Search Results (15)

Film, as a medium, serves not only as a significant source of entertainment but also as a powerful instrument in shaping attitudes, beliefs, behaviours, social norms, and identities. Since its inception, cinematic art has been closely intertwined with religious themes, with many film narratives drawing implicitly or explicitly from biblical texts and religious traditions. Consequently, theologians and ecclesiastical authorities were quick to identify film as a potential locus theologicus. Given film’s ability to spark debates on deeply ingrained views and beliefs, feminist theology, which critically reflects on gender power relations within religious communities and theological texts, finds it intriguing to explore how cinematic narratives can challenge the millennia-old depiction of God as a man. This article aims to examine how the art of cinema contributes to theological reflections on the female metaphors of God, particularly through female Christ-figures and God-figures, which occasionally appear in films such as Chocolat, All That Jazz, Always, Dogma, and The Shack. These characters defy traditional religious language, which often employs masculine imagery and metaphors for God, portraying female God as an independent chocolatier, a single mother, an elegant hairdresser, a beautiful young seductress, a curvaceous African American bread maker, and a witty, clownish girl. In these cinematic depictions, female God is compassionate, empathetic, kind, witty, forgiving, and profoundly in love with her human creations. At the same time, all of these female characters are powerful, assertive, strong, and self-confident. Full article

Given the link between excessive salt consumption and hypertension, reducing salt levels in bread, an important staple food in Japan, is essential. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) has a salty taste-enhancing effect in vivo, and its production is influenced by the type of spice extract in vitro. However, the effects of spices on GABA levels, total free amino acid composition, and taste quality in whole-wheat bread remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether the addition of spice extracts, which do not affect bread flavor and taste, can increase the GABA level in low-salt whole-wheat bread and whether free amino acid content affects the taste quality of bread using an automatic home bread maker. Through free amino acid composition analysis and sensory testing, we evaluated the influence of six spice extracts on the composition of free amino acids, including GABA, in whole-wheat bread. We found that cumin and anise extracts were effective in increasing the GABA level to approximately twice that in whole-wheat bread. Moreover, both the preference and saltiness of the bread were favorable, indicating that these extracts are useful for reducing the salt content of whole-wheat bread. This study provides a theoretical basis for guiding industrial production. Full article

Due to the growing global population and consequent increased demand for food, the global production of cereal crops has increased. Wheat is one of the most important food crops in the world, as its products, e.g., bread and crackers, have served as important sources of nutrition for many years. However, the environmental impacts of wheat-derived food products are not frequently explored. This study presents an environmental impact assessment of organic wheat crackers within the context of Swedish winter wheat production using both primary and literature-based data. A cradle-to-consumer gate life cycle analysis (LCA) approach using the functional unit (FU) of 1 kg of crackers was applied while considering two cracker value chains: (i) without additives and (ii) using nettle powder as a natural additive. Four environmental impact categories—cumulative energy demand (CED), climate change impact (GWP), acidification, and eutrophication—were explored, with a particular focus on CED and GWP. The analysis results indicated that the total CED values were about 13 MJ/FU and 14 MJ/FU for crackers without and with the additive, respectively. Similarly, the total GWP values were 379 g CO₂ eq/FU and 464 g CO₂ eq/FU, respectively. The post-harvest processing and handling stage was an environmental hot spot in both cases. The introduction of the nettle additive has increased the quantified values of all four of the investigated impact categories. These insights will enable food processors and policy makers to communicate the environmental impacts and make informed decisions to improve the sustainability of wheat crackers. This paper contributes to a database of the environmental impacts of wheat products, specifically LCA data of organic wheat crackers and the LCA method for further LCA studies of snacks and other wheat products with plant-based functional additives. Full article

Bread is one of the most consumed foods in the world, and modern food processing technologies using artificial intelligence are crucial in providing quality control and optimization of food products. An integrated solution of sensor data and machine learning technology was determined to be appropriate for identifying real-time changing environmental variables and various influences in the baking process. In this study, the Baking Process Prediction Model (BPPM) created by data-based machine learning showed excellent performance in monitoring and analyzing real-time sensor and vision data in the baking process to predict the baking stages by itself. It also has the advantage of improving the quality of bread. The volumes of bread made using BPPM were 127.54 ± 2.54, 413.49 ± 2.59, 679.96 ± 1.90, 875.79 ± 2.46, and 1260.70 ± 3.13, respectively, which were relatively larger than those made with fixed baking time (p < 0.05). The developed system is evaluated to have great potential to improve precision and efficiency in the food production and processing industry. This study is expected to lay the foundation for the future development of artificial intelligence and the food industry. Full article

