Hard cider or "cider" is a fermented, alcoholic beverage made from the juice of apples. The cider industry has experienced recent growth within the United States and Virginia. Virginia is one of the largest producers of apples in the United States, and apples are considered a top commodity in the state. Currently, there is inconsistent terminology to describe Virginia cider, and cider producers are using descriptors that are usually associated with beer and wine. Thus, this study aims to identify the distinct sensory profiles of Virginia ciders and to identify drivers of consumer liking. Understanding sensory profiles and drivers of consumer liking for Virginia ciders will aid consumers in understanding what kind of cider styles they prefer and could help producers identify acceptable cider products. A descriptive analysis (DA) was completed to determine a well-defined sensory profile for Virginia hard ciders. The DA consisted of 24 ciders that producers considered to be representative of Virginia and their brands from 16 of the 32 known cider producers in Virginia. In the DA, 6 panelists defined reference standards for 48 descriptors consisting of 20 aromas, 3 tastes, 13 flavors, and 12 mouthfeel attributes. Through M/ANOVA, 22 descriptors were identified as significant, and 6 groups of ciders were identified using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA). Then, an exploratory consumer study using 8 representative ciders from the DA was conducted with 67 subjects. Subjects were first asked a series of demographic questions, then presented with samples in randomized, sequential, monadic fashion and reported overall liking, purchasing intent, and willingness to pay. Internal and external preference mapping was accomplished with Partial Least Squares Regression (PLS) and Clustering Around Latent Variables (CLV). Three distinct clusters were identified with distinct product and sensory preferences. Finally, basic chemical analyses of all samples were performed. The DA demonstrated that Virginia ciders have distinct sensory characteristics and fall into distinct sensory groups. The 3 consumer clusters found through CLV may represent cider drinkers' preferences in both Virginia and the United States. While no unusual cider chemistry was found, we were able to observe expected connections between chemistry and sensory profiles. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Hard cider is the fermented beverage made from apples. It is also known as "cider" outside of the United States. In recent years, the cider industry has experienced growth both nationwide, and within the state of Virginia. Usually, ciders are described using words that are used to describe wine and beer. The aim of this study is to define descriptive terminology for Virginia ciders and identify drivers of consumer liking. Understanding sensory profiles and drivers of consumer liking for Virginia ciders will aid consumers in understanding what kind of cider styles they prefer and could help producers identify acceptable cider products. A descriptive analysis (DA) was completed to determine a well-defined sensory profile for Virginia hard ciders. The DA consisted of 24 ciders that producers considered to be representative of Virginia and their brands from 16 of the 32 known cider producers in Virginia. In the DA, 6 panelists defined reference standards for 48 descriptors consisting of 20 aromas, 3 tastes, 13 flavors, and 12 mouthfeel attributes. A total of 22 attributes were identified as being significant, and 6 distinct groups of ciders were identified. Then, an exploratory consumer study using 8 representative ciders from the DA was conducted with 67 subjects. Subjects were first asked a series of demographic questions, then presented with samples and reported overall liking, purchasing intent, and willingness to pay. Three distinct clusters of consumers were identified with distinct product and sensory preferences. Finally, basic chemical analyses of all samples were performed. The DA demonstrated that Virginia ciders have distinct sensory characteristics and fall into distinct sensory groups. The 3 consumer clusters may represent cider drinkers' preferences in both Virginia and the United States. While no unusual cider chemistry was found, we were able to observe expected connections between chemistry and sensory profiles.

