Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Quality and authenticity of food'

Authenticity issues and fraudulent practices regarding animal products are affecting consumer confidence. Verifying the description, composition, processing or origin of foods can be challenging. To explore British and Kurdish consumers’ perceptions of kebab meat products, focus groups and questionnaire surveys were applied. About 40% of participants in the UK tend to purchase fewer processed meats after the European horsemeat scandal. Issues raised by participants indicated their concerns about the declaration of species, meat content, and other ingredients incorporated in kebab and other meat products. Lack of consumer trust has been linked to authenticity issues. Reactions towards the addition of fat-replacing inulin were positive by more than half of respondents. A further study aimed to investigate the effect of commercial inulin (CI) and Jerusalem artichoke (JA) tubers as fat replacers on the eating quality and overall acceptability of kebabs. Inulin flour prepared from JA by a simple protocol presented advantages with about 10% higher cooking yield and overall acceptability when compared with CI. Levels of inulin as low as 0.5% were detected in meat products using enzymatic assay, which could be relevant to detect additives and enforce labelling requirements. The authenticity (origin and species) was investigated in fish samples from commercial markets in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The declared fish species was checked using DNA barcoding with Cytochrome b region. A 10 % rate of mislabelling occurred only for wild common carp (Cyprinus carpio), with 9 out of 12 discovered to be the related species goldfish (Carassius auratus), which was deemed to be accidental rather than deliberate fraud. Such occurrences were from street markets and fishmongers, while none were from supermarkets. Wild and farmed common carp samples were not discriminated by DNA barcoding. Further fingerprinting using compositional profile and nearinfrared spectroscopy (NIRS) together with chemometric analysis aimed to predict composition and discriminate between wild and farmed common carp and species identity. NIRS-predictions of composition and some macrominerals of fish have a strong correlation with the references. NIRS with chemometric analysis is promising, but were not satisfactorily accurate for micro-minerals. Even with no clear solution from principal component analysis (PCA), NIRS-PCA may contribute to discriminating sample groups, but not for authentication when used alone. Having reliable techniques for authentication of food of animal origin may discourage deliberate replacement in retail, wholesale and international trade, and may contribute to reductions in food mislabelling, therefore protecting consumers from fraudulent practices.

I consumatori moderni sono sempre più orientati al consumo di prodotti alimentari caratterizzati da proprietà riferibili alla cosidetta qualità aggiunta. Poichè, però, essi non sono sempre in grado di verificare personalmente le caratteristiche dei prodotti che acquistano, queste devono essere garantite da un processo di assicurazione di qualità robusto e affidabile, in grado di agire efficacemente lungo tutta l'intera catena di approvvigionamento. A livello globale, attualmente, si sta verificando un importante aumento della domanda di alimenti di origine animale, fenomeno noto come ‘livestock revolution’. Al contempo, i prodotti di origine animale sono tra i prodotti più frequentemente coinvolti nei casi di frode e adulterazione alimentare. Alcuni composti naturalmente presenti negli alimenti di origine animale possono essere considerati importanti bio-marcatori, ovvero indicatori di caratteristiche di autenticità e qualità. Nella parte sperimentale di questa tesi di dottorato, sono state sviluppate e impiegate tecniche analitiche di cromatografia con l'obiettivo di identificare e caratterizzare marcatori di integrità in prodotti di origine animale. L’approccio analitico è stato adottato su due livelli: a livello primario, campionando la materia prima direttamente nelle aziende agricole, e su scala manifatturiera, campionando i prodotti già trasformati, sul mercato, in maniera tale da mettere in relazione la qualità finale con il processo produttivo. La ricerca è stata condotta su due tipologie diverse di prodotti di origine animale: a) prodotti lattiero-caseari e b) prodotti ittici, in particolare carne di storione e uova di pesce. a) Prodotti lattiero-caseari Nella Prova 1 è stata studiata la composizione in acidi grassi (AG) del latte di capra prodotto in tre diversi allevamenti italiani, classificati in base al sistema produttivo impiegato, mediante gas-cromatografia e rivelazione a ionizzazione di fiamma (GC-FID). I risultati hanno permesso di evidenziare differenze significative tra i campioni di latte raccolto nei tre allevamenti, differenze particolarmente accentuate per la quantità di alcuni acidi grassi, variabili in relazione al sistema zootecnico impiegato nella corrispettiva azienda. Gli acidi grassi a catena dispari e ramificata (OBCFA), l'acido linoleico (LA), l'acido alfa-linolenico (ALA), l'acido elaidico (EA), gli acidi grassi totali delle serie n3 e n6 sono stati identificati come i fattori più significativi nella caratterizzazione dei campioni di latte di capra provenienti da sistemi di