-1 (96.04 g), total root dry matter content (15.01%), root biomass plant-1 (55.44 g), and total biomass plant-1 (85.33 g) at harvest. However, T5 resulted in the highest leaf count plant-1 (8.6) and fresh foliage weight plant-1 (42.96 g) at harvest. Similarly, T3 was significantly higher for quality parameters, such as cortex diameter (1.36 cm), pH (6.72), TSS (12.48 0Brix), TA (0.22 g liter-1), and organoleptic score (7.60). Although there were minimal root disorders in T3 (17%), T1 also had insignificant cases of cracking (8%) and postharvest weight loss (1.63%). Thus, reducing nitrogen input from the recommended dose and adding FYM improves carrot yield, quality, and shelf life. Furthermore, this guarantees higher economic returns with a B:C ratio of 1.65. Despite these positive results, the efficacy of the tested nutrient combinations needs to be analyzed on a larger scale, as well as in different ecological regions.

Impact of Maturity Stage on Postharvest Quality of Strawberries Cold Stored for Fresh Consumption

Strawberries, being a non-climacteric fruit is usually harvested near maturity for optimal flavour and quality. However, this could also lead to a limited shelf life being highly perishable. However, the ripening stages could be a possible solution to minimizing the losses of post-harvest. Therefore, a current study was performed to evaluate the influences of ripening stages affecting the quality of strawberry fruit. Strawberry fruit was picked at four ripening stages unripe, semi-ripe, fully ripe and over-ripe maturity stages and stored at 5°C and were evaluated every alternate day for changes in fruit quality. The results concluded that red ripe fruits retained maximum fresh fruit weight and only 10%of fruit was un-marketable after 10 days of storage period. On the contrary, the highest decay rate was observed in over-ripe fruits and 50% of the fruit was unmarketable after 10 days of storage. Moreover, red ripe fruits were organoleptically more acceptable and retained higher total soluble solids whereas unripe and semi-ripe achieved low organoleptic scores due to higher total titratable acids. High levels of sugar in over-ripe fruits favoured a high incidence of pathogen attack. From this experiment, we can suggest that if fruits are picked at the red ripe stage will have optimal quality, moisture level, TSS, pH, TSS/acid ratio, TA, and good organoleptic score. Therefore, strawberry fruits for fresh eating should be picked at the red ripe maturity stage.

Development of Fruit and Vegetable Based Millet Pasta

Incorporation of nutricereals, fruits and vegetables into daily dietaries is a food design strategy that can add several health benefits. Pasta, a well-known food product, is obtained from extrusion process by mixing wheat semolina and water. Replacing wheat with millets and water with fruit/vegetable pulp in the development of pasta may enhance its nutritional quality and lowers its carbohydrate levels, which will benefit for diabetic and cancer patients. The aim of the current study is to formulate the millet-based pasta with locally available fruit/vegetables. In this study, different proportion of diverse ingredients such as barnyard millet semolina, papaya, gogu and tapioca were used. Pasta was developed in five different formulations with barnyard millet, papaya and gogu incorporation; gogu and papaya were added up to 15 and 30 %, respectively. Among five proportions, combination of papaya (20 %) and gogu (5 %) addition to barnyard millet-based pasta has the highest organoleptic score. Addition of fruit/vegetable has improved dietary fiber and total mineral content by 89.30 and 12.61 %, respectively.

Soybean hull polysaccharides affect the physicochemical properties and lactic acid bacteria proliferation in plant‐based yogurt

AbstractAs a by‐product of soybean processing, soybean hulls contain soybean hull polysaccharides (SHPS). This study aims to develop a plant‐based yogurt with SHPS addition and assess the consequences of SHPS on the physicochemical properties and growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in yogurts. The study investigated the water holding capacity (WHC), microstructure, rheological properties, texture, pH, organoleptic attributes, volatile compounds, flavor profile, and LAB population. The findings reveal that the addition of SHPS significantly impacted these properties. SHPS improved the physicochemical properties, increased the level of flavor compounds, and improved the organoleptic properties of yogurt. Yogurt with 0.6% SHPS demonstrated superior WHC, texture, rheological properties, and the highest organoleptic evaluation scores. However, when SHPS additions exceeded 0.6%, WHC, texture, and rheological properties of the yogurts decreased. Furthermore, SHPS‐added yogurts contained more LAB compared to yogurt without SHPS. LAB grew better in media with SHPS than in media without glucose. Streptococcus thermophilus grew best among the LAB strains. This study highlights the potential of SHPS in yogurt production and its promising applications in fermented food products.

