Search Results (20)

This study investigates the long-term performance of flexible anti-collision rings after 12 years of service on the Xiangshan Port Highway Bridge. Stepwise loading–unloading tests at multiple loading rates (0.8–80 mm/s) were performed on the anti-collision rings, with full-field strain measurement via digital image correlation (DIC) technology. The results show that: The mechanical response of the anti-collision ring shows significant asymmetric tension–compression, with the tensile peak force being 6.8 times that of compression. A modified Johnson–Cook model was developed to accurately characterize the tension–compression force–displacement behavior across varying strain rates (0.001–0.1 s⁻¹). The DIC full-field strain analysis reveals that the clamping fixture significantly influences the tensile deformation mode of the anti-collision ring by constraining its inner wall movement, thereby altering strain distribution patterns. Despite exhibiting a corrosion gradient from severe underwater degradation to minimal surface weathering, all tested rings demonstrated consistent mechanical performance, verifying the robust protective capability of the rubber coating in marine service conditions. Full article

Optimal sous-vide and multiphase cooking strategies remain underexplored despite their potential to improve the tenderness and juiciness of chicken breast. This study aimed to optimize sous-vide cooking conditions (Experiment I) and evaluate the effects of stepwise sous-vide cooking on the quality attributes (Experiment II). In Experiment I, a two-factor, three-level central composite design was employed to optimize the temperature (50, 60, and 70 °C) and time (3, 4.5, and 6 h) using response surface methodology. The optimal condition (55 °C for 3 h) significantly reduced cooking loss (11.47%) and shear force (11.84 N). In Experiment II, five cooking conditions were compared: conventional control (75 °C/30 min), sous-vide control (55 °C/180 min), and three stepwise methods (Stepwise I, 45 °C/180 min + 55 °C/180 min; Stepwise II, 55 °C/180 min + 75 °C/8.5 min; and Stepwise III, 55 °C/180 min + 95 °C/3 min). Stepwise II and III increased cooking loss (16.4% and 20.5%, respectively) and reduced moisture (p < 0.05), but Stepwise II significantly decreased shear force (12.50 N), retaining moisture comparable to conventional control (17.35 N). Stepwise sous-vide cooking, particularly Stepwise II, appears promising for enhancing tenderness without causing excessive water loss. Further research should evaluate the sensory properties and microbiological safety for potential practical applications. Full article

Residents of Bangladesh are exposed to numerous chemicals due to local industries, including dyeing mills, cotton mills, and the use of biomass in daily cooking. It is, therefore, important to characterize the exposome and work to identify risk factors of exposure. We used silicone wristband passive samplers to evaluate exposure to volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds in a sample of 40 children in the Araihazar upazila of Bangladesh. We used stepwise linear regression models to determine which demographic, exposure, diet, and socioeconomic factors best predict exposure to single chemicals and classes of chemicals. Male sex at birth was associated with a decrease in the number of chemicals detected above their median concentration (β = −2.42; 95%CI: −5.24, 0.399), as was ownership of a flush toilet (β = −3.26; 95%CI: −6.61, 0.097). Increased body mass index (β = 1.81; 95%CI: 0.587, 3.03), father’s smoking (β = 2.74; 95%CI: −0.0113, 5.49), and father’s employment in the garment industry (β = 3.14; 95%CI: 0.209, 6.07) were each associated with an increase in the average number of chemicals detected above their median concentration. The observed results motivate future evaluation with health outcomes of these exposures. Full article

The efficient, economical, and sustainable production of biodiesel from waste cooking oils (WCOs) depends on the availability of simple, rapid, and low-cost methods to test the quality of potential feedstocks. The aim of this study was to establish the applicability of stochastic modeling of e-nose profiles in the evaluation of recycled WCO characteristics. Olfactory profiles of 10 WCOs were determined using a Sensigent Cyranose^® 320 chemical vapor-sensing device with a 32 sensor-array, and a stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis was performed to select stochastic parameters (explanatory variables) for inclusion in the final predictive models of the physicochemical properties of the WCOs. The most important model parameters for the characterization of WCOs were those relating to the time of inception of the e-nose signal “plateau” and to the concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the sensor region. A comparison of acid values, peroxide values, water contents, and kinematic viscosities predicted by the MLR models with those determined by conventional laboratory methods revealed that goodness of fit and predictor accuracy varied from good to excellent, with all metric values >90%. Combining e-nose profiling with stochastic modeling was successful in predicting the physicochemical characteristics of WCOs and could be used to select suitable raw materials for efficient and sustainable biodiesel production. Full article

