Cadmium toxicity symptoms and uptake mechanism in plants: a review / Sintomas de toxicidade de cádmio e mecanismo de absorção em plantas: uma revisão

Cadmium (Cd) is one of non-essential heavy metals which is released into environment naturally or anthropogenically. It is highly persistent toxic metals that are exceptionally distressing industrial and agriculture activities by contaminating soil, water and food. Its long-duration endurance in soil and water results in accumulation and uptake into plants, leading to the food chain. This becomes a serious global problem threatening humans and animals as food chain components. Living organisms, especially humans, are exposed to Cd through plants as one of the main vegetative food sources. This review paper is concentrated on the symptoms of the plants affected by Cd toxicity. The absorption of Cd triggers several seen and unseen symptoms by polluted plants such as stunted growth, chlorosis, necrosis and wilting. Apart from that, factors that affect the uptake and translocation of Cd in plants are elaborated to understand the mechanism that contributes to its accumulation. By insight of Cd accumulation, this review also discussed the phytoremediation techniques-phytoextraction, phytostimulation, phytostabilization, phytovolatization and rhizofiltration in bioremediating the Cd.

O cádmio (Cd) é um dos metais pesados ​​não essenciais que é liberado no meio ambiente de forma natural ou antropogênica. São metais tóxicos altamente persistentes que prejudicam excepcionalmente as atividades industriais e agrícolas, contaminando o solo, a água e os alimentos. Sua resistência de longa duração no solo e na água resulta em acúmulo e absorção pelas plantas, levando à cadeia alimentar. Isso se torna um sério problema global que ameaça humanos e animais como componentes da cadeia alimentar. Os organismos vivos, principalmente os humanos, são expostos ao Cd através das plantas como uma das principais fontes de alimento vegetativo. Este artigo de revisão concentra-se nos sintomas das plantas afetadas pela toxicidade do Cd. A absorção de Cd desencadeia vários sintomas visíveis e invisíveis por plantas poluídas, como crescimento atrofiado, clorose, necrose e murcha. Além disso, são elaborados fatores que afetam a absorção e translocação de Cd nas plantas para entender o mecanismo que contribui para o seu acúmulo. A partir do conhecimento do acúmulo de Cd, esta revisão também discutiu as técnicas de fitorremediação - fitoextração, fitoestimulação, fitoestabilização, fitovolatização e rizofiltração na biorremediação do Cd.

[The Food and Nutrition Surveillance System (SISVAN) as a tool to monitor the nutritional status of children and adolescents in Brazil]. / O Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN) como ferramenta de monitoramento do estado nutricional de crianças e adolescentes no Brasil.

In Brazil, the Food and Nutrition Surveillance System (SISVAN) is the main tool in collecting and consolidating information on the nutritional status and the feeding habits of the population encompassed by primary health care services of the country. This study explores data from SISVAN to analyze the system's potential as a tool for monitoring the nutritional status of children and adolescents in the country. We seek to evaluate the evolution of the system's coverage rate in relation to the population regarding different age groups and geographic regions, how this coverage rate varies according to the characteristics of the Brazilian municipalities, and to what extent the results from SISVAN differ from representative sample surveys of the population. We present four main results. First, we documented that from 2008 to 2019, SISVAN significantly expanded its coverage; with a significant decrease, however, in 2020, reaching levels similar to those at the beginning of the series. Second, our results indicate that coverage is not homogeneous, being higher in the North and Northeast regions and among underage children. Third, there is a systematic association between the characteristics of the municipalities and the level of coverage of the system. Finally, SISVAN results differ from those presented by surveys representative of the general population. Jointly, the results of this study point to the need to refine the nutritional surveillance instruments on children and adolescents in Brazil.

