Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Fruit and vegetable juice'

The production of free flowing powder by spray drying of sugar-acid rich foods requires an appropriate carrier. High molecular weight materials such as maltodextrins are commercially used as a drying aid because of their high glass transition temperature (Tg). Alternatively, fibre-rich by-products from fruit and vegetable juice processing might provide high molecular weight elements that are suitable as a drying support. This study aimed to understand the variables affecting the spray-dried product of fruit juice so that non-sticky fibre-based juice powder could be obtained. Freeze dried carrot fibre was centrifically-milled to 50-100 µm sizes. Three sugar determination methods; enzymatic, enzyme membrane and HPLC with RID, were compared. The freeze drying performance of fructose, fructose + carrot fibre and fructose + carrot fibre + malic acid had the glass transition temperatures measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at 0.1 °C min-1. The results from the freeze drying were used as a key for the possibility of spray dried apple juice + carrot fibre. Similar methods were used to study freeze dried fructose + maltodextrin (DE max 9.8) and fructose + maltodextrin + malic acid. Dried sucrose, glucose and fructose were used to study glass transition temperature of melted amorphous sugars and mixtures by the visual experiment and DSC at 0.1°C min-1 of heating and cooling scans. The Gordon-Taylor equation was used to predict the Tg of anhydrous two-sugar mixtures from experimental and literature data. The Coachman and Karaze equation was used to predict Tg of three-sugar mixtures and compared to the experimental data. Spray dried powders of fructose + carrot fibre of 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70% w/w and apple juice concentrate + carrot fibre of 30, 40, 50, 60, 70% w/w at 165/75°C inlet/outlet temperature in a laboratory scale drier were compared to that of fructose + maltodextrin (DE max 9.8) and apple juice concentrate + maltodextrin of 50, 60 and 70% w/w (dry basis). Dielectric analysis in the range 200 Hz -1 MHz between 10-105 °C were applied to find the onset Tg (based on DSC results) from freeze dried mixtures of 14, 21, and 28% w/w (dry basis) carrot fibre+ fructose. The enzymatic method was found to be the most accurate method for sugar determination of fruit juice but the HPLC method was the most practical one. The results of Tg values of sugars and mixtures melted showed that the Tg values from heating and cooling scans of fructose, glucose and sucrose were in good agreement with literature. Fructose acted as a plasticizer; an increase in the fructose fraction decreased the Tg of sugar mixtures. Sucrose increased the Tg of the mixtures while the Tg of the three-sugar mixtures was less variable when there was a moderate to high proportion of glucose. The visual Tg values of sugars and mixtures were 7-28 °C higher than the onset DSC heating and cooling Tg values. This result suggested that more than one method should be used to study the glass transition of substances. The Gordon-Taylor equation did not fit well the Tg values of the dry sugars and their mixtures from this experiment. The variations might have been due to the degradation of sugar samples on the melting process. The Coachman and Karaze equation gave a good prediction of the three-sugar mixtures from this experiment. The carrot fibre was found to be crystalline. Carrot fibre increased the Tg of freeze dried fructose and decreased stickiness of fructose. Increasing malic acid fraction decreased Tg of the mixtures. Freeze dried fructose + maltodextrin showed higher hygroscopicity than freeze dried fructose + carrot fibre. It was not possible to determine Tg of fructose + maltodextrin + malic acid due to the swelling and hygroscopicity of the freeze dried samples. Tg values of freeze dried fructose + carrot fibre and fructose + maltodextrin were found to high enough to allow spray drying of these mixtures. The minimum fraction of carrot fibre to facilitate spray drying of fructose and apple juice concentrate was found to be 30%. Mixtures with maltodextrin at a fraction lower than 50% could not be successfully spray dried. When spray drying fructose + carrot fibre, apple juice + carrot fibre, fructose + maltodextrin and apple juice + maltodextrin at the appropriate ratios most of the powder stuck to the drier walls. The powder swept from the wall was free flowing with moisture content of approximately 2-4%. The Tg values of these powder indicated the wall build-up might be avoided in larger scale drying. Tg values of spray dried powder from the mixtures with fibre and maltodextrin were found to be not very different. The yield from mixtures with carrot fibre was three times higher than those of mixtures with maltodextrin. This cast doubts that Tg alone could be a good indicator for the stickiness of spray dried material. The microscope images and DSC scans of spray dried powders of fructose + carrot fibre and apple juice + carrot fibre showed crystalline material. The particle of spray dried fructose + maltodextrin and apple juice + maltodextrin were mostly amorphous. The crystals are more physically and chemically stable than the amorphous form. Thus carrot fibre is a good additive in spray drying of fruit juice. Dielectric analysis at low frequency was able to possible detect Tg of single and double components. For food polymer with many components it was found that Tg value was not consistently dependent on frequency. In conclusion, carrot fibre was a more effective carrier for spray drying than maltodextrin when compared on a mass basis and spray drying condition. Since edible fibre is an essential element needed by the human body, spray drying of fruit juice using fibre as a carrier showed the great potential of fibre in the application of fruit juice spray drying. In the case of clear juice, after reconstitution, the fibre can be easily separated from the juice as there seemed to be no chemical binding between the juice and the fibre during the spray drying process.

