The combined effect of films of various gas barrier properties, various gas packaging atmospheres (air, vacuum and gas packaging, oxygen absorbents) and storage temperatures (4 and 12$ sp circ$C) were investigated on the color stability and shelf-life of fresh beef. Meat color was described by reflectance measurements and by reading the color coordinates L* (lightness), a* (redness), b* (yellowness), C* (chroma) and h (hue angle) in the CIE-LAB system. All packaged beef was regarded as unacceptable when reflectance differences values at 630 and 580 nm i.e., due to oxymyoglobin (MbO$ sb2)$ were $ sim$30-35. Based on these standards, aerobic packaging of beef in polyvinylchloride (PVC) film had a shelf-life of $ sim$5 d and 1 d at 4 and 12$ sp circ$C respectively. Beef packaged in both low gas-moisture barrier films resulted in black discoloration after only 2 d at 4$ sp circ$C due to increased moisture loss. Longer extensions in both color and microbial shelf-life of fresh beef were possible by packaging products under modified atmospheres using high gas barrier Cryovac$ sp circler$ bags. Both vacuum packaging (VP) and vacuum skin packaging (VSP) resulted in a shelf-life of $ sim$35 d at 4$ sp circ$C. Gas packaging using high levels of CO$ sb2$ (100%) in conjunction with Ageless-SS$ sp circler$ oxygen absorbent, delayed discoloration for $ sim$42 d at 4$ sp circ$C. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

English-style crumpets (pH 6--8, aw 0.97--0.99) are a popular baked product enjoyed by consumers worldwide. However, over the past few years, outbreaks of food poisoning have been caused by the growth of Bacillus cereus in crumpets. This spore forming microorganism, which originates in flour, can easily survive the baking process and grow to >106 CFU/g within 3--5 days at ambient storage temperature. Therefore, control of this pathogen is essential to ensure the safety and marketability of English-style crumpets. / Initial studies were done to determine the effect of water activity ( aw), pH, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), UV-light, bacteriocins, organic acids and esters, alone and in conjunction with each other, on the growth of B. cereus in model broth/agar systems. / B. cereus is a difficult microorganism to control in food using conventional preservation methods. Further studies are now under way to investigate novel methods to control the growth of this pathogen, particularly in high pH crumpets. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The aim of this research is to identify how industrial heritage in redeveloping industrial areas may be used to contribute to a neighbourhood sense of place. This is examined through case studies, semi-structured interviews and first hand observations. Focus is placed on planning processes and results yielded. This project began with the belief that highlighting a community's heritage, when done effectively, and at a comprehensive scale, will foster a distinct neighbourhood character and sense of place. Based on the literature and research collected, an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with incorporating the industrial heritage of South Point Douglas in Winnipeg, Manitoba is provided. Future steps are also recommended. This community was chosen , in part, because of its large supple of underused industrial buildings, its central location, and its historical significance to the development of the City of Winnipeg.

Darbo objektas – Šiaulių ir Telšių gyventojų nuomonė ir žinios apie vilkus. Tyrimo tikslas – išsiaiškinti Šiaulių ir Telšių miesto gyventojų žinias apie vilkų biologiją bei ištirti šių žinių poveikį tiriamųjų nuomonei apie vilkų apsaugą.. Uždaviniai: 1. Išsiaiškinti Šiaulių ir Telšių miesto gyventojų žinias apie vilkų biologiją. 2. Ištirti šių žinių poveikį tiriamųjų nuomonei apie vilkų apsaugą. 3. Remiantis atlikto tyrimo duomenimis ir jų sąsajomis su įvairių mokslų laimėjimais pateikti rekomendacijų gyventojų ir vilkų darniai koegzistencijai užtikrinti. Duomenims surinkti naudojamas anketinis metodas, kai respondentai atsako į anketoje pateiktus klausimus. Tai pusiau uždara anketa, su pateiktais atsakymų variantais ir tuščiomis eilutėmis respondento nuomonei įrašyti. Anketoje yra 19 klausimų, iš kurių 17 klausimų yra uždaro tipo, su pasirinkimo variantais, vienas klausimas atviro tipo, paliekant vietos respondentui įrašyti savo nuomonę, paskutiniam klausimui naudota Likerto skalė, kurioje respondentas nurodo ar sutinka ir kokiu lygiu su išvardintais teiginiais. Anketos įvadinėje dalyje nurodomas apklausos tikslas, anketos pildymo būdas. Demografinėje dalyje respondentų prašoma nurodyti savo lytį, amžių bei socialinę padėtį. Pagrindinėje dalyje siekiama gauti informaciją apie Šiaulių ir Telšių rajonuose gyvenančių žmonių žinias apie vilką ir kokią įtaką tos žinios daro jų nuomonei apie vilkus. Didžioji dauguma Šiaulių ir Telšių miestų gyventojų supranta vilko svarbą... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Subject of the paper: awareness and opinion of Šiauliai and Telšiai residents about wolves. Aim of the study: to find out awareness of Šiauliai and Telšiai Residents about biology of wolf and to analyse impact of the awareness on their opinion about wolf protection. Tasks: 1. To find out awareness of Šiauliai and Telšiai Residents about biology of wolf. 2. To analyse impact of the awareness on their opinion about wolf protection. 3. Basing upon the study data and its relationship with achievements of various sciences to give recommendations for assuring harmonious co-existence between people and wolves. The data was collected by means of questionnaire method, when respondents reply to the questionnaire questions. This is a semi-closed form, along with given options to choose from and blank lines to record the respondent’s opinion. The questionnaire contains 19 questions of which 17 questions are closed-ended, with a choice of options, one question is open-ended, leaving room for the respondent to record his opinion, and for the last question Likert scale is used in which the respondent indicates whether and to what extent he/she agrees/disagrees with the statements listed above. The introductory part of the questionnaire survey states purpose, filling method. In the demographic part the respondents are asked to indicate their gender, age and social status. The main section is sought to obtain information about awareness of Šiauliai and Telšiai district residents about wolf... [to full text]

