Andean purple maize to produce extruded breakfast cereals: impact on techno-functional properties and sensory acceptance.

BACKGROUND: Andean purple maize (APM) is an ancient crop widely used as a natural coloring in traditional Peruvian cuisine. However, it has been little explored within the food industry. The present study assessed how APM impacts on techno-functional properties and sensory acceptance of breakfast cereals. Extruded samples formulated with 100, 75, 50, and 25% APM, and complemented with yellow corn grits (YCG), were analyzed for their techno-functional and sensory properties. RESULTS: Increases in bulk density, as well as reduction in the expantion and porosity were observated for extrudates containing ≥ 50% APM, accompanied by an increase in purple color intensity. Increase in milk absorption index, reduction in milk solubility index and decrease in cereal hardness with increase in APM were also observed. Despite this, APM extented the cereal bowl-life. High sensory scores of overall liking (6) and color (7) were obtained for extruded formulations containing ≥ 50% APM and low values for extrudates with 25% APM. Aroma, flavor, and texture scores did not present significant differences. CONCLUSION: APM is an ingredient with the potential to be used to produce breakfast cereals since it improves their techno-functional characteristics and sensory acceptance, at the same time, it leads to the production of healthy, nutritious, and sustainable food. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

"Food made with edible insects": Exploring the social representation of entomophagy where it is unfamiliar.

Insects have attracted much attention as a novel food source because of their environmental and nutritional advantages. In Latin America, some traditional groups consume insects; but the urban areas of Brazil resist adopting insects as food, like most Western countries. Thus, this study investigated the social representation of edible insects to understand the barrier behind this avoidance and to identify their segmentation in the Brazilian population. Seven hundred and eighty individuals were interviewed in all the Brazilian regions. The interview was composed of a word association task, a risk perception evaluation and two open-ended questions about the subject. According to the structural approach of social representation, Disgust was the primary association with edible insects. Three segments of consumers were identified using the risk perception of eating insects. The first segment, composed mainly of young men with higher educational levels, had the lowest risk perception, and the most positive attitude about entomophagy, their associations were also positive, such as Acceptance and Sustainability; the second had average risk perception and neutral attitude towards edible insects, with neutral and positive associations (e.g., Flavor and Culture); and the third, formed mostly by older women with lower educational level, presented the highest risk perception and the most negative attitude, and exhibited negative associations (Disgust, and Fear). The insect consumption in Brazil would be favored by using species of crickets, grasshoppers, ants, and their fried and roasted styles of preparations. Also, participants would eat insects mainly because of survival and curiosity.

Adherence to food hygiene and personal protection recommendations for prevention of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Several actions in the realm of public policies and programs have been implemented worldwide to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. As Brazil and many parts of the world are marked by regional, cultural, and social inequalities, risk communication and assimilation of protection recommendations by the public may be erratic, hampering the proper measurement of their effectiveness. SCOPE AND APPROACH: Even though transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by foods is unlikely, this work aimed to evaluate the population's adherence to the recommended food hygiene and personal protection measures to prevent COVID-19. An online survey containing questions on food hygiene and personal protection was publicly disseminated via internet and social networks. Data from 3000 respondents were collected and discussed herein.Key findings and conclusions: Most respondents adopted the recommended hygienic and personal protection measures to avoid contamination with SARS-CoV-2. However, some important flaws were detected, such as lack of use of face masks when in public places (6%), improper hand washing and sanitizing (10-12%) and use of incorrect products for food or environment cleaning and sanitization (28%), indicating that adequate risk communication and preventive recommendations must continue in order to avoid contamination with the coronavirus. The heighten awareness with food hygiene during the pandemic may have an enduring positive effect on food safety.

Assessment of beef sensory attributes and physicochemical characteristics: A comparative study of intermediate versus normal ultimate pH striploin cuts.