The quality and shelf-life of pressure processed (150, 200 and 250 MPa at 25 and 35°
C for 5, 10 and 15 minutes) orange, tomato and carrot juices were compared to fresh and thermally pasteurised (60°
C for 5, 10 and 15 minutes and 80°
C for 1 minute) juices. Treatments were capable of microbial inhibition of juices to non-detectable levels. The change in ascorbic acid content of HHP treated juices was not statistically significant (p>
0.05). Both heat treatments at 60 and 80°
C, displayed a significant loss and induced a decrease in the free radical scavenging activity but was not affected by HHP treatments. Pressurization at 250 MPa at 35°
C for 15 minutes and thermal pasteurization at 80°
C for 1 minute and stored at 4 and 25°
C for shelf-life analysis. HHP treated juices showed a small loss of antioxidants (below 10%) at both storage temperatures whereas the loss is higher (about 30%) in the heat treated juices through shelf life (30 days). The pressurized juices, stored at 25°
C, contained ascorbic acid better than heat treated ones after 30 days. The total color changes were minor (&
#8710
E=10) for all pressurized juices but for heat pasteurized samples, higher as a result of insufficient antioxidant activity. The pH of juices was not affected by treatment, storage temperature or time. HHP yielded a better product, regarding the studied parameters of the juices compared to the conventional pasteurization. Therefore, HHP treatment (250 MPa, 35°
C for 15 minutes) can be recommended for industrial production of fresh fruit and vegetables.

The purpose of this project is to offer a market study of the fruit juices market in France. The aim is to propose not only a comprehensive analysis of the fruit juices market in France, but also a set of recommendations that could be used by managers of fruit juices companies in sustaining a mature market.

The efficacy of antimicrobials for control of A. acidoterrestris spoilage in juices was analyzed. Apple and tomato juices were inoculated with 4 log spores/ml. Antimicrobials were added at: 1000, 500 and 250 ppm (sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, and sodium metabisulfite); 500, 250, and 125 ppm (cinnamic acid, dimethyl dicarbonate, and ascorbic acid); 125, 75 and 25 ppm (lysozyme); and 5, 3, and 1 IU/ml (nisin). In apple juice, A. acidoterrestris population reductions were caused by the following antimicrobials (reduction in log CFU/ml): lysozyme - all levels and nisin - 5 IU/ml (5.1), nisin - 3 IU/ml (4.2), cinnamic acid - 125 ppm (3.1), cinnamic acid - 250 ppm (2.6), potassium sorbate - 250ppm (2.5), nisin - 1 IU/ml (2.4), potassium sorbate - 500 and 1,000 ppm (2.3), dimethyl dicarbonate - 500 ppm (1.9), cinnamic acid - 500 ppm (1.4). In tomato juice, A. acidoterrestris population reductions were caused by the following antimicrobials (reduction log CFU/ml): nisin - all levels and lysozyme - 125 ppm and 75 ppm (4.4), lysozyme - 25 ppm (3.8), potassium sorbate - 500 ppm (2.6), cinnamic acid - 500 ppm (2.5), cinnamic acid - 250 ppm (2.4), cinnamic acid - 125 ppm (2.1), potassium sorbate - 1,000 ppm (1.9), and potassium sorbate - 250 ppm (1.6). Antimicrobial treatments: nisin - ¡à 1 IU/ml, lysozyme - ¡à 25 ppm, cinnamic acid - ¡à 125 ppm, and potassium sorbate - ¡à 250 ppm may be appropriate controls to prevent A. acidoterrestris spoilage in juices or juice containing beverages.
Master of Science

Fruit and vegetable consumption is an essential component of a healthy diet and one of the most modifiable risk factors for chronic disease. Only a small percentage of the world?s population consumes the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables (Litt et al., 2011). In addition, young adults experience significant lifestyle changes as a result of independence, often establishing life-long dietary habits affecting future health and the health of their future families. The purpose of this project was to improve provider practice by using a food frequencyscreening tool and education within the clinical setting to facilitate increased knowledge, awareness, and fruit and vegetable consumption among young adults. A Fruit and Vegetable Checklist was incorporated into the clinic setting to provide ways to assess fruit and vegetable intake and identify education and interventional needs. The checklist tool was presented during well-check visits with patients between the ages of 18-24 years over a three-month period. The seven-question tool provided a comprehensive look at an individual?s nutritional status over the previous month and quickly identified nutritional deficits to narrow the focus for education and/or potential interventions. Printed educational information addressing the top barriers and top promoters of fruit and vegetable consumption were also provided to the patient at the end of their visit. Analysis at the conclusion of this project included the provider perception of client fruit and vegetable consumption after use of the checklist tool and educational material with patients in a clinic setting. Results of the project indicated overall positive provider perception of the checklist tool and educational materials. The ultimate goal of the practice improvement project was to incorporate these interventions into a live setting to improve patient care and provider practice.

This report, sponsored by the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC), describes the supply chain for fresh fruits and vegetables consumed as part of school meals. FPC had previously identified schools serving children in the 4-11 years age group as being the segment of specific interest. The report also presents an insight into the decision making processes and purchasing arrangements at the different points in the supply chain. The study involved identifying the factors that will determine the level of demand for fresh produce within the school meals sector. In addition, FPC wanted to assess the likely impact of the government's move towards transferring responsibility for the management of school budgets from Local Education Authorities (LEAs) to the schools themselves on demand for fresh produce in schools. Within the education sector, this initiative is referred to as Fair Funding. The methods employed in this research were eclectic in nature. In order to describe decision making within the supply chain a series of personal and telephone interviews were conducted within the context of a multiple case study design. The interview data were analysed using content analysis. In addition, several databases were constructed that will allow FPC to conduct targeted marketing programmes. The databases are: (1) UK schools serving 4-11 year old children, (2) LEA caterers, (3) Contract caterers. The principal conclusions reached are that demand for fresh produce, within the schools meals sector, is likely to grow noticeably over the next 5 years. This growth will be driven by the government's decision to invest in 'free fruits in schools' and initiatives taken to change children's behaviour with respect to the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Moreover there is a concerted effort on the part of government, health professionals, the food industry and pressure groups towards improving the diet of the nation and this too will impact on fresh produce demand in the school meals sector.