Virginia is the largest apple producing state in the Southeast region of the United States and ranks 10th in most cideries in the US. Natural, or un-inoculated, fermentation methods are of interest to cider producers due to the potential for generating unique and complex aromas and flavors via fermentation with naturally present microbiota. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of common pre-fermentation sulfite addition and pH adjustment on cider chemistry and sensory outcomes for naturally fermented high- and low-tannin apple cultivars. Four treatment conditions were applied to both the high- and the low- tannin cultivars: acidification only, sulfites only, acidification and sulfites, and a control with no pre-fermentation juice chemistry adjustment. The eight experimental ciders were fermented using the Pied de Cuve (PDC) method for natural fermentation. Cider chemistry and sensory parameters were determined, and the treatments imparted key differences in both. Key findings were analyzed for pH, titratable acidity, volatile acidity, malic acid, free/total SO2, yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN), total polyphenols, residual sugars, and ethanol. For the acidified condition, the pH was lowered to 3.2 using malic acid. Cider pH ranged from 3.36 ± 0.04 to 3.72 ± 0.07, reflecting a general trend toward rising pH over the course of fermentation. Juice tannins were 0.244 ± 0.003 g/L for Harrison and 0.12 ± 0.01 g/L for GoldRush. Tannins decreased during fermentation; however, Harrison ciders maintained a higher range compared to GoldRush. Sensory characteristics were determined using a Descriptive Analysis (DA) with a trained panel which produced 28 descriptors. Results were examined via analysis of variance (ANOVA) and significant differences for apple cultivar, acid adjustment, and sulfite use were found for both chemistry and sensory parameters. The interaction between high- and low- tannin content and sulfite use had the most impact on the cider chemistry and sensory attributes. This study helps to shed light on the extent to which pre-fermentation pH adjustment and/or sulfite additions can influence the outcomes of natural cider fermentation in both high- and low-tannin cultivars. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Cider, also known as "hard cider," is an alcoholic beverage fermented from apples. Virginia is the 6th largest apple producing state in United States and ranks 10th in number of cideries. Natural fermentation uses microorganisms that are present in the environment to ferment cider. This type of fermentation is of interest to the cider industry due to the unique aromas and flavors produced by this method. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of common fermentation management strategies: pre-fermentation sulfite addition and acid adjustment, on cider chemistry and sensory outcomes for naturally fermented high- and low-tannin apple cultivars. Eight experimental ciders were fermented using the Pied de Cuve (PDC) method, which is a type of natural fermentation. Cider chemistry and sensory outcomes were evaluated. The experimental treatments and their interactions imparted key differences in both chemical and sensory outcomes. Cider pH ranged from 3.36 ± 0.04 to 3.72 ± 0.07 reflecting a general trend toward rising pH over the course of fermentation. Juice tannins were 0.244 ± 0.003 g/L for Harrison and 0.12 ± 0.01 g/L for GoldRush. Tannin concentration generally decreased during fermentation; however, Harrison ciders maintained a higher range compared to GoldRush. Sensory characteristics of each cider were determined using a Descriptive Analysis (DA) study, a with a trained panel which produced 28 descriptors, 19 of which were significant. The interaction between high- and low- tannin content and sulfite use had the most impact on the cider chemistry and sensory attributes. This study helps to inform cider producers regarding the impacts of pre-fermentation acid or sulfite additions on natural fermentation, and how those impacts may vary among high- and low-tannin apple cultivars.

Master of Science / Food Science Institute, Human Nutrition / Delores H. Chambers / Fresh mangoes are highly perishable, and therefore, they are often processed to extend shelf-life and facilitate exportation. Studying the transformation that mango cultivars undergo throughout processing can aid in selecting appropriate varieties for products. In the 1st part of this study, the flavor and texture properties of 4 mango cultivars available in the United States (U.S.) were analyzed. Highly trained descriptive panelists in the U.S. evaluated fresh, purée, and sorbet samples prepared from each cultivar. Purées were made by pulverizing mango flesh, passing it through a china cap, and heating it to 85 °C for 15 s. For the sorbets, purées were diluted with water (1:1), sucrose was added, and the bases were frozen in a batch ice cream freezer. Much of the texture variation among cultivars was lost after fresh samples were transformed into purées, whereas much of the flavor and texture variation among cultivars was lost once fresh mangoes and mango purées were transformed into sorbets. Compared to the other cultivars, Haden and Tommy Atkins underwent greater transformations in flavor throughout sorbet preparation, and processing reduced the intensities of some unpleasant flavors in these cultivars. Tommy Atkins was the only cultivar that had flavor differences from other cultivars when it was in sorbet. Results suggest that cultivar variation is generally not detectable in mango sorbet unless the cultivar has a distinct initial flavor. In the 2nd part of this study, descriptive panelists in Thailand evaluated the flavor and texture properties of fresh samples and purées prepared from 6 cultivars grown in Thailand. Thermal processing had unique effects on the flavor of each cultivar, especially Nam Dok Mai and Chok Anun; Nam Dok Mai significantly decreased in mango identity and peach flavors after processing, whereas Chok Anun significantly increased in sweet, mango identity, and pineapple flavors. Although a slight amount of flavor variation among cultivars was lost because of thermal processing, most of the texture variation was eliminated. Because of significant changes in flavor and texture after heat treatment of mango cultivars, manufacturers should select cultivars for mango purées based on their properties after thermal processing.