The quality of beef, defined by key attributes such as the intrinsic sensory qualities texture, flavour, and juiciness, is shaped by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. This study conducted a detailed examination of Nellore beef, focusing on two categories based on ultimate pH (pHu) levels: intermediate (pHu ≥ 5.8) and normal (pHu < 5.6) beef. A comprehensive approach was taken, involving twenty trained assessors who applied the Optimised Descriptive Profile (ODP) method to evaluate grilled striploin steak samples. In parallel, consumer preferences were measured through a hedonic test and a Check-all-that-apply (CATA) task, involving 135 participants. The ODP results revealed that the intermediate pHu samples were juicier (P < 0.05) compared to the normal pHu group. The CATA analysis highlighted differences in both intermediate and normal pHu beef, especially in juiciness, a crucial factor for consumer satisfaction. Notably, variations in deoxymyoglobin content linked to ageing were observed, with higher levels at the 3rd day compared to the 28th day, especially in the intermediate pHu samples (P < 0.05). Moreover, colour-related aspects such as L*, b*, chroma (C*), and oxymyoglobin were significantly influenced (P < 0.05) by both the pHu category and ageing time. Regarding consumer acceptance, the study found no significant difference in perception between the intermediate and normal pHu groups (P > 0.05). These findings revealed the complex interactions between pHu levels, sensory characteristics, and consumer preferences in beef quality, offering valuable insights for both the industry and research community.

Cupuassu from bean to bar: Sensory and hedonic characterization of a chocolate-like product.

The processing of cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum Schum) beans after fermentation gives a chocolate-like product, the cupulate. The high amount of pulp adhered to the seeds hinders the fermentation. Consequently, it is necessary to depulp the seeds to perform the process, even though the pulp contains important substrates for the formation of flavor precursors. To verify whether the complete or partial removal of the pulp influences the sensory characteristics of the product, fermentation was performed with three pulp concentrations (0, 7.5, and 15%) and two schemes of turning for aeration of the mass: fixed (R1) and according to the temperature (R2), in a total of six experiments (0R1, 0R2, 7.5R1, 7.5R2, 15R1 and 15R2). The beans were processed to obtain cupulates, which were submitted to tests performed with consumers, to express their preference and attributes (acceptance, purchase intent, Check All That Apply - CATA), and then to tests with a trained panel, the Quantitative Descriptive Profile (QDP) to characterize the samples. Both tests showed the consumers' perceptions that the cupulates have peculiar sensory characteristics. In the Consumer Test, through the Preference Mapping, all the samples of cupulates obtained from R1 conditions were preferred. In the penalty analysis, these same samples showed positive attributes that mask the negative attributes. Both CATA and QDP results showed that cupulate samples produced from seeds with a higher amount of pulp (15R1 and 15R2) had a higher number of positive mentions, for their fruity and floral flavors. The research also demonstrated that all samples gave the perception of an earthy taste, an important reason for consumer rejection, as well as a bad residual flavor. Thus, the results showed that the presence of the pulp in the fermentation environmental is important to the formation of flavor compounds and improving the sensory acceptance of the products.

Looking at non-sensory factors underlying consumers' perception of smoked bacon.

Smoked bacon is a food consumed everywhere and previous work has focused on the sensory properties and acceptability of the product. However, little attention has been given to the non-sensory factors that drive sensory and hedonic perception of this product. In this context, the aim of this work was to study the influence of non-sensory factors on consumer behavior towards smoked bacon, using projective mapping coupled with conjoint analysis. Eight visual stimuli were created using a full factorial design with three factors (convenience, healthiness, and context of consumption), at two levels each. Ninety-five consumers positioned the stimuli in a two-dimensional space considering their similarities and differences, and then, rated their expected liking and purchase intention. According to the projective mapping, consumers based the representation of the stimuli on the three factors under study, but conjoint analysis indicated that healthiness was the most important factor, followed by the context of consumption and convenience. The findings of this study may help in the selection of future strategies in the process of food development, in order to launch products with greater chance of success in the market.

How the country-of-origin impacts wine traders' mental representation about wines: A study in a world wine trade fair.

Using data collected at a world wine trade fair, we study how the country-of-origin impacts wine traders' mental representation about wines. In the analysis we use traditional exporters in Old (France) and New (Argentina) world wine countries in comparison to non-traditional exporters in Old (Switzerland) and New (Brazil) world wine countries. Three main findings are reported. First, the country-of-origin of wines was more important on guiding participants' representations, than the category of countries the traders came from. Second, participants' evocations were more precise and specific for traditional wine-exporting countries than for less traditional wine exporting countries. Finally, the lack of traders' knowledge of wines from non-traditional wine-exporting countries produced associations and beliefs related to the image of the country itself. Our findings have important implications for the marketing and export activities of the wine industry.

Sensory profile and check-all-that-apply (cata) as tools for evaluating and characterizing syrah wines aged with oak chips.