The nutritional and palatability relevance of bread prepared with soy flour was examined. There are a few effective nutritional measures that combine palatability, convenience, and functionality in the suppression of muscle loss (contributing to the improvement and prevention of sarcopenia). Therefore, in the present study, we attempted to produce bread using soybeans, which are rich in amino acids involved in the synthesis and degradation of skeletal muscle proteins. Rice flour was also used to avoid gluten intolerance. The bread was baked in an automatic bread maker, and the rheological properties of its breadcrumbs were determined using a creep meter. We found that a 70 g slice of soy bread satisfied approximately one-fifth of the daily nutritional requirement for leucine. Although soy decreased the specific volume of bread by preventing starch construction, the use of preprocessed rice flour recovered the volume, and corn starch improved the taste. We propose that the addition of soy bread to the daily diet may be an effective protein source. Full article

Background: Bread, a basic need for the survival of human beings, is highly perishable, has a short shelf-life, and loses its quality and potency after its date of expiry. This leads to a considerable amount of bread waste and loss in the economy. This study explores and analyses the most common causes of wastage in the bread supply chain and proposes key strategies for waste mitigation in bread-producing industries in the context of Indian bakeries. Methods: Based on a systematic literature review and pilot studies, Monte-Carlo simulation techniques were applied to conduct the analysis. Results: The results indicate that bread should be recalled from the market after three days rather than the usual six, and the strategy used by companies A and E (in this study) is recommended. Conclusions: These tactics ensure that any bread returned to the company is in great condition, giving us two to three days to transform the bread into some by-products. It will help managers, decision makers, and specialists create a successful waste-reduction strategy. Full article

Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) are protein-rich edible insects that have been regarded as novel food ingredients. In this study, high-gluten wheat flour was formulated with dried mealworm powder at various levels (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) to study its influence on the pasting, farinograph, and extensograph properties and microstructure of the dough. A subsequent decrease in the pasting parameters was observed due to starch dilution. The water absorption, dough development time, and dough stability time decreased gradually from 71.9% to 68.67%, 13.6 min to 10.43 min, and 14.1 min to 5.33 min, respectively, with the increase in the substitution of mealworm powder from 0% to 20%. The farinograph characteristics corresponded to a weak gluten network formed through the dilution of gluten by the replacement of wheat flour with a non-gluten ingredient. The stretch ratio of the high-gluten dough increased gradually from 4.37 (M0) to 6.33 (M15). The increased stretching resistance and extensibility of the dough with 5% and 10% mealworm powder indicated that mealworm powder can act as a plasticizer in the gluten network, which might contribute to the decreased strength and increased elasticity and flexibility of the dough network. The bread made with three different baking methods showed similar increases in specific volume and decreased hardness up to the 10% substitution level, owing to the increased elasticity and flexibility of the dough. The GB/T 35869-2018 Rapid-baking method, GB/T 14611-2008 Straight dough method, and automatic bread maker method exhibited the highest specific volumes of 3.70 mL/g, 3.79 mL/g, and 4.14 mL/g when the wheat flour was substituted with 10% mealworm powder. However, 15% and 20% mealworm powder substitution markedly reduced the bread quality owing to the dilution effect and mealworm powder phase separation. These results provide a perspective on the relationship between the rheological properties of mealworm powder-substituted high-gluten dough and application suggestions for insect food development in the food industry. Full article

Drought is one of the most important yield-limiting factors in Morocco. Identification and deployment of drought-tolerant wheat varieties are important to cope with the challenge of terminal moisture stress and increase wheat productivity. A panel composed of 200 elite spring bread wheat genotypes was phenotyped for yield and agronomic traits for 2 years (2020 and 2021) in Morocco under rainfed and irrigated environments. The panel was genotyped using 20K SNPs and, after filtration, a total of 15,735 SNP markers were used for a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a mixed linear model (MLM) to identify marker-trait associations (MTA) and putative genes associated with grain yield and yield-related traits under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Significant differences were observed among the elite genotypes for grain yield and yield-related traits. Grain yield performance ranged from 0.97 to 6.16 t/ha under rainfed conditions at Sidi Al-Aidi station and from 3.31 to 9.38 t/h under irrigated conditions at Sidi Al-Aidi station, while Grain yield at Merchouch station ranged from 2.32 to 6.16 t/h under rainfed condition. A total of 159 MTAs (p < 0.001) and 46 genes were discovered, with 67 MTAs recorded under rainfed conditions and 37 MTAs recorded under irrigated conditions at the Sidi Al-Aidi station, while 55 MTAs were recorded under rainfed conditions at Merchouch station. The marker ‘BobWhite_c2988_493’ on chromosome 2B was significantly correlated with grain yield under rainfed conditions. Under irrigated conditions, the marker ‘AX-94653560’ on chromosome 2D was significantly correlated with grain yield at Sidi Al-Aidi station. The maker ‘RAC875_c17918_321’ located on chromosome 4A, associated with grain yield was linked with the gene TraesCS4A02G322700, which encodes for F-box domain-containing protein. The markers and candidate genes discovered in this study should be further validated for their potential use in marker-assisted selection to generate high-yielding wheat genotypes with drought tolerance. Full article