Facilitating nutritional improvement in schools is an important strategy for reversing the alarming trends of overweight and undernourishment currently observed among children in the United States. Compared to national recommendations, many people in the United States under-consume nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits and vegetables. The objective of this study was to determine if various school-based interventions can increase fruit and vegetable consumption among 75 fourth-graders. Interventions included fruit and vegetable challenges, offering a new variety of fruit, and classroom nutrition education. To assess intake, photographs of students' school lunch trays were taken pre- and post-consumption and then analyzed to determine consumption. Differences in mean intake across time were examined and paired t-test analyses were used to assess if observed differences were statistically significant. Compared to baseline intakes, the variety intervention significantly increased mean fruit and vegetable consumption (p<0.001). The 'challenges' also increased intakes, however, the increase was not consistently significant (p=0.014 to 0.824). The education intervention was not associated with significant increases (p=0.642). Thus, schools should be encouraged to offer new varieties of fruits and vegetables.

Nesavesna upotreba antibiotika izazvala je razvoj antimikrobne rezistencije zabrinjavajućih razmera. Porast rezistencije prema konvencionalnim antimikrobicima nametnuo je potrebu pronalaska novih supstanci, koje će biti delotvorne protiv otpornih sojeva. U poslednje četiri decenije, dominira trend da se lekovi i lekovita sredstava prave na bazi prirodnih proizvoda, a naročito biljnog materijala. Hemijski sastav plodova porodice ruža (Rosaceae) upućuje na to da bi određene vrste ove porodice biljaka mogle ispoljavati antimikrobno dejstvo. Plodovi voća porodice Rosaceae istraživani u okviru ove disertacije su: malina (Rubus idaeus), kupina (Rubus fruticosus), trešnja (Prunus avium), višnja (Prunus cerasus) i aronija (Aronia prunifolia). Predmet istraživanja ove doktorske disertacije je antimikrobno tj. antibakterijsko, antigljivično, antialgalno i antivirusno dejstvo sokova i ekstrakata plodova odabranog voća porodice Rosaceae gajenog i prikupljenog na teritoriji Srbije na širok spektar humanih i animalnih patogenih mikroorganizama.Sokovi su dobijeni ceđenjem svežih plodova voća. Ekstrakti su dobijeni iz ostataka voća nakon ceđenja (tropa) metodom dvostruke etanolne ekstrakcije. Nakon ceđenja i ekstrakcije sprovođeno je uparavanje do suva sokova i ekstrakata. HPLC metodom je ispitano prisutstvo 23 hemijske komponente u svakom od sokova i ekstrakata. Antimikrobna analiza je sprovedena na 21 mikroorganizmu, od čega su 15 bile bakterije, 2 gljivice, 2 alge i 2 virusi. Od navedenih mikroorganizama 14 je bilo autohtonih izolata, a 7 referentnih sojeva. Ispitivanje antibakterijskog, antifungalnog i antialgalnog dejstva plodova odabranog voća je sprovedeno difuzionom i mikrodilucionom metodom. Analiza antivirusne aktivnosti plodova odabranog voća je sprovedena posmatranjem inhibicije citopatogenog efekta (CPE) virusnih čestica na ćelijsku kulturu. Sve studije su sprovedene u triplikatu. Rezultati hemijske analize su obrađeni statistikom metodom srednje vrednosti, uz računanje standardne devijacije. Eksperimentalno dobijeni podaci u okviru ispitivanja antibakterijskog, antigljivičnog i antialgalnog dejstva su uvršteni u statističku analizu. Metodom aproksimacije je utvrđena tačna koncentracija soka ili ekstrakta koja daje željeni efekat na ispitivani mikroorganizam. Rezultati analize antivirusnog dejstva su statistički obrađeni metodom srednje vrednosti. Kako bi se utvrdio stepen povezanosti rezultata dobijenih u okviru antimikrobnih analiza sa hemijskim supstancama prisutnim u plodovima odabranog voća sprovedena je regresiona analiza za vaki pojedinačni slučaj. Antibakterisjko, antiungalno i antialgalno dejstvo sokova i ekstrakata je upoređeno sa istim dejstvima konvencionalnih antimikrobnih lekova. Najveću ukupnu količinu ispitivanih supstanci je sadržao ekstrakt kupine (3965,56 mg/ml), a najmanju ekstrakt trešnje (161,44 mg/ml). Od svih ispitivanih hemijskih supstanci, samo su: antocijani, katehin, galna kiselina i vitamin C, prisutni u svim ispitivanim sokovima i ekstraktima. Sve ispitivane biljke sadrže veću količinu supstanci u ekstraktu, osim kod trešnje, kod koje se veća količina supstanci nalazi u soku. U najvećoj meri su u sokovima i ekstraktima plodova biljaka prisutni antocijani i to najviše kod kupine od ekstrakata, a kod maline od sokova. Antimikrobno (antibakterijsko, antifungalno, antialgalno i antivirusno) dejstvo je dokazano za svaki od sokova i/ili ekstrakata plodova odabranog voća. Po prosečnim vrednostima rezultata dilucione analize antimikrobnog i dejstva na MDBK ćelije, protiv najvećeg broja mikroorganizama najdelotvorniji je bio ekstrakt kupine, a neaktivan ili najslabije aktivan (aktivan u najvećoj koncentraciji) sok trešnje. Prosečne vrednosti antimikrobnog i dejstva na MDBK ćelije su bile u opsegu od 0,71 mg/ml do 100 mg/ml. Sve ispitivane supstance su pokazale antibakterijsku aktivnost u ispitivanim koncentracijama na sve ispitivane bakterije, osim soka maline na Escherichia-u coli i soka aronije na Klebsiella-u pneumoniae. Ekstrakti su bolje delovali u većini slučajeva, uz nekoliko izuzetaka. Sve ispitivane supstance su pokazale antfiungalnu aktivnost na Candida-u albicans ATCC 24433, osim soka aronije. Na autohtoni soj Candida-e albicans su delovali samo ekstrakti kupine i trešnje. Ekstrakti su bolje delovali u većini slučajeva, osim kupine na Candida-u albicans ATCC 24433, u kojem je dejstvo soka bilo jednako sa dejstvom ekstrakta. Iako su skoro svi ispitivani sokvi i ekstrakti ispoljili antialgalno dejstvo, na Prototheca-u wickerhamii nisu delovali višnja i sok maline, dok sok aronije nije delovao antialgalno ni na jednu od ispitivanih Prototheca. Ekstrakti su bolje delovali u većini slučajeva, osim maline kod koje je, u oba slučaja, bolje delovao sok. Sve ispitivane supstance su pokazale antivirusnu aktivnost na Bovine herpesvirus i Bovine viral diarrhea virus, kao i toksičnost na MDBK ćelije, osim sokova maline i trešnje, koji su bili neaktivni protiv Bovine herpesvirus-a. Ekstrakti su bolje delovali u većini slučajeva, osim trešnje na MDBK ćelije i Bovine viral diarrhea virus, na koje je jače delovao sok. U potpunosti jednako delovanje soka i ekstrakta je uočeno kod aronije za sva tri dejstva i maline za toksičnost na MDBK ćelije. Pri ispitivanju difuzionom metodom antibiotik je ispoljio jače dejstvo u odnosu na sokove i ekstrakte, osim ekstrakata kupine, maline i višnje na Trueperella-u pyogenes. Pri ispitivanju dilucionom metodom, dejstvo ekstrakata i sokova na Gram pozitivne bakterije je bilo uporedivo sa dejstvom Streptomicina, dok je dejstvo antibiotika na Gram negativne bakterije bilo jače u odnosu na sokove i ekstrakte, izuzetev jačeg dejstva ekstrakta maline protiv Escherichia-e coli. Nistatin je sve antifungalne i antialgalne efekte na gljivice i alge obuhvaćene istraživanjem ispoljio u manjim koncentracijama u odnosu na ispitivane sokove i ekstrakte.Najpovezanije sa antibakterijskim dejstvom sokova i ekstrakata na odgovarajuće mikroorganizme su bile: kumarinska, ferulna i galna kiselina, katehin. Najveći procenat povezanosti sa antimikrobnom aktivnosti ploda imali su antocijani na Enterococcus faecalis (71,94%). Najmanje povezani sa antimikrobnom aktivnosti na odgovarajuće mikroorganizme su bili: hlorogenska kiselina, kempferol, kumarinska i siringinska kiselina, vitamin C, vanilinska kiselina, epikatehin, katehin, rutin, krisin, elaginska i p-hidroksibenzoeva kiselina. Saznanja dobijena u okviru ove disertacije proširuju obim znanja o antimikrobnom dejtvu voća i predstavljaju osnovicu za svrsishodniju primenu voća kako u ishrani tako i u terapiji. Međutim, dalja istraživanja u smislu proširenja spektra ispitivanih mikroorganizama, antimikrobnih studija pojedinačnih komponenti iz plodova i mehanizama dejstva su potrebna.