Master of Science / Department of Human Nutrition / Koushik Adhikari / Three cuts of steak (strip, chuck-eye and top blade) of two United States Department of Agriculture grades (choice and select) underwent seasoning and tenderization treatments to study whether flavor and texture quality could be enhanced within cut and grade of steak. Treatments included: 1) seasoning alone, 2) a combination of seasoning + bromelain (enzymatic tenderizer), or 3) control (no seasoning and/or bromelain). The seasoning included: kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and ground oregano. All of the steaks were cooked to an internal temperature of 71° C (medium doneness). Six trained descriptive panelists evaluated the samples. The results of this study indicate that it may be possible to improve eating quality of choice and select chuck-eye and choice top blade to be more similar to strip steaks of the same USDA grade. Both treatments increased flavor and texture attributes in these samples that have been shown to have an impact on liking scores. Choice chuck-eye samples had decreased bloody/serumy and metallic scores and increased umami and initial flavor impact with both treatments. Both treatments increased brown/roasted flavor in select chuck-eyes. Tenderness, fat-like and umami were increased with the seasoning + bromelain treatment in select chuck-eyes. Choice top blade steaks with seasoning alone had increased umami flavor. Both treatments impacted attributes (fat-like, umami and sour) of the select strip steak that differed from choice strip steaks. The next step to this research is to investigate whether consumer liking scores are consistent with conclusions made from descriptive analysis results. Overall, these treatments could be a valuable tool for beef retailers.

Flavor lexicons are used in sensory evaluation to determine the flavor profile of a food product. The objective of this study was to develop a flavor lexicon for cooked beef, which can then be used in various projects relating to beef quality such as studies investigating animal diet, marinating, ageing, or other enhancements. A descriptive panel of 10 people was used to develop a flavor lexicon of 18 attributes, including astringent, barny, bloody, brothy, browned, gamey, grassy, juicy, fatty, livery, metallic, oxidized, roast beef, and the five basic tastes (bitter, salty, sour, sweet, and umami). In contrast to other studies on beef, this lexicon was developed to include both positive and negative attributes. The lexicon was able to show that rib eye steaks from the Longissimus dorsi muscle in grass-fed animals were significantly (p<0.05) higher in barny, bitter, gamey, and grassy flavors, and lower in juicy and umami flavors. The steaks were also rated by consumers, who showed a preference for grain-fed beef over grass-fed beef. The ratings of the descriptive panel were related to the consumer panel scores to equate the lexicon terms with a positive or negative consumer degree of liking score. Those terms that were considered positive in this study due to their positive correlation with consumer liking include brothy, umami, roast beef, juicy, browned, fatty, and salty. The terms that were inversely associated with consumer liking were barny, bitter, gamey and grassy, among others. A separate descriptive panel was conducted on the Spinalis dorsi (or “cap” muscle) of the rib eye steak, with similar results. Additionally, descriptive and consumer evaluations found no difference between two types of grass diets, namely alfalfa and sainfoin. Different mixtures of beef and chicken were also evaluated to determine flavor differences between the two meats. Chicken was found to be more closely correlated to brothy, juicy, sweet, and umami, among others, while beef was found to be more closely correlated to terms such as gamey, bloody, oxidized, metallic, roast beef, and astringent. Throughout these tests, the newly developed lexicon was shown to be an effective tool for profiling fresh meat samples.

<p>The present study was conceived to examine the trend and factors affecting fertility in Nigeria and Guinea. Fertility has declined by about nineteen percent in Nigeria between 1982 and 1999. In the same period it has declined by five percent in Guinea. The decline is observed in data from censuses and surveys. Studies have reported that fertility transition is in progress in most Sub-Sahara African countries (Bongaarts 2008 / Guttmacher 2008), Nigeria (Feyisetan and Bankole 2002) and Guinea (measuredhs 2007). Studies and surveys done in some regions and among ethnic groups suggest that fertility is declining in Nigeria (Caldwell et al. 1992) and Guinea (measuredhs 2007). However, these studies and surveys are devoid of national representativeness as they are localized in specific regions or selected ethnic groups. Thus, they cannot be used as a national reference. The trend of the total fertility rate (TFR) from the three consecutive Demographic and Health Surveys in Nigeria did not show any meaningful decrease over time. In the same vein, no evidence of fertility decline was observed in Guinea from the Demographic and Health Surveys. The claim that fertility is declining in these two countries which assures the funding organizations that Family Planning programs are successful is beyond the scope of the present study. Based on Demographic and Health Surveys the claim that fertility is decreasing in Nigeria may be misleading, whereas in Guinea fertility has shown stability. This suggests that while the factors affecting fertility may be similar, their impacts differ from country to country.</p>