Successful strategies for policy makers and the food industry are required to reduce population salt intake. A 4-month cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate whether the provision of salt-reduced bread with or without dietary counselling affected the dietary intake of selected food groups, energy, macronutrients, sodium, and potassium. Eighty-nine families (n = 309) consisting of minimum one parent and one child were assigned to receive bread gradually reduced in salt content alone (Intervention A), combined with dietary counselling (Intervention B), or bread with regular salt content (control). Food intake was recorded for seven consecutive days at baseline and follow-up. Salt intake was reduced in both Intervention A (−1.0 g salt/10 MJ, p = 0.027) and Intervention B (−1.0 g salt/10 MJ, p = 0.026) compared to the control. Consumption of bread and both total and salt-rich bread fillings remained similar between groups, while ‘cheese and cheese products’ were reduced in Intervention A (−38%, p = 0.011). Energy intake and macronutrient distribution were not affected in Intervention A, but Intervention B resulted in a higher energy intake (512 kJ, p = 0.019) and a lower energy % (E%) from saturated fat (−1.0 E%, p = 0.031) compared to the control. In conclusion, provision of salt-reduced bread both with and without dietary counselling successfully reduced dietary salt intake without adversely affecting the dietary nutritional quality. Full article

The environmental protection agency shows that the solid waste management of Karachi city lies in the underdeveloped category. Organics, paper, plastics, bread, metals, bones, textile and many other components are key in this area. The current methods for disposing of solid waste in cities, land-filling and other schemes are compared. Energy crises and solid waste at this large scale has forced cities to the edges of collapsing. Still, it is feasible to convert this huge problem into a profitable business. With the exception of dumping or burning, waste can be used to produce energy. Through bio-chemical and thermo-chemical processes, almost 0.01% of the total energy demand can be reproduced from the waste mentioned above. There is a need to promote the production of energy from solid waste and the utilization of different wastes in a useful manner. Instead of using ineffective waste management schemes, proper waste management schemes can solve both problems at the same time. A huge amount of revenue can be generated from Karachi solid waste, but all this depends upon awareness and suitable technology. The focus of this paper is to emphasize the importance of recycling and energy. The choice of proper methods for treatment, fermentation, anaerobic digestion and the reasons for properly operating all solid waste management bodies are discussed in detail in this study. The Decision support System tool and its importance is also discussed in terms of the field of solid waste choice makers. Full article

The article describes an innovative metrizable idea for systemic assessments of product quality within the baking industry. Complex product quality analysis requires the employment of metrizability criteria for factors that impact the quality of the product, and these are called determinants. Therefore, such analysis is only possible with the use of systems engineering. A system represents the potential of a manufacturing process, of major impact on quality. Composites of the manufacturing process make up the determinants of bread quality, grouped into three sets: raw materials, manufacturing technology, and manufacturing organization and technique. This paper also contains methodological implications for the construction of algorithms for manufacturing process potential determinants. Metrizable product quality assessment is a very important issue in the context of its implementation in manufacturing companies. Its use allows for obtaining comprehensive data on the quality status of a product. It is an important tool for analyzing and forecasting modern quality trends. The method presented in the article is new, innovative, and practical; and its vector representation may prove useful in Quality 4.0. The method could be an important point of reference for managers, directors, and decision makers who must determine the best metrizability criteria for systemic product quality assessments, and could prove useful in Industry 4.0 in the bakery industry. The main value of the paper is the presentation of a new, extensive method for systemic assessments of product quality based on vector analysis in industrial organization. We trialed the method in the baking industry. We concluded that the method is a contribution to management science, especially in the field of quality management, because this approach is not used in business and is not described in relevant international literature. Full article