No Brasil, o Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN) é a ferramenta central para coletar e consolidar informações sobre o estado nutricional e alimentação da população atendida pelos serviços de atenção básica no país. Este trabalho explora dados do SISVAN com o objetivo de analisar o potencial do sistema como ferramenta de monitoramento do estado nutricional de crianças e adolescentes no país. Procura-se avaliar a evolução da taxa de cobertura do sistema em relação à população para diferentes faixas etárias e regiões geográficas, como essa taxa de cobertura varia conforme as características dos municípios brasileiros e em que medida os resultados provenientes do SISVAN diferem de pesquisas amostrais representativas da população. Apresentamos quatro principais resultados. Primeiro, documentamos que, entre 2008 e 2019, o SISVAN expandiu significativamente a sua cobertura, mas houve uma queda expressiva em 2020 até níveis similares aos do início da série. Segundo, nossos resultados apontam que a cobertura não é homogênea, sendo maior nas regiões Norte e Nordeste e entre crianças de menor idade. Terceiro, existe uma associação sistemática entre características dos municípios e o nível de cobertura do sistema. Por último, os resultados do SISVAN divergem dos apresentados por pesquisas representativas da população geral. Em conjunto, os resultados deste estudo apontam para a necessidade de refinar os instrumentos de vigilância nutricional sobre crianças e adolescentes no Brasil.

En Brasil, el Sistema de Vigilancia Alimentaria y Nutricional (SISVAN) es una herramienta clave para recolectar y consolidar información sobre el estado nutricional y la dieta de la población atendida por los servicios de atención primaria en el país. Este trabajo analiza, a partir de los datos de SISVAN, el potencial del sistema como una herramienta de seguimiento del estado nutricional de niños y adolescentes del país. Se pretende evaluar la evolución de la tasa de cobertura del sistema con relación a la población según diferentes grupos de edad y regiones geográficas, cómo varía esta tasa de cobertura según las características de los municipios brasileños y en qué medida los resultados de SISVAN se diferencian de las encuestas por muestreo representativas de la población. Se presentan cuatro resultados principales. Primero, entre 2008 y 2019, SISVAN amplió significativamente su cobertura, pero en 2020 hubo un significativo descenso a niveles similares a los del inicio de la serie. Segundo, los resultados indican que la cobertura no es homogénea, y hay una mayor cobertura en las regiones Norte y Nordeste del país, entre los niños más pequeños. Tercero, existe una asociación sistemática entre las características de los municipios y el nivel de cobertura del sistema. Cuarto, los resultados de SISVAN se diferencian de los presentados en las encuestas representativas de la población general. Los resultados de este estudio apuntan que es necesario mejorar las herramientas de vigilancia nutricional de niños y adolescentes en Brasil.

Virus transmission via honey bee prey and potential impact on cocoon-building in labyrinth spiders (Agelena labyrinthica).

Interspecies transmission of RNA viruses is a major concern for human and animal health. However, host-range, transmission routes and especially the possible impact of these viruses on alternative hosts are often poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of the labyrinth spider, Agelena labyrinthica, as a potential alternative host of viruses commonly known from western honey bees, Apis mellifera. Field-collected spiders were screened for Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), Black queen cell virus, Chronic bee paralysis virus, Deformed wing virus type A and B (DWV-B), Israeli acute paralysis virus, Lake Sinai virus and Sacbrood virus. In a laboratory experiment, labyrinth spiders were fed with ABPV and DWV-B infected honey bees or virus free control food. Our results show that natural infections of A. labyrinthica with these viruses are common in the field, as 62.5% of the samples were positive for at least one virus, supporting their wide host range. For DWV-B, the laboratory data indicate that foodborne transmission occurs and that high virus titres may reduce cocoon building, which would be the first report of clinical symptoms of DWV in Araneae. Since cocoons are tokens of fitness, virus transmission from honey bees might affect spider populations, which would constitute a concern for nature conservation.

Development and Optimization of Imiquimod-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers Using a Hybrid Design of Experiments Approach.

