Food waste produced in homes represents the largest fraction of food waste generated along the food chain. Therefore, adequate prevention measures based on the quantitative and qualitative dimensions ...of the problem need to be put in place to reduce waste. The objective of the review was to identify areas of interest in relation to the food waste in households, considering the family unit as a whole as well as individual family members. Quantifying the problem is an important aspect in order to know its scope and dimension, but prevention also involves knowing the causes in a home. This is a complex issue, which, on a family level, is related to socioeconomic status, educational level, composition and number of members of the household as well as culinary and buying food habits. Individual variables such as age, sex, values, awareness, lifestyle and time spent on food preparation were included to characterize consumers. The focus of the problem is also important because most consumers consider food waste from a social perspective, without being aware of the serious environmental and economic problems. Habits and customs of consumers are considered the leading cause of food waste in homes and knowledge of this issue raises consumer awareness as a preventive tool.
The total antioxidant capacity (hydrophilic plus lipophilic) of sixteen different commercial samples of pasteurized and ultra high temperature (UHT) treated milk was determined using the oxygen ...radical absorbance capacity assay using fluorescein as a fluorescent probe. A significant correlation between the percentage of fat and the value of the total antioxidant capacity was found in milk samples obtained from the same batch of raw milk. Analyses of the whole milk, whey and deproteinized milk showed that the major contributor to the total antioxidant capacity of whole milk was the casein fractions, while albumin was the major contributor to the total antioxidant capacity of whey protein. Hydrophilic antioxidant compounds, such as vitamin C and uric acid, were the main contributors to the total antioxidant capacity of the deproteinized milk. Significant differences in total antioxidant capacities were found between whey and deproteinized samples obtained from pasteurized and UHT-treated milk, the values being higher for the former.
The degradation of ascorbic acid was studied in mushrooms heated at temperatures between 110 and 140°C, high-temperature short-time conditions, in a five-channel computer-controlled ...thermoresistometer. The kinetics parameters were calculated on the assumption that there are 2 degradation mechanisms, one aerobic (during the first few seconds of the process) and the other anaerobic. The 2 stages followed first-order reaction kinetics, with
E
a=46.36
kJ/mol for aerobic degradation and
E
a=49.57
kJ/mol for anaerobic degradation.
A better knowledge of the effect of refrigerated storage on the nutritional and physicochemical characteristics of foods processed by emerging technologies with regard to unprocessed juices is ...necessary. Thus, blueberry juice was processed by high pressure (HP) (600MPa/42°C/5min) and pulsed electric fields (PEF) (36kV/cm, 100μs). The stability of physicochemical parameters, antioxidant compounds (ascorbic acid, total phenolics, total anthocyanins) and antioxidant capacity was studied just after treatment and during 56days at refrigerated storage at 4°C. Just after treatment, all treated blueberry juices showed a decrease lower than 5% in ascorbic acid content compared with the untreated one. At the end of refrigerated storage, unprocessed and PEF juices showed similar ascorbic acid losses (50%) in relation to untreated juice, although HP juices maintained better the ascorbic acid content during storage time (31% losses). All juices exhibited fluctuations in total phenolic values with a marked decrease after 7days in refrigerated storage, however prolonged storage of the juices at 4°C, up to 56days resulted in another in the total phenolic content for all juices in comparison with day 7. HP preserved antioxidant activity (21% losses) more than unprocessed (30%) and PEF (48%) juices after 56days at 4°C. Color changes (a*, b*, L, Chroma, hº and ΔE) were slightly noticeable after refrigerated storage for all juices.
Non-thermal technologies allow the acquisition of drinks that keep their characteristics similar to the fresh product. They must join second conservation treatment such as refrigerated storage. A better knowledge of the effect of refrigerated storage on the nutritional and physicochemical characteristics of foods processed by emerging technologies with regard to unprocessed juices is necessary.
