Oil-in-water emulsions have wide range of applications in food industry because of their structure-forming properties, and as delivery systems of polyunsaturated fatty acids into foods. The thermodynamic instability of oil and water, and high susceptibility of unsaturated fatty acids to oxidation lead to physical and oxidative stability in oil-in-water emulsions. These instability processes are generally controlled by incorporating proteins and polysaccharides into oil-in-water emulsions. The objective of this study was to evaluate xanthan/enzymatically modified guar (XG/EMG) polysaccharides on the physical and oxidative stability of 2 wt% whey protein stabilized oil-in-water emulsions containing 20% v/v menhaden fish oil. Enzymatic modified guar gum was obtained by hydrolyzing native guar gum using α-galactosidase enzyme. Emulsions were prepared for guar gum (GG), xanthan gum (XG), xanthan/guar (XG/GG), and xanthan/enzymemodified guar (XG/EMG) gum mixtures using 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, and 0.3% gum concentrations. Emulsions were then evaluated for creaming, viscosity, particle size, and microstructure to evaluate the physical stability, and peroxide value, TBARS value and GC-MS solid phase micro extraction (SPME) experiments were performed to evaluate the oxidative stability. Emulsions containing XG/EMG gum mixtures exhibited better creaming stability and higher viscosity of all the emulsion types. However, XG/EMG gum concentrations did not affect the droplet size of the emulsions. The microstructures revealed decreased flocculation in emulsions with XG/EMG mixtures. The primary and secondary lipid oxidation measurements indicated that emulsions containing XG/EMG gum mixtures were more effective in preventing the lipid oxidation of all the emulsion types. From the results, it is evident that XG/EMG gum mixtures can be used as emulsifiers in oil-in-water emulsions to increase both physical and oxidative stability.

Bakgrund: Livsmedelsbranschen är tuff för många producenter. Konkurrensen är hård och säljarens ställning är svag. Trenden i branschen rör sig emot att effektivisera företaget, såväl organisatoriskt som operativt. Prestationsmätning är en viktig del vid effektiviseringar men trots detta har få studier genomförts inom livsmedelsindustrin. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att utvärdera Scans prestationsmätningssystem och identifiera faktorer som kan öka jämförbarheten mellan produktionsenheter med olika produktionskontext. Ett bisyfte blir därmed att utveckla förbättringsförslag kring Scans prestationsmätningssystem. Metod: Uppsatsen är en kvalitativ studie bestående av en fallstudie med utvärderingsinriktning kring hur Scan arbetar med sin prestationsmätning. Datainsamlingen har primärt bestått av intervjuer med anställda som är ansvariga och operativt arbetar med prestationsmätningssystemet på produktionsnivå. Intervjuer har genomförts med personer från alla Scans anläggningar och på olika nivåer av företaget. Även årsredovisningar och företagsekonomiska teorier har varit en del av studien. Resultat och slutsatser: Studien visar att drivande styrtal lämpar sig bättre än utfallsmått vid jämförelser av produktionsenheter med olika produktionskontext samt att det är viktigt med en likriktad kommunikation när avdelningar skall jämföras. Studien visar även på flertalet förbättringsmöjligheter med Scans prestationsmätning. / Background: The food industry is tough for many producers. The competition is hard and the sellers position in the supply chain is weak. Trends in the industry mentions a more effective company, both organizational and operative. Performance measurement is a vital part to reach higher efficiency but it has despite that been few research studies on the subject. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate Scans performance measurement system and identify factors which can increase benchmarking between production units with different production contexts. Another purpose is to come up with improvements for Scans performance measurement system. Methodology: This report is a qualitative study consisting of how Scan are working with their performance measurement system. Data collection has primarily consisted of interviews of people that work with the performance measurement system. Also studies in annual reports and business economic theories have been part of the report. Results and conclusions: The study shows that leading indicators is better suited for benchmarking between production units with different production contexts. It is also important that the communication is unified throughout the company.

No description available.