Background: Imiquimod (IMQ) is an immunomodulating drug that is approved for the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma, actinic keratosis, external genital warts and perianal warts. However, IMQ cream (Aldara®) has several drawbacks including poor skin permeation, local toxicity, and compromised patient compliance as a topical pharmacological option. Methods: Our research aimed to develop and optimize nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) containing IMQ for the first time using a hybrid design of experiments approach. The optimized formulation was then incorporated into a matrix-type topical patch as an alternative dosage form for topical application and evaluated for IMQ deposition across different skin layers in comparison to the performance of the commercial product. Additionally, our work also attempted to highlight the possibility of implementing environment-friendly practices in our IMQ-NLCs formulation development by reviewing our analytical methods and experimental designs and reducing energy and solvent consumption where possible. Results: In this study, stearyl alcohol, oleic acid, Tween® 80 (polysorbate 80), and Gelucire® 50/13 (Stearoyl polyoxyl-32 glycerides) were selected for formulation development. The formulation was optimized using a 2k factorial design and a central composite design. The optimized formulation achieved the average particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of 75.6 nm, 0.235, and - 30.9 mV, respectively. Subsequently, a matrix-type patch containing IMQ-NLCs was developed and achieved a statistically significant improvement in IMQ deposition in the deeper skin layers. The IMQ deposition from the patch into the dermis layer and receptor chamber was 3.3 ± 0.9 µg/cm2 and 12.3 ± 2.2 µg/cm2, while the commercial cream only deposited 1.0 ± 0.8 µg/cm2 and 1.5 ± 0.5 µg/cm2 of IMQ, respectively. Conclusion: In summary, IMQ-NLC-loaded patches represent great potential as a topical treatment option for skin cancer with improved patient compliance.

Modelling daily weight variation in honey bee hives.

A quantitative understanding of the dynamics of bee colonies is important to support global efforts to improve bee health and enhance pollination services. Traditional approaches focus either on theoretical models or data-centred statistical analyses. Here we argue that the combination of these two approaches is essential to obtain interpretable information on the state of bee colonies and show how this can be achieved in the case of time series of intra-day weight variation. We model how the foraging and food processing activities of bees affect global hive weight through a set of ordinary differential equations and show how to estimate the parameters of this model from measurements on a single day. Our analysis of 10 hives at different times shows that the estimation of crucial indicators of the health of honey bee colonies are statistically reliable and fall in ranges compatible with previously reported results. The crucial indicators, which include the amount of food collected (foraging success) and the number of active foragers, may be used to develop early warning indicators of colony failure.

Management and behavioral factors associated with rehoming outcomes of dogs retired from commercial breeding kennels.

Rehoming is a potentially stressful process for dogs retired from commercial breeding (CB) kennels, as they may struggle to cope with the myriad novel factors associated with transitioning to a home environment. Failure to adapt may increase the risk of an unsuccessful adoption, jeopardizing dog welfare and the benefits of rehoming programs. Little is known about relationships between welfare in the kennel of origin and a dog's ability to transition to a family home. This study aimed at investigating the welfare states of dogs retiring from CB kennels in relation to varying management practices across kennels, and understanding how behavioral and management factors might be associated with rehoming outcomes. A total of 590 adult dogs from 30 US CB kennels were included in the study. Dog behavioral and physical health metrics were collected through direct observation, while management information was obtained through a questionnaire. One month after adoption, 32 dog owners completed a follow-up questionnaire (CBARQ). A principal component analysis extracted four behavioral components (PCs) which included food interest, sociability, boldness, and responsiveness. Factors such as sex, housing, breed, and the number of dogs per caretaker were reported as significant sources of variation for some of those PC scores (p<0.05). For instance, lower dog to caretaker ratio was linked to better health, sociability, and food interest scores. Significant relationships were also found between in-kennel PC scores and CBARQ scores (p<0.05). Most interestingly, higher levels of sociability in the kennel were associated with lower levels of social and non-social fear, and higher trainability after rehoming. Overall, dogs were found to be physically healthy, and a moderate proportion showed fearful responses toward either social or non-social stimuli. Results suggest that a comprehensive behavioral assessment of rehoming candidates while in the kennel may help identify dogs that may have more difficulty coping during rehoming. The implications for developing management strategies and necessary interventions that support positive dog welfare outcomes within the kennel and when rehomed are discussed.