► PEF and HP blueberry juices showed a decrease lower than 5% in ascorbic acid. ► HP juices maintained better the ascorbic acid content during storage. ► HP preserved antioxidant activity more than PEF juices after storage.
The degradation of ascorbic acid was determined in a ready-to-drink orange juice–milk beverage treated by high intensity pulsed electric fields (PEF). The effects of PEF treatment were compared to ...those of heat pasteurization (90
ºC, 20
s). Four electric field strengths (15, 25, 35, 40
kV/cm) and six treatment times for each field (from 40
µs to 700
µs) were studied. Ascorbic acid degradation was adjusted to an exponential model. The obtained ascorbic acid degradation rate constants (
k
E) were −
0.11·10
−
3
±
0.03·10
−
3
μs
−
1
, −
0.23·10
−
3
±
0.07·10
−
3
μs
−
1
, −
0.42·10
−
3
±
0.09·10
−
3
μs
−
1
and −
0.60·10
−
3
±
0.06·10
−
3
μs
−
1
for field strengths of 15, 25, 35 and 40
kV/cm, respectively. For the shelf-life study a 25
kV/cm at 280
µs treatment was applied and the beverages were stored at 4 and 10
ºC. The ascorbic acid degradation rate during storage was adjusted to zero-order kinetics showing that beverages stored at 4
ºC had better ascorbic acid retention than beverages stored at 10
°C. No significant differences were found between heat pasteurization and PEF treatments during storage.
Food beverages are mainly preserved and made available to the consumer by different thermal treatments which involve a destruction of desirable food constituents such as nutrients, bioactive compounds, colour, flavour and texture. The present work demonstrates that the ascorbic acid degradation in an orange juice–milk beverage treated by pulsed electric fields was adjusted to zero-order kinetics and degradation rate during storage was adjusted to first-order kinetics. The shelf life of the orange juice–milk beverages is similar so much for the pasteurized beverages as for the treated by PEF.
Liquid chromatography (LC) was the method chosen to evaluate the effects of high intensity pulsed electric fields (HIPEF), with different electric field intensities (25, 30, 35 and 40
kV/cm) and ...different treatment times (30–340
μs), on orange juice
cis/
trans carotenoid contents. In parallel, a conventional heat treatment (90
°C, 20
s) was applied to the orange juice in order to compare the effect on the carotenoid contents.
HIPEF processing of orange juice is an alternative to the thermal treatment of pasteurization, provided that it is kept refrigerated, because, when the most extreme conditions of this kind of treatment are applied, the decrease in the concentration of carotenoids with vitamin A activity is very small, and also most of the carotenoids identified have a slightly increased concentration after application of the most intense treatments, although always less than in untreated fresh juice. In any case, pasteurization treatment causes a greater decrease in the concentration of most of the carotenoids identified and the carotenoids with vitamin A activity. The total carotenoid concentration decreased by 12.6% in pasteurized orange juice with respect to untreated fresh orange juice, as opposed to decreases of 9.6%, 6.3% or 7.8% when fields of 25, 30 or 40
kV/cm were applied. Orange juice treated with HIPEF shows a greater tendency towards the colour yellow and a lesser tendency towards red with respect to untreated orange juice, while the luminance of the juice remains practically invariable. This tendency is less than in pasteurized orange juice.
To improve food-away-from-home nutritional quality, not only must healthy food options be available but also consumers must respond by making those choices. However, this is not always possible, as ...consumers believe healthy foods are loss tasty. A new concept of gastronomy focused not only on sensations but also on nutrition and health is necessary. The aim of this research is to evaluate whether offering a healthy menu based on nutritional claims would be an interesting option for restaurants as well as to check the impact of proposed nutritional improvements on consumer’s acceptability of menus. 300 customers of a specific restaurant located in Valencia city center (Spain) participated. They answered a questionnaire about different quality parameters before and after changes on the menu had been done. Results indicated that changes introduced on the menus did not result in a minor consumer’s acceptability of them. Consumers only perceived changes in food size after nutritional intervention but quality of the food remained the same. In view of these results, the proposed intervention can be considered is a good alternative for a healthy diet, even if interventions don’t have a long-term impact. Further investigations are necessary to prove if the proposed changes are sustained.
