ALBERT

Notizen: The advent of National Vocational Qualifications represents an important change in British Government policy from attempting to secure appropriate training inputs to a system driven by the aim of stimulating the attainment of learning outcomes assessed against national standards. This article presents a case study of the implications of this policy for intermediate skills in engineering, a major industry subject to rapid technological change.

Notizen: This article examines the relationship between technology, entrepreneurial human capital and company performance in a sample of textile and clothing SMEs in Great Britain. General conclusions suggest that firms with a computer network are more likely to have a formal management team. Networked firms appear to be larger: smaller companies are making increasing use of computer networks.

Notizen: This article examines two issues: first how Japanese companies recruit, train and utilise engineers in their UK transplants; secondly, how technology transfer between British and Japanese engineers is affected by career structures. It draws on questionnaire responses from 88 companies and interviews at a small number of sites.

Notizen: From the 1980s, the paper and board industry in Britain, in response to the pressures of strong foreign competition, sought the fuller utilisation of new and existing technology through changing work practices. This particularly involved the extensive introduction of annualised hours arrangements with national bargaining arrangements playing a major role in their introduction.

Notizen: Research that questions the general validity of flexible specialisation can be supplemented by an example that is, paradoxically, frequently used as a supporting example: ceramic tile production. This article examines some comparative evidence and concludes that support is illusory and all too often based on the same weak original data, while there are actually more robust indications of moves towards classical mass production.

Notizen: Book Reviewed in this article:Expertise and Innovation: Information Technology Strategies in the Financial Services SectorEthics of Information ManagementAcquiring, Adapting and Developing Technologies: Lessons from the Japanese ExperienceTeleworking ExplainedTime Pioneers: Flexible Working Time and New LifestylesThe Future of Industrial RelationsEnterprise Without UnionsThe Electronic Eye: the rise of surveillance societyManaging Production—Engineering Change and StabilityBusiness Reengineering: The Survival GuideISO 9000—Quality Systems Handbook

Notizen: This article argues that studies of the introduction of new technology have tended to ignore the contributions of pre-Braverman approaches. However, in some cases, they have implicitly rediscovered the findings of an older industrial sociology.

Notizen: Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) for communication between different corporate computer systems was expected to transform relationships between firms. However, this detailed study of three sectors of the UK publishing industry—the book trade; the magazine and newspaper trade; and newsprint supply to newspapers—found that EDI developed in a slow and incremental manner. This calls into question the radical visions of proponents of business network redesign.

Notizen: This article examines job knowledge and skill in clerical work drawing on five case studies from the area of credit management. The cognitive, social and ‘tacit’ skills necessary for clerical effectiveness in this sector are identified and examined. Feminist approaches to skills analysis are used to examine how and why this type of work is under-valued.

Notizen: Utilising a typology based on the previous occupational background of owner-managers within technology-based organizations, this article analyses the previous management and technical experiences of a sample of technical entrepreneurs in the UK. Overall, the study concludes that management and technical experience will differ according to occupational background, which may have implications for support provided to small technology-based firms.

Notizen: This article explores management's strategic decision making in relation to Total Quality Management (TQM). It demonstrates that management's strategies are fraught with politics and power relations, which influence the ‘choice’ of strategy and the way in which such strategies are ‘implemented’. Hence, management's strategic decision making may not be planned and rational, and their behaviour is often contradictory which may undermine TQM or render its outcomes uncertain and contestable.

Notizen: This article examines the role which elite MNC employers play in the process of qualification inflation within the Irish Republic. While these employers do not contribute towards inflation across technical occupations the tendency to select the most qualified within individual occupations has led to the emergence of a ‘graduate barrier’ between technicians and engineers/scientists.

Notizen: Book Reviewed in this article:Enriching Production: Perspectives on Volvo's Uddevalla Plant as an Alternative to Lean Production Ake Sandberg (Ed.)Breaking from Taylorism: Changing Forms of Work in the Automobile Industry Ulrich Jurgens, Thomas Malsch and Knuth Dohse Cambridge University Press

Notizen: Sensory research on kiwifruit has shown that specific sugars and acids, and volatile flavor compounds have causative effects on “sweet” and “acid” aroma and flavor attributes. New Zealand consumers (n = 162) assessed the perceived flavor intensity and acceptability of three volatile flavor compounds (ethyl butanoate, E-2-hexenal and hexanal) at varying levels in a model base solution. Increasing levels of ethyl butanoate positively affected all the acceptability attributes (“overall liking,”“liking of aroma,”“liking of flavor”) as well as increased the perceived intensity of “kiwifruit aroma” and “kiwifruit flavor.” Increasing levels of E-2-hexenal negatively affected all the acceptability attributes but increased the perceived intensity of “kiwifruit aroma” and “acid flavor.” An increase in hexanal increased perceived intensity of “kiwifruit aroma.” Ethyl butanoate and E-2-hexenel at the levels tested had the most prominent effects on consumer perceived intensity and acceptability of the “kiwifruit flavor.”

Notizen: Wine vinegar is a product obtained from wine acidification which contains at least 5% by wt. of acetic acid, in general without any additives or colorings.Aspects studied in this work include: the determination of the taste group thresholds (geometric mean of the individual best-estimate thresholds “BET”) of two different acids (citric and acetic acids) in aqueous solution and spanish vinegars produced from table and sherry wines. The results obtained suggest that wine vinegar can be considered something more than just an acidulant agent.In order to evaluate differences among wine vinegars, discriminant tests for twenty-five spanish vinegars (sherry, table and flavored vinegars) were applied. Six of the twelve attributes freely chosen by assessors allowed grouping of the spanish wine vinegars according to their sensory aspects.

