Prepared Food Items Research Articles

Enhanced stability and antibacterial efficacy of edible oleogels-in-water high internal phase emulsions prepared from soybean lipophilic protein

Recently, convenience-driven consumers have increasingly embraced prepared aquatic foods, facilitating a significant shift within the food industry. However, this change has presented a challenge for maintaining the quality of aquatic products in prepared food items since aquatic products are highly susceptible to microbial contamination during processing or storage. Herein, smart oleogels-in-water high internal phase emulsions (GHIPEs) stabilized solely by soybean lipophilic protein (LP) were prepared via oil phase gelation induced by glycerol monolaurate (GML). The purpose of this system is to act as an effective carrier and facilitate the precise release of thyme essential oils to extend the shelf life of food products. The gelation of the oil phase has significantly enhanced the stability of GHIPEs when compared to traditional HIPEs. When the GML reached 2%, the GHIPEs retained up to 87.18% ± 4.23 of thyme essential oil after 14 d. Moreover, the highest antioxidant potential of GHIPEs (with 2% GML) was confirmed through DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging assays. Furthermore, the GHIPEs can release thyme essential oil in response to microbial growth, demonstrating their “smart sensing and targeted release” ability. Ultimately, the application of the GHIPEs in the preservation of Cololabis saira significantly reduced the total colony count, pH, TVB-N, and TBARS values (P < 0.05). Consequently, a ready-to-eat Cololabis saira product with an extended shelf life of 7 d at 4 °C was successfully realized, indicating the effectiveness of GHIPEs in preserving seafood freshness. These findings offer novel approaches to maintaining the freshness of prepared aquatic foods.

Determinants Contribute Towards the Increase of Demand for Instant Food Product

One of a person's fundamental necessities is food. It is necessary for both healthy growth and the proper operation of all bodily parts. In the past few years, there have been significant changes to Indian cuisine and lifestyle. Liberalization, dual income, nuclear families, creative kitchen applications, evolving eating patterns, etc. are some of the elements that have contributed to this shift. They have very little time to cook because they work long hours during the week and spend their weekends, preferably outside the house, with their children. These elements have a significant role in the necessity of prepared food items in people's daily life.The food processing industries have grown as a result of drastically altered eating patterns and an increase in the demand for instant food products. Instant food products are more in demand and the main causes of this are their easier availability, better taste, shorter preparation times, and ease of use. Instant food products are penetrating very fast either in presence of number of brands or due to number of products, effective quality control and awareness generations is essential for gaining future loyalties among the customers.&#x0D;

Dine-in or take-out: Modeling millennials’ cooking motivation and choice

Students, in general, get into undesirable eating habits, partly due to the decrease in consumption of unhealthy, prepared food items (e.g., take-out). This research applies a multi-method approach to modeling the motivations behind cooking behavior for this cohort of young-adult consumers. Focus groups are conducted and findings are incorporated into an integrative framework to develop and estimate three quantitative choice models for predicting millennials’ cooking behavior. Data for this analysis are collected from surveys of millennial college students in two large metropolises in the US. Extending previous research, self-fulfillment (i.e., sense of achievement from consuming an activity) is found to positively predict cooking behavior. Cooking skill also has a positive association with the incidence of cooking and eating at home. Furthermore, the adverse effect of time needed to cook diminishes with greater cooking skill. Not conforming to previous literature, social motivation (i.e., motivation to socialize with others) has mixed support, and hedonic motivation (i.e., feeling of pleasure from cooking) is a negative predictor of cooking behavior. We offer first-hand implications for research on cooking as a consumed activity, and develop practical interventions.

A mycotoxin-dedicated total diet study in the Netherlands in 2013: Part I – Design

