Thai Food Research Articles

Bioactivity-guided Separation of the Active Compounds in Acacia Pennata Responsible for the Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease

The objective of this study was to evaluate the health benefits of plants used in Thai food, specifically Acacia pennata Willd., in Alzheimer's prevention. A. pennata twigs strongly inhibited β-amyloid aggregation. Bioactivity-guided separation of the active fractions yielded six known compounds, tetracosane (1), 1-(heptyloxy)-octadecane (2), methyl tridecanoate (3), arborinone (4), confertamide A (5) and 4-hydroxy-1-methyl-pyrrolidin-2-carboxylic acid (6). The structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis. Biological testing revealed that tetracosane (1) was the most potent inhibitor of β-amyloid aggregation, followed by 1-(heptyloxy)-octadecane (2) with IC50 values of 0.4 and 12.3 μM. Methyl tridecanoate (3), arborinone (4) and 4-hydroxy-1-methyl-pyrrolidin-2-carboxylic acid (6) moderately inhibited β-amyloid aggregation. In addition, tetracosane (1) and methyl tridecanoate (3) weakly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE). These results suggested that the effect of A. pennata on Alzheimer's disease was likely due to the inhibition of β-amyloid aggregation. Thus A. pennata may be beneficial for Alzheimer's prevention.

Musical environment and its effect on restaurant patrons' behaviour in emerging market

The present study explores the possibility of frequency of visits, duration of stay; types of music consumer will like to listen in different types of restaurants. Research comprised of a field study carried out at different restaurants (N = 27) serving Indian, fast food, Thai, Chinese and Italian food in Mumbai - a financial capital of India with diverse culture. Results suggest that consumers purchase behaviour, frequency of visit, duration of stay and eating habits in a restaurant is affected by the musical environment. Duration of stay at the restaurant influenced by the type of music played quality of music, liking for a particular type of music, feeling that music refreshes the mind and liking for musical environment. This study contributes to the services marketing and consumer behaviour literature with reference to restaurant affected by music in emerging markets. The data will be of great use for global brands.

How job characteristics and employee involvement affect sustainable quality management practices in the Thai food industry

This study investigated which employee-related factors affect the application of quality management practices, and the characteristics and dynamics of the relationship between them. This will help business organisations select and design their operating system for their employees. This study used a sample of 271 middle level executives from 74 companies operating in the Thai food industry. The structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse results. Results showed that job characteristics had a positive effect on the application of quality management practices through significant development of employee involvement.

Health Status of Immigrant Children and Environmental Survey of Child Daycare Centers in Samut Sakhon Province, Thailand.

Samut Sakhon is a Thai province popular among immigrants attracted to work in factories and the Thai food industry, especially people from Myanmar. Poor personal-hygiene behaviors, crowded accommodation and limited sanitation, result in health problems among immigrant workers. Various infectious diseases among this group are seen and managed by Samut Sakhon General Hospital. The impact of intestinal parasitic infections on public health is well known; they can spread from infected immigrant areas to uninfected areas via close contact and fecal-oral transmission from contaminated food and water. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among 372 immigrant children at 8 child-daycare centers during their parents' work time, by physical examination, fecal examination, and examination of the environment around the centers. Physical examinations were generally unremarkable, except that head-lice and fingernail examinations were positive in two cases (0.8%). The results showed intestinal parasitic infections to be highly prevalent, at 71.0%. These infections comprised both helminths and protozoa: Trichuris trichiura (50.8%), Enterobius vermicularis (25.2%), Ascaris lumbricoides (15.3%), hookworm (11.6%), Giardia lamblia (10.2%), Endolimax nana (3.5%), Entamoeba coli (2.7%), and Blastocystis hominis (0.5%). The environmental survey found a small number of houseflies near the accommodation to be positive for helminthic eggs (0.2%), including A. lumbricoides, E. vermicularis, hookworms, Taenia spp., and minute intestinal flukes. Regarding the high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among children, it has been conjectured whether they were infected, along with their parents, during their daily lives before or after settling in Thailand. Intestinal parasites among immigrant children may involve a significant epidemiological impact, since immigrant children can serve as carriers and transmitters of disease.