Notizen: Expectations are generated by a variety of factors. We indicate a flow chart for the role of expectations at the point of choice and in influencing sensory perception at the time of consumption. We review the sparse literature on how advertising, packaging and information generate sensory expectations. The application of various theories to explain the observed effects of sensory expectations are reviewed. There is overwhelming evidence for assimilation-contrast effect, although no studies have been specifically designed to detect it. Finally we review the reasons why individuals might differ in the way that expectations influence sensory perception. These reasons include ideas from persuasion literature and private body consciousness. A number of behavioral hypothesis that follow from these theories are developed.

Notizen: Seventy-nine children ages 36–71 months evaluated 2% commercial UHT milk and 2% commercial pasteurized milk for taste, color and mouthfeel with age appropriate facial hedonic scales with Peryam and Kroll verbal descriptors. Children significantly preferred the pasteurized milk over UHT milk for taste and mouthfeel attributes. Descriptive analysis of milks with an adult trained panel showed a significantly higher cooked note in UHT milk products which may explain the difference in preference. The results also showed that children 36–47 months were able to use the 3-point scale; children 47–59 months the 5-point scale; and children 60–71 months the 7-point scale to score preferences for food. Data transformation for a 0 to 100 point scale provided ease of comparison between age groups. Using the appropriate testing instruments, young children were able to provide valid food preference information.

Notizen: This paper compares experts and consumers to determine the degree to which they agree with each other on ratings of 37 sauce products, using the same sensory attributes. The paper also assesses the degree to which sensory attribute ratings correlate with objective physical measures. The ratings of experts (1-9 scale) and consumers (0–100 scale) agree quite highly, as shown by the high correlation between the two panels across the 37 products. The paper refutes the notion that consumers are incapable of validly rating the sensory aspects of products. The paper therefore presents the case for using consumers to assess the sensory characteristics of products.

Notizen: The purpose of this study was to assess the sensory characteristics of sodium lactate (SL) in combination with sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) in a model system at common usage levels for meat products. Using a gelatin-based (2%) system containing various concentrations of sodium lactate (0%, 1%, 2%, or 3%) and sodium tripolyphosphate (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, or 0.4%) a thirteen-member trained sensory panel scored samples for saltiness, bitterness, and soapiness. As sodium lactate and sodium tripolyphosphate levels increased, saltiness increased. Bitterness decreased with addition of 1% SL and increased with 2 and 3% SL. Soapiness also increased with increasing levels of SL. Bitterness and soapiness were not affected by increasing STP concentrations.

Notizen: The impact of 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) (earthy/musty), on the flavor evaluation of farm-raised catfish was assessed by a descriptive analysis panel, who are trained to evaluate flavor intensity using universal scales. Ideally, panelists should give the same intensity ratings for all attributes within a sample. Realistically, individual panelists perceive flavor intensity differently, because of variations in detection thresholds, adaptation, fatigue and enhancement or suppression. Experiments were designed to investigate problems associated with evaluating catfish flavor. Samples “spiked” with MIB had lower chickeny flavor than unspiked. Intensities of MIB in spiked samples that followed an equally spiked sample were lower. Problems can occur when catfish are presented at intervals less than 7 min. Panelists experienced difficulty in determining intensity differences of MIB flavor between sessions, but could determine differences in intensity of MIB within a session. These influences must be accounted for in experimental designs to assess catfish flavors.

Notizen: Salivation may affect texture and taste perception. Thus, any influences that affect salivation also might affect a panelist's sensory responses. Twelve sensory panelists were compared for psychophysiological factors that might influence their salivary responses. Medication, body mass index (Quetelet), dieting-induced deprivation, nutrient deficiency, and caffeine, tannin, and fiber consumptions along with smoking were considered. Specific nutrient deficiencies or fiber consumption did not affect salivation of the panelists studied. All other factors, especially smoking and diet-induced deprivation, appeared to warrant further study with a larger population.

Notizen: The objective of this study was to compare data obtained using descriptive analysis (DA) and free-choice profiling (FCP) of a simple model solution. Three menthol isomers (l-, d-, dl-), each at 0.01, 0.02, and 0.04% (w/v), were tested. A trained DA panel (n = 11) used two aroma, three nasal-sensation, two taste, and five mouth-sensation terms to describe the samples. An untrained panel (n = 15) used FCP to assess the same solutions. Individual FCP panelists used from nine to twenty-one terms. All DA terms significantly discriminated among the samples. Seven to eighteen of the FCP panelist descriptors significantly discriminated among the samples. Procrustes analyses (PA) indicated that FCP and DA similarly discriminated among the samples, possibly because the solutions were essentially one dimensional. Sample loadings on dimension 1 of both spaces were correlated (r = 0.966) as were dimension 2 loadings (r = 0.783). The FCP Rc-value was 91.2% and the DA Rc value was 85.6%. At higher concentrations (0.04 and 0.02%) l-menthol was significantly stronger than d-menthol in eucalyptus aroma, nasal clearing, all mouth cooling attributes, and bitter attertaste. At 0.01 % concentration no significant differences were detected among the menthol isomers.