A trauma frequency analysis was undertaken on a skeletal sample (n = 75) from the skeletal collections of the medieval Augustinian Priory of St. Mary Merton and the post-medieval lower cemetery of St. Bride’s Church. Fourty-four individuals exhibited trauma on one or more cranial elements. Cranial bones were arranged in different groupings for analysis: inclusive samples of 100% complete, at least 75% complete, at least 25% complete, entire sample; and independent samples of 100% complete, 75 - <100% complete, 25 - <75% complete, and <25% complete. Crania were categorized as 100% complete and incomplete. Four frequencies were calculated (frequency of lesions, of individuals with lesions, of individuals with multiple lesions, and the number of lesions per injured individuals) for each category and cranial element. The results illustrate a general trend towards a decrease in frequency as more fragmentary material is included, illustrating that including the more fragmentary material may bias the results towards underestimating trauma frequencies. However, Fisher’s exact tests do not show statistically significant differences between frequencies in the independent samples analysis, except for individuals with lesions on the right nasal bone. Further research into the effect of fragmentation and poor preservation in skeletal research, cranial trauma research in particular, is required. / Graduate

No description available.

The spoilage pattern of carp (Cyprinus carpio) fillets was investigated. The studies were aimed at evaluating the potential use of pressure-shift freezing to reduce quality deterioration during frozen storage. The effects of pressure treatment at low temperature on fish carp fillets were evaluated and conditions were chosen to reduce any adverse effect on the quality of fish fillet. Pressure-shift freezing treatment was applied to carp fillets and biochemical properties were evaluated and correlated with objective measurement of texture, drip loss and the size of ice crystals formed. Changes in these properties were monitored during frozen storage for a period of 75 days. / Results indicated that proteolityc changes due to endogenous enzymes in fish muscle play an important role in quality deterioration of carp fillets during ice storage. No changes were observed in Ca2+-ATPase, Mg2+-ATPase or Mg2+-EGTA-ATPase activity of actomyosin from carp fillets during iced storage (p > 0.05). In contrast, Mg2+-Ca2+-ATPase and Ca2+ sensitivity of actomyosin decreased during ice storage of fish fillets. No changes were found in the SH content of actomyosin throughout the ice storage of carp fillets (p > 0.05). The surface hydrophobicity of actomyosin and auto-degradation products increased during the storage period (p < 0.05). / Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to study the effect of high-pressure treatment on some physico-chemical properties (actomyosin extractability, Ca2+-ATPase activity, surface hydrophobicity, TBA value, liquid loss and firmness) of intact fish fillets. Balancing the benefits of low temperature pressurization with the denaturing effects of pressure on fish proteins, it is evident that there is a region in which the responses of the factors (protein extractability, Ca2+-ATPase activity and protein hydrophobicity) to the processing variables (time and pressure) seemed to be adequate to keep protein denaturation to a minimum. This region lies between 140--175 MPa and 16--18 min. However, it was observed that high-pressure treatment induced changes in colour on fish fillets. The L*, a* and b* values increased as pressure and time treatment increased. / The application of pressure-shift freezing or air-blast freezing resulted in decrease in myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic protein extractability, and reduced actomyosin Ca2+-ATPase activity during frozen storage. However, actomyosin Ca2+-ATPase activity in pressure-shift frozen samples remained relatively higher than that of air-blast frozen samples. On the other hand, levels of thiobarbituric acid and free fatty acids were relatively lower in samples frozen by PSF. The freezing procedure did not seem to have a significant effect (p > 0.05) on the texture of carp fillets. The ice crystals found in PSF fish samples were mainly intracellular, smaller and more regular shaped than those found in the ABF samples, which were mainly extracellular. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that PSF treatment appeared to be more effective in preventing protein denaturation in post-rigor fish fillets than in the pre-rigor fish fillets.