A mycotoxin-dedicated total diet study (mTDS) allowing assessment of occurrence and dietary exposure to these substances was developed and carried out in the Netherlands in 2013. First, literature was searched to establish the occurrence profile of mycotoxins. Next, foods as consumed according to the Dutch National Food Consumption Surveys (DNFCS) for young children and persons aged 7-69 years, categorised in several food categories, were ranked according to their summed consumption. Subsequently, foods with the highest consumptions were included to cover &gt;85% of the consumption of a particular food category. In some cases, foods other than those contributing to the upper 85% consumption within a food category were included based on their expected high mycotoxin contamination. In some other cases, foods not contributing to mycotoxin exposure were excluded. This resulted in 130 foods to be included in this mTDS. Since a sample size of 12 was established per food, 1,560 food items were purchased for the population aged 7-69 years. Fifty seven additional food items were purchased to take into account the different consumption profile of young children. The 1,617 food items were prepared as consumed based on information available in the food consumption surveys. The prepared food items were combined according to the different consumption forms of the 130 selected foods (e.g. fresh, canned or frozen). This resulted in 213 subsamples, which were proportionally to their consumption further pooled into 88 composite samples. These composite samples covered 87 and 88% of the amount foods consumed by young children and the population aged 7-69 years, respectively. This design allows analysis of mycotoxin occurrence and the subsequent exposure assessment using aggregated food categories reflected by the 88 composite samples, as well as a more refined approach by analysing 213 subsamples.

Corner store purchases made by adults, adolescents and children: items, nutritional characteristics and amount spent.

Corner stores, also known as bodegas, are prevalent in low-income urban areas and primarily stock high-energy foods and beverages. Little is known about individual-level purchases in these locations. The purpose of the present study was to assess corner store purchases (items, nutritional characteristics and amount spent) made by children, adolescents and adults in a low-income urban environment. Evaluation staff used 9238 intercept surveys to directly examine food and beverage purchases. Intercepts were collected at 192 corner stores in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Participants were adult, adolescent and child corner store shoppers. Among the 9238 intercept surveys, there were 20 244 items. On average, at each corner store visit, consumers purchased 2.2 (sd 2.1) items (1.3 (sd 2.0) foods and 0.9 (sd 0.9) beverages) that cost $US 2.74 (sd $US 3.52) and contained 2786.5 (sd 4454.2) kJ (666.0 (sd 1064.6) kcal). Whether the data were examined as a percentage of total items purchased or as a percentage of intercepts, the most common corner store purchases were beverages, chips, prepared food items, pastries and candy. Beverage purchases occurred during 65.9% of intercepts and accounted for 39.2% of all items. Regular soda was the most popular beverage purchase. Corner store purchases averaged 66.2 g of sugar, 921.1 mg of sodium and 2.5 g of fibre per intercept. Compared with children and adolescents, adults spent the most money and purchased the most energy. Urban corner store shoppers spent almost $US 3.00 for over 2700 kJ (650 kcal) per store visit. Obesity prevention efforts may benefit from including interventions aimed at changing corner store food environments in low-income, urban areas.

Negotiation of identity and internal contradictions: the Terengganu and Kelantan Peranakan Chinese foodways compared

This study explores the Terengganu and Kelantan Peranakan Chinese foodways with special reference to two types of foods: daily and ancestral prayer foods. The principal focus is to illustrate the negotiation of identity through foodways as well as internal contradictions arising from this process of identity negotiation. These two groups of Peranakan Chinese are largely the product of acculturation by the local Malays through socio-cultural interactions, though the Kelantan Peranakan Chinese are also acculturated by the local Thai community. Their daily and ancestral prayer foods display contrasting identities that stem from the negotiating of their acculturated and primordial identities. The former displays a strong local cultural influence, while the latter displays a strong Chinese cultural influence. However, despite the pervasive influence of localisation in their daily foods, elements of hybridisation are visible in some occasionally prepared food items. Meanwhile, localised and hybrid food items are included in their ancestral prayer foods, which are supposed to express their primordial Chinese identity. These internal contractions illustrate the complexity of the negotiation of identity through foodways within a cross-cultural context.

Harmonisation of exposure assessment: a comparison between pan-European classification FoodEx-1 and national codes