Notizen: Everyone is aware of the federal income tax. What many do not realize is that federal estate tax may have a bigger impact than the income tax. While the income tax decreases take-home pay, the estate tax threatens job creation, business growth, and family harmony. This article examines the impact of the federal estate taxes and reviews several studies which indicate that the estate tax has a deleterious impact on capital accumulation, business growth, job creation, and federal tax revenues.

Notizen: Closely held businesses differ from their publicly held counterparts in the relative importance assigned to planning for estate taxes. When faced with the prospect of an estate taxes liability, owners of closely held businesses may alter their investment behavior. This essay presents a simple model of the investment decision in a closely held business. While finance theory prescribes that firms maximize their value through funding capital projects with positive net present values, this model suggests that the presence of estate taxes may induce the firm to reject projects which, if funded, would add value to the firm. Further, the propensity to pass on value-adding projects increases with both the estate tax rate and the age of the business owner.

Notizen: This paper questions the effectiveness of economic development policies and programs which fail to differentiate family from non-family enterprises in the UK small and medium-sized firms sector. Published evidence is reviewed and findings from workshops and interviews with 10 Scottish family enterprises demonstrate that family enterprises differ, and in some economically significant ways, from non-family enterprises. It is suggested that the lack of provision for family enterprises hinders their business activity. The aim is to begin an argument for recognition of a “family business sector” in the UK in order to promote business activity in this economically significant group of firms, and to achieve a better payoff for governments from investment in economic development in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Notizen: Family business studies have focused on succession because of the incidence of family business failure and the importance of family businesses within the US economy. This study furthers the understanding of family business failure by making the distinction between succession planning (the management task of transitioning leadership) and estate planning (the task of transitioning financial assets and managing federal estate tax obligations) and using this distinction to better understand family business discontinuance. This study of 749 heirs of failed family businesses demonstrates that inadequate estate planning is more often associated-with family business failure than is poor succession planning.

Notizen: Although family-owned and managed firms are the predominant form of business organization in the world today, little systematic research exists on these companies. This paper builds upon insights found in the emerging literature on these enterprises and upon our own observations to provide a conceptual frame-work to better understand these complex organizations. We introduce the concept of the Bivalent Attributes–a unique, inherent feature of an organization that is the source of both advantages and disadvantages–to explain the dynamics of the family firm.

Notizen: Behavior of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A in pork liver sausage containing 22–67% fat, and antilisterial activities of sodium lactate, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate and sodium propionate were studied during storage at 4C and 10C. Commercial pork liver sausage batter (22% fat), alone and with additions of lard (15, 30, and 45% by weight) were tested. Concentrations of 1.8% sodium lactate, 0.1% sorbate as the acid or the potassium salt, and 0.2% sodium propionate were tested in heat sterilized sausage inoculated with a 24 h culture of the organism (104 CFU/g). Fat content alone caused small reductions in cell numbers by the end of the storage periods: from log CFU/g of 9.9 to 9.4 after 14 days at 10C, and from 7.3 to 6.5 after 50 days at 4C in the basic sausage formulation and with 45% added fat, respectively. The inhibitory activities of lactate and propionate increased with increase in fat content, and were more pronounced at 4C, where the effects were listericidal. Inhibition by sorbic acid was least influenced by the fat content, and the potassium salt was less antilisterial than the acid.

Notizen: Sabouraud dextrose agar, containing up to 300 ppm of eugenol, isoeugenol or monolaurin, was prepared. Eight strains of mycotoxin and non-mycotoxin-producing Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. were tested. Spore suspensions were spotted in the center of agar plates and the linear (radial) growth rate was measured during incubation. All agents inhibited mold growth, but isoeugenol and eugenol were more effective than monolaurin. The average decreases in linear growth rate in the presence of eugenol, isoeugenol and monolaurin were 56, 43 and 11% at 100 ppm and 81, 85 and 15% at 200 ppm, respectively. At 300 ppm eugenol and isoeugenol, all fungi were inhibited completely; however, monolaurin (up to 2000 ppm) did not prevent mold growth. Except for P. viridicatum NRRL 6062, the molds tested did not vary significantly (at p=0.05) in degree of inhibition by any particular antifungal agent.A. parasiticus was grown in a yeast extract dextrose broth containing 100 ppm of the antifungal agents. Decreases in mycelial dry weight in the presence of eugenol, isoeugenol and monolaurin were 5.3, and 7.9, 10.5%, respectively. The corresponding reductions in aflatoxin B1 synthesized were 58, 57 and 25%. In conclusion, eugenol and isoeugenol have strong antifungal properties which are best manifested when the surface growth of molds on solid media is monitored.

Notizen: Campylobacter jejuni is the major cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in the United States and developed nations. In addition to gastroenteritis, C. jejuni can cause extraintestinal diseases such as the reactive arthritides and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Most of the illnesses induced by C. jejuni are not life-threatening but can be severe and long-lasting. A number of virulence determinants which are believed to be involved in the induction of gastroenteritis, reactive arthritides and Guillain-Barré syndrome have been demonstrated in C. jejuni. These determinants include attachment and invasion molecules, outer membrane proteins, heat shock proteins, flagella, iron acquiring mechanisms, cytotonic and cytotoxic factors, arthritrogenic antigens that may trigger reactive arthritides and bacterial factors that may induce the Guillain-Barré syndrome. The published literature concerning the pathogenic mechanisms of C. jejuni indicates that many of the virulence determinants of the organism are inadequately characterized and the role that they play in causing disease is not clear.