The convective fluid-to-particle heat transfer coefficient (hfp ) is one of the critical factors influencing the process design for multi phase food products, in continuous tubeflow systems. Determination of hfp associated with moving particles poses a unique challenge to investigators because of the difficulty in monitoring the temperature of moving particles without interfering with the particle motion. Two different techniques involving particle motion were developed to evaluate hfp and to study the effects of factors influencing hfp, associated with spherical particles under tube-flow conditions. / Spherical Nylon particles with centrally located fine-wire flexible thermocouples, were suspended from the upper mid-section of a curved glass tube in order to provide lateral movement of the particle as the tube was subjected to oscillatory motion. / A full factorial experimental design was studied involving spherical particles made of Aluminum epoxy and Nylon of different diameters (12.7 to 17.5 mm), particle linear velocities (0.06 to 0.21 m/s), heating medium viscosities (0 to 1% Carboxymethyl cellulose, CMC) and fluid temperatures (60 to 80°C). The above factors had a significant (p < 0.001) effect on hfp. Depending on experimental conditions the values of h fp varied from 350 to 2000 W/m2K. Overall, hfp values associated with the aluminum epoxy particle were about 30% higher than that for the Nylon particle. / A calorimetric method was developed to evaluate hfp associated with a freely moving particle. / The calorimetric method was used to evaluate the effect of fluid flow rate, viscosity and temperature, as well as particle size on the associated hfp under tube-flow conditions. Experiments were carried out using different flow rates (9 to 19 L/min), fluid viscosity (0 to 1% CMC solution) and fluid temperature (50 to 70°C) as well as Aluminum spherical particles of different sizes (19 to 25.4 mm). Values of hfp varied from 650 to 2660 W/m2K, and increased significantly (p < 0.001) with an increase in fluid flow rate and particle size, whereas a decrease was observed with CMC concentration and temperature. / Several correlations were developed in the form of Nusselt number as a function of other influencing dimensionless numbers. Nusselt numbers estimated from the developed equations showed good agreement with the experimental data (0.88 < R2 < 0.99). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Bacillus cereus has been responsible for several food poisoning outbreaks involving high moisture-high pH (aw ~ 0.98, pH ~ 8.8) English-style crumpets. Two novel methods, involving sorbohydroxamic acid (SHA) and mastic essential oil (MO), were evaluated for their potential to inhibit the growth of this pathogen and other selected spoilage and foodborne pathogens in high moisture, high pH English-style crumpets. / While sorbic acid only controlled the growth of B. cereus at pH 5 and 5.5, SHA proved effective at all pHs and concentrations under investigation. MO also failed to inhibit the growth of B. cereus when added directly to agar plates. / Products were unacceptable when counts increased from 103 CFUIg to 106 CFU/g or sensory scores reached <3 on a scale of 5. Only SHA (0.3% w/w) proved effective in high pH crumpets. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

This study is aimed at evaluating the safety and quality of pressure treated fish. In order to assess safety of refrigerated fish, the sensitivity of key pathogens like Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes Scott A, which thrive under refrigerated storage conditions, needs to be assessed. / In the first part of the study, the pressure destruction kinetics of E. coli and L. monocytogenes in fish were evaluated at 250 to 400 MPa with a holding time ranging from 0-60 min. A slurry was prepared by blending 20 g filleted fish and 80 ml sterile peptone water (0.1%) in a stomacher. To the slurry, stock cultures of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes were added separately and final counts of 107 and 106 CFU/ml were achieved, respectively. Due to the higher overall pressure resistance at 400 MPa, E. coli was selected as the target microorganism in this study for pressure destruction. / The second part of the study focused on storage studies. The first phase of the storage study was a repeat of previous set of experiments with fish slurry inoculated with only E. coli O157:H7 which was more resistant to pressure destruction (challenge study). / The second phase of storage studies evaluated the quality changes associated with pressure treated fish. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)