Search Results (37)

Wildfires are significant and increasing hazards in the United Kingdom (UK), affecting both ecosystem integrity and public safety, particularly within many rural–urban interface locations. In moorland environments, where recreational pressure is high, human negligence often remains a major ignition source. The Peak District National Park in Central England is vulnerable to these hazards, as exemplified by the 2018 wildfire at The Roaches Nature Reserve, which was triggered by an out-of-control barbecue. Despite increasing wildfire risk due to climate change, public awareness and perceptions of wildfire impact in the UK are limited. This study used an online questionnaire survey to examine public understanding of wildfires among a non-specialist audience and how the ‘2018 Roaches wildfire’ influenced Reserve users’ perceptions of impacts, recovery, and management. Respondents demonstrated a general awareness of wildfire severity, ignition sources, and global fire geography, although familiarity with specific UK incidents varied. Perceptions of impacts were mixed, reflecting different experiences and emotional responses to the 2018 event. Ecological aspects, such as soil, biodiversity, and landscape aesthetics, were widely perceived as ‘slow to recover’, whereas recreation, safety, and health were viewed as returning to normal more quickly. A strong sense of shared responsibility for wildfire safety emerged, with participants emphasizing the need for clearer communication, improved public education, and higher levels of community involvement. These findings provide exploratory but valuable insights into public perceptions of UK wildfires, thereby informing future research pathways to strengthen fire management and preparedness. Full article

This study investigated the effect of pre-cooking level of germinated highland barley pulp on the staling properties and digestibility of pre-packaged barbecued pork buns during refrigerated storage (0–9 days). The addition of barley pulp significantly delayed quality deterioration, resulting in a decreased specific volume (up to 20%) and an increased hardness (up to 71.76%) across all samples. Furthermore, it effectively inhibited the rise in starch short-range order, as evidenced by a decreased FTIR ratio of 1047/1022 cm⁻¹, and retarded the conformational transition between protein α-helix and β-sheet structures. When the gelatinization degree increased to 91.22%, rapidly digestible starch (RDS) decreased significantly while resistant starch (RS) increased. The sauce infiltration layer exhibited a higher maximum RS (23.23%) than the inner crumb (16.52%). The Glycemic Index (GI) was significantly reduced, with the lowest values observed in the BJ60 group (53.22 for the sauce infiltration layer and 60.37 for the inner crumb). α-Amylase inhibition was also enhanced with increasing gelatinization degrees. Significant correlations were found between starch structural parameters and digestibility. These results demonstrate that incorporating germinated highland barley pulp is a feasible strategy to simultaneously improve the shelf-life and nutritional quality of steamed buns. Full article

Industrial food processing generates substantial byproducts, resulting in environmental challenges and economic losses. This study explores the biovalorization of sugar-rich barbecue sauce waste streams through fermentation to create value-added ingredients for sauce production and promote circular economy practices. The barbecue stream was diluted with water at 25 and 50% incorporation levels and fermented at room temperature for 12 days using a microbial consortium comprising three lactic acid bacteria (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, and Weissella confusa) and one yeast (Saccharomyces boulardii). Laboratory-scale fermentation was monitored by measuring pH, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, sugar consumption, and metabolite production. The consortium demonstrated effective performance, reducing pH and TSS and increasing titratable acidity for both incorporation levels over 12 days. The fermented samples were characterized by their antioxidant capacity, color, protein content, humidity, and viscosity. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity (DPPH) increased significantly (p < 0.05), and the viscosity increased by 254.3% and 48.3% for the fermented streams with 25% and 50% incorporation, respectively. Antimicrobial assays revealed that the fermented samples inhibited typical spoilage bacteria and yeast. This work highlights the potential of fermentation to upcycle barbecue waste, with antimicrobial characteristics contributing to extended shelf life, sustainable food production, and circular economic practices. Full article