Notizen: Clostridium perfringens containing samples of sterile ground turkey were studied to assess growth under modified atmosphere conditions. Samples were packaged under various atmospheres (CO2/O2/N2: 75/5/20, 75/10/15, 75/20/5, 25/20/55, 50/20/30), stored at 4, 15 and 28C, and sampled periodically for growth. Diluted samples were plated on Shahidi Ferguson perfringens agar (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, MI) to determine vegetative cell counts. Temperature abuse (cyclic and static) of the turkey product was also investigated. The results showed that the growth of C. perfringens was slowest under 25–50% CO2/20% O2/balance N2 at 15 and 28C. There was no growth at 4C for up to 28 days. Temperature abuse (28C storage) of refrigerated products for 8 h did not permit C. perfringens growth. Use of 25–50% CO2/20% O2/balance N2 may extend the shelf-life of turkey, but in the absence of proper refrigeration, it cannot be relied upon to eliminate the risk of C. perfringens food poisoning.

Notizen: An overview is presented covering the occurrence of Fusarium species in raw food and feed materials and the mycotoxins produced by these molds. A study of the literature (reported from 1969 until now) revealed the occurrence of over 60 Fusarium species in these raw materials. It appears that the most reported species occur worldwide and in a large variety of raw food products, such as cereals, vegetables and fruits. These Fusarium species occurring in samples are producers of toxigenic secondary metabolites of which more than 100 have been described. Most of them are referred to as mycotoxins of which trichothecencs (e.g., deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, T-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol), fumonisins and zearalenones are most frequently reported.

Notizen: The antibacterial activity of combinations of lysozyme, monolaurin (ML), triglycerol 1,2 laurate (TGL) and butylated hydroxyanizole (BHA) against 7 Gram-positive and 8 Gram-negative bacteria was studied at different pH, NaCl and EDTA concentrations by the spiral gradient end point test. The inhibitory effect of lysozyme in combination with ML was slightly greater for Gram-positive than for Gram-negative bacteria, but their combined effect was not markedly more inhibitory than ML alone. Lysozyme and TGL together were only inhibitory at low pH and high NaCl concentrations in the presence of EDTA. There was an increase in inhibition when lysozyme and BHA were combined. For Gram-positive bacteria, inhibition by ML and BHA together was more marked than when either was present singly. However, ML decreased the antibacterial activity of BHA against Gram-negative bacteria. Similarly, TGL was antagonistic to BHA action against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In general, the inhibition produced by all combinations was greater as the pH decreased and the NaCl concentration increased, especially in the presence of EDTA.

Notizen: The resistance of Shewanella putrefaciens ATCC 8071, 8072, and 8073 to gamma radiation was determined in the presence and absence of air on mechanically deboned chicken meat (MDCM). The presence or absence of air (oxygen) did not significantly influence resistance to gamma radiation at 5C, and it was very sensitive with a D10 value of 0.11 ± 0.002 kilogray (kGy) on MDCM. A high percentage of cells surviving irradiation were shown by impedance measurements to have suffered injury. The bacteria were significantly more resistant to gamma radiation at temperatures below the freezing point. At a dose of 0.8 kGy lowering the temperature of irradiation by 10 degrees increased the survival of this food spoilage organism by a 1.66 log10. The type of meat (hamburger, ground beef round, ground pork, and ground turkey breast) did not significantly alter resistance of S. putrefaciens to gamma radiation under identical conditions (D10 value = 0.18 ± 0.01 kGy). The minimum radiation dose currently approved for poultry in the USA, 1.5 kGy, should eliminate S. putrefaciens from meats.

Notizen: The previously published (Palumbo et al. 1991) response surface model for describing the influence of temperature, pH, NaCl, and sodium nitrite on the aerobic growth of Aeromonas hydrophila K144 in BHI broth has been expanded to incorporate additional data. The effects of the variables on A. hydrophila aerobic growth kinetics were modeled by response surface analysis using quadratic and cubic polynomial models of (1) natural logarithm transformation of both the Gompertz B and M parameters and the lag phase duration (LPD) and generation time (GT), and (2) the square root transformation of B and 1/M calculated from 268 cultures (212 of which supported growth) from 81 variable combinations. In addition, the six models generated also were subjected to backward elimination regression analysis to remove nonsignificant variables. Based on examination of the adjusted R2 values of the resulting 12 models, three were selected for further evaluation by comparing their observed and predicted T1000-values (time for a 1000-fold increase in number; this concept incorporates the influence of the variables on both lag and generation times), LPDs and GTs. Using this method of comparison and evaluation, models based on cubic polynomial, natural logarithm transformation of GT and LPD gave the best “first estimates” of the aerobic growth characteristics of A. hydrophila.