This research introduced an energy-efficient drying method combining hot-air drying with stepwise microwave heating for producing quick-cooking red beans. Crucial parameters such as the effective diffusivity coefficient (D_e), and specific energy consumption (SEC) were examined across varying conditions with the aim of optimizing the drying condition. The results showed that D_e and SEC varied in a range of 0.53 × 10⁻⁹–3.18 × 10⁻⁹ m²·s⁻¹ and 16.58–68.06 MJ·(kg·h⁻¹)⁻¹, respectively. The findings from the response surface methodology indicated that optimal drying conditions for cooked red beans are achieved at a hot air temperature of 90 °C, a microwave power of 450 W (corresponding to an initial intensity of 2.25 W·g⁻¹), and a rotational speed of 0.2 Hz. These conditions lead to the maximum effective diffusivity coefficient and the lowest specific energy consumption. Further investigations into step-up (150–300 W to 300–450 W) and step-down (300–450 W to 150–300 W) microwave heating modes were conducted to refine the drying process for enhanced energy efficiency. The synthetic evaluation index revealed that step-down microwave heating strategies of 450 W-to-150 W and 300 W-to-150 W, applied at a temperature of 90 °C and a rotational speed of 0.2 Hz, were notably effective. These methods successfully minimized energy use while preserving the quality attributes of the final product, which were comparable to those of traditionally cooked and freeze-dried red beans. The combined approach of hot-air drying with step-down microwave heating presents a promising, energy-saving technique for producing quick-cooking beans that retain their rehydration qualities and texture. Full article

This study examined the gender-differentiated trait preferences of cooking banana (matooke) for farmers and consumers in Central Uganda to inform banana-breeding strategies. Women and men banana farmers might have differing production objectives, norms, and values which drive decisions on which varieties to adopt and grow. However, breeders rarely consider this in their variety development programs, leading to lost opportunities for equitable breeding. An exploratory sequential mixed-method approach was used to obtain a richer understanding of the trait preferences of women and men, which explains the acceptability of cooking bananas. Consumer preference tests for the candidate banana varieties and released hybrids were also conducted. The results showed that the universal attributes for variety selection were bunch size, taste, resistance to pests and diseases, drought tolerance, food texture/softness, maturity period, and finger size. Men appreciated agronomic and market-related traits, such as tolerance to drought and poor soils, bunch size and compactness, maturity period, and shelf life, while women valued processing and cooking traits such as flavour, food colour, ease of peeling, finger size, and agronomic traits such as plant height. These are plausible attributes for the gender-responsive breeding of bananas. The findings highlight the need to redesign the banana-breeding pipeline and process in Uganda to deliver varieties with attributes desired by women and men along this commodity value chain. A participatory demand-driven and gender-responsive process involving stepwise selection criteria that commences with quality traits followed by production traits while integrating gender-specific preferences should be employed to ensure the acceptability of cooking banana hybrids by women and men end users. This requires integrating different disciplines, including social scientists and gender experts, along the entire breeding process for more inclusive products and equitable outcomes. Full article

We compared the effect of two different kinds of steam oven—a standard (SO) and a superheated steam (SHS) oven—on four different kinds of samples: hamburgers, bovine steaks, pork steaks, and salmon fillets. Ten samples of each meat/fish were divided into three parts. Then samples were analyzed as (i) raw, (ii) cooked with SO, and (iii) cooked with SHS. For each sample, we determined the proximate composition, fatty acid composition and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The results of fatty acid composition were processed both with a linear model and with a multivariate approach by using three complementary discriminant analysis techniques: canonical (CAN), stepwise (St) and discriminant (DA). SHS was effective in degreasing hamburgers but not the other kinds of samples. Cooking methods selectively affected the fatty acid profile of samples, SHS being higher in MUFA and lower in PUFA n-3 than SO. This result was also confirmed by the discriminant analysis. Finally, samples cooked with SHS showed a lower fatty acid oxidation extent than SO, as the TBARS value was significantly lower in the SHS than in the SO, irrespective of the type of meat/fish cooked. Full article