Residential barbecuing is becoming increasingly popular worldwide, especially in cities, where it is not only a leisure activity but also an important social and cultural practice. Consequently, the number of grills and smokers in use continues to grow. This study evaluated the environmental performance of a household wood-pellet barbecue dual-function smoker/grill using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. The functional units selected were per cooking time (1 h) and per unit of energy delivered (1 kWh) at different cooking settings on the smoker. The results show that most of the impacts, including global warming potential (GWP) and resource use, originate from the production of the smoker itself, whereas emissions released during combustion, especially NO_x, are the main contributors to impacts such as acidification and smog formation. The GWP per hour of operation ranged from 0.44 to 0.63 kg CO₂ eq. From an operational perspective, cooking at intermediate temperatures (between 110 and 175 °C) generally leads to lower impacts per hour than very low-temperature smoking. When considering entire meals, meat typically accounts for most of the total impact, with the smoker’s contribution comparatively small. Overall, the study provides a useful reference and shows that both equipment design and food choices play a role in barbecue sustainability. Full article

Marshmallows are confectioneries that are popular among children and teenagers around the world. Barbecues and the consumption of grilled marshmallows, especially by children, have become fashionable in many countries. Grilled marshmallows may contain carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Hydroxy-PAHs (OH-PAHs) concentration in the urine of volunteers after the consumption of grilled marshmallows, as biomarkers of exposure to PAHs, have been determined. A total of 24 participants consumed marshmallows grilled under similar conditions. Urine samples were collected before and after the consumption of grilled marshmallows. 1-hydroxypyrene and 9-hydroxyphenanthrene concentrations in urine samples were determined using the HPLC-FLD technique after enzymatic hydrolysis and isolation by solid-phase extraction (SPE). The average concentration of 1-hydroxypyrene was 0.21 ± 0.16 µg/g creatinine and of 9-hydroxypenanthrene was 2.78 ± 2.55 µg/g creatinine. The concentrations of OH-PAHs in the urine of volunteers eating colored grilled marshmallows were higher compared to the consumption of white ones. In the case of 9-hydroxyphenanthrene this difference was statistically significant p < 0.05. Grilled marshmallows constitute a source of exposure to PAHs, especially in the group of children and adolescents. Even consumption of small or moderate amounts of grilled marshmallows resulted in a significant increase in concentrations of PAH metabolites in the urine compared to the level of these compounds before the intake. Full article

The growing concern over the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in grilled meats has intensified the search for natural mitigation strategies. This study evaluates the effect of red grape pomace (RGP), a natural by-product with antioxidant properties, on the lipid stability, color, fatty acid profile, volatile compounds, and PAHs formation in barbecued pork burgers. Unlike previous studies focusing on polyphenol extracts, this work investigates, for the first time, the direct incorporation of whole RGP stabilized by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), a method that preserves its bioactive profile and ensures food safety. Incorporation of RGP at different levels (0.5%, 1%, and 3%) demonstrates its potential as a functional ingredient in meat products. Our results show that RGP effectively inhibits lipid oxidation, as indicated by significantly lower malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (p < 0.001) compared to control batches. It also modified the fatty acid profile by reducing saturated fatty acids and increasing the linoleic acid content (up to 15.56% at the 3% level). As the RPG concentration increased, color parameters (lightness, redness, yellowness, chroma, and hue) decreased significantly (p < 0.001), particularly at higher pomace levels (1% and 3%). The RGP did not significantly affect the PAH concentration, indicating its safe use in barbecued products. However, it selectively influenced volatile compounds, decreasing the hydrocarbon levels at higher concentrations, likely due to its antioxidant properties. These findings suggest that stabilized RGP may serve as a natural additive that enhances the nutritional quality and reduces lipid oxidation, without promoting PAH formation in thermally processed meats. Full article