Notizen: A total of 116 commercial samples of mixed vegetable salads, packaged in plastic bags, were examined for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes during storage at 4C. Commercial products, belonging to 4 different batches, were sampled over a period of one year and stored for 300 h at 4C in the laboratory. Different sets of enrichment and plating media were used to recover organisms, with subsequent identification by Pasco System and serotyping techniques. Out of a total of 70 control (noninoculated) samples, 21 (30%) were observed to contain Listeria monocytogenes, belonging to serotypes 3a and 3b. A study of salad inoculated with 103 cfu/g Listeria monocytogenes showed that the initial inoculum increased less than tenfold over the experimental period (300 h). During storage of the product, CO2 reached nearly 30% and O2 was no longer detected at 60 h, due to the respiration of the vegetables. The pH inside the packages remained around 6. The specific growth rate in the salad was calculated using the Dmodel Program, which gave a rate of 0.003h-1, a lower figure than that reported by other authors. This study found growth patterns different to those previously reported for salads with separate ingredients. Our results agree with previous reports that modified atmosphere does not greatly inhibit Listeria monocytogenes. This reflects a lower specific growth rate in this food compared to media, and illustrates the difficulty of validating, in complex food systems, mathematic models based on culture media.

Notizen: Contamination of ready-to-eat seafoods with Listeria monocytogenes is a major concern of the seafood industry. One means of control is the use of hand sanitizers. Five sanitizers (chlorine bleach, Zep-i-dineTM, Zepamine ATM, ZepTM Instant Hand Sanitizer, and Ultra-KleenTM) were evaluated for effectiveness against L. monocytogenes attached to latex gloves in the presence of phosphate buffered saline or crab cooking water. Cooking water had been used to boil the crabs and was heavily laden with organic nutrients. Chlorine, Zepamine ATM, and Ultra-KleenTM reduced numbers of attached L. monocytogenes to nondetectable levels in the presence of phosphate buffered saline; Zep-i-dineTM and ZepTM Instant Hand Sanitizer were less effective. In the presence of crab cooking water, only Ultra-KleenTM reduced cell numbers to nondetectable levels; the effectiveness of the remaining sanitizers was reduced. Extreme care must be taken when choosing hand sanitizers as their efficacy may be affected by organic residues on the gloves of food handlers.

Notizen: The effect of heat-shock (48C for 20 min) on sensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A to bacteriocin produced by Pediococcus acidilactici was evaluated. Exposure of Listeria to pediocin (68, 267 AU/ mL) resulted in lower number of survivors in the first 2 h of incubation in Trypticase soy broth at 37C compared with samples without pediocin, regardless of whether the cells were heat-shocked or not. Further incubation for 24 h resulted in resumption of growth by L. monocytogenes, with counts reaching the same level as samples without pediocin. Cold storage of Listeria in pork in the presence of pediocin (8,192 AU/g) resulted in a 2.0 log10 reduction after 24 h, when compared with controls not exposed to pediocin, regardless of whether the samples were stored under air, vacuum, or a modified atmosphere. Prior heat-shocking did not have an effect on sensitivity of Listeria to pediocin during storage. Thus, storage atmosphere and exposure to heat shock, which are known to induce thermotolerance in L. monocytogenes, had no effect in sensitivity of this organism to pediocin.

Notizen: In the multifaceted category research study described herein, several category appraisal studies are conducted (e.g., consumer, descriptive, instrumental). The main applications of this approach are (1) the thorough understanding of the product category in terms of the products’ characteristics and its consumer responses, and (2) the establishment of a data base used to interpret the category's consumer responses through laboratory data (e.g., descriptive, instrumental data).A multifaceted category research study was completed for commercial hot dogs to demonstrate the methodology and the applications of this approach. The descriptive category review showed two main segments of products with unique flavor and texture characteristics: a meat and a poultry/grain segment. Through consumer-descriptive data relationships, the product category's critical attributes (i.e., attributes that affect consumer liking), and the attributes that signal consumer responses of interest were identified. The hot dogs’ critical attributes needed to ensure high liking are: cured meat, smoke, moistness, moisture release, cohesiveness, cohesiveness of mass, oiliness, fat aromatic, sweetness and saltiness. Descriptive attributes that signal consumer HOT DOG FLAVOR and CHEWINESS were also identified.

Notizen: In a study of pungency in food systems, three carriers (water, cheese sauce, starch paste) with varying fat levels (none, low, medium, high), synthetic capsaicin concentrations (0.0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.3 ppm), and serving temperatures (25 and 38C) were formulated. Panelists evaluated sensory heat intensity over a 3-min interval. Time-intensity parameters (maximum intensity-MAX, time to maximum intensity-TMAX, and rate of release-RATE) were evaluated. Overall, intensity scores increased as capsaicin concentration increased. The increase was related to carrier and fat level. Water samples (0.4, 0.8, and 1.3 ppm) were perceived as more intense than cheese or starch samples at the same capsaicin level. Generally, increasing the fat level resulted in lower intensity scores. Warming samples increased RATE, the only parameter affected by temperature. The training method was effective when water was the carrier. However, physical or chemical interactions that occur in simple food systems may influence perceived pungency.

Notizen: The objective of this study was to determine if higher fiber levels in a food contributed to greater sensory specific satiety. Thirty-two subjects tasted and rated their liking of small samples of nine foods (including the test food) before and after a test meal. Test meals consisted of 500 kcal (2092 kJ) of a soup or a muffin. Both a high-fiber (10g) and low-fiber (1g) version of a soup and a muffin were tested. High-fiber versions contained added microcrystalline cellulose. Data from the soup and muffin treatments were analyzed separately. Each of the test meals resulted in a greater decrease in liking for the food eaten versus the uneaten foods. However, there was no increase in sensory specific satiety for the high-fiber treatments versus the low-fiber treatments. There was also no main effect for gender.