Harvesting Maturity Assessment of Newly Developed Citrus Hybrids (Citrus maxima Merr. × Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) for Optimum Juice Quality

The assessment of the optimum harvesting stage is a prerequisite to evaluating the performance of new citrus genotypes. The intrinsic and extrinsic fruit quality traits of citrus fruits change throughout their developmental process; therefore, to ensure the highest quality, the fruit must be harvested at an appropriate stage of maturity. The biochemical changes in terms of total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), TSS/TA ratio, BrimA (Brix minus acidity), and ascorbic acid, in addition to the organoleptic acceptability of 16 new interspecific citrus hybrids, were evaluated in New Delhi (India) during the H1-H8 harvesting stage at 15-day intervals to standardize the optimum harvesting stage. The TA and ascorbic acid content were at a maximum level during the early harvesting stage and declined with time, reaching the minimum level in the last harvesting stage. The TSS, TSS/TA ratio, and BrimA values were found to have an increasing trend up to the last stage in most of the hybrids. The juice content shows an inclining trend during the initial harvesting observations, followed by stable juice content and then a decline. The BrimA was found to be a better predictor for consumer acceptability compared to the traditional maturity index TSS/TA ratio and, thus, harvesting maturity. Specific TSS, TA, and BrimA values, in addition to the juice percentage and ascorbic acid content, corresponding to the highest hedonic score, were judged as the optimum harvesting stage indicators for an individual hybrid genotype. Among the interspecific hybrids, SCSH-9-10/12, SCSH-11-15/12, and SCSH-17-19/13 were found to be superior, having better juice acceptability organoleptic scores (≥6.0) and higher juice content (≥40%). Principal component analysis based on fruit physico-chemical traits could be able to distinguish the optimum maturity stage in all of the citrus genotypes.

Karakteristik Beras Analog dari Tepung Komposit (Mocaf: Sagu: Kedelai: Daun Kelor) dengan Penambahan Karagenan

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Analog rice is an alternative food to replace rice using sago, sorghum, or even corn with carbohydrate content near or exceeds the rice and the shape. Analog rice made from mocaf flour has a lower protein content than milled rice, so it is necessary to add soy flour which has 35.00% of protein content, sago flour which has 21.38% of amylose content, and Moringa leaves flour which has an antioxidant activity of 32.96%. Carrageenan is also added to the mixture as a binder. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the proportions of composite flour (mocaf: sago: soybean: moringa leaves) with the addition of carrageenan on the characteristics of analog rice. Completely randomized factorial design was used in this study with the first factor proportion of mocaf: sago: soybean: moringa leaves flour such as A (70: 10: 20: 3.5gr), B (60: 20: 20: 3.5 gr), and C (50: 30: 20: 3.5gr) with the second factor the addition of carrageenan (2, 3 and 4%). The data were analyzed using Minitab V.17, with 5% DMRT (Duncan Multiple Range Test). The best results for analog rice were obtained from proportion A (70: 10: 20: 3.5 gr) with the addition of 3% carrageenan with characteristics 3.22% of moisture, 2.83% of ash, 145.33% of rehydration power, 106.25% of swelling volume and 12.5% of antioxidant activity, with organoleptic score 3.10 of taste, 3.55 of colour; 3.38 of flavor; and 3.10 of texture.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Evaluation of Common Interventions to Manage Halitosis Based On Organoleptic Scoring

Objective: To determine the efficacy of interventions undertaken to manage common causes of halitosis based on organoleptic scoring. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Pano Aqil Pakistan, from Sep 2021 to Aug 2022. Methodology: Three hundred patients with halitosis fulfilling the inclusion criteria were treated as per their root cause of halitosis and evaluated by organoleptic scoring method on a fortnightly basis for one month. Pre-treatment organoleptic scoring was compared with post-treatment organoleptic scores. Results: Among 300 patients, 177(59%) were females and 123(41%) were males. Halitosis due to poor oro-dental hygiene was seen in 92(30.66%) cases, food-related halitosis in 90(30%), periodontal diseases in 47(15%) cases, while 33 patients (11%) have halitosis due to ENT diseases. A comparison of pre-treatment and post-treatment organoleptic scores revealed a marked decrease in the number of patients having persistent halitosis (p-value 0.001). Conclusion: The most common etiological factor is poor oral hygiene. An organoleptic scoring system is a simple and quick method to recognize and grade halitosis without requiring costly gadgetry.