Aging wine in oak barrels provides more complexity to the beverage, but due to the high cost of wood barrels, alternative aging methodologies such as the use of oak chips gain interest of winemakers in the new world of wines, particularly in the tropical regions. This paper reports the sensory profile and consumer perception of Syrah wine produced in the São Francisco Valley, Brazil, with the addition of American and French oak chips at different stages of the fermentation process. Higher intensity of color, coffee, woody, and sweet/caramelized aromas, sweet and woody taste were observed in the age wines as compared to a control wine (no chip addition). An affective sensory test (N = 129) revealed two segments of consumers exhibiting different attitudes to the wines: one group (N = 60) rejected all samples, whereas the other (N = 69) liked them moderately. In short, the findings provide relevant information for stakeholders in the new world of wine where oak barrels impact negatively on the cost of production of wines, as is the case in Brazil.

Sustainable diet from the urban Brazilian consumer perspective.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sustainability and food, and other possible associations with the socio-demographic characteristics and consumer segmentation, as well as to identify the characteristics of sustainable and unsustainable foods and the sustainable diet concept from a consumer perspective. One hundred and fifty consumers responded a questionnaire with word association, free listing, and sentence completion tasks. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the terms. Sustainability and food were associated with the categories health, food of plant origin, and organic food. Healthy was considered the main characteristic of a sustainable food and degradation to the environment was the characteristic of unsustainable food. Regarding the sustainable diet concept, the terms healthy diet and sustainable production stood out. Individuals of higher educational level associated food and sustainability with natural resource preservation and reuse, while individuals with lower educational levels reported the association with healthy food, nutrition, and food of plant origin. The present findings can help designing strategies to integrate food and nutrition education and formulation of public policies, as well as identifying the target market and understanding how the product or service can meet the consumer's needs.

Descriptive and hedonic sensory perception of Brazilian consumers for smoked bacon.

The descriptive and hedonic sensory perception of bacon manufactured using different smoking processes was studied. Six bacon samples were evaluated: three manufactured with woods, two with liquid smokes, and a commercial bacon. Consumers rated their overall liking (OL) and responded the check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions coupled with ideal profile method (IPM).1 The preliminary result showed that LS2 and Bamboo were the best-rated bacons. However, data analysis indicated two segments of consumers (both n = 50), with significant differences in the OL. The first segment liked fatty and smoked bacons, while the second valued the texture and appearance. The drivers of liking in both segments were the attributes related to texture, juiciness and the smoky aroma. The use of different woods in the bacon smoking process modified the descriptive and hedonic sensory perception of consumers.

Relationship between volatile compounds and consumer-based sensory characteristics of bacon smoked with different Brazilian woods.

Bacon is a product made from pork meat that is subjected to curing, drying, and smoking. Researchers aim to associate the worldwide high-acceptance of such a product with the sensory and chemical properties of bacon. In this context, the objective of the present study was to characterize bacon samples smoked with different woods from reforestation using chemical and sensory methodologies, which were subsequently correlated by means of statistical multi-block analysis. Volatile compounds (VCs) of the smoked bacons were studied using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and the consumer sensory perception was explored by the Napping technique. VCs were identified in smoked samples, which triggered sensory attributes related to odor, flavor, and texture, such as "smoky flavor", "salty taste", "pleasant taste", "woodsy flavor", and "hard texture". Multi-block analysis showed that the sensory attributes were associated with a group of VCs and not by a single compound.

Radioresistance of Salmonella species and Listeria monocytogenes on minimally processed arugula (Eruca sativa Mill.): effect of irradiation on flavonoid content and acceptability of irradiated produce.

This work studied the radiation resistance of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella species and the effect of irradiation on leaf flavonoid content and sensory acceptability of minimally processed arugula. Immersion in ozone-treated water reduced the analyzed microorganisms by 1 log. L. monocytogenes and Salmonella were not isolated from samples. Samples of this vegetable were inoculated with a cocktail of Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes and exposed to gamma irradiation. D10 values for Salmonella ranged from 0.16 to 0.19 kGy and for L. monocytogenes from 0.37 to 0.48 kGy. Kaempferol glycoside levels were 4 and ca. 3 times higher in samples exposed to 1 and 2 kGy, respectively, than in control samples. An increase in quercetin glycoside was also observed mainly in samples exposed to 1 kGy. In sensory evaluation, arugula had good acceptability, even after exposure to 2 and 4 kGy. These results indicate that irradiation has potential as a practical processing step to improve the safety of arugula.