Remediation plan of nano/microplastic toxicity in food.

Microplastic pollution is causing a stir globally due to its persistent and ubiquitous nature. The scientific collaboration is diligently working on improved, effective, sustainable, and cleaner measures to control the nano/microplastic load in the environment especially wrecking the aquatic habitat. This chapter discusses the challenges encountered in nano/microplastic control and improved technologies like density separation, continuous flow centrifugation, oil extraction protocol, electrostatic separation to extract and quantify the same. Although it is still in the early stages of research, biobased control measures, like meal worms and microbes to degrade microplastics in the environment have been proven effective. Besides the control measures, practical alternatives to microplastics can be developed like core-shell powder, mineral powder, and biobased food packaging systems like edible films and coatings developed using various nanotechnological tools. Lastly, the existing and ideal stage of global regulations is compared, and key research areas are pinpointed. This holistic coverage would enable manufacturers and consumers to reconsider their production and purchase decisions for sustainable development goals.

Potential risk assessment and toxicological impacts of nano/micro-plastics on human health through food products.

The problem of environmental pollution with plastic is becoming more and more acute every year. Due to the low rate of decomposition of plastic, its particles get into food and harm the human body. This chapter focuses on the potential risks and toxicological effects of both nano and microplastics on human health. The main places of distribution of various toxicants along with the food chain have been established. The effects of some examples of the main sources of micro/nanoplastics on the human body are also emphasised. The processes of entry and accumulation of micro/nanoplastics are described, and the mechanism of accumulation that occurs inside the body is briefly explained. Potential toxic effects reported from studies on various organisms are highlighted as well.

Occurrence of meso/micro/nano plastics and plastic additives in food from food packaging.

This chapter focuses on the occurrence of plastic constituents in food due to the contact with different types of plastic packaging, films and coatings. The type of mechanisms occurring during the contamination of food by different packaging materials are described, as well as how the type of food and packaging may influences the extent of contamination. The main types of contaminants phenomena are considered and comprehensively discussed, along with the regulations in force for the use of plastic food packaging. In addition, the types of migration phenomena and factors that may influence such migration are comprehensively highlighted. Moreover, migration components related to the packaging polymers (monomers and oligomers) and the packaging additives are individually discussed in terms of chemical structure, adverse effects on foodstuffs, health, migration factors, as well as regulated residual values of such components.

Rita Oladele: shining a light on invasive fungal pathogens.

Rita Oladele talks to Gary Humphreys about the need for more investment in invasive fungal pathogen surveillance, research and clinical capacity.

Natural language processing and machine learning approaches for food categorization and nutrition quality prediction compared with traditional methods.

BACKGROUND: Food categorization and nutrient profiling are labor intensive, time consuming, and costly tasks, given the number of products and labels in large food composition databases and the dynamic food supply. OBJECTIVES: This study used a pretrained language model and supervised machine learning to automate food category classification and nutrition quality score prediction based on manually coded and validated data, and compared prediction results with models using bag-of-words and structured nutrition facts as inputs for predictions. METHODS: Food product information from University of Toronto Food Label Information and Price Database 2017 (n = 17,448) and University of Toronto Food Label Information and Price Database 2020 (n = 74,445) databases were used. Health Canada's Table of Reference Amounts (TRA) (24 categories and 172 subcategories) was used for food categorization and the Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) nutrient profiling system was used for nutrition quality score evaluation. TRA categories and FSANZ scores were manually coded and validated by trained nutrition researchers. A modified pretrained sentence-Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers model was used to encode unstructured text from food labels into lower-dimensional vector representations, followed by supervised machine learning algorithms (i.e., elastic net, k-Nearest Neighbors, and XGBoost) for multiclass classification and regression tasks. RESULTS: Pretrained language model representations utilized by the XGBoost multiclass classification algorithm reached overall accuracy scores of 0.98 and 0.96 in predicting food TRA major and subcategories, outperforming bag-of-words methods. For FSANZ score prediction, our proposed method reached a similar prediction accuracy (R2: 0.87 and MSE: 14.4) compared with bag-of-words methods (R2: 0.72-0.84; MSE: 30.3-17.6), whereas structured nutrition facts machine learning model performed the best (R2: 0.98; MSE: 2.5). The pretrained language model had a higher generalizable ability on the external test datasets than bag-of-words methods. CONCLUSIONS: Our automation achieved high accuracy in classifying food categories and predicting nutrition quality scores using text information found on food labels. This approach is effective and generalizable in a dynamic food environment, where large amounts of food label data can be obtained from websites.