Epidemiological studies show firefighters have increased risks of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. To explore links between occupational/environmental exposures and dysbiosis-associated health risks, this case-control study compared oral microbiota of age-matched firefighters (n = 13) and non-firefighters (n = 13) using next-generation sequencing. Firefighters exhibited significantly reduced overall microbial diversity (p ≤ 0.05) and compositional shifts. Firmicutes increased from 53.5% to 68.5%, and Bacteroidetes from 9.5% to 14.1%, while Proteobacteria decreased from 24.6% to 8.3%, and Fusobacteria from 3.3% to 1.1%. This resulted in a higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio (5.63 vs. 4.89 in controls), indicating a pro-inflammatory oral microenvironment. At the family level, Streptococcaceae (45.1% to 60.3%) and Prevotellaceae (6.2% to 10.0%) increased, whereas Neisseriaceae (17.7% to 4.9%) and Fusobacteriaceae (2.1% to 0.8%) decreased. The genus Streptococcus dominated firefighters’ microbiota, rising from 45.1% to 60.3%. Diversity indices confirmed reduced microbial evenness and richness in firefighters. Metadata analysis linked frequent fire exposures to perturbations in Comamonadaceae and Carnobacteriaceae (p ≤ 0.05). Barbecue consumption, a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, correlated with elevated Spirochaetaceae and Peptostreptococcaceae. This first report on oral dysbiosis in firefighters reveals significant alterations in microbiota abundance, diversity, and evenness, implying potential health risks for this group. Full article

This paper applies the concept of symmetry to the design of a research methodology for public opinion evolution, emphasizing that both the construction and analysis processes of the method embody symmetrical principles. In today’s information age, dominated by social media, online platforms have become crucial venues for information dissemination. While the free flow of information promotes public participation, it also introduces certain challenges. Therefore, analyzing the evolution of public opinion and extracting public sentiment holds significant practical value for managing online public sentiment. This study takes the Zibo barbecue incident as a case study, utilizing the two-dimensional theory of emotion and Top2Vec for thematic analysis of public opinion comments. By combining sentiment dictionary methods with the RoBERTa model, we conduct a sentiment polarity analysis of public opinion comments. The results show that the RoBERTa model achieved an accuracy of 98.46% on the test set. The proposed method effectively uncovers public sentiment biases and the influencing factors on public emotions during the evolution of public opinion events, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the emotional dynamics throughout the development of public sentiment. This deeper insight aids in addressing issues related to public opinion more effectively. Full article

The distribution of mass and the number of particles is a determining factor in the respirable nature of a given particulate matter (PM), and thus in the potential health effects of breathing the air in question. One of the most popular activities during the summer months is the preparation of food on a barbecue. Barbecuing represents one of the few sources of combustion particulates during the summer, a period which is otherwise characterised by a lack of heating. The objective of this study is to ascertain the fractional composition of PM emitted during food preparation on an electric barbecue and to compare these values with the measured background. The concentrations of particulate matter (PM) at the barbecue were determined with a Palas AQ Guard optical spectrometer, while the background concentrations were measured with a Palas Fidas 200 optical spectrometer that complies with the EN16450 standard. The contribution of the individual PM fractions measured in the barbecue environment differed from that observed in the ambient air. The background measurements exhibited a relatively well-defined and consistent distribution, with the PM₁ fraction representing between 10 and 30% of the PM mass and the PM₄₋₁ fraction accounting for only 10 to 20%. Thus, the mass of the PM₄ fraction did not exceed 50% of the total mass of particles. Upon analysis of the particles emitted during the grilling process, it was observed that the PM₁ fraction was capable of accounting for a substantial proportion, exceeding 90% of the PM mass. The trend related to the PM₄₋₁ fraction was maintained; however, the limit of the maximum content of this fraction increased to 40% of the PM. The results demonstrate that the barbecue process itself, utilising a barbecue without emission fuel, can exert a notable influence on the contribution of submicron PM. Full article