Descriptive analysis of bacon smoked with Brazilian woods from reforestation: methodological aspects, statistical analysis, and study of sensory characteristics.

The aim of this study was to perform a descriptive analysis (DA) of bacons smoked with woods from reforestation and liquid smokes in order to investigate their sensory profile. Six samples of bacon were selected: three smoked bacons with different wood species (Eucalyptus citriodora, Acacia mearnsii, and Bambusa vulgaris), two artificially smoked bacon samples (liquid smoke) and one negative control (unsmoked bacon). Additionally, a commercial bacon sample was also evaluated. DA was developed successfully, presenting a good performance in terms of discrimination, consensus and repeatability. The study revealed that the smoking process modified the sensory profile by intensifying the "saltiness" and differentiating the unsmoked from the smoked samples. The results from the current research represent the first methodological development of descriptive analysis of bacon and may be used by food companies and other stakeholders to understand the changes in sensory characteristics of bacon due to traditional smoking process.

Taste-related factors and food neophobia: Are they associated with nutritional status and teenagers' food choices?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of taste-related factors (craving for sweets, using food as a reward and pleasure) and food neophobia with nutritional status and food intake among teenagers. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study with 132 teenagers 15 to 19 y of age. Food behavior, anthropometrics, body composition, and lifestyle measurements were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS: Craving for sweets was associated with overweight, adiposity, meal skipping, physical inactivity, and intake of sweets (P < 0.05). Reward was linked to adiposity, physical inactivity, lack of interest in information about food, and intake of sweets (P < 0.05). Pleasure was associated with physical inactivity, lack of interest in information about food, and intake of sweets and soft drinks (P < 0.05). Teenage girls had a higher craving for sweets (22.88 ± 4.77) and higher pleasure scores (21.50 ± 3.82), body fat (25.33 ± 6.60), meal skipping (63.2%), and physical inactivity (64.7%) than their male counterparts (P < 0.05). There was no association among food neophobia, nutritional status, and food intake. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicated that, in contrast to food neophobia, taste-related factors can be associated with body fat and inadequate food choices in teenagers. However, this was a cross-sectional study and further cohort studies should be performed for in-depth investigation of a causal relationship between the findings of this research.

TRANSLATION AND VALIDATION OF THE FOOD NEOPHOBIA SCALE (FNS) TO THE BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE.

INTRODUCTION: The Food Neophobia Scale (FNS), originally developed in English, has been widely used in different studies to assess the individual's willingness to try new foods. However, a process of translation and cultural adaptation is required to enable the use of FNS in other countries. OBJECTIVE: to translate and to validate the FNS into Brazilian Portuguese. METHODS: the FNS was translated into Brazilian Portuguese by three English teachers independently and back-translated into English by other three professionals. After that, both the English and Brazilian Portuguese FNS versions were administered to a sample of 40 graduate students of the University of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, between September and October 2014. The reproducibility between the instruments was assessed by the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). The internal reliability of the scale was evaluated by Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. The FNS total score ranged from 10-70 and the respondents were classified as food neophilic (≤ 16.4), neutral (16.5-38.5) and food neophobic (≥ 38.6). RESULTS: the ICC between the items of the original FNS and the Brazilian FNS ranged between 0.266 and 0.815 (P < 0.05). The total score of the FNS was 0.903 (p < 0.001). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.916. Most respondents were classified as neutral (72.5%), other 10% as neophilics, and only 17.5% as neophobics. CONCLUSION: the Brazilian version of the FNS proved to be an adequate and reliable tool to measure food neophobia. Yet, further research is required to investigate the presence of food neophobia in Brazilian population and to analyse its impact on food behavior.