How Nonconsumption Shapes Desire

How does nonconsumption shape desire? The proposed model suggests that desire depends on the length of nonconsumption of a good and the presence of salient alternatives, and that desire is at least partially constructed. In the absence of salient alternatives, a longer nonconsumption period results in stronger desire for the unconsumed good. However, in the presence of salient alternatives, individuals infer that they have developed new tastes, and thus a longer nonconsumption period results in a weaker desire for the unconsumed good. Five studies support this model across nonconsumption of various goods: food from home when attending college (study 1); chametz food during the Passover holiday (study 2); social media (i.e., abstaining from Facebook; study 3); and cultural foods (i.e., forgoing Japanese food, study 4; and Thai food, study 5). We discuss implications of our findings for when and how the experience of desire is constructed and situationally determined.

Traditional, modern or mixed? Perspectives on social, economic, and health impacts of evolving food retail in Thailand.

Transnational food retailers expanded to middle-income countries over recent decades responding to supply (liberalized foreign investment) and demand (rising incomes, urbanization, female workforce participation, and time poverty). Control in new markets diffuses along three axes: socio-economic (rich to poor), geographic (urban to rural), and product category (processed foods to fresh foods). We used a mixed method approach to study the progression of modern retail in Thailand on these three axes and consumer preferences for food retailing. In Thailand modern retail controls half the food sales but traditional fresh markets remain important. Quantitative questionnaires administered to members of a large national cohort study revealed around half of respondents were primarily traditional shoppers and half either utilized modern and traditional formats equally or primarily shopped at supermarkets. Fresh foods were mainly purchased at traditional retail formats and dry packaged foods at supermarkets. Qualitative interviews found price and quality of produce and availability of culturally important products to be significant reasons for continued support of fresh markets. Our results show socio-economic and geographic diffusion is already advanced with most respondents having access to and utilizing modern retail. Control of the fresh food sector by transnationals faces barriers in Thailand and may remain elusive. The short to mid-term outcome may be a bifurcated food system with modern and traditional retail each retaining market share, but fresh markets longer term survival may require government assistance as supermarkets become more established. Fresh markets supply affordable, healthy foods, and livelihoods for poorer Thais and are repositories of Thai food culture and social networks. If they survive they will confer cultural, social, economic, and health benefits.

Traditional Curry Pastes During Sukhothai to Ratthanakosin: The Subjective Experience of the Past and Present

Although there are numerous studies about the traditional curry pastes and Thai food uses claims about the historical development can be divided into nine eras. The research has explored traditional curry pastes’ perceptions of such features and how these might relate to religion and a royal court. Perceptions of curry pastes are influenced by individual and societal factors, local raw materials, and raw materials along the trade routes. Thai food has been influenced by Indian curry and Chinese stir frying techniques. In fact, traditional curry pastes and Thai food has its own culinary style. The traditional curry paste in Sukhothai to Ratthanakosin is heavily influenced continued by religion and a royal court. Traditional curry paste usually contains fresh light flavors of lemongrass and kaffir lime skin and the soothing effect of coconut cream and coconut milk. The spice ingredients are used in curry paste may differ from home to home or region to region. The delicious spicy and hot Thai foods with a traditional blend of aromatic flavors are popular in the world. Usually Thai people eat three times a day includes meat, salads, soup, noodles, curry, and rice. All the recipes are in the collection of original Thai dishes such as a popular curry and also other curries traditionally processed Thai curry paste products named massaman curry called gaeng massaman and well known of hot and sour soup called tom yum.

The Analysis of TOWS Matrix for Promoting Thai Kitchens into ASEAN Markets of Lao People's Democratic Republic and Socialist Kingdom of Cambodia

To date, the ASEAN community has been regarded as the fastest economic-growing countries with enormous purchasing powers of billions of consumers. Moreover, ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) comprising 10 member countries was formed to develop this economic community as a highly competitive economic region in the global markets. As Thai foods are rated and recognized as the most favorite choice, therefore, Thai food businesses have won successes in expanding the business in many foreign countries. Thanks to the Thai government's policy of promoting

How Organizational Characteristics and Employee Involvement Affect Quality Management Practices in the Thai Food Industry

How Organizational Characteristics and Employee Involvement Affect Quality Management Practices in the Thai Food Industry

Investigation on the understanding and implementation of food allergen management among Thai food manufacturers

Abstract The understanding and implementation of food allergen management among HACCP-certified Thai food companies were surveyed during 2008–2009 by questionnaires and direct interviews with quality control managers of the companies. Forty of 72 respondents answered that they implemented a food allergen control program as part of existing product quality control and safety management. The awareness and understanding of food allergen management depended on the company's dominance in the market place as well as experience in food quality control and safety management. Although Thailand has no food allergen labeling legislation, the respondents expected that food allergen labeling legislation will soon be adopted in Thailand. Earlier implementation of labeling regulations has been driven by adherence to WTO (Codex) rules. The results of this survey indicated the substantial effectiveness of the present allergen control programs of Thai food manufacturers, and also their potential capability of food allergen management for domestic products at a level equal to that for export products.