Non-typhoidal salmonellosis is a foodborne disease caused by Salmonella spp. Most outbreaks of this disease are commonly associated with consuming contaminated meat products, hence the importance of monitoring ready-to-eat artisanal pork sausages for the presence of these bacteria. A total of 494 samples of grilled and smoked barbecue artisanal pork sausages were collected at food outlets from 12 municipalities of the Department of Quindío, Colombia, between 2017 and 2022. Salmonella spp. was identified using VIDAS^® Easy SLM and confirmed through API^® 20 E. Salmonella spp. was detected in 260 samples (52.6%), and the highest rates of contamination were found in Armenia (65.7%), Salento (65.2%), Circasia (57.7%), and Calarcá (56.4%). The highest proportion of these samples positive for Salmonella spp. was ready-to-eat smoked barbecue artisanal sausages (68.8%) sold by street vendors (58.4%) from 12 municipalities of the Department of Quindío. A significant association was observed between the municipality and contamination of samples with Salmonella spp. However, no link was found between the sampling year and the presence of the bacteria. This is the first study aimed at monitoring the presence of Salmonella spp. in artisanal pork sausages sold in the municipalities of the Department of Quindío over a 6-year period, and findings revealed very high percentages of contamination. Although Colombian legislation establishes sanitary and safety requirements for meat production, the presence of Salmonella spp. in artisanal sausages remains a persistent public health threat in developing countries. Full article

This paper characterizes the carbonization process of biomass wastes, including sunflower husk pellets and sunflower sponge stalk pellets, at carbonization temperatures of 450 and 550 °C. These studies are important because of the reductions in wood resources for the preparation of barbecue charcoal, as well as agricultural benefits in terms of soil additives. In terms of energy balance, the obtained pyrolysis ensures the autothermal process. The heating characteristics of fixed bed showed that, due to the difference in bulk density, the bed temperature of the sunflower husk pellets reached 450 °C in 110 min, whereas the bed temperature of the sunflower stalk sponge reached the same temperature in 200 min. Additionally, the energy used for the sunflower husk carbonization increased from 2.9 kWh at 450 °C to 3.3 kWh at 550 °C, while the sunflower stalk sponge increased from 3.5 to 3.9 kWh. The combustion characteristics assessed using TGA showed that the carbonization of sunflower husk leads to obtained biochar with a higher combustion activity than biochar derived from sunflower stalk sponge. According to the experimental results, biochar from sunflower husk pellets has a higher water content capacity and water absorption rate than biochar from sunflower stalk sponge pellets. Full article

This study aimed to develop fecal low-odor adult dog feed using processed corn protein powder as the primary raw material and evaluate its effectiveness through feeding experiments. The objectives included analyzing the fundamental nutritional indicators, comparing the quality of fecal low-odor adult dog feed with commercially available dog feed, and assessing the changes in the eating behavior, physical condition, and physiological and biochemical indicators before and after feeding on the fecal low-odor adult dog feed. This study involved formulating dog feed using processed fermented corn protein powder and conducting nutritional analyses to compare moisture, crude protein, ash, crude fat, and starch contents. Physical properties such as hardness and cohesion were also evaluated. Feeding experiments were conducted with adult dogs to monitor the changes in the eating behavior and physical condition. Physiological and biochemical indicators, including ammoniacal nitrogen and putrefactive odor in feces, were measured both before and after feeding to assess the impact of the fecal low-odor adult dog feed. The analysis showed no significant difference in moisture (p > 0.05), crude protein (p > 0.05), ash (p > 0.05), crude fat (p > 0.05), and starch (p > 0.05) contents between the fecal low-odor adult dog feed and commercially available dog feed. Similarly, no significant difference was noted in the hardness (p > 0.05) and cohesion (p > 0.05) between the two types of dog feed. Both types of dog feed contained rich volatile compounds with varying compositions. The commercially available dog feed had a sour odor, whereas the fecal low-odor adult dog feed had a barbecue and resin-like smell. After feeding with the fecal low-odor adult dog feed, the liquid nitrogen content significantly decreased (p < 0.01). Also, the indole content, a major contributor to fecal odor, based on the data, decreased after feeding. Full article