Notizen: The taste quality of 27 stimuli equi-intense to 100 mM NaCl was described by 10 subjects using cross-modality matching with Munsell colors. Subjects were instructed to use one color for each perceived taste quality. An initial set of 9 stimuli covering the range of taste qualities was used by the subjects to build their own spectrum of colors to match taste qualities. Subjects then used their system to describe the quality of 18 sweet and/or bitter stimuli. All subjects were able to develop and consistently use Munsell colors to describe taste quality. This psychophysical method for taste description could allow for a better discrimination among taste stimuli than the traditional use of five adjectives. Three-dimensional plots in L, a, b coordinates of the color spaces produced by the subjects suggest sweetness and bitterness may not be unitary qualities, and that semantics may not be sufficient to describe taste quality.

Notizen: Although extrusion is widely used for snack foods, there are few descriptive sensory analysis studies of extrudates. This study investigated the effects of potato granule type (flour or flakes), feed moisture content (16%, 18% and 20%) and addition of oil (0%, 2% and 4%) on sensory attributes of extrudates. Generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA) and Principal Component analysis (PCA) were used to describe the relationship among the sensory attributes. Additionally, GPA described the relationship between selected sensory and physical variables. Feed moisture content, as a primary factor, and added oil, as the secondary, affected the puff characteristics. High feed moisture puffs were high in hardness and chewiness, whereas low moisture ones were high in brownness, burnt flavor and fracturability. Added oil changed sensory expansion with relation to low feed moisture. Using GPA, physical properties related to appearance, color and texture were matched with corresponding sensory attributes.

Notizen: Twenty judges performed a variety of chemosensory tasks in order to select the best scores to form a panel for coffee evaluation. An average of correct responses (P%), one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal components analysis (PCA) were compared. The tests involved: ability to recognize the four basic tastes, identification and matching of odors, taste intensity evaluation and perception of small differences in taste. P% accounted for 71.17 ± 4.34% and 10 of the judges had scores greater than the final average. ANOVA and PCA resulted in 2 different panels consisting of 9 and 12 judges, respectively. The panel was composed by the nine panelists selected by the three methods. The other three panelists that were doubtful could improve to the point of acceptance with additional training. These methods should be used simultaneously to have more security in the acceptance or rejection of panelists.

Notizen: The relationships among 13 aroma, flavor, mouthfeel and appearance variables for 18 soluble coffees were analyzed using flavor profiling. Three-way ANOVA showed significant main effects for coffees and judges in all attributes. The data were submitted to principal component analyses (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). Two sequential PCA were performed. The first PCA showed that flavor, bitterness and duration were the most important descriptors positively correlated with the first PC, while the variation in appearance properties dominated the second PC, negatively correlated with these attributes. Five attributes were eliminated and a subset of 8 variables was submitted to a second PCA. The meaning of the first two PC remained unchanged and, as expected, the total variation explained by the first four PC increased. Frequency of positive and negative judgments in both PC allowed to separate coffees into four categories.Confirming the choice of the variables, the CA revealed similar distribution of coffees into four clusters. Aroma, flavor and mouthfeel attributes seemed to play a more important role in the determination of clusters than the appearance variables.

Notizen: Extracellular antimicrobial substances produced by certain enterococci inhibit Listeria monocytogenes. Enterococcus faecium 108, a competitive food isolate, produced a heat-stable and protease-sensitive anti-L. monocytogenes bacteriocin-like substance (Ef108) in Listeria selective enrichment broth and other media. Ef108 activity was purified to homogeneity by a four-step procedure including (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, chromatography on anion exchange QSepharose column, and two Superose 12 gel filtration columns. In activities represented by two peaks (Ef108A and Ef108B), 90% of the crude activity was due to peak B. Ef108A is believed to be a variable aggregate of the active moiety in Ef108B. All Listeria spp. and five L. monocytogenes serotypes were inhibited by Ef108B in several media including Listeria enrichment medium. The Ef108 activity may be due to a bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance produced by E. faecium 108 that may suppress the growth and predominance of Listeria monocytogenes during selective enrichment.

Notizen: Book review in this ArticleNATURAL ANTIMICROBIAL SYSTEMS AND FOOD PRESERVATION, V.M. Dillon and R.G. Board, edsTHE HACCP FOOD SAFETY MANUAL, Joan K. Loken, ed.

Notizen: Various phenotypic characteristics have been correlated with the pathogenicity of plasmid-bearing virulent strains of Yersinia enterocolitica. Two transposon Tn801-insertion derivatives (JD193 and JD217) of the virulence plasmid from serotype 0:3 were used to determine the correlation between pathogenicity and plasmid-associated properties of this organism. Both Tn801-inserted derivatives expressed five plasmid-associated phenotypic characteristics at 37C: (1) colony morphology, (2) calcium-dependent growth or low-calcium response, (3) crystal violet binding, (4) autoagglutination, and (5) hydrophobicity. However, for mouse pathogenicity only JD193 was positive whereas, JD217 was avirulent for mice. Thus, it is possible to have a lack of correlation between plasmid-mediated traits and the actual pathogenicity of the organism in the mouse; however, these plasmid-mediated phenotypic characteristics provide simple and efficient techniques to evaluate the virulence potential of wild-type strains isolated from food poisoning outbreaks and clinical cases.