A Total Diet Study (TDS) consists of selecting, collecting and analysing commonly consumed foods purchased at retail level, processing the food as for consumption, pooling the prepared food items into representative food groups, homogenizing the pooled samples and analysing them for harmful and/or beneficial chemical substances [1]. TDSs are commonly designed at national level and aim to cover the overall diet of the population, in order to assess the dietary exposure to hazardous chemical substances of interests by the population of a certain country. The selection of food items to be analysed is based on the information available in existing consumption datasets, often on national level. To assess dietary exposure, a food classification system is needed to link existing food consumption data with the analytical data obtained in the TDS. In Europe, there is a need for a harmonized TDS approach, including a harmonised exposure assessment, to make comparison between countries possible. This study assesses the practicability of FoodEx-1, a food classification system recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), as a classification system on pan-European level and its use for exposure assessment using TDS analytical results. The comparison was made between the exposure assessment of total dioxin-like compounds using FoodEx-1 versus national codes. This was done for five European countries; Belgium, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK. The main conclusion of this study was that the exposure assessment performed with FoodEx-1 did not always accurately reflect the results of the exposure assessment obtained with national codes (table ​(table1).1). However, the differences observed are minimal. Table 1 Percentiles of long-term exposure to dioxin-like compounds in adults living in Belgium, Netherlands, France, UK and Spain obtained via two classification systems

Street food on the coast of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil: A study from the socioeconomic and food safety perspectives

Street food includes various food items and drinks largely sold in public places, including leisure areas such as beaches. Despite the prevalence at this activity studies made within this scenario are few. Therefore, this study sought to characterize street food commercialization on the Salvador coast in Bahia, Brazil based on the socioeconomic, labor, and food safety perspectives. An exploratory and quantitative study was conducted on 14 beaches using questionnaires addressing the following areas: the socio-demographic characteristics of the food vendors, characteristics of the work, and hygienic and sanitary conditions of the activity. Our study included 247 food vendors with an average age of 40.3 years, of whom 55.9% were women, and 48.7% had completed an elementary education or less. The median time spent working in street food vending was nine years, and the average working day for the participants was 8.3 Furthermore, 46.2% of the participants worked only on weekends and 72.0% declared that their family income was between one and three times the minimum wage, of whom 29.1% had revenue from a source other than street food vending. Most of the vendor locations were fixed (57.5%), and the products sold were typically obtained from supermarkets (48.1%), suppliers (36.8%), and street markets (36.0%). Prepared food items were the most common (61.6%), although mineral water/soft drinks (35.8%) and beer (35.2%) were also commonly sold items, followed by acarajé (21.9%), coconut water (19.0%), fried fish (14.2%), and abará (12.5%). Only 38.3% of the perishable food items were kept in cooling containers. Of the interviewed individuals, 22.6% declared that they did not sanitize their hands when working, whereas 80.2% admitted to handling food and money simultaneously. Our study reveals the socioeconomic importance of the street food sector as well as the poor hygienic conditions of most street food vendor operations.

11Beta-Hydroxylase Deficiency and Other Syndromes of Mineralocorticoid Excess as a Rare Cause of Endocrine Hypertension

Hypertension represents a major public and global health problem, most of which likely can be improved by lifestyle changes including changing dietary habits with less consumption of processed and preserved foods, which generally contain higher amounts of salt than freshly prepared food items. Among causes for endocrine hypertension are syndromes of mineralocorticoid excess. This group of mostly monogenic and acquired disorders typically causes hypertension through activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor either directly or indirectly via hormonal mediators and from overactive amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channels located in the distal tubule and collecting ducts of the kidneys. Apart from primary aldosteronism, mineralocorticoid excess can be caused by congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to mutations of the 11beta-hydroxylase and 17alpha-hydroxylase genes, by inactivating mutations of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (Chrousos syndrome), endogenous hypercortisolism (Cushing's syndrome), by mutations of the 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 gene (apparent mineralocorticoid excess/AME) or licorice/carbenoxolone intake, mutations of the epithelial sodium channel genes (Liddle syndrome), mutations of the mineralocorticoid receptor gene (Geller syndrome), and by mutations in the WNK1, WNK4, KLHL3, CUL3 genes (pseudohypoaldosteronism type 2 or Gordon syndrome). Most of these conditions are treated by restricting dietary salt intake. However, some require special therapies including dexamethasone/hydrocortisone (CAH), spironolactone/eplerenone (AME), epithelial sodium channel inhibitors amiloride/triamterene (Liddle and Gordon syndrome), while in others spironolactone and MR antagonists may be contraindicated due to an abnormally structured MR (Geller syndrome). We here review the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy of these rare conditions including the presentation of a patient with 11beta-hydroxylase deficiency.