Nonconscientious use of antibiotics has caused the development of antimicrobial resistance of worrying proportions. The increase in resistance to conventional antimicrobials has imposed a need to find new substances that will be effective against resistant strains. Over the last four decades, the trend is to medicines and medicinal products be made on the basis of natural products, and especially plant material. The chemical composition of the Rose family (Rosaceae) fruits suggests that certain species of this family of plants may exhibit an antimicrobial effect. The fruits of the Rosaceae family studied in the framework of this dissertation are: Raspberry (Rubus idaeus), Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), Cherry (Prunus avium), Cherry (Prunus cerasus) and Aronia (Aronia prunifolia). The subject of the research of this doctoral dissertation is antimicrobial ie. antibacterial, antifungal, antialgal and antiviral effects of juices and fruit extracts, of the selected fruit of the Rosaceae family collected on the territory of Serbia, on a wide range of human and animal pathogenic microorganisms. Juices were obtained by the process of squeezing fresh fruits. The extracts were obtained from residues of fruits after extraction (pomace) by the double ethanol extraction method. After squeezing and extraction, evaporation to dryness of juices and extracts was carried out. The presence of 23 chemical components in each of the juices and extracts was examined by the HPLC method. Antimicrobial analysis was carried out on 21 microorganisms, of which 15 were bacteria, 2 fungi, 2 algae and 2 viruses. 14 of these microorganisms were autochthonous isolates and 7 reference strains. The antibacterial, antifungal and antialgal effect of the selected fruit was tested by the diffusion and microdilution method. The analysis of the fruits antiviral activity was carried out by observing the inhibition of cytopathogenic effect (CPE) of viral particles per cell culture. All studies were conducted in triplicate. The results of the chemical analysis were processed by means of a mean value method, with calculation of the standard deviation. The experimentally obtained data within the antibacterial, antifungal and antialgal examination were included in the statistical analysis. The method of approximation was used in order to determine the exact concentration of the juice or extract, which gives the desired effect on the examined microorganisms. The results of the antiviral analysis were statistically processed using the mean value method. In order to determine the degree of correlation of the results obtained in the framework of antimicrobial analysis with the chemical substances present in the fruits of the selected fruit, regression analysis was carried out for each individual case. Antibacterial, antifungal and antialgic effects of juices and extracts are compared with he same effects of conventional antimicrobial drugs, Streptomycin and Nystatin. The largest total amount of test substances was contained by blackberry extract (3965.56 mg/ ml), and the smallest by extract of sweet cherry (161.44 mg/ ml). Of all the investigated chemicals, only: anthocyanins, catechins, gallic acids and vitamin C were present in all examined juices and extracts. All investigated plants contain a higher amount of substances in the extract, except for sweet cherries, in which a greater amount of substances is present in the juice. In the juices and extracts of fruits anthocyanins are present to the greatest extent, mostly in the blackberry extract, and in raspberry juices. According to the average values of the results of the dilution analysis of the antimicrobial and the effect on the MDBK cell, the most effective was the blackberry extract and the most active inactive (active in the highest concentration) cherry juice against the most numerous microorganisms. The average antimicrobial values and effects on the MDBK cells were in the range of 0.71 mg/ ml to 100 mg/ ml. All investigated substances showed antibacterial activity in the tested concentrations on all examined bacteria, except raspberry juice on Escherichia coli and aronia juice on Klebsiella pneumoniae. Extracts acted better in most cases, with few exceptions. All investigated substances showed antifungal activity on Candida albicans ATCC 24433, except aronia juice. On the autochthonous Candida albicans, only blackberry and sweet cherry extracts were active. Extracts worked better in most cases, except for blackberry on Candida albicans ATCC 24433, in which the effect of the juice was equally efficient as the extract. Although almost all of the examined juices and extracts exhibited an antialgal effect, the sour cherry and raspberry juice did not work on the Prototheca wickerhamii, while the aronia juice did not express antialgal activity to any of tested Prototheca isolates. Extracts worked better in most cases, apart from raspberries, wich juice was stronger in both cases. All investigated substances showed antiviral activity on Bovine herpesvirus and Bovine viral diarrhea virus, as well as the toxicity to MDBK cells, except for raspberry and cherry juices, that were inactive against Bovine herpesvirus. The extracts worked better in most cases, except sweet cherries on MDBK cells and Bovine viral diarrhea virus, whose juice had stronger effect. The equally effective action of juice and extract was observed in aronia for all three effects and raspberries for toxicity to MDBK cells. In the diffusion test, antibiotic showed a stronger effect than juices and extracts, except for extracts of blackberry, raspberry and sour cherries on Trueperella pyogenes. In a dilution study, the effect of extracts and juices on Gram-positive bacteria was comparable to that of Streptomycin, while the effect of the antibiotic on Gram negative bacteria was stronger than juices and extracts, with exception of the stronger effect of raspberry extract against Escherichia coli. Nystatin has expressed its all antifungal and antialgal effects on fungi and algae included in the study in smaller concentrations compared to the examined juices and extracts. The most consistent with the antibacterial effect of juices and extracts on the appropriate microorganisms were: coumarin, ferulan and gallic acid, catechin. The highest percentage of association with antimicrobial activity of the fruits was given by anthocyanins to Enterococcus faecalis (71.94%). The least related to the antimicrobial activity on the appropriate microorganisms were: chlorogenic acid, champferol, coumarin and saringic acid, vitamin C, vanillic acid, epicatechin, catechin, rutin, chrysin, elaginic and p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The knowledge gained through this dissertation expands the scope of knowledge on antimicrobial activity of fruits and forms the basis for more effective use of fruits in both therapy and nutrition. However, further research in terms of extending the range of examined microorganisms, antimicrobial studies of individual fruits components and mechanisms of action are required.