[Mechanism of Xiaoer Chiqiao Qingre Granules in clearing heat and removing food stagnation in suckling rats with fever and food accumulation based on metabolomics].

Children's fever is often accompanied by food accumulation. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that removing food stagnation while clearing heat of children can effectively avoid heat damage. To systematically evaluate the efficacy of Xiaoer Chiqiao Qingre Granules(XRCQ) in clearing heat and removing food accumulation and explore its potential mechanism, this study combined suckling SD rats fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet with injection of carrageenan to induce rat model of fever and food accumulation. This study provided references for the study on the pharmacodynamics and mechanism of XRCQ. The results showed that XRCQ effectively reduced the rectal temperature of suckling rats, improved the inflammatory environment such as the content of interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), interleukin-2(IL-2), interferon-γ(IFN-γ), white blood cells, and monocytes. XRCQ also effectively repaired intestinal injury and enhanced intestinal propulsion function. According to the confirmation of its efficacy of clearing heat, the thermolytic mechanism of XRCQ was further explored by non-targeted and targeted metabolomics methods based on LTQ-Orbitrap MS/MS and UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS. Non-target metabolomics analysis of brain tissue samples was performed by QI software combined with SIMCA-P software, and 22 endogenous metabolites that could be significantly regulated were screened out. MetaboAnalyst pathway enrichment results showed that the intervention mechanism was mainly focused on tyrosine metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, inositol phosphate metabolism, and other pathways. At the same time, the results of targeted metabolomics of brain tissue samples showed that XRCQ changed the vitality of digestive system, and inhibited abnormal energy metabolism and inflammatory response, playing a role in clearing heat and removing food stagnation from multiple levels.

Effect of dense phase carbon dioxide treatment on the flavor, texture, and quality changes in new-paocai.

This study investigated the effect of dense phase carbon dioxide (DPCD) treatment on the organoleptic properties of new-paocai. Optimal DPCD treatment (25 MPa/40 °C/40 min) was determined by conducting single-factor and orthogonal experiments with the sensory, bactericidal, and electronic eye evaluations. DPCD treatment (25 MPa/40 °C/40 min) did not significantly affect the nitrite, pH, total acid, and organic acid of the new-paocai brine, and the texture of the radish slices did not display substantial changes. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to characterize the new-paocai brine flavor, revealing 63 and 60 respective flavor compounds with and without DPCD treatment. In addition, DPCD treatment significantly reduced the total organic volatile compound content in the paocai from 48.182 µg/mL to 35.952 µg/mL, DPCD has a great influence on volatile flavor substances. The electronic nose (E-nose) effectively distinguished the flavor differences in the new-paocai brine with and without DPCD treatment. This study combined new food processing technology with traditional food production, could provide a new idea for pickle production technology.

Feasibility of hydrocolloid addition for 3D printing of Qingtuan with red bean filling as a dysphagia food.

Glutinous rice flour, the main component of Qingtuan, has increased adhesiveness after gelatinization and hardness after aging; this results in great challenge in swallowing if for patients with dysphagia. Dual nozzle 3D printing has great potential for developing innovative Chinese pastries with fillings that conform to dysphagia diets. In this experimental study, the gelatinization and retrogradation behavior of glutinous rice starch was improved by designing printing inks of optimal properties made with different soluble soybean polysaccharide (SSPS) additions (0%, 0.3%, 0.6%, 0.9%). The internal structure of Qingtuan was modified by adjusting different filling densities (75%, 100%) in combination with the dual nozzle 3D printing. The objective of these tests was to enhance the texture of Qingtuan so that it meets the requirements of International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI). The experimental results showed that 0.9% SSPS addition could effectively reduce the hardness and adhesiveness of the Qingtuan, which met the Level- 6 -soft & bite-sized standard while lower filling density lowers both hardness and adhesiveness.