Pulga (Flea Market) Contributions to the Retail Food Environment of Colonias in the South Texas Border Region

Accounts of the retail food environment have been limited by research that focused on supermarkets, grocery stores, and restaurants as the principal food sources for consumers. Little is known about alternative retail food sources, especially in rural and underserved areas such as the colonias along the South Texas border with Mexico. Many colonias are located near pulgas (flea markets). This is the first study to examine this alternative food source for colonia residents. This study's purpose is to provide preliminary data on food availability in this unstudied element of the retail food environment. Five pulgas were identified for study by local informants. Two separate teams of two promotores (indigenous community health workers) conducted observations, wrote field notes, and surveyed vendors in each pulga. Traditional foods, prepared foods, and fresh fruits and vegetables were available in the observed pulgas. Traditional foods included staples, meal items, and snacks and sweets. Prepared foods were available in small stands run by independent operators, and each pulga had permanent restaurants that served prepared foods. A large variety of fresh fruits and vegetables were also available. An emphasis on supermarkets and grocery stores will provide an incomplete account of the retail food environment. Further studies should attempt to provide a more complete account by identifying alternative retail sources used by local residents. One such alternative retail food source, the pulga, provides a range of traditional food stuffs, prepared food items, and fruits and vegetables that complement conventionally studied aspects of the retail food environment.

Meals Offered and Served in US Public Schools: Do They Meet Nutrient Standards?

Background Concerns about the diets of school-aged children and new nutrition recommendations for the US population have increased interest in the nutritional quality of meals available through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Objective This article updates national estimates of the food energy and nutrient content of school meals and compares these estimates to federal nutrient standards established under the 1995 School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children. Design Data were collected as part of the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study, a nationally representative cross-sectional study fielded during school year 2004-2005. Menu and recipe data for a typical school week were collected in a mail survey with telephone assistance. Nutrient information for common commercially prepared food items was obtained from manufacturers, to supplement the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies used to analyze the data. Analyses were conducted for meals offered and meals served to (selected by) children. Subjects/setting Samples of 130 public school districts that offered federally subsidized school meals, and 398 schools within those districts, participated in the study. Foodservice managers in each school completed a menu survey. Statistical analyses performed Descriptive tabulations present weighted means, proportions, and standard errors for elementary, middle, and high schools, and for all schools combined. Results Most schools offered and served meals that met the standards for protein, vitamins, and minerals. Fewer than one third of schools met the standards for energy from fat or saturated fat in the average lunch, whereas three fourths or more met the fat standards in school breakfasts. For both meals, average levels of sodium were high and fiber was low relative to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommendations. Conclusions For school meals to meet nutrient standards and promote eating behaviors consistent with the Dietary Guidelines, future policy, practice, and research should focus on reducing levels of fat and sodium and increasing fiber.

Role of Dietary Habits in the Development of Esophageal Cancer in Assam, the North-Eastern Region of India

The etiology of esophageal cancer remains largely unknown. In recent years, the role of dietary habits in the development of esophageal cancer has received much attention. Prevalence of esophageal cancer in Assam is highest among all the states of India. To identify the possible risk factors, a hospital-based case-control study was conducted with 502 cases and 1,004 controls. "Kalakhar," a unique and locally made food item, has emerged as a significant risk factor (odds ratio = 8.0, 95% confidence interval = 5.1-11.5, p < 0.001). Consumption of very spicy foods, hot foods and beverages, a diet containing high amounts of chili, and leftover food was positively associated with the risk of esophageal cancer. Green leafy vegetables and fruits were protective for esophageal cancer. The risk factors associated with consumption of locally prepared food items, e.g., kalakhar, and some dietary practices did not decrease, even after adjustments with different confounding factors. However, further studies are required to conclusively implicate these factors in causation of esophageal cancer.

Guidelines for Recipe Information and Calculation of Nutrient Composition of Prepared Foods (Dishes)

Nutrient composition data of dishes and other prepared foods are lacking. As it is virtually impossible to analyse every dish and other prepared food items, calculation of nutrient content is still the method of choice. Best agreement of analytical and calculated data is achieved, when changes in weight and nutrient during preparation (cooking) are taken into account. The calculation of the nutrient composition is based on the quantity of ingredients for the preparation of 100 g edible portion of dish in ready-to-serve condition, on the data of nutrient content per 100 g edible portion of ingredients and using nutrient retention factors. Recipe information and the algorithm needed for recipe management and calculation of nutrient composition of dishes are described and illustrated by examples.