Optimal utilization of microwave energy requires more basic knowledge of the dielectric properties of the material under investigation. The dielectric properties of materials subjected to microwaves are known to depend on moisture content, temperature and density of the material as well as the frequency of the applied microwave field. This thesis is focussed on the development and evaluation of the new Permittivity Analyser to measure the dielectric properties of agri-food materials at 915 and 2450 MHz using cavity perturbation concept. / In this study, the dielectric properties measuring system was designed and developed using cavity perturbation concept to measure the essential and fundamental parameters of microwave-material interaction; dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor of selected agri-food substances and organic solvents. The TM010 mode of electromagnetic energy was selected and configured to operate at the peakresonant condition for both ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) approved frequencies of .915 and 2450 MHz frequencies. The resonant perturbation cavities were designed, fabricated and tested using the network analyser and the permittivity analyser. High Q (ratio of energy supplied to absorbed) values were reported for both frequencies. Basic calibration of the measurement system was performed using standard media such as air, water and alcohol. Necessary mathematical steps and algorithms were written and integrated into a user-friendly software program (Visual basic 6.0) to carry out the entire measurement. / The dielectric properties (epsilon' & epsilon ″) of materials such as; edible oils---canola, soya and sunflower oils, neem oil/pulp, homogenized milk (1, 2 and 3.25% fat), organic solvents such as ethanol, hexane and their mixtures were determined at various temperatures and frequency (915, 2450 MHz) combinations, using cavity perturbation technique. Linear relationships between the dielectric properties and temperature found in the literature were confirmed to be valid for certain ranges in case of edible oils, organic solvents and milk samples tested with the cavity perturbation method. Repeatibility and variability aspects of the permittivity analyzer at both the frequencies are presented.

The market structure of the food retailing industry has evolved to one which is comprised of numerous types of outlets, each using different basic strategies for doing business. A field experiment was implemented in stores which were assumed to operate with strategically opposite marketing philosophies. Results demonstrate that when prices were either raised or lowered, the sales in the stores that use "low pricing" as a core strategy were affected more than the stores which use a strategy other than low price. A survey conducted in the test stores shows that the shopping profiles of the customers in both store types differ. Statistically significant differences between the two customer groups as to ideal store attributes desired, lifestyles (A.I.O.'s) and demographics were determined. The results yield important implications for theory, methodology and for managers in all levels of the distribution channel.

This exploratory research examines the wage effects of a variety of measures thought to be important in the employment income determination process. It does this by using ordinary least squares multiple regression techniques to construct wage equations for two samples of blue-collar workers in Montreal. Blue-collar wage equations are constructed for: (i) the Montreal labour market and (ii) the Montreal food processing industry. / The results of this study show that Montreal blue-collar wages are determined by a variety of factors. Most importantly, however, are the wage effects exhibited by a worker's gender, union membership status and whether or not a worker has received a promotion from his/her present employer. These factors show statistically significant effects on the wages of blue-collar workers in the Montreal labour market as well as on the wages of blue-collar workers in the Montreal food processing industry. The present research also finds that certain factors have distinct wage effects on the different samples of blue-collar workers examined. Data from the present study indicates that the wages of Montreal blue-collar workers are influenced primarily by: (i) on-the-job training, (ii) promotions received, (iii) job opportunities available, (iv) an interruption in one's studies, (v) trade union membership and (vi) gender. While the wages of blue-collar workers employed specifically in the Montreal-area food processing industry are affected principally by: (i) the use of computers, (ii) the use of machines, (iii) promotions received, (iv) a varied work experience, (v) trade union membership, (vi) marital status and (vii) gender. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

This study is about how a swedish brand within the food industry that experiences a crisis following a product failure. It focuses on three areas following the crisis and these are crisis management, recovery strategies and brand management. This study seeks to explain how these areas interact in relation to massive exposure to mass media and how they interact restore the brand's potential loss of reputation. This study was conducted as a case study with a deductive and qualitative approach. The data gathered to this study was mainly based on newspaper articles and complemented with semi-structured interviews with twelve local retailers of the brand. / BakgrundDagens moderna samhället präglas av snabba informationsutbyten vilket medför ett ständigt behov av att vara informerad. Detta ökar nivån för stress och risken för att felaktigheter uppstår blir större. Att flera större företag under senare år drabbats av felaktigheter som lett till en större uppmärksamhet genom olika informationskanaler anses vara en följd av det ökade informationsutbytet. När information om ett företags felaktigheter sprids kan detta skada företagets varumärke, något som kan bli förödande för företagets fortsatta existens. Som en följd av detta uppstår ett behov av att vårda varumärket genom att inleda en återhämtningsprocess samt att hantera den uppkomna situationen med stark exponering mot informationskanaler.SyfteStudien syftar till att beskriva återhämtningsprocessen hos en svensk livsmedelsproducent som drabbats av ett produktfel som kan skada dess varumärke.MetodDenna studie har genomförts som en fallstudie med en deduktiv och kvalitativ ansats. Data är insamlat främst från kanaler för informationsspridning, i detta fall större nyhetstidningar, samt genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer med tolv lokala återförsäljare av fallföretagets produkter.SlutsatsFörfattaren anser att den större mediala exponering som fallföretaget gick igenom till följd av ett produktfel snabbt visade på att fallföretaget inte själva kunde beskyllas för det inträffade felet. Fallföretaget har konsekvent genom perioden av den mediala exponeringen tillämpat en öppenhet och transparens gentemot medierna, detta är något som studien anser bör verka gynnsamt för fallföretaget då det genom den ökade transparensen givits en psykologisk kompensation till konsumenter då dessa kan hålla sig informerade om vad som hände samt följa hur företaget arbetar för att åtgärda problemet. Studien kan inte kunnat påvisa att detta fall av förhöjd exponering mot medierna har påverkat konsumenters köpvanor nämnvärt.