Dysphagia, a condition commonly associated with older adults suffering from stroke or degenerative diseases, often requires a modified texture food diet. Although commercial pureed foods are available in Canada for treatment of dysphagia, little is known regarding their sensory, nutritional, and textural properties, and whether these foods are liked among consumers. The objectives of this research were to characterize the sensory, nutritional, and textural properties of commercial pureed carrot, turkey, and bread products and to determine their liking in two groups of older adults; non-dysphagic and pureed consumers. It was found that commercial pureed foods differed significantly across brands in these properties and liking differed between the two study populations. Future research should focus on creating standards for commercial companies to follow to ensure that all products are as safe as possible for swallowing. / OMAFRA, CIHR

<p>The present study was conceived to examine the trend and factors affecting fertility in Nigeria and Guinea. Fertility has declined by about nineteen percent in Nigeria between 1982 and 1999. In the same period it has declined by five percent in Guinea. The decline is observed in data from censuses and surveys. Studies have reported that fertility transition is in progress in most Sub-Sahara African countries (Bongaarts 2008 / Guttmacher 2008), Nigeria (Feyisetan and Bankole 2002) and Guinea (measuredhs 2007). Studies and surveys done in some regions and among ethnic groups suggest that fertility is declining in Nigeria (Caldwell et al. 1992) and Guinea (measuredhs 2007). However, these studies and surveys are devoid of national representativeness as they are localized in specific regions or selected ethnic groups. Thus, they cannot be used as a national reference. The trend of the total fertility rate (TFR) from the three consecutive Demographic and Health Surveys in Nigeria did not show any meaningful decrease over time. In the same vein, no evidence of fertility decline was observed in Guinea from the Demographic and Health Surveys. The claim that fertility is declining in these two countries which assures the funding organizations that Family Planning programs are successful is beyond the scope of the present study. Based on Demographic and Health Surveys the claim that fertility is decreasing in Nigeria may be misleading, whereas in Guinea fertility has shown stability. This suggests that while the factors affecting fertility may be similar, their impacts differ from country to country.</p>

Omega-3 enriched eggs serve as an important functional food to boost consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) critical for good health. Because omega-3 eggs have the potential for unpleasant aromas and flavours, this research was designed to assess the fatty acid profile and sensory attributes of eggs procured from hens consuming designer diets. In the first study, the use of hemp in hen diets led to significant increases in omega-3 PUFA content and colour intensity of yolks, but did not have adverse effects on the sensory profiles of cooked eggs. Additionally, the level of docosahexaenoic acid was the same in eggs from both the lowest and highest hempseed oil groups. In order to overcome this plateau, the second study assessed diets varying in linoleic acid (LA) content. Although docosapentaenoic acid in the yolk was significantly increased with an increasing dietary LA content, docosahexaenoic acid remained unaffected by dietary treatment. In the third study, a different approach was used to reduce competition between alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and LA. Diets containing two levels of ALA and varying ratios of saturated fatty acids (SFA): LA + oleic acid (OA) were tested. Increasing dietary SFA: LA + OA resulted in marked increases in all n-3 PUFA. The fourth study was designed to assess the interaction between dietary constituents on sensory attributes of eggs, namely omega-3 PUFA from flaxseed oil (FO), and canola meal (CM), which contains precursors to trimethylamine, which may lead to fishy taint. Oceanic flavour significantly increased with inclusion of FO, while egg, creamy and buttery flavours showed a decrease. The pairing of CM and FO resulted in a significant decrease in egg flavour compared to using FO alone. This research has demonstrated that novel ingredients like hemp can be used in laying hen diets to deposit n-3 PUFA into eggs without fear of affecting sensory outcomes. Increasing the SFA: LA + OA ratio in layer diets is most effective in increasing yolk ALA conversion into long-chain PUFA. Lastly, CM should be added to diets with caution when used in conjunction with omega-3 PUFA ingredients due to a reduction in egg flavour.

