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Science can define what is practicable, what can be done, but it cannot determine which developments it is right to pursue- this is largely an ethical judgment attempting to answer ‘ought we to do it’? The most sensible approach to making an ethical assessment is to try and weigh up the benefits of a novel technology against its potential to do harm. Deciding whether GM technology is acceptable in ethical terms involves a judgment about both the plausibility and moral weight of competing sets of claims, beginning with an assessment of the possible benefits and risks. Using four main guiding principles as the basis of my discussion and point of evaluation, I focus firstly on the principle of general welfare to examine the debate what would amount to an adequate safety assessment of GM foods and its possible ecological risk. The right of consumers to freedom of choice is addressed by exploring both the arguments against and for labelling. The principle of justice then questions the claims whether food security can indeed be improved by using GM technology and how patents, bioprospecting and biopiracy can be judged ethically justifiable. Finally the ethical status of the natural world is raised by attempting to answer whether modern biotechnology could be considered blasphemous and whether it is ethically permissible to breach the natural integrity of the species. Using these guiding principles do not make such as assessment straightforward as they cannot be rigidly applied in an abstract way to reflect absolutes on what is right or wrong and their operation depends on context. My approach is normative and presented in a way to stimulate dialogue as an explorative ethical travel through the genetically modified zone with the recognition that the debate remains inconclusive and controversial. Keywords: GM; Genetically Modified Foods; GM Technology; Transgenic.

Summary in Chinese. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: leaves 92-93.

Regularly consuming caloric beverages has been linked to obesity and weight gain and evidence suggests this is because beverages have a weak impact on satiety responses (behavioural and physiological). Using a series of experimental studies this thesis explored the cognitive and sensory features of caloric beverages that might enhance the anticipated and actual satiating power of their nutrients. Paper one characterised the sensory characteristics associated with expectations of hunger, fullness and thirst, finding that food and beverage products anticipated to be creamier and thicker were expected to be more satiating and less thirst-quenching. Paper two established that people can perceive subtle changes in beverage viscosity and manipulating thick and creamy textural cues strongly influenced the expectation that a beverage would be filling and supress hunger after consumption. This was extended in paper three, which reported evidence suggesting that a sensorially enhanced beverage is selected and consumed in smaller portions. Papers four and five investigated the satiating power of a caloric beverage consumed with satiety-relevant cognitive and sensory information. Paper four reported tentative evidence that a labelled satiety message influenced the satiating effect of caloric beverages when combined with thick and creamy sensory cues. Participants in Paper five reported greater satiety responses to a covert manipulation of beverage energy when consumed as a ‘snack' rather than a drink. However, consuming the same beverage in a subtly thicker sensory context (without extra information) generated the largest satiety response to the different nutrient loads, perhaps because textural characteristics are the most reliable cue for nutrients. Overall these studies suggest that caloric beverages may generate weak satiety responses because their nutrient-generated effects are not expected. Encouraging people to consider caloric beverages as a snack, or adding in nutrient-relevant sensory characteristics, may both help consumers regulate energy intake when consuming these products.

This thesis enhances our understanding of the British Kitchen Front through the examination of primary sources from Mass Observation Archive. It illuminates the everyday life of civilians, the impact of the war food restrictions on their eating habits and practices, but also on their perspectives and behaviours. Moreover, it argues that while the food practices of these civilians were modified by the wartime rationing and food scarcity, other factors of influence, namely social class, personal and familial circumstances and time were critical regarding eating habits, food choice and priorities. In order to conduct this research and respond to the difficulties presented by the sources examined, a tailor-made method of data extraction, categorisation and analysis has been designed. Using the advantages of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, this method allowed an unusual quantitative treatment of massive qualitative data, the creation of measurable and comparable figures as well as their qualitative contextualisation. It was found that scarcity of food effectively modified the diet of the diarists, but also their actions and perspective. The food difficulties generated new behaviours, some unlikely to have existed prior to the war, and modified relationships. The value of food changed as well, modifying its role in private and public sphere. However, as argued, the social class and the familial status of the diarists were a key dimension of the management and perception of the food situation, influencing their choice, decision and priorities as well as their response to it. The passing of time also proved to be influential regarding the adaptation and the evolution of the opinion and feelings of the diarists. Rather than drastically challenging the existent literature, the present research suggests that some interpretative differences concerning the Home Front experience could be the result of a variation of focus and of sources employed, indicating the need to enlarge the historical perspective, to include more in depth analysis of qualitative data, and to take into account the factors of influence presented into this work.

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The market drive to develop lite foods in Australia. Extensive research has been conducted in the area of dairy products and processed meats. Some research has been carried out on cookies, crackers and cakes, whilst little has been done on plain sweet biscuits. As plain sweet biscuits have a considerable share of the Australian biscuit market, the potential for reducing sugar and fat in this variety was investigated. The functional properties of polydextrose as a sugar and a fat replacer were also determined. Replacements of up to 100% sugar and 50% fat were separately achieved using polydextrose without significantly affecting sensory acceptability. Up to 20% fat was successfully removed from the formulation containing 100% polydextrose in replacement for sugar. The total energy was reduced, with the energy contribution from fat being below, whilst sugar was slightly above the NH and MRC dietary targets / Master of Science (Hons)

The study presented here was to investigate the traditional production of the Ugandan fermented cereal beverage, Obushera. The effects of germination and malting of sorghum grains under different steeping treatment were first investigated. The traditional preparation of Obushera beverage was carried out and course of fermentation monitored. The viscosity of Obushera was very low throughout the fermentation process. The microflora responsible for the fermentation of Obushera were identified. After considerable research and conduction of tests were carried out, it was found that there was no detectable quantity of alcohol in Obushera. It was also confirmed that that there were no strains of alcohol producing yeasts, such as Saccharomyces sp. found in the Obushera. / Master of Science (Hons) (Food Science)