Effect of Pre-Harvest Fruit Bagging on Fruit Quality Characteristics of Different Guava Cultivars during Rainy Season

The present investigation was carried out on 6-7 years old grafted guava plants at Guava Demonstration Centre, Bhuna, Haryana, India during the rainy season (2019-20). During the experiment, the fruits of different guava cultivars viz. Hisar Safeda, Hisar Surkha, Allahabad Safeda, and Shweta were bagged with different bagging materials immediately after the fruit set. Results showed that the fruits bagged with blue polythene exhibited maximum fruit volume (113.96 ml) and organoleptic score (8.8), while the minimum (95.30 ml and 6.3, respectively) values were observed in the control. The highest fruit firmness (6.62 Kg/cm2) was observed with green polythene, while the minimum (5.03 Kg/cm2) was in control. Additionally, bagged fruits showed better peel colour development. The fruit drop was also reduced in all treatments except for the control (20%), yellow paper (12.78%), and green paper (11.66%). Fruit drop was minimum in transparent polythene (5.55%) and green polythene. On the other hand, Decay loss was eliminated in yellow paper, green paper, blue paper, cotton cloth, and muslin cloth bags, and significantly reduced in all the treatments except the control (8.88%). Among the cultivars, the maximum fruit firmness (5.98 Kg/cm2) was recorded in Hisar Safeda, whereas the least firmness (5.64 Kg/cm2) was in Allahabad Safeda. In conclusion, pre-harvest bagging of fruits was found promising in enhancing the quality attributes of various guava cultivars which can also be applied in real farm situations to enhance the yield as well as the quality of guava crop.

Mapping the Land Suitability Rating of Arabica Coffee Crops: A Geographical Indication Factor-Based Approach

Aims: To map land suitability ratings and organoleptic characteristics of arabica coffee using physical and human dimension attributes constructed from geographical indication components.&#x0D; Study Design: The study was designed in an integrated manner, using a quantitative approach integrated with a qualitative-descriptive approach and supported by field surveys.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Conducted in 3 sub-districts within the scope of Sinjai Regency, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, at altitudes &gt; 800 m.asl., between February 2021 and August 2022.&#x0D; Methodology: The method for determining the observation location point is on-screen digitization based on the land cover class seen with satellite imagery. Ground truth implementation, 16 location points were determined with their respective geographical coordinate positions. To analyze soil properties and characteristics, 41 samples were obtained: An organoleptic test of coffee beans, as many as 3 samples representing the sub-district area.&#x0D; Results: Mapping using physical dimensions in the West Sinjai area resulted in a moderate land suitability rating with an area of 6,976.46 ha; the Sinjai Borong area obtained a less suitable rating of 7,530.32 ha and a moderate rating of 1,457.17 ha, the Central Sinjai area obtained a less suitable rating of 822.16 ha, and a moderate rating of 1,586.47 ha. The compilation of physical and human dimensions in the West Sinjai area shows a moderate rating of 1,057.97 ha and a suitable rating of 5,918.49 ha, Sinjai Borong produces a moderate rating of 8,821.48 ha and a suitable rating of 166.01 ha, Central Sinjai obtained land suitability with a moderate rating of 986.55 ha and a suitable rating of 1,422.08 ha. West Sinjai and Central Sinjai have an organoleptic score of 88.50, with a more specific floral aroma than Sinjai Borong.&#x0D; Conclusion: Mapping the land suitability ranking of arabica coffee plants using physical and human dimensions provides clear and logical results.

Chemical and Organoleptic Properties of Dragon Fruit Gummy Candy and Apple Snail Collagen Extract with Carrageenan Addition

Gummy candy is a soft confectionery crafted from fruit juice, sugar, and gelling agents, known for its chewy texture. The utilization of dragon fruit juice enhances its nutritional value due to its antioxidant properties, phenolic compounds, and vitamin C content. Additionally, it aims to diversify products derived from dragon fruit. Meanwhile, the utilization of collagen from apple snails seeks to boost the economic value of these snails and provide an alternative source of collagen raw material. In this study, the gummy candy uses carrageenan as a hydrocolloid material to establish the chewy texture. This study's primary objective is to determine the optimal combination involving the proportion of dragon fruit juice, apple snail collagen extract, and carrageenan concentration for producing high-quality gummy candy. The research employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with a two-factor factorial pattern and two replications. The first factor was the proportion of dragon fruit juice to apple snail collagen (70:30, 75:25, and 80:20), while the second factor was the carrageenan concentration (3%, 5%, and 7% w/w). Observational data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and if interactions were observed, they were further assessed with Tukey's test at a significance level of 5%. The treatment combination of a 75:25 proportion of dragon fruit juice to apple snail collagen and a 7% carrageenan concentration proved to be the most effective, yielding gummy candy with a moisture content of 13.21%, ash content of 0.95%, and organoleptic evaluation scores for aroma, taste, color, and texture of 3.25, 3.4, 3.4, and 3.7.

Validation of the Romanian Version of the Halitosis Associated Life-Quality Test (HALT) in a Cross-Sectional Study among Young Adults.