Fertilization with high levels of phosphorus increases the risk of environmental pollution. Identification of critical values of P in soil (SOP) and in plant tissues (PiP) is essential for achieving the maximum wheat yield without P loss. The critical value is the value of P which gives the optimum yield; the response of crop yield to P fertilization above this value is not predictable or nil. Here, a 4-year field experiment was conducted to identify the SOP and PiP for achieving maximum yield of bread wheat using 11 rates of P fertilization (0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 135, and 150 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹). The linear–linear and Mitscherlich exponential models were employed to estimate the PiP and SOP. The degree of phosphorus saturation (DPS) was used to assess the potential environmental risk; furthermore, phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) was also calculated under the studied fertilization levels. Phosphorus in soil and wheat plant was affected by the application rates and growing seasons. Increasing P fertilization rates led to gradual increases in soil and plant P. The SOP ranged between 21 and 32 mg kg⁻¹, while the PiP ranged between 6.40 and 7.49 g kg⁻¹. The critical values of P calculated from the Mitscherlich exponential models were 20% higher than those calculated from the linear–linear models. Adding levels of P fertilization ≥90 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ leads to higher potentials of P runoff and leaching, in addition, PUE decreased sharply under high P fertilization levels. The response of wheat yield to P fertilization in sandy calcareous soil is predictable below Olsen P values of 21 mg kg⁻¹. Identification of critical P values for wheat production is of great importance to help policy makers improve P use efficiency and attain optimum wheat yield under eco-friendly environmental conditions by eliminating the accumulation of excess P fertilizers in soil and water. Full article

Many lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce metabolites with applications in the food industry, such as dextran-type exopolysaccharides (EPS) and riboflavin (vitamin B₂). Here, 72 bacteria were isolated from sourdoughs made by Spanish bread-makers. In the presence of sucrose, colonies of 22 isolates showed a ropy phenotype, and NMR analysis of their EPS supported that 21 of them were dextran producers. These isolates were identified by their random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) patterns and their rrs and pheS gene sequences as LAB belonging to four species (Weissella cibaria, Leuconostoc citreum, Leuconostoc falkenbergense and Leuconostoc mesenteroides). Six selected strains from the Leuconostoc (3) and Weissella (3) genera grew in the absence of riboflavin and synthesized vitamin B₂. The EPS produced by these strains were characterized as dextrans by physicochemical analysis, and the L. citreum polymer showed an unusually high degree of branching. Quantification of the riboflavin and the EPS productions showed that the W. cibaria strains produce the highest levels (585–685 μg/and 6.5–7.4 g/L, respectively). Therefore, these new LAB strains would be good candidates for the development of fermented foods bio-fortified with both dextrans and riboflavin. Moreover, this is the first report of riboflavin and dextran production by L. falkenbergense. Full article

Despite the fact that policy makers and governments are promoting the development of diverse agro-bio food systems to push and promote sustainability, they are challenging to implement because of a series of obstacles that hinder a successful transition from a conventional to an agro-ecological model of agriculture. Produce is extremely heterogeneous and agricultural technology is often not standard, rather alternative, and knowledge is contextual, tacit and place-specific. However, information about the characteristics of these systems is still sparse and difficult to analyse because of the complexity and multidimensionality. As a result, the aim of this paper is to review the existing literature in order to identify a coding system that allows for the creation of a meta-database of case studies on agroecological transitions. This coding system will be piloted in six case studies dealing with agrobiodiversity along cereal food systems producing grains, bread and pasta in France, Italy and the UK. In this analysis, we found that both the transition towards sustainable agriculture and the reduction of transaction costs require social innovation, which benefits from strong social capital. In the conclusions, we discuss the efficacy of the proposed coding scheme and its ability to capture in-depth information contained in similar case studies. Full article

Incorporating low cost pulses, such as yellow peas, that are rich in nutrients and low in fertilizer requirements, into daily food items, can improve the nutritional and sustainability profile of national diets. This paper systematically characterized the effect of using Canadian grown whole yellow pea and refined wheat flours on nutritional density and carbon footprint in cereal-based food products. Canada-specific production data and the levels of 27 macro- and micronutrients were used to calculate the carbon footprint and nutrient balance score (NBS), respectively, for traditional and reformulated pan bread, breakfast cereal, and pasta. Results showed that partial replacement of refined wheat flour with yellow pea flour increased the NBS of pan bread, breakfast cereal, and pasta by 11%, 70%, and 18%, and decreased the life cycle carbon footprint (kg CO₂ eq/kg) by 4%, 11%, and 13%, respectively. The cultivation stage of wheat and yellow peas, and the electricity used during the manufacturing stage of food production, were the hotspots in the life cycle. The nutritional and greenhouse gas (GHG) data were combined as the nutrition carbon footprint score (NCFS) (NBS/g CO₂ per serving), a novel indicator that reflects product-level nutritional quality per unit environmental impact. Results showed that yellow pea flour increased the NCFS by 15% for pan bread, 90% for breakfast cereal, and 35% for pasta. The results and framework of this study are relevant for food industry, consumers, as well as global and national policy-makers evaluating the effect of dietary change and food reformulation on nutritional and climate change targets. Full article