Supercooling has the advantage of maintaining the freshness of foods without a phase transition. However, it is hard to sustain the supercooled state. Static temperature control, one of the various supercooling technologies, is used for stable supercooling storage. In this experiment, the effect of following external factors in maintaining the supercooled state of foods was investigated. Three main parameters had an effect on the supercooled state of food: (1) properly setting the lower-temperature limit of the supercooling algorithm, (2) slow cooling to the target temperature, and (3) minimizing temperature fluctuation. Accordingly, the following stepwise cooling algorithm for pork loin was designed: a lower-temperature limit of −3.0 °C and a storage period = 36 h followed by a lower-temperature limit of −3.5 °C for 24 h. The samples conserved at −3.0 °C displayed a 100% supercooled state. Physicochemical properties including drip loss, cooking loss, texture, color, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), and total aerobic count (TAC) of pork loin were analyzed. The drip loss values of the supercooled meat samples were lower than those of the superchilled ones. Furthermore, TVBN and TAC of the treated samples were not significantly different from those of the fresh samples (p > 0.05). In conclusion, supercooling storage extended the freshness and quality of pork loin better than refrigerated storage. Full article

(1) Background: Excessive salt intake is associated with an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, so reducing it is critical. The main objective of this study was to verify whether one intervention to reduce added salt during cooking changed knowledge, attitudes and behavior (KAB) towards salt, and to analyze changes in the main sources of salt. (2) Methods: The intervention study was an 8-week randomized controlled trial with 97 workers from a public university. KAB in relation to salt were obtained through the WHO STEPwise questionnaire, and the main sources of salt were obtained by 24-h food recall and 24 h urinary sodium excretion over two days. (3) Results: After the intervention, participants in the intervention group reported a decrease in the addition of salt when cooking (p = 0.037), an increase in the percentage of subjects who avoided the consumption of processed foods (from 54.2% to 83.3%, p = 0.001), who looked for salt on food labels (from 18.8% to 39.6%, p = 0.013), and who bought low-salt food alternatives (from 43.8% to 60.4%, p = 0.039). However, there were no significant differences between the intervention group and the control group at baseline and post-intervention assessments. In the intervention group, after the intervention, the added salt decreased by 5%; food sources of salt such as the snacks and pizza group decreased by 7%, and the meat, fish and eggs group increased by 4%, but without statistical significance. (4) Conclusions: With innovative equipment for dosing salt when cooking, it is possible to change some dimensions of consumer behavior in relation to salt. Full article

Consuming rice with low starch digestibility is beneficial for reducing the risk of diabetes. Several factors have been shown to influence starch digestibility, but the combined effects of these factors on starch digestibility have not been studied. We assessed multidimensional relationships between the glucose production rate (GPR) of cooked rice with 16 indexes, including physicochemical, pasting and textural properties in 30 rice varieties. The stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that amylose content (AC), gel consistency (GC) and pasting temperature (PT) were closely related to GPR. This relationship could be described by the equation: GPR = −0.080 AC + 0.008 GC + 0.034 PT + 0.720, with a determination coefficient of 0.84. The variation partitioning analysis further indicated that AC, GC and PT independently explained 36%, 5% and 4% of the GPR variation, respectively. The interaction of AC and GC explained 46% of the variation in GPR. This study identifies the key indexes (AC, GC and PT) affecting starch digestibility and quantifies contributions of these indexes to the variation in GPR. The finding of our study provides useful information for breeding and selecting rice varieties with low GPR. Full article

Supercooling is the method of lowering the temperature of a foodstuff below its freezing point without phase transitions. This storage technique has a potential advantage for extending shelf life. Nevertheless, the supercooled state of food is thermodynamically unstable. To accomplish supercooling storage, slow cooling rate and minimized temperature fluctuation are necessary. Thus, a stepwise cooling algorithm was designed and applied in this study. Pork belly and chicken breast were stored at 3 °C, −18 °C (freezing), and supercooling treatment was applied to them for 12 days. All samples preserved their supercooled state and were unfrozen during the storage period. Overall, supercooled samples were advantageous in respect of drip loss compared to that of frozen samples, regardless of type of sample. Total volatile basic nitrogen, total aerobic account, and cooking loss of pork belly was higher than in the chicken breast due to the high fat retention in pork belly as compared to chicken breast, in particular, at refrigerated storage condition. Samples stored at supercooling treatment prevented increase in volatile basic nitrogen and microbial growth. Therefore, the supercooled state was successful when using stepwise algorithm, and it was effective at maintaining meat quality compared to freezing and refrigeration storage. Full article