Background: The present study was conceived to examine the trend and factors affecting fertility in Nigeria and Guinea. Fertility has declined by about nineteen percent in Nigeria between 1982 and 1999. In the same period it has declined by five percent in Guinea. The decline is observed in data from censuses and surveys. Studies have reported that fertility transition is in progress in most Sub-Sahara African countries (Bongaarts 2008; Guttmacher 2008), Nigeria (Feyisetan and Bankole 2002) and Guinea (measuredhs 2007). Studies and surveys done in some regions and among ethnic groups suggest that fertility is declining in Nigeria (Caldwell et al. 1992) and Guinea (measuredhs 2007). However, these studies and surveys are devoid of national representativeness as they are localized in specific regions or selected ethnic groups. Thus, they cannot be used as a national reference. The trend of the total fertility rate (TFR) from the three consecutive Demographic and Health Surveys in Nigeria did not show any meaningful decrease over time. In the same vein, no evidence of fertility decline was observed in Guinea from the Demographic and Health Surveys. The claim that fertility is declining in these two countries which assures the funding organizations that Family Planning programs are successful is beyond the scope of the present study. Based on Demographic and Health Surveys the claim that fertility is decreasing in Nigeria may be misleading, whereas in Guinea fertility has shown stability. This suggests that while the factors affecting fertility may be similar, their impacts differ from country to country.Method: Data from the Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in Nigeria and in Guinea were used in the study. Trends in TFR by background were extracted from the censuses and DHS final reports in Nigeria and Guinea. Data from DHS 1999 and DHS 2003 in Nigeria and DHS 1999 and DHS 2005 in Guinea were used for the actual analysis. The sample sizes of 8199 and 7620 of DHS 1999 and 2003 respectively for all women aged 15 - 49 were included in Nigeria. The sample sizes for Guinea were 6753 and 7954 for DHS 1999 and 2005 respectively. The trends in knowledge and current contraceptive use, unmet needs,desires for last child, current pregnancy, visiting of health facility, visitation by family planning workers and respondent approval of Family Planning (FP) were examined by age groups. Univariate and bivariate analyses were executed to explain the association and determinants of contraceptive use by socio-demographic characteristics. Stepwise multinomial regression was carried out to determine the variables affecting total number of children ever born (TCB).Result: Total fertility rate has increased in Nigeria between 1990 and 2003 by background characteristics. It has increased by eleven and fourteen percent in rural and urban residence respectively in Nigeria within the same interval. Fertility increased by thirteen and seventeen percent among women with primary and higher education respectively in Nigeria. Unmet needs for child spacing decreased by three percent. Over seventy percent of women have never discussed FP with their partners and other people. Over sixty percent of Women neither visited a health facility (HF) nor were visited by a health worker in 2003. Forty-eight percent of the women approved of FP in 2003, which represents an increase of five percent of 1999.Over ninety percent wanted their last child and current pregnancy in 2003. However, there are incidences of mistimed and unwanted births and pregnancies. There was an association between contraceptive use and all the socio-demographic variables examined. The age of the respondent, current use of contraceptive, age at first sexual intercourse and partner’s education have positive effects on fertility. However, education of women, place of residence and age at marriage has a negative effect on fertility.Total fertility rate has remained stable in Guinea. It increased by eight percent in rural areass and decreased by fifteen percent in urban areass between 1992 and 2005. In Guinea, fertility decreased by over twenty percent for women with primary and secondary education between 1992 and 2005. Unmet needs for child spacing and limiting declined by three and one percent. Over eighty percent of women have not discussed FP with their partners and other people. Women that did not visit a HF remained stable at sixty-six percent, while ninety-two percent were not visited in their homes by a FP worker. The women who approved of FP were forty-seven percent, showing a decline by eleven percent from 1999. Over eighty percent of the women wanted their last child and current pregnancies in 2005. There was an association between contraceptive use and all the socio-demographic variables examined.The significance of the regression coefficient shows that the age of the respondent and current use of contraception has a positive effect on TCB. Education, place of residence, age at marriage and religion have negative effects on TCB.Conclusion: The general patterns observed do not give confidence that fertility is declining or showing a tendency towards declining in Nigeria. In addition the use of modern contraceptive has no bright future as a vehicle to regulate fertility in Nigeria. Fertility in Guinea shows some potential for reduction which may be transitory because some of the indicators that favour fertility reduction seem to be losing their grip. There are overall negative attitudes to contraceptive use and FP in Guinea. This is similar to the observed situation in Nigeria. Expectation that intensified campaigns on contraceptive use and FP will reduce fertility and ultimately reduce population growth in Nigeria and Guinea is not likely to be met, because the desire for large families abound. / Magister Scientiae - MSc