Consumers' knowledge and attitudes about food additives in the UAE.

The use of food additives (FAs) in food manufacturing is a well-accepted practice worldwide. Inadequate knowledge concerning their safety may cause negative attitude surrounding their use. This would potentially impact the purchase of foods that the consumer perceives as containing FAs. This study aimed to assess knowledge and attitudes of consumers towards the use and safety of FAs in the UAE. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey distributed via social media platforms (n = 1037). Less than one-third of the participants (26.7%) in this study stated that they knew what FAs are. About half the respondents believed that organic products did not contain FAs. The proportion of respondents who reported that the purpose of adding FAs is to extend shelf life, better the taste and aroma of food, enhance nutritional value, improve consistency and texture, and boost appearance and color was 92.1%, 75.0%, 23.5%, 56.6%, and 69.4%, respectively. Around 61% believed that all FAs were harmful to human health. The level of FA knowledge increased with age and education level. About 60% of the respondents reported that food labels did not provide sufficient information about FAs. The most preferred platforms for consumers to receive information about FAs were social media (41.1%), followed by brochures (24.6%). Overall, the UAE population had inadequate knowledge and a hesitant attitude concerning FAs. The municipalities and food industry should play an active role in educating the public to prevent and reduce any possible adverse attitudes towards processed food products.

Evaluating the Optimal Oil Concentrations in the Startup Performance of a Membrane Bioreactor Treating Oily Noodle-soup Wastewater.

The discharge of high-strength oily wastewater adversely affects the environment; therefore, the treatment of wastewater containing fats, oils, and grease from the food industry is of importance. In this study, we used a membrane bioreactor (MBR) to treat Ramen noodle-soup wastewater, and we evaluated the optimal oil concentration in the wastewater for the startup of the MBR treatment in winter and summer. The MBR system had a sufficient startup in both seasons when fed with a 20-fold dilution of the original oily wastewater, containing approximately 950 to 1,200 mg/L oil and approximately 3,000 to 4,400 mg/L biological oxygen demand (BOD; BOD-SS load of 0.1 to 0.2 kg/kg/d). The reactor performance in winter were relatively stable during the operation. While, activated sludge microbes in summer were not highly active with a 40-fold dilution of wastewater, because of the decreased mixed liquor suspended solid concentration during the operation period. Population shifts in the sludge microbiome with increasing oil concentrations were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing, and the relative abundance of operational taxonomic units belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes were highest in both winter and summer when fed with 20-fold dilution of the wastewater. In particular, the family Chitinophagaceae was dominant, with relative abundances of 13.5% in winter and 5.1% in summer, suggesting that this family may play important roles in the startup of a MBR treating the wastewater.

Epigenomic reprogramming in iAs-mediated carcinogenesis.

Arsenic is a naturally occurring metal carcinogen found in the Earth's crust. Millions of people worldwide are chronically exposed to arsenic through drinking water and food. Exposure to inorganic arsenic has been implicated in many diseases ranging from acute toxicities to malignant transformations. Despite the well-known deleterious health effects of arsenic exposure, the molecular mechanisms in arsenic-mediated carcinogenesis are not fully understood. Since arsenic is non-mutagenic, the mechanism by which arsenic causes carcinogenesis is via alterations in epigenetic-regulated gene expression. There are two possible ways by which arsenic may modify the epigenome-indirectly through an arsenic-induced generation of reactive oxygen species which then impacts chromatin remodelers, or directly through interaction and modulation of chromatin remodelers. Whether directly or indirectly, arsenic modulates epigenetic gene regulation and our understanding of the direct effect of this modulation on chromatin structure is limited. In this chapter we will discuss the various ways by which inorganic arsenic affects the epigenome with consequences in health and disease.