The role of intermediaries in sectoral innovation system: The case of Thailand’s food industry

Abstract Unlike previous snapshot studies, this research traces ‘historical learning events’ to enable us to examine the evolution of roles and underpinning capabilities of intermediaries in an innovation system. By following this approach, the rationale, obstacles and lessons learned of intermediaries in performing their roles and building up required capabilities can be vividly illustrated. The National Food Institute (NFI) of Thailand was selected as the case study. As an intermediary organization, NFI has enhanced its capabilities step by step in analysing and disseminating information, training, testing policy development and consultancies through major ‘learning events’ that provide NFI with learning opportunities. As a result, over time it can perform its intermediary roles better by reducing ‘systemic failures’ in the Thai food industry’s sectoral innovation system. Recently, however, due to the lack of an official mandate, continuous government budgetary support and organizational lock-in problems, NFI’s role has not evolved with the changes in strategies and capability needs of Thai food exporters as these firms change from OEM to OBM manufacturers.

Development of Method for Determination of Lead, Iodine, and Protein Content in Fish Sauce

The aim of this investigation was to develop a method for the determina- tion of the lead, iodine, and protein content in fish sauce. For statistical data, five samples of fish sauce that cost 9.0-43.0 Bahts were randomly bought from a supermarket in Chiang Mai Province. Five replicates of each sample were digested and measured for the lead amount, using absorbance by atomic ab- sorption spectroscopy, and each replication was injected six times. The iodine content were measured from the five samples, and each sample was investi - gated in five replications using the iodimetric method. The protein contents was determined by applying the Kjedahl method using the five samples. The lead determination method was accepted because of the statistical data. Using fish sauce as a seasoning agent is a practice that is safe from lead toxicity because the lead contents were found to be lower than the stipulated Thai Food Act Limit which is 1.0 ppm. The determination method for iodine content needs to be further developed by controlling the pH of the reaction medium to be neutral or to be that of a dilute acid. The protein determination method needs to be investigated for more statistical data. Consumers should also pay better attention to the sample label because it was observed in this investigation that there was a highly priced sample contained low nutritional values of protein besides showing the wrong label.

Organizational Factors Affecting Safety Implementation in Food Companies in Thailand

Thai food industry employs a massive number of skilled and unskilled workers. This may result in an industry with high incidences and accident rates. To improve safety and reduce the accident figures, this paper investigates factors influencing safety implementation in small, medium, and large food companies in Thailand. Five factors, i.e., management commitment, stakeholders’ role, safety information and communication, supportive environment, and risk, are found important in helping to improve safety implementation. The statistical analyses also reveal that small, medium, and large food companies hold similar opinions on the risk factor, but bear different perceptions on the other 4 factors. It is also found that to improve safety implementation, the perceptions of safety goals, communication, feedback, safety resources, and supervision should be aligned in small, medium, and large companies.

Effect of daily egg ingestion with thai food on serum lipids in hyperlipidemic adults.

Thai food is one of the healthiest foods. In fact, several Thai dishes, such as Tom Yum soup, are currently under scientific study for their incredible health benefits. Limited data are available on the effects of egg consumption with Thai food in hyperlipidemic patients. To assess the effects of daily egg consumption with Thai food, which is known as low fat diet, on serum lipids profiles in hyperlipidemic subjects without medication treatment, the randomized crossover trial of 71 hyperlipidemic adults (8 men, 63 women) were randomly to one of the two sequences of one and three eggs/day for 4 weeks. Each treatment was separated by a four-week washout period (egg-free). Our data indicated that one or three eggs/day consumption were significantly increases total serum cholesterol (221.54 ± 42.54 and 225.31 ± 45.06 versus 211.57 ± 39.98 mg/dL) and LDL-C levels (141.38 ± 38.23 and 145.48 ± 39.33 versus 133.44 ± 34.52 mg/dL) as compared to egg-free period. No significant change of serum TG, HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C levels was observed after 1 or 3 eggs consumption daily in this study.