The Proposition of Fresh Prepared Foods: Retail Practices and Systemwide Implications

AbstractRecent years have been witness to changes in food consumption trends. Time‐hungry consumers are shifting food preparation activities from the home to food‐service providers. Meanwhile, supermarket operators face an intensely competitive business environment. In this report, I discuss the retail and consumer trends that have resulted in an increased demand for fresh prepared food. These trends have resulted in an increasing number of supermarket companies offering prepared items in their retail stores. Furthermore, through a survey of senior‐level executives in the supermarket industry, the way that supermarket operators implement their fresh prepared food strategies is examined. Results show that supermarket operators find fresh prepared food an attractive response to competition from restaurants and mass merchandisers. In addition, they increasingly source prepared food items from outside the retail store. Implications for the manufacturing, retail, and consumer sectors of the food industry are drawn.

Laboratory and Field Consumer Evaluation Relationships for Menu Items Processed in Retortable Trays for Quantity Foodservice

ABSTRACTProblems associated with provision of food in quantity foodservices prompted the development and use of prepared food items processed in retortable trays. Consumer acceptance of such foods was required so that the items could be screened for foodservice application. Consumer tests, using small portion samples and sensory testing under laboratory conditions, gave a relatively reliable prediction of acceptability of most of the items under extended‐use consumer testing during a field trial. Final field acceptance of some items was influenced by external factors not accounted for in laboratory testing.

ACCEPTABILITY OF FROZEN CONVENIENCE FOODS COMPARED TO A COOK AND SERVE SYSTEM

Precooked frozen convenience foods were substituted for foods “prepared from scratch” in a recent effort to reduce the labor cost of foodservice operations. A total of 764 consumers evaluated the impact on food acceptance of substituting commercially prepared frozen foods in bulk for 140 existing prepared foods. During the first stage of the study, sociodemographic and acceptance data were collected on foods commonly eaten in the dining hall. One month later similar data were collected on the “convenience foods”. Acceptability ratings for “prepared foods” ranged from “dislike slightly” to “like very much” and “convenience foods” ratings ranged from “neither like nor dislike” to “like very much”. A total of 15 “convenience foods” were rated significantly higher than the “prepared foods”, while 13 “prepared foods” were rated significantly higher than “convenience foods”. Older customers were more satisfied than younger customers with the food normally served in the dining room (p <.05). Customers rated the majority of “convenience” breakfast, lunch and dinner foods between “just the same” to “somewhat better” for quality and appearance. These results suggest that selected “convenience foods” can be substituted for prepared food items without sacrificing customer satisfaction.

Thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin B6 contents of selected foods as served

Information of thiamin, riboflavin, and vitamin B6 contents of eighty-one food items is presented. The data represent over two hundred samples collected from serving lines in dining halls of two military installations. Ninety per cent of the vitamin B6 values and 35 per cent of the thiamin and riboflavin diata are not available in the current literature. In contrast to most previously published data, the emphasis in this study was on the vitamin contents of prepared food items on an "as served" basis.

An institutional approach to the dietary regulation of blood cholesterol in adolescent males

This study presents in detail an acceptable effective approach to initiate dietary modification to lower serum cholesterol in institutionalized, nonmotivated adolescent males. In order to simulate the traditional school menu pattern, considerable use was made of specially prepared food items to replace the ordinary market counterparts. During the Modified Diet periods, dietary fat intake was estimated to decrease from 39 (baseline) to 33% (modified diet) of total calories; saturated fatty acids decreased from 15 to 10% of total calories; and polyunsaturated fatty acids increased from 3 to 10% of total calories. The ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids rose from 0.2 in the baseline diets to 1.0 on the modified diets, and mean daily intake of dietary cholesterol was reduced from 540 to 300 mg, a decrease of about 44%. Initial mean serum cholesterol level was 178 mg/100 ml. This was decreased promptly by about 15% upon introduction of the Modified Diet and returned to baseline levels after a short midterm vacation period and again after the summer vacation. Thus, an interrelationship between diet and level of blood cholesterol does exist in males as early as the second decade of life. Recognition and alteration of this environmentally determined risk factor during the adolescent years may result in lessened atherosclerotic vascular disease in later life.