High pressure (HP) kinetics of the microbial destruction and changes in the physicochemical characteristics of milk and pork were studied. Raw milk samples containing indigenous microflora of approximately 106 CFU/mL were heat sealed in dual peel sterilization pouches and subjected to HP treatment from 150--400 MPa with holding times ranging 5--120 min. The kinetic parameters (rate constant, k and decimal reduction time, D) for the microorganisms, alkaline phosphatase, color and viscosity were evaluated, based on first order kinetics and the pressure dependence of kinetic parameters was evaluated using pressure destruction time (PDT) and Arrhenius models. Kinetic data was well described by the first order model (R 2 > 0.90). / The application of pressure pulse was explored for pressure destruction of microorganisms as well as changes in physical-chemical characteristics of pork chops. Pork chops (2 days post-rigor) were subjected to HP treatment from 200--350 MPa for 0--120 min. Results showed that pressure changes of pork variables followed a dual effect consisting of an instantaneous pressure kill (IPK) with the application of pressure pulse (no holding) and a subsequent first order rate of destruction during the pressure hold time. The IPK values were pressure dependent and increased with pressure level. Parameters k and D indicated a higher rate of pressure destruction of microorganisms compared to quality attributes. / Kinetics of pressure destruction of Listeria monocytogenes Scott A were studied in relation to those of indigenous microorganism of milk and pork. The IPK was more pronounced with L. monocytogenes than with indigenous microflora. However, the kinetic parameters (k and D values) indicated a larger pressure resistance for L. monoctyogenes. HP processes were developed based on the standard plate count (SPC) kinetic data for indigenous microflora of milk as well as L. monocytogenes in milk and pork. The results showed that SPC kinetics permitted good estimation of microbial destruction in low pressure-lethality processes of milk and pork but its application at higher pressure-lethality levels were inaccurate. On the other hand, processes established based an destruction of L. monocytogenes were more predictable. Pressure pulse application to microbial lethality was also well predicted. / The shelf-life of milk and pork increased with the level of applied pressure lethality, but Q10 values suggested that low storage temperature was nevertheless required to control microbial growth and maintain quality. Storage of HP treated park offered some improvement in the texture but resulted in large color changes and drip losses. L. monocytogenes were not detected in any of the stored milk samples HP treated to achieve a lethality ≥10D.

Das Poster stellt einen Ansatz für den Einsatz von Web-2.0-Technologien in der Weiterbildung in der Ernährungsindustrie dar. Neben der Unterstützung von Blended Learning Szenarien werden auch selbstständiges Lernen sowie der informelle Erfahrungsaustausch zwischen den Teilnehmern ermöglicht und gefördert.

This study investigates the influence of bilateral free-trade agreements (FTAs) on the international expansion of developing-country multinational enterprises (MNEs). The study includes ten case studies of Thai MNEs in the food industry. The study explores the responses of these firms to three of Thailand’s bilateral FTAs (Thailand–Australia FTA, Thailand–New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership and Thailand–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement). All the case firms regard these Agreements favourably. The findings offer insight into the role of bilateral FTAs in Thai MNEs’ internationalisation. The Agreements help firms to internationalise, at the same time influencing the corporate adjustments they have to make. The firms in this study share a number of common responses, which include adjustments in product strategy and the development of new business networks. The findings also suggest differences among firms in their internal adjustments in response to FTAs. First, some firms respond much more vigorously than others. Second, in order to reap the full benefit of the FTAs and internationalise successfully, some have to develop new strengths; for example, the ability to coordinate and integrate activities more closely. The analysis of the research findings of this study suggests some modification of the inherited theoretical framework, by means of which the impact and role of government trade policy in the internationalisation of firms is assessed. The overall impact of bilateral FTAs on Thai MNEs in the food sector is positive but modest. Directly, FTAs influence the development of firms’ internal strategies, capabilities and resources. Further studies are recommended to test if FTAs impact on other types of firms, other sectors of business, and other countries in the same ways. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1383228 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Business School, 2010