This report describes an approach of creating a system identifying fruit and vegetables in the retail market using images captured with a video camera at- tached to the system. The system helps the customers to label desired fruits and vegetables with a price according to its weight. The purpose of the sys- tem is to minimize the number of human computer interactions, speed up the identification process and improve the usability of the graphical user interface compared to existing systems. To accomplish creating a system improving these properties, an idea of implementing machine learning to identify the products aroused. Instead of assigning the responsibility to the user, who usually iden- tify the products manually, the responsibility is given to a computer. To classify an object, different convolutional neural networks have been tested and retrained. The networks have been retrained on data sets collected from ImageNet. To improve the accuracy, the networks have also been retrained on images where the background environment is similar to the environment the networks are supposed to perform in. The networks tested in this report are MobileNet and Inception. The networks have different propagation time and varies in accuracy. MobileNet performs the classification about seven times faster than Inception, but Inception gives more accurate results. To improve the systems further, usability testing has been performed on the graphical user interface of existing system and resulted system. To test the usability, a heuristic evaluation has been performed in combination of a second test produced by the authors. The tests concluded that the resulted system was more user friendly compared to existing systems. The hardware of the system constitutes of a Raspberry Pi, camera, display, load cell and a case. The software includes Python-code to label an image, a graphical user interface to interact with the user and a server created with Node.js. The graphical user interface has been programmed with JavaScript supplemented with the React library. To conclude, implementing convolutional neural networks to classify images and developing a new user interface resulted in a faster identification process together with fewer usability flaws.