Effect of perceptive enrichment on the efficiency of simulated contexts: Comparing virtual reality and immersive room settings.

This study was designed within the methodological framework of sensory and consumer sciences, where conventionally internal and external validity are approached separately (e.g. CLT vs HUT). Here is explored the added value of new immersive strategies, such as virtual reality, on their ability to achieve both: internal and external validity. This article presents a comparative study between different experimental setups, involving more than 270 consumers. Two different immersive setups were appraised, simulating the consumption episode 'eating a sandwich for lunch in a park': a context room (N = 57) and a VR environment (N = 55). We added two control conditions: a real park in summer (N = 56) and scenario-only in sensory booths (duplicated condition, N1 = 59, N2 = 52). A set of sandwiches were evaluated in a between-participants design, with one duplicated recipe for a reliability assessment. Participants evaluated samples on hedonic criteria and closed the experiment with a questionnaire measuring their level of immersion. After classification of the questionnaire variables, seven underlying dimensions were identified, with significant differences between conditions on the credibility of the environment and the scenario. As expected, with strong external validity, the simulated environments were more immersive than the conventional booth with scenario and less immersive than a real-life environment. Although the immersive conditions did not stand out from the other conditions on the product evaluation performance, all the conditions revealed a high level of internal validity. Mean scores and rankings of the products, participants' repeatability and discriminatory power remained comparable to the real park environment indices.

Children's physiological and behavioural response evoked by the observation, olfaction, manipulation, and consumption of food textures. Part 1: Liquid products.

Children are thought to prefer homogeneous and simple textures that are easy to manipulate in the mouth. Although scientific research has been done on children's acceptance for food textures, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the emotional response elicited by textures in this group of population. Physiological and behavioural methods could be an appropriate approach to measure food-evoked emotions in children since they require a low cognitive effort and allow a real-time measure. In this regard, a study that combined the measure of skin conductance response (SCR) and facial expressions was conducted: (i) to provide a first insight into food-evoked emotions induced by liquid food products that only vary in texture, (ii) to capture the emotional response evoked by the observation, olfaction, manipulation, and consumption of the products, and (iii) to overcome methodological drawbacks that are frequently associated to these methods. To achieve these goals, 50 children (5-12 yrs old) evaluated three liquids designed to only vary in texture (from slightly thick to extremely thick), following four sensory tasks: observation, olfaction, manipulation, and consumption. After each sample was tasted, children rated liking with a 7-pt hedonic scale. Facial expressions and SCR were monitored during the test, and they were analysed as action units (AUs) and basic emotions as well as changes in SCR. Results showed that the extremely thick liquid was less liked by the children and induced a more negative emotional response, whereas the slightly thick liquid was more liked and evoked a more positive emotional response. The combined method used in this study showed good discrimination ability among the three samples tested, obtaining the best discrimination during the manipulation task. The codification of the AUs located in the upper side of the face allowed us to measure the emotional response evoked by the consumption of the liquids, without the artifacts caused by the oral processing of the products. This study provides a child-friendly approach to be used during the sensory evaluation of food products in a broad range of sensory tasks minimising the methodological drawbacks.

A critical review of social media research in sensory-consumer science.

The collection and analysis of digital data from social media is a rapidly growing methodology in sensory-consumer science, with a wide range of applications for research studying consumer attitudes, preferences, and sensory responses to food. The aim of this review article was to critically evaluate the potential of social media research in sensory-consumer science with a focus on advantages and disadvantages. This review began with an exploration into different sources of social media data and the process by which data from social media is collected, cleaned, and analyzed through natural language processing for sensory-consumer research. It then investigated in detail the differences between social media-based and conventional methodologies, in terms of context, sources of bias, the size of data sets, measurement differences, and ethics. Findings showed participant biases are more difficult to control using social media approaches, and precision is inferior to conventional methods. However, findings also showed social media methodologies may have other advantages including an increased ability to investigate trends over time and easier access to cross-cultural or global insights. Greater research in this space will identify when social media can best function as an alternative to conventional methods, and/or provide valuable complementary information.