The objective was to test inherent cooking rate differences on tenderness values of boneless pork chops when exogenous factors known to influence cooking rate were controlled. Temperature and elapsed time were monitored during cooking for all chops. Cooking rate was calculated as the change in °C per minute of cooking time. Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) was measured on chops cooked to either 63 °C or 71 °C. Slopes of regression lines and coefficients of determination between cooking rate and tenderness values for both degrees of doneness (DoD) were calculated. Shear force values decreased as cooking rate increased regardless of DoD (p ≤ 0.05), however changes in tenderness due to increased cooking rate were limited (β1 = −0.201 for 63 °C; β1 = −0.217 for 71 °C). Cooking rate only explained 3.2% and 5.4% of variability in WBSF of chops cooked to 63 °C and 71 °C, respectively. Cooking loss explained the most variability in WBSF regardless of DoD (partial R² = 0.09–0.12). When all factors were considered, a stepwise regression model explained 20% of WBSF variability of chops cooked to 63 °C and was moderately predictive of WBSF (model R² = 0.34) for chops cooked to 71 °C. Overall, cooking rate had minimal effect on pork chop tenderness. Full article

With the increase in meals eaten outside the home, sodium reduction in restaurant foods is essential for reducing sodium intake. This study aimed to assess the stages of behavioral change for reducing sodium and the differences in perceptions among restaurant staff by stage. Restaurant owners and cooks (n = 313) in Seongnam, South Korea were surveyed on their stage of behavioral change, practices, and perceptive factors related to sodium reduction in restaurant meals using a questionnaire. The proportion of behavioral change by stage was 20.4% in the maintenance and action (MA) stage, 32.3% in the preparation (P) stage, and 47.3% in the pre-preparation (PP) stage, which included contemplation and pre-contemplation stages. The items that represent differences among the groups were recognition of social environment for sodium reduction, practice of weighing condiments and measuring salinity, and feasibility of actions related to low-sodium cooking. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios for practice and perceptive factors by using stage of behavioral change as the independent variable. Factors associated with being in the MA stage were weighing condiments, measuring salinity, and high feasibility of actions related to low-sodium cooking. Recognition of sodium labeling and anticipation of better taste by reducing sodium increased the odds of being in the P stage rather than the PP stage. These results suggest that customized stepwise education and support are needed for the efficacy of restaurant-based sodium reduction programs. Full article

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate factors associated with changes in food-preparation practices during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Japan and its associations to food-group intake. To examine this, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted in July 2020. Participants were 2285 adults aged 20–69 years who resided in any of 13 prefectures in Japan where specific COVID-19 regulations had been implemented. Self-reported changes in food-preparation practices when compared to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period were measured as “increased” (24.6%), “decreased” (7.3%), and “no change” (68.1%), respectively. Stepwise logistic regression analyses indicated that participants who increased the time and effort for food preparation were younger in age, partially working remotely, experiencing reduced household income due to COVID-19, but highly concerned the importance of diet. On the other hand, participants whose household income decreased, and household economic status worsened, as well as those whose importance of diet deteriorated due to COVID-19 were more likely to decrease time and effort for cooking. Although the increased group were more likely to prepare meals with raw ingredients, the decreased group showed higher frequency of using takeout. These results indicated major determinants of changes in time spending on food preparation in consequence of COVID-19, and highlighted essential targets for future nutrition education. Full article

Ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption poses a potential risk to public health and may be related to shelter-in-place orders. This study utilized the level of food processing as a lens by which to examine the relationships between diet, weight change, and lifestyle changes (including cooking, snacking, and sedentary activity) that occurred during regional shelter-in-place orders. This study used a cross-sectional, retrospective survey (n = 589) to assess baseline demographics, changes in lifestyle behaviors using a Likert scale, and changes in dietary behaviors using a modified food frequency questionnaire from mid-March to May 2020; data were collected in the California Bay Area from August to October 2020. Foods were categorized by level of processing (minimally processed, processed, and ultra-processed) using the NOVA scale. Stepwise multiple linear regression and univariate linear regression models were used to determine the associations between these factors. Increased snacking was positively associated with a change in the percent of the calories derived from UPF and weight gain (β = 1.0, p < 0.001; β = 0.8 kg, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with the share of MPF calories consumed (β = −0.9, p < 0.001). These relationships have public health implications as interventions designed around decreased snacking may positively impact diet and weight management and thereby mitigate negative health outcomes. Full article