Bacteriocins (BCNs) are ribosomally synthesized polypeptides or proteins with antimicrobial activity, produced by different groups of bacteria. Many lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce BCNs with broad spectra of inhibition. The antimicrobial activity of BCNs against spoilage organisms (SPOs) has raised considerable interest in their application in juice preservation. The objectives of the study were to: (i) isolate, identify and screen BCN producing bacteria for antimicrobial activity against spoilage bacteria and fungi, (ii) optimize production of BCN from selected producers and (iii) investigate the industrial application of the BCN as a preservative in fruit juice. Eleven LAB strains of BCN producers were screened for antimicrobial activity. BCNs from Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus 34 were the most effective against juice spoilage bacteria and fungi. The effect of medium components on bacteriocin production in L. plantarum and P. pentosaceus 34 was also determined. Clementine:Valencia (1:1) juice was used for the first time as the growth medium for L. plantarum and P. pentosaceus 34. The BCN from L. plantarum showed the highest activity and was, therefore, chosen for juice fermentation studies. The identification of L. plantarum was confirmed by biochemical tests, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of the recA gene. The highest BCN activity was observed for L. plantarum grown in De Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS) and a combination of all supplements (i.e. peptone, MnSO4.H2O, Tween 80, glucose and whey), followed by MRS and Tween 80, peptone, MnSO4.H2O and MRS alone. MRS was a better medium for BCN production than juice [Clementine:Valencia (1:1)]. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) was used to isolate the active L. plantarum BCN fraction which corresponded to an approximate molecular weight of 3.2 kDa and was proteinaceous in nature. Plantaricin structural genes (plnEF, plnJ, plnK, plnN) were detected in the L. plantarum strain by PCR and sequenced, and were chromosomally encoded as no plasmids could be detected. This implies that the BCN from L. plantarum is most likely a type of class IIa plantaricin which is responsible for the broad inhibitory activity observed. For the industrial application studies, L. plantarum BCN-containing cell free supernatant (BCNsup) added to “Ready to Drink” (RTD) Clementine:Valencia (1:1) juice at concentrations of 3 600 - 500 000 ppm decreased growth of SPOs, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus. At 250 000 ppm, the L. plantarum BCNsup achieved 5.3 and 6.8 log reductions of the L. acidophilus, after 24 and 48 h, respectively, which is larger than the USFDA (2001) requirement of a 5 log reduction in SPO activity, for preservation of fruit juices. However, there was a decrease in the activity when the BCNsup was applied to industrial (Valor) RTD juice (mango-orange) at decreasing concentrations of 100 000, 50 000 and 25 000 ppm. Organoleptic tests showed that the BCN did not alter flavor or taste of the juice and did not cause toxicity or allergic reactions. A food safety risk assessment was conducted in order to determine the Critical Control Point(s) [CCP(s)] at which the BCN could be applied to control identified microbiological hazards, and a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan was developed. This is the first report on the optimisation of L. plantarum BCN production in juice [Clementine:Valencia (1:1)], followed by inoculation into RTD juice (mango-orange), including a HACCP plan for the application of the BCN as a preservative in juice.

Low-income populations in the United States consume less healthful diets than higher-income populations, specifically relating to fruit and vegetable consumption. The supplemental nutrition program Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is intended to bridge this gap by providing nutrition education and vouchers for nutritious foods. The purpose of this study was to determine if the 2009 WIC food package revisions impacted fruit and green vegetable consumption in 18 to 24-year-old females in California. Using the social ecological model as a guide, a population of WIC (N = 115) and non-WIC (N = 276) participants from the California Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey were analyzed for trends on daily fruit and green vegetable consumption over the period of years 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015. ANCOVA analysis showed that WIC and non-WIC populations did not consume significantly different amounts of green vegetables, but did consume significantly different amounts of fruits, p = .120 and p = .028 respectively. Additionally, WIC participant fruit consumption did not significantly increase over the years, p = .376. However, a decrease of .031 (95% CI [.019, .584], p = .037) was identified in green vegetable consumption between 2009 and 2015. Due to mean differences between samples and years it is evident that there are influencing factors driving fruit and vegetable consumption outside of income barriers, such as possible social or environmental factors. This study adds to the literature regarding the WIC food package revisions and may promote positive social change by encouraging future researchers to identify barriers to healthful diets in WIC populations and determine if additional food package revisions may be needed to increase healthful diets in low-income populations.

Developing interventions to increase fruit and vegetable consumption is an important goal for health professionals due to accumulated evidence for their health protective effects. The main aim of this thesis is to test the efficacy of implementation intention-based interventions to increase fruit and vegetable intake in a young adult, student popUlation. The thesis consists of three broad sections: an introductory Chapter; four empirical Chapters, and a general summary and discussion. First, justification for the study of fruit and vegetables for health promotion is provided. This is followed by an introduction to the theoretical background and operation of implementation intentions. A systematic review of previous work applying implementation intentions to fruit and vegetable intake is pre~ented, generating the more specific aims and directions of the thesis. Chapter 2 tests an intervention designed to improve the long-term efficacy of implementation intentions. 'Booster' implementation intentions are found to improve their long-term impact, whilst ruling out the potential for demand characteristics. The third and fourth Chapters investigate whether interventions to increase fruit and vegetables could be improved by separating the two food groups; suggesting that fruit is more amendable to change than vegetable intake and that the behavioural strategies governing their consumption are distinct. Chapter 5 combines 'action' and 'coping' planning with the booster concept of Chapter 1. Preliminary support is generated for the value of the intervention in promoting long-term behaviour change. Finally, Chapter 6 summarises and evaluates the empirical work presented in the thesis, and compares the findings to the systematic review of Chapter 1. Potential ivlimitations are highlighted. Conclusions which can be drawn from these studies and their implications for the existing research literature are discussed.

Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2007.
"June 2007."
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-71).
Production planning in premium fresh produce supply chains is challenging due to the uncertainty of both supply and demand. A two-stage planning algorithm using mixed integer linear programming and Monte Carlo simulation is developed for production planning in the case of a premium branded tomato. Output from the optimization model is sequentially input into the simulation to provide management with information on expected profit and customer service levels at the grocery retail distribution center. The models are formulated to incorporate uncertainty in demand, yield, and harvest failure. The outcome of the algorithm is an annual production plan that meets minimum customer service requirements, while optimizing profit. The resulting timing, location, and quantity of acres suggested by the algorithm are evaluated against the current industry heuristic of performing deterministic calculations, based on average yield and demand, and then planting double the required acreage. The suggested two-stage planning algorithm achieves 90 percent customer service with 20 percent less planted acres and almost three times as much profit than the industry heuristic of doubling the acreage.
by Joshua Matthew Merrill.
M.Eng.in Logistics

Intake of fruit and vegetable (F/V) is inadequate and obesity is more prevalent among adults of lower socioeconomic status (SES) in the U.S. This study determined the effect of nutrition education (NutrED) and F/V supplementation (F/VSupp) on F/V intake and anthropometrics of individuals of varying SES. Thirty-eight overweight or obese adults were randomly assigned into a control, education, or F/V group. Participants in the education and F/V groups attended weekly NutrED classes for 10 weeks. The F/V group also received one serving of fruit and two servings of vegetable daily. Results showed that NutrED with F/VSupp improved fruit intake significantly. Improvements between the education and F/V groups were not significantly different. Individuals with a graduate degree had significant improvements in fruit intake. Few of the improvements in anthropometrics seen were significant. Future research should focus on specific barriers to F/V intake and include information on total energy intake and expenditure.

Background Studies indicate that the vast majority of adult Americans do not regularly consume recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. One major issue with research in this area is how to measure fruit and vegetable intake, especially in ethnically diverse populations. Objectives The specific aims of the study were to a) compare the percentage of participants categorized as regularly consuming five or more („5 or more‟) daily servings of fruits and vegetables using two commonly used instruments, b) assess if percentages varied by race/ethnicity, and c) assess if the different instruments interacted with race/ethnicity. Methods The source for the current study was the Healthy Hawai„i Initiative (HHI) which collected baseline data from adult residents of Hawai„i in 2002. The data used in this study are baseline data from the HHI longitudinal study. „Five or more‟ was calculated using two instruments: a single question instrument and a multi-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) 19-item instrument. The latter allowed for variations in how „5 or more‟ was calculated (e.g. not including fried potatoes). Percentages were compared overall and by race/ethnicity. Results The percentage meeting „5 or more‟ criteria varied greatly depending on how „5 or more‟ was calculated ranging from 20.9% with the single question instrument to 60.8% when all items on the multi-item FFQ instrument were used. Caucasians were iii significantly more likely to consume „5 or more‟ than were Japanese and Filipinos. With the single question instrument the results for Filipinos were exceedingly low and inconsistent with results using the multi-item FFQ and with State of Hawai„i survey data for 2002. Female gender and older age were also associated with „5 or more‟ while education was not. No specific food items explained differences by race/ethnicity. Conclusions The percentage of participants meeting „5 or more‟ criteria varied significantly depending on how „5 or more‟ was calculated. Race/ethnicity was significantly associated with „5 or more‟. The single question method for determining „5 or more‟ categorization appeared to interact with race/ethnicity, greatly underestimating intake for some groups relative to Caucasians and therefore it should not be used in studies in Hawai„i.

Over the past years fruit and vegetable industry has become interested in the application of both osmotic dehydration and vacuum impregnation as mild technologies because of their low temperature and energy requirements. Osmotic dehydration is a partial dewatering process by immersion of cellular tissue in hypertonic solution. The diffusion of water from the vegetable tissue to the solution is usually accompanied by the simultaneous solutes counter-diffusion into the tissue. Vacuum impregnation is a unit operation in which porous products are immersed in a solution and subjected to a two-steps pressure change. The first step (vacuum increase) consists of the reduction of the pressure in a solid-liquid system and the gas in the product pores is expanded, partially flowing out. When the atmospheric pressure is restored (second step), the residual gas in the pores compresses and the external liquid flows into the pores. This unit operation allows introducing specific solutes in the tissue, e.g. antioxidants, pH regulators, preservatives, cryoprotectancts. Fruit and vegetable interact dynamically with the environment and the present study attempts to enhance our understanding on the structural, physico-chemical and metabolic changes of plant tissues upon the application of technological processes (osmotic dehydration and vacuum impregnation), by following a multianalytical approach. Macro (low-frequency nuclear magnetic resonance), micro (light microscopy) and ultrastructural (transmission electron microscopy) measurements combined with textural and differential scanning calorimetry analysis allowed evaluating the effects of individual osmotic dehydration or vacuum impregnation processes on (i) the interaction between air and liquid in real plant tissues, (ii) the plant tissue water state and (iii) the cell compartments. Isothermal calorimetry, respiration and photosynthesis determinations led to investigate the metabolic changes upon the application of osmotic dehydration or vacuum impregnation. The proposed multianalytical approach should enable both better designs of processing technologies and estimations of their effects on tissue.
Negli ultimi anni l'industria di trasformazione al minimo ha mostrato un crescente interesse verso i trattamenti di disidratazione osmotica e di impregnazione sottovuoto per le loro caratteristiche basse temperature di processo e per le relativamente contenute esigenze energetiche. La disidratazione osmotica, che consiste nell'immersione di tessuti vegetali in soluzioni ipertoniche, consente all’acqua presente nei tessuti di diffondere nella soluzione osmotica ed ai soluti in soluzione di diffondere, in direzione opposta, all'interno dei tessuti. L'impregnazione sottovuoto prevede l’immersione del tessuto vegetale in una soluzione di processo e consiste di due fasi successive. Durante la prima fase, la riduzione della pressione agente sul sistema solido-liquido provoca l'espansione ed il parziale rilascio nella soluzione del gas contenuto nei pori del tessuto. La seconda fase di ripristino della pressione atmosferica determina l’espansione del gas residuo nel tessuto con conseguente richiamo della soluzione esterna all'interno dei pori. L’impregnazione sottovuoto rappresenta un’interessante operazione tecnologica poiché può permette l’introduzione nei tessuti di specifiche molecole quali antiossidanti, regolatori di pH, stabilizzanti o crioprotettori. Il presente studio si è proposto di valutare, seguendo un approccio multianalitico di indagine, le principali modificazioni a carico di tessuti vegetali assoggettati a trattamenti di disidratazione osmotica o impregnazione sottovuoto. Misurazioni di tipo macro- (risonanza magnetica nucleare), micro- (microscopia ottica) ed ultrastrutturali (microscopia elettronica a trasmissione) sono state affiancate ad analisi di texture e di calorimetria a scansione differenziale. Sono stati valutati i principali effetti sulle interazioni aria-liquido in reali condizioni, sullo stato dell'acqua del tessuto e sui compartimenti cellulari. Misurazioni di calorimetria in isoterma e determinazioni dell'attività respiratoria e fotosintetica hanno infine permesso un'indagine dei cambiamenti metabolici. Tale approccio multianalitico, permettendo una valutazione complessiva delle modificazioni a carico della materia prima, può essere applicato nell’ottimizzazione dei parametri di processo sulla base delle caratteristiche ricercate nel prodotto finito.