Currently, solving global environmental problems is recognized as an important task for humanity. In particular, automobile exhaust gases, which are pointed out as the main cause of environmental pollution, are increasing environmental pollutants and pollution problems, and exhaust gas regulations are being strengthened around the world. In particular, when an engine is idling while a car is stopped and not running, a lot of fine dust and toxic gases are emitted into the atmosphere due to the unnecessary fuel consumption of the engine. These idling emissions are making the Earth’s environmental pollution more serious and depleting limited oil resources. Biodiesel, which can replace diesel fuel, generally has similar physical properties to diesel fuel, so it is receiving a lot of attention as an eco-friendly alternative fuel. Biodiesel can be extracted from various substances of vegetable or animal origin and can also be extracted from waste resources discarded in nature. In this study, we used biodiesel blended fuel (B20) in a CRDI diesel engine to study the characteristics of gases emitted during combustion in the engine’s idling state. There were a total of four types of biodiesels used in the experiment. New Soybean Oil and New Lard Oil extracted from new resources and Waste Soybean Fried Oil and Waste Barbecue Lard Oil extracted from waste resources were used, and the gaseous substances emitted during combustion with pure diesel fuel and with the biodiesels were compared and analyzed. It was confirmed that all four B20 biodiesels had a reduction effect on PM, CO, and HC emissions, excluding NOx emissions, compared to pure diesel in terms of the emissions generated during combustion under no-load idling conditions. In particular, New Soybean Oil had the highest PM reduction rate of 20.3% compared to pure diesel, and Waste Soybean Fried Oil had the highest CO and HC reduction rates of 36.6% and 19.3%, respectively. However, NOx was confirmed to be highest in New Soybean Oil, and Waste Barbecue Lard Oil was the highest in fuel consumption. Full article

Rising environmental consciousness has prompted increased scrutiny of the environmental impact of everyday activities, such as barbecuing—a popular summertime activity in Germany. This study aimed to explore the environmental impacts of three grilling techniques, charcoal (including reusable types such as swivel, round, and kettle grills, as well as disposable charcoal grills), gas, and electric grills, utilizing a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach including the manufacturing of grills, consumption of energy sources and grilling ingredients, as well as the end-of-life of the grills. Five impact categories were considered: global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), abiotic depletion potential fossil (ADP), and land use (LU) according to the CML2016 and ReCiPe 2016 methodology. This study found that a barbeque event for four people results in GWP, AP, EP, ADP, and LU values ranging from 18 to 20 kg CO₂-eq., 174 to 179 g SO₂-eq., 166 to 167 g PO₄-eq., 102 to 138 MJ, and 36 to 38 m² annual crop-eq., respectively, across different types of grills. Furthermore, the ingredients proved to be the most significant contributor, surpassing 70% in all impact categories. Among the three types of grills, the electric grill emerged as the most environmentally friendly, while the disposable grill had the greatest environmental impact across the majority of categories. Lastly, the environmental impacts of varying consumer behaviors were evaluated to potentially assist consumers in adopting more sustainable grilling practices. Full article

Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) skins, as filleting byproduct, were developed into a crispy snack food via air-frying. Consumers rated catfish skin chips (CSC) across sensory modalities (9-point hedonic scales, a just-about-right scale, and “yes/no” for purchase intent, PI) for Plain-, Lemon & Pepper-, and Barbecue-flavored samples during two consumer studies (N = 115 each). Paprika- flavored CSC were excluded from Study 2 due to inferior acceptance and emotional ratings. CSC-elicited emotions were evaluated using a 25-term lexicon with CATA (Check-All-That-Apply) scaling (Study 1) and refined with an abbreviated lexicon containing food-evoked sensation-seeking emotions (5-point intensity scale). The two consumer studies differed in delivery format of product benefit information (a health/protein message and a food waste/sustainability message). Presenting two separate cues (Study 1) significantly increased overall liking (by 0.5 units) and PI (by 15%) for CSC compared to a single integrated message (Study 2), perhaps due to consumers’ mode of information processing. Magnitude of increases was less for Barbeque CSC despite performing best overall (overall liking reaching 6.62 and PI reaching 61.7%). CSC generated mostly positive emotions, and informational cues increased sensation-seeking feelings, which can motivate trial of new foods. Accordingly, acceptance of CSC improved for 25 repeat-exposure consumers who participated in both Studies 1 and 2. In combination, sensory, cognitive, and emotional data showed favorable responses for flavored CSC as an appropriate application of this seafood byproduct. Full article