Notizen: Predatory bacteria of the genus Bdellovibrio that prey upon Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella species were isolated from soil and sewage samples. Bdellovibrio isolates 45k (from soil) and 88e (from sewage) attacked and lysed the E. coli and Salmonella strains tested, with log10 reductions ranging from 2.5 to 7.9 CFU/mL after 7h incubation, using a two-membered culture system. The predators showed activity against the bacteria within the temperature range of 19 to 37C. Bdellovibrio isolate 45k reduced a population of E. coli dried on stainless steel surfaces by 3.6 log10 CFU/cm2 following 24 h contact time and at a 10:1 predator to prey ratio and was also effective in reducing the level of biofilm cells. Bdellovibrios can potentially be utilized for removal of bacteria from surfaces of food processing equipment and possibly for controlling the growth of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in foods.

Notizen: The effect of pH (5 to 7), NaCl concentration (0.5 to 5%) and chelating agents on the antibacterial activity of lysozyme and butylated hydroxyanizole (BHA) was investigated by the Spiral Gradient End Point test. Of all the bacteria tested (including 7 Gram-positive and 8 Gram-negative organisms), lysozyme was active only against Lactococcus lactis NCK 400. When EDTA was added, lysozyme was inhibitory for all of the Gram-positive and 4 of the Gram-negative species. Butylated hydroxyanizole was active against all the organisms tested, except for 2 pseudomonads, but these were inhibited when EDTA was added. The inhibition effected by lysozyme and BHA, both in the presence and absence of EDTA, was greatest at low pH and high NaCl concentrations. The inhibition by lysozyme was unaffected by other chelators (sodium citrate and monoglycerol citrate). However, sodium citrate promoted the inhibitory effect of BHA towards Gram-negative bacteria and monoglycerol citrate lowered the minimum inhibitory concentration required by BHA to inhibit 5 of the 7 Gram-positive bacteria by 〈inlineGraphic alt="geqslant R: gt-or-equal, slanted" extraInfo="nonStandardEntity" href="urn:x-wiley:01496085:JFS59:ges" location="ges.gif"/〉 10%.

Notizen: This study examined the contributions of stimulus fat content and flavor volatiles to the perception of fat in a milk model system. The model system was formulated by adding bland vegetable oil (0%, 5%, or 10% w/v) and natural cream flavor (0%, 0.5% or 1% w/v) to a skim milk base. Panelists judged pairs of samples for similarity on the basis of three attributes (fat content, mouthcoating and thickness) and the results were analyzed using a multidimensional scaling procedure. Two-dimensional solutions best represented the data. The stimulus spaces for fat content and mouthcoating were visually similar to each other and provided reasonable separation of the samples. Instrumental measures helped to define the underlying dimensions of the stimulus space for fat content. Dimension 1 related to texture and included the contributions of viscosity, and fat particle size and number distribution; dimension 2 related to flavor perception. The sample with a moderate fat content (5%) and the highest concentration of added cream flavor (1%) was perceived to be similar to the 10% fat samples with added flavor. Thus, the added flavor provided the sensation of higher fat content. These data suggest that flavor plays an important role in the preception of fat in dairy foods. A psychophysical model of fat perception in dairy foods is proposed which includes the contribution of viscosity, fat particle size and number distribution, and volatile flavor perceptions.

Notizen: Consumers want meat products that are healthful and affordable. However, consumers will repurchase a product only if it tastes good. Consumers identified reasons for purchasing frankfurters and evaluated overall acceptability of 10 commercially available frankfurters. Consumers listed “taste” as the most important factor when purchasing frankfurters; only 16% of the consumers indicated that nutrition/health was the most important criterion. Nineteen consumer-perceived sensory and liking attributes were measured for the frankfurters in this study. The intensities of the attributes ranged from low to moderately high. All the frankfurters scored in the low to moderate range for overall acceptability. Most of the scores for liking of individual attributes correlated highly with overall liking, indicating that many of the questions relating to attribute liking could be eliminated.

Notizen: Since producer based sensory analysis of wine appellations remains in widespread use worldwide by wineries, modern sensory methods were developed for industry judge panels. U.S. appellations were studied using modern sensory analysis processes which accommodated the industry professionals’ biases for perceived quality and provincial sensory language. A panel was assembled comprised of wine industry quality experts (n = 26). First, judge quality biases were determined using a multi-wine preference-testing method (n = 48) in which judges freely record their aroma terms. Subsequently QDA° type strategies were used to create the sensory language from analysis of 1100 wine X judge interactions in which free use of terms was used to describe the wines. Next, an experiment analyzed the wines using a new descriptive analysis scorecard which contained the ten most frequently used terms; and scores were computed from the number of times terms were selected by the judges (frequency of use). Groups of sixteen wines, for which the judges had no large negative bias, from the Carneras American Viticutural Areas (AVA), were compared to those from California wine growing regions (Central Coast, Napa and Sonoma). Replicate trials showed Carneras AVA and Central Coast wines clustered in the principal components (PCA) analysis of the sensory data. The detection of regional typicalness by professionals: (1) was linked to their perceived quality bias, (2) was easily detected in high quality wines linked to grape attributes more than to winemaking attributes, and (3) was not possible when judges had determined that perceived wine quality was low. ANOVA and polar spider plot analysis of the clusters indicated that the important aroma attributes of Carneros wines included Citrus and Green Apples/Pears. Lastly, the sensory analysis data was compared to chemical analysis of terpenes for several wines (n = 22). Chardonnay terpene (linalool) concentrations were highly correlated (p 〈 0.01) with the attribute scores for Citrus which was important in the PCA analysis of the sensory data. These sensory processes offer a descriptive analysis process that accommodates the wine industry professional. The method also offers several advantages over flavor profiling methods including the reduction of the potentially confounding problems of “quality” and “standard terms” among industry professionals as well as speed and correlation with chemical analyses.