Introducción: La Escala de Neofobia Alimentaria (ENA), desarrollada originalmente en lengua inglesa, ha sido ampliamente utilizada en diferentes estudios para evaluar el deseo individual de probar nuevos alimentos. Sin embargo, es necesario un proceso de traducción y adaptación cultural para permitir su uso en otros países. Objetivo: traducir y validar la ENA en portugués brasileño. Métodos: la escala fue traducida al portugués, de forma independiente, por tres profesores de inglés, siendo traducido al revés al inglés por otros tres profesionales del sector. Se entregaron estas traduciones a una muestra de 40 estudiantes de posgrado de la Universidad de Campinas, São Paulo (Brasil), entre septiembre y octubre de 2014. La reproducibilidad entre los instrumentos se evaluó por medio del coeficiente de correlación intraclase (CCI). La confiabilidad interna de la escala se evaluó por medio del coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. La puntuación total de la ENA varió 10-70 y los individuos fueron clasificados con neofilia alimentaria (≤ 16,4), neutralidad (16,5-38,5) y neofobia alimentaria (≥ 38,6). Resultados: el CCI entre los ítems de la versión original y traducida se situó entre 0,266 y 0,815 (p < 0,05) y la puntuación total de la ENA fue 0,903 (p < 0,001). El coeficiente alfa de Cronbach fue 0,916. La mayoría de los encuestados fueron clasificados como neutrales (72,5%), el otro 10% como neofilia y solo el 17,5% con neofobia alimentaria. Conclusiones: la versión brasileña de la ENA resultó ser una herramienta adecuada y confiable para medir la neofobia alimentaria. No obstante, se necesitan investigaciones futuras para evaluar la presencia de neofobia alimentaria en la población brasileña y para analizar su impacto en la conducta alimentaria.

Social representations of safety in food services.

This research aimed to evoke and analyze the perceptions of safe food through the perspective of customers at two different food service settings in São Paulo, Brazil. In-depth interviews (N=66) were conducted using a guide with open questions focused on the individual's perceptions of safety, knowledge of food-borne diseases and self-involvement in the food chain. The Collective Subject Discourse (CSD) technique, based on the Theory of Social Representations, was set as the framework for the content analysis of the individual speeches with the aim of writing a collective discourse representing the "voice of the customer". Similarities and differences reflecting different socio-economic backgrounds came up: in general, the interviewees showed concerns about hygiene and good practices and recognized some food hazards, especially those of chemical and biological natures. In situation of social vulnerability, some customers showed greater concern with the guarantee of access to a substantial meal in face of economic constraint. Finally, most customers reported a passive role in the food chain and seemed to transfer to the restaurant staff the entire responsibility for the safety of the meals served therein.

Sixty years of the National Food Program in Brazil / Sessenta anos do programa nacional de alimentação escolar no Brasil

School meals were introduced in the Brazilian political agenda by a group of scholars known as nutrition scientists' in the 1940s. In 1955, the Campanha de Merenda Escolar, the first official school food program, was stablished, and sixty years after its inception, school food in Brazil stands as a decentralised public policy, providing services to students enrolled in public schools, which involve the Brazilian federal government, twentyseven federative units, and their 5,570 municipalities. Throughout its history, school food has gone through many stages that reflect the social transformations in Brazil: from a campaign to implement school food focused on the problem of malnutrition and the ways to solve it, to the creation of a universal public policy relying on social participation and interface between other modern, democratic, and sustainable policies, establishing a strategy for promoting food and nutrition security, development, and social protection. In this article, the School Food Program is analyzed from the perspective of four basic structures that support it as public policy: the formal structure, consisting of legal milestones that regulated the program; substantive structure, referring to the public and private social actors involved; material structure, regarding the way in which Brazil sponsors the program; and finally, the symbolic structure, consisting of knowledge, values, interests, and rules that legitimatize the policy.

A alimentação escolar foi inserida na agenda pública brasileira por um grupo de intelectuais, os chamados cientistas da nutrição, nos anos 1940. Em 1955 foi decretado o início do Programa de Alimentação com a instituição da Campanha de Merenda Escolar, subordinada ao Ministério da Educação. Após sessenta anos de história, a alimentação escolar no Brasil se destaca como uma política pública descentralizada de atendimento aos estudantes matriculados na rede pública de ensino a qual envolve o governo federal brasileiro, as 27 entidades federativas e seus 5.570 municípios. Ao longo de sua história, a alimentação escolar passou por várias etapas que refletem as transformações sociais do Brasil: partindo de uma campanha para a merenda escolar, focada no problema da desnutrição e nas formas de resolvê-la, passou para a criação de uma política pública universal contando com a participação social e interface entre outras políticas modernas, democráticas e sustentáveis, estabelecendo uma estratégia de promoção da segurança alimentar e nutricional, desenvolvimento e proteção social. Neste artigo, o Programa de Alimentação Escolar é analisado a partir de quatro estruturas básicas que o sustentam como política pública: a estrutura formal, composta pelos marcos legais que normatizam o programa; a substantiva, referente aos atores sociais públicos e privados envolvidos; a material que diz respeito à maneira como o Estado brasileiro financia o programa e, por fim, a estrutura simbólica composta pelos saberes, valores, interesses e regras que legitimam a política.