A comparative study on morphological characteristics in Korean food name and Thai food name

A comparative study on morphological characteristics in Korean food name and Thai food name

Total and Inorganic Arsenic Contents in Some Edible Zingiberaceous Rhizomes in Thailand

The arsenic accumulation in rhizomes of Zingiberaceous plants was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry interfaced with hydride generation system (HG-AAS). The raw herbal materials, rhizomes, were collected from different regions of Thailand between December 2011 and January 2012. Six well-known Zingiberaceous plants, 16 samples from each and a total of 96 samples, were analyzed Alpinia galanga (Khaa), Boesenbergia rotunda (Kra-chaai), Curcuma longa (Khamin-chan), Curcuma zedoaria (Khamin-oi), Zingiber cassumunar (Plai) and Zingiber officinale (Ginger). Concentrations of total arsenic based on dry weight were 92.4 ± 9.2, 103.5 ± 20.8, 61.7 ± 12.5, 89.8 ± 17.5, 106.7 ± 19.5 and 69.3 ± 11.8 ng/g, respectively and inorganic arsenic were 48.8 ± 7.0, 66.3 ± 12.7, 25.5 ± 5.0, 38.7 ± 4.7, 71.2 ± 11.6, and 38.5 ± 5.5 ng/g, respectively. Among these, Plai and Kra-chaai exhibited the highest levels of total arsenic and inorganic arsenic accumulation that remind consumers to be aware of excess consuming of these rhizomes. On the contrary, the lowest value found in Khamin-chan indicating natural dietary supplements and herbal medicines comprising Kamin-chan are safe from arsenic poison. All investigated amounts of total and inorganic arsenic were much lower than limits recommended by Thai Food and Drug Administration.

Accumulation of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in water, sediments, and mangrove crabs (Sesarma mederi) in the upper Gulf of Thailand

Mangrove crabs (Sesarma mederi) can be used as bioindicators of the environment. This study aimed to estimate the heavy metal content in S. mederi in various Thai mangroves and compare them with other studies for international regulations for human consumption. S. mederi were obtained from the mangroves of the Chao Phraya, Tha Chin, and Mae Klong rivers. The concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Pb in the rivers were low compared to the marine standards of Thailand and estuarine water elsewhere. The concentrations of Cd and Cu in sediments were rather similar to those in other rivers. The results showed that crabs accumulated metals in the order: Cd > Cu > Pb > Zn. The bioconcentration factor of Cd and Cu was highest in Mae Klong, while Pb and Zn were highest in Chao Phraya. Although metal concentrations in crabs were within the ranges found in other studies, they exceeded the maximum ranges according to standards. Hence as mangrove crabs are highly consumed as traditional and international Thai food, they may be a potential health hazard for human consumers. Consequently, the use of mangrove crab could be an interesting tool for monitoring estuary pollution.

Risk Minimization Measures of Thiazolidinedione Related to Cardiovascular Risks Launched by the Thai Food and Drug Administration

Risk Minimization Measures of Thiazolidinedione Related to Cardiovascular Risks Launched by the Thai Food and Drug Administration

Draft Genome Sequence of the Plant Growth-Promoting Bacterium Bacillus siamensis KCTC 13613 T

Bacillus siamensis KCTC 13613(T), a novel halophilic Bacillus species isolated from a salted Thai food, produced antimicrobial compounds against plant pathogens and promoted plant growth by volatile emission. We determined the 3.8-Mb genome sequence of B. siamensis KCTC 13613(T) to reveal the plant-beneficial effect at the genomic level.

A Dynamic Model of Productivity Enhancement in the Thai Food Industry

:The concept of productivity has received growing attention, both in the manufacturing and service industries. This study develops a productivity dynamic model to capture the interactions between the key productivity factors over a period of time, and assess the current productivity maturity level of an organization, so that an organization can plan for productivity improvement. Five productivity factors were used for the productivity dynamic model development. Simulation results reveal that an organization that does not actively address productivity should primarily focus on enhancing the “leadership” and “people” factors to successfully progress through to higher maturity levels. An organization can use the simulation with different strategies to identify the most effective policy to improve its productivity.