This study examined the social cognitive theory factors of home availability of fruits and vegetables, nutrition knowledge, food preparation ability, and cooking self-efficacy and the demographic factors of race/ethnicity, age, gender, marital status, living situation, and meal plan participation in relation to college students' fruit and vegetable consumption. The study sample was comprised of students attending on-campus classes at Utah State University during spring semester of 2009. Data were collected via traditional pencil-and-paper surveys distributed during classes with students in varying stages of their college education and from different fields of study. In total, 207 surveys were used for the linear regression analysis. Race/ethnicity was not included in the regression model due to lack of sufficient racial/ethnic diversity. Of the remaining variables, availability of fruits and vegetables in the home, cooking self-efficacy, and meal plan participation were found to be significant predictors of college students' fruit and vegetable consumption. Availability in the home was the strongest predictor of fruit and vegetable intake in this sample.

Master of Public Health
Department of Human Ecology
Tandalayo Kidd
The objectives of the study were to assess fruit and vegetable intake of 6th to 8th grade youth in low-income areas, assess their food environment, and determine factors that influenced fruit and vegetable consumption. Sixth to eighth grade youth from two low-income communities in each of the three states of South Dakota, Kansas and Ohio were involved in the study. Fruit and vegetable intake was measured using the National Cancer Institute (NCI) fruit and vegetable screener tool. The food environment was measured using the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Restaurants (NEMS-R) and the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Stores (NEMS-S) tools. A generalized linear mixed model in PROC GLIMMIX was used to assess possible predictors of fruit and vegetable intake. Average daily fruit and vegetable consumption for males and females was 3.8 cups (95%CI= 2.4-6.0) and 3.1 cups (95%CI=2.0-4.9) respectively. Grade, gender, ethnicity, community, and state of residence did not influence fruit and vegetable consumption, while fruit and vegetable availability at home influenced intake. Youth had a favorable view of their food environment, contrary to the findings of objective measures.

Childhood obesity rates in the U.S. are increasing. Increasing intake of fruits and vegetables is one method to combat obesity. The purpose of this study was to examine a tiered approach to fruit and vegetable consumption with 26 children in an inclusive preschool. The first tier included ongoing availability and opportunity to eat fruits and vegetables (exposure). The second tier included programmed consequences (a reward system). A multiple baseline across children and classrooms was used to evaluate the effect of the interventions. The tier one intervention was effective for nine children and tier two was effective for six children. Eleven children, however, did not respond to either condition. Results are discussed in the context of previous research and tertiary interventions.

While health promotion literature and clinical guidelines suggest eating 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables daily may have beneficial vascular effects, this specific hypothesis has rarely been addressed during randomised control trials in fteeliving volunteers. We conducted such a study among individuals with mild to moderate hypertension. During a common 4 week run-in period all participants limited their fruit and vegetable consumption (l portionfday) before randomisation to 1. 3 or 6 portions daily for the ne:x1. 8 weeks. Volunteers attended a research centre for vascular assessment immediately before and after the intervention phase. Forearm blood flow responses to an endothelium-dependent agonist (acetylcholine) were estimated by venous occlusion plethysmography while carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (CRPWV) and the aortic augmentation index were derived from applanation tonometry. Pre and post intervention circulating micronutrient concentrations were compared with contemporaneously recorded 4-day food records. A total of 117 volunteers (mean age ± standard deviation, 54.l±7.8 }years), completed the 12 week trial. At baseline a significant negative relationship was noted between maximum forearm blood flow response to intra-arterial acetylcholine and CRPWV (r= -O.225~ p=O.0l6). Changes in reported fruit and vegetable consmnption correlated significantly with altered circulating concentrations offJ-crypthoxanthin (F0.350, p