The concentration of B vitamins (B
1, B
2, B
6, and B
12) was determined in three pork muscles (
Longissimus dorsi, loin;
Biceps femoris, ham; and
Triceps brachii, shoulder) and in pork and other ...meat products (cooked, pickled, and cured), of importance because they are consumed in high quantities. The results were compared with values reported by other authors and their contribution to the daily intake of these vitamins estimated. This showed that pork provides, on average, 97, 25.8, 35/43.7 (men/women), and 37% of the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) for vitamins B
1, B
2, B
6, and B
12, respectively.
The Miocene epoch, spanning 23.03–5.33 Ma, was a dynamic climate of sustained, polar amplified warmth. Miocene atmospheric CO2 concentrations are typically reconstructed between 300 and 600 ppm and ...were potentially higher during the Miocene Climatic Optimum (16.75–14.5 Ma). With surface temperature reconstructions pointing to substantial midlatitude and polar warmth, it is unclear what processes maintained the much weaker‐than‐modern equator‐to‐pole temperature difference. Here, we synthesize several Miocene climate modeling efforts together with available terrestrial and ocean surface temperature reconstructions. We evaluate the range of model‐data agreement, highlight robust mechanisms operating across Miocene modeling efforts and regions where differences across experiments result in a large spread in warming responses. Prescribed CO2 is the primary factor controlling global warming across the ensemble. On average, elements other than CO2, such as Miocene paleogeography and ice sheets, raise global mean temperature by ∼2°C, with the spread in warming under a given CO2 concentration (due to a combination of the spread in imposed boundary conditions and climate feedback strengths) equivalent to ∼1.2 times a CO2 doubling. This study uses an ensemble of opportunity: models, boundary conditions, and reference data sets represent the state‐of‐art for the Miocene, but are inhomogeneous and not ideal for a formal intermodel comparison effort. Acknowledging this caveat, this study is nevertheless the first Miocene multi‐model, multi‐proxy comparison attempted so far. This study serves to take stock of the current progress toward simulating Miocene warmth while isolating remaining challenges that may be well served by community‐led efforts to coordinate modeling and data activities within a common analytical framework.
Plain Language Summary
As human activity continues to increase atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, scientists turn to warm intervals in Earth's history to develop insight into the behavior of the climate system under elevated carbon dioxide and temperature. One such interval is the Miocene epoch which has become increasingly relevant as reconstructions of Miocene atmospheric CO2 concentrations point to values ranging between current concentrations of ∼400 ppm and those projected for the end of this century under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways 3 and 4. In this study, we evaluate the surface warming patterns simulated by a range of different climate models configured with Miocene paleogeography and CO2 concentrations spanning 200–850 ppm. We also synthesize available Miocene surface temperature reconstructions. The primary factor controlling the amount of global warming seen across the Miocene simulations analyzed is the CO2 concentration that was prescribed within a given simulation. On average, Miocene elements other than CO2, such as Miocene paleogeography and ice sheets, raise global mean temperature by ∼2°C. While some Miocene simulations with high CO2 forcing overlap with the reconstructed global mean surface temperature estimates for their target Miocene interval, they still generally fail to capture the reconstructed pattern of warming.
Key Points
A synthesis of Miocene modeling efforts, and surface temperature reconstructions, is presented within a single analysis framework
Miocene global mean surface temperature estimates span ∼5.3°C–11.5°C higher than preindustrial, only ∼2°C is explained by non–CO2 boundary conditions in climate models
Some simulations overlap with reconstructed global mean surface temperature estimates but fail to capture the weak temperature gradient
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