Notizen: Cheese headspace volatile compounds were extracted with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers, coated with either polydimethylsiloxane or polyacrylate, and thermally desorbed in the injector port for gas chromatographic (GC) analysis. Results with polyacrylate-coated fibers were better than those with a polydimethylsiloxane fiber. Major cheese volatile components such as volatile fatty acids and 5-lactones were readily extracted by both SPME fibers, but minor components such as volatile sulfur compounds were not observed. SPME-GC patterns were distinctly different among cheese varieties, and characteristic volatile compounds could be identified using multivariate techniques.

Notizen: Relatively simple mathematical models for microwave energy penetration in food products were applied, based on Lambert's law and taking into account internal reflections. With these models direct insight in microwave heating distributions in products with basic geometries and homogenous composition can be gained. Effects of changes in product composition with relation to dielectric properties and changes in product size can be predicted. The model was not designed to give an exact and detailed prediction of temperature distributions during microwave heating. However, it can simulate microwave heating of various food products and be useful for designing heat treatments.

Notizen: Solubilization of oil molecules in surfactant micelles can have pronounced effects on the physicochemical properties of oil-in-water emulsions, e.g., reaction rates, distribution of nonpolar ingredients, emulsion stability and controlled flavor release. Static light-scattering was used to compare the solubilization kinetics of corn oil droplets with those of n-hexadecane droplets (ø= 0.02 wt%, d32= 0.3 μm) in a micellar surfactant solution (2 wt% Tween 20). The n-hexadecane droplets were completely solubilized by the micelles within 5 days, but no change was observed in the corn oil emulsíon Possible reasons for the observed differences in solubilization kinetics were related to the molecular geometry and size of the oil molecules.

Notizen: Pressure (300–900 MPa) so modified β-lactoglobulin that it displayed reduced emulsifying capacity and foamability compared to native β-lactoglobulin. However, the pressure-treated samples showed a greater capacity for protein-protein interactions in the adsorbed layers of interfaces as evidenced by increased surface-dilational modulus and resistance to displacement by a surfactant in foams. The observed behavior was explained by a pressure-induced structural change in β-lactoglobulin. This increased its hydrophobicity and its potential for aggregate formation which probably accounts for the reduced emulsifying capacity and foamability.

Notizen: Biopolymers were prepared by cross-linking whey protein isolate (WPI) and soybean 11S using transglutaminase. Electrophoretic pattern, solubility, emulsification, hydrophobicity and foaming properties of the biopolymers were determined. SDS-PAGE showed bands corresponding to high-molecular-weight components (MW〉200 kDa). Biopolymer solubility was 〉 90% at pH 3 and below, and at pH 7 and above. Emulsifying properties of biopolymers were lower than those of WPI. The foaming capacity of the biopolymers (23.6 mL) and WPI/11S mixture (22.7 mL) were similar to that of egg albumin (20.3 mL). The foaming stability of the biopolymers (122 min) was higher than that of WPI/11S mixture (33.7 min), and was similar to that of egg albumin (132 min).

Notizen: Cyst(e)ine and methionine were converted into cysteic acid and methionine sulfone by oxidizing with performic acid. The oxidized samples were then subjected to acid hydrolysis (6N HCl, 105–110°C/24 hr). After derivatization with phenylisothiocyanate, reverse phase HPLC separation was carried out at 48°C and with UV detection. Different gradients and pH values in the eluent were assayed to determine the best resolution. Analytical parameters, detection and quantification limits, linearity, precision and accuracy, were determined. The method was reliable and accurate for measuring cyst(e)ine and methionine in infant formulae.

Notizen: Concentrations of seven milk-clotting enzyme preparations were standardized to equal clot times. Portions of bovine αs-, β- and κ-casein were treated with enzymes. Proteolytic activity of the coagulants on each casein fraction was determined using the TNBS (2,4,6-trinitrobenzene-sulfonic acid) procedure. Recombinant chymosin showed the lowest degree of proteolysis on αs- and β-caseins. Excessive proteolysis of calf rennet appeared to be due to the pepsin fraction. M. miehei and M. pusillus var Lindt proteases showed similar degradation of caseins, but M. pusillus var Lindt was more proteolytic when β-casein was the substrate. C. parasitica protease showed the highest degree of proteolysis on αs- and β-caseins but was the least proteolytic on κ-casein.

Notizen: Heat-induced gelation of myofibrillar proteins and myosin (0.6M; pH 6.0) from rabbit fast- and slow-twitch muscles was analyzed by thermal scanning rheometry. Proteins from slow-twitch muscle exhibited higher thermostability and lower gel strength than those from fast-twitch muscle. Purifying myosin from myofibrillar proteins changed heat-gelation profiles and generally increased gel rigidity at 80°C. However, the effect of some proteins on the gelation of myosin was muscle dependent. Complete elimination of actin decreased the heat-gelling ability of slow myosin and increased that of fast myosin. Also, elimination of C-protein led to a greater increase in rigidity of gels from slow myosin than from fast myosin. The heat-behavior of the different protein fractions was related to the degree and type of aggregation in the gel.