Halitosis is a common condition with a significant impact on individuals' quality of life. The Halitosis Associated Life-Quality Test (HALT) is a reliable instrument for measuring this impact. This study aimed to introduce and validate the Romanian translation of the HALT questionnaire (R-HALT). We hypothesized that the R-HALT would demonstrate good reliability and validity in measuring the impact of halitosis on quality of life among Romanian teenagers and young adults. Our objectives were to translate and adapt the HALT, validate it among a cross-sectional group, and evaluate the extent of halitosis in this population. A multicentric cross-sectional design followed, which was approved by the Ethics Research Committee in Romania. The translation process involved independent translations, retro-translations, expert review, and pre-testing. The psychometric properties were evaluated among 150 patients (mean age 23.6 ± 1.8; 51% males) at dental clinics, including reliability, convergent, and discriminant validity, using accepted statistical measures such as Cronbach's alpha and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). The R-HALT revealed strong internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha values ranging from 0.93 to 0.96, and an ICC value of 0.87 (95% CI = 0.70-0.99), demonstrating excellent test-retest reliability. Mean scores of individual items ranged from 0.82 ± 0.94 (Q3) to 3.23 ± 1.15 (Q11). The corrected item-total correlation ranged from 0.30 (Q2) to 0.90 (Q19). Organoleptic test scores diagnosed 41% (62 patients) with a score of 2, with increasing severity in 9% (13 patients) with a score of 5. The R-HALT exhibited robust reliability and validity in assessing the impact of halitosis among Romanian teenagers and young adults. The questionnaire is a strong tool for understanding, diagnosing, and managing halitosis in Romania, ultimately aiming to improve the quality of life of affected individuals. Further studies with diverse populations could enhance the applicability of the R-HALT.

Effect of Fruitlet Thinning on Apple Production and Quality under High Density Plantation

This study, conducted within the Experimental Block of the Division of Fruit Science at SKUAST-K, Shalimar, India, was aimed to thin 5-year-old Fuji Zehn Aztec apple plants. The research was carried out during the years 2020 and 2021and implemented a Randomized Complete Block Design with 11 treatments, including control and various other thinning methods. Chemical and hand thinning were practised at the 12 mm king fruitlet diameter stage. Among the treatments, T9 (NAA+BA@15+140ppm) demonstrated significant results, with the highest trunk girth increment (0.41 cm), annual shoot extension growth (65.46 cm), leaf area (34.71 cm2), fruit drop (39.26%), and the least reduction in return bloom (52.22%). Additionally, T9 resulted in maximum fruit length (79.98 mm), fruit diameter (89.00 mm), fruit weight (224.90 g), fruit volume (197.86 cm3), Soluble Solid concentration (15.87%), SSC : acidity (40.08), total sugar content (11.07%), anthocyanin content (7.14 mg/100g), ascorbic acid content (6.94 mg/100g), and received the highest organoleptic rating score (4.87). However, the highest yield (21.97 kg/tree), yield efficiency (1.50 kg/cm2), fruit firmness (8.36 kg/cm2), hue angle (68.57°), and acidity (0.59%) were recorded in the control group. Notably, T1 (Hand thinning @ 2 fruitlets retained per cluster) achieved the highest fruit retention (97.97%) and the maximum leaf-to-fruit ratio (27.50). These findings shed light on the potential benefits and trade-offs associated with different fruitlet thinning methods in high-density apple plantations. Understanding these effects can aid orchard management practices to optimize both production and fruit quality.

Antioxidant Activity and Organoleptic Quality of Crackers with Differences in the Addition of Black Glutinous Tape and Baking Powder

Tapioca flour-based crackers are a popular dry snack in Indonesia, characterized by their high starch content. However, recent developments have focused on creating crackers that are not only tasty but also have high nutritional value. One way to achieve this is by fortifying crackers with fermented products like black glutinous rice tape. This ingredient is known for its excellent nutrition and high antioxidant content, making it a healthy addition to crackers. The expansion of the volume of crackers is the primary factor that affects the crispness and quality of the crackers. This study aims to determine the proportion of the addition of black glutinous rice tape and baking powder concentration to the characteristics of crackers and determine the best crackers that can produce good quality and are acceptable in terms of sensory. The research design was a randomized complete block design with two factors. The first factor of black glutinous rice tape percentage (20, 30, 40%) and the second factor of baking powder concentration (0.1, 0.2, 0.3%) repeated three times resulted in 27 attempts. The ANOVA two-way statistics was utilized by the researchers to evaluate the chemical data, followed by the Tukey test to detect any significant differences among the treatments. Moreover, they employed Friedman's method to carry out organoleptic testing. The Effectiveness Index method identified the best treatment for chemical and organoleptic analysis, which was T3B2 (0.2% baking powder and 40% black glutinous rice tape). This treatment resulted in an antioxidant activity of 141.15 ppm, a water content of 9.05%, and an ash content of 1.71%. In addition, the organoleptic scores for color, aroma, taste, and texture were rated 4.66, 4.66, 3.40, and 3.70, respectively (3=least liked, 4= liked).