allevamento a basso o alto input. Nella Prova 2, le informazioni sulla qualità nutrizionale del formaggio di capra ottenuta mediante analisi GC-FID del profilo acidico sono state integrate con parametri ottenuti dalla valutazione del benessere animale negli allevamenti coinvolti nella Prova 1, mediante un protocollo standardizzato. La cosiddetta qualità estrinseca dei campioni di formaggio di capra analizzati, rappresentata dal loro profilo chimico determinato mediante analisi di laboratorio, ha mostrato una qualità significativamente più elevata nei formaggi raccolti da allevamenti a basso input, confermando i risultati ottenuti nella Prova 1. Al contrario, i parametri di benessere (cui si fa riferimento con qualità intrinseca) hanno mostrato che non esisteva una chiara relazione tra il livello di benessere animale ed i sistemi di allevamento analizzati nella prova. I risultati di questa sperimentazione suggeriscono che la qualità estrinseca e quella intrinseca del formaggio di capra prodotto in allevamenti a basso input non sempre coincidono, a prova del fatto che fornire informazioni sul sistema produttivo impiegato non è sempre uno strumento sufficiente per dotare i consumatori di una piena consapevolezza nei confronti della qualità complessiva del prodotto che acquistano. Nella Prova 3, la qualità del grasso del latte vaccino di montagna è stata caratterizzata mediante GC-FID e correlata alla variazione stagionale della composizione chimica della dieta fornita alle bovine. Sono state confrontate due strategie alimentari impiegate in due piccole aziende agricole di montagna della regione alpina piemontese, in Italia. In particolare, durante la stagione estiva, i due allevamenti si distinguevano per l'esclusivo impiego dell'alpeggio in una delle due aziende, considerato come la migliore strategia per ottimizzare la qualità del profilo acidico del latte. I campioni di latte ottenuti con l'impiego esclusivo dell'alpeggio durante l'estate (allevamento A) si sono caratterizzati per un profilo in AG generalmente di qualità superiore. Tuttavia, durante la stagione estiva, il latte raccolto nell’azienda dove si impiegava una strategia di alimentazione integrata (allevamento B) ha mostrato possedere una composizione più omogenea, con una concentrazione in media più alta di acidi grassi polinsaturi (PUFA). Questi risultati hanno confermato che la strategia integrata, anche se associata ad una capacità leggermente inferiore di migliorare il profilo in AG del latte, può rappresentare una valida ed economica alternativa per gli allevatori di montagna per ottenere un latte di qualità, pur non essendo strettamente vincolati alla pratica del pascolo. b) Prodotti ittici – carne di storione e uova di pesce Nella Prova 4 è stata analizzata la composizione chimica di uova, caviale e carne di diverse specie di storione provenienti da uno stabilimento di acquacultura italiano, al fine di migliorarne l'apprezzamento sul mercato e di identificare eventuali differenze relazionate alla specie di provenienza. Il profilo in AG è stato analizzato mediante GC-FID e l’analisi dei dati è stata effetuata mediante tecniche di statistica multivariata. Sono state evidenziate importanti differenze nella deposizione dei singoli acidi grassi nei campioni di uova e di carne di storione analizzati, in linea con la funzione biologica ricoperta. In particolare, una differenza significativa nel profilo acidico è stata osservata comparando le frazioni lipidiche dei fosfolipidi e dei lipidi neutri nelle uova. Infine, sui filetti di storione sono stati misurati i parametri di colore, caratterizzandone le proprietà e le caratteristiche specie-specifiche. Nella Prova 5, sono stati studiati aspetti di qualità, tracciabilità e sicurezza relativi ai prodotti trasformati di uova di pesce di diverse specie. L'analisi degli acidi grassi è stata eseguita mediante GC-FID. I risultati ottenuti hanno mostrato differenze tra uova provenienti da diverse specie ittiche. Conseguentemente, l’applicazione di un modello discriminante che includeva un set esterno di campioni di uova di storione, analizzati nella Prova 4, ha permesso di distinguere le uova di diverse specie dal caviale di storione. Inoltre, sono stati misurati parametri di sicurezza alimentare dei prodotti campionati, dimostrando un buon livello generale di igiene. Nel complesso, i risultati ottenuti da questa sperimentazione hanno permesso di indicare i prodotti a base di uova di pesce come alimenti sicuri e in grado di fornire alla nutrizione umana un prezioso contenuto di acidi grassi essenziali. Nella Prova 6, è stata inizialmente sviluppata una tecnica analitica basata su microestrazioni multiple in fase solida su spazio di testa (MHS-SPME) seguita da GC e spettrometria di massa (MS), conseguentemente applicata per identificare e stimare la quantità dei principali composti volatili (VOCs) presenti nel caviale di storione bianco, durante 4 mesi di maturazione. Il metodo ha permesso di identificare la presenza, e di stimare la quantità, di 25 composti volatili, rappresentati principalmente da aldeidi e alcoli, già noti in letteratura come responsabili del flavour del pesce e dei frutti di mare, senza incorrere in alterazioni significative della matrice prima delle analisi e in un tempo relativamente breve. Principalmente, è stato rilevato un aumento significativo della concentrazione di aldeidi totali in 4 mesi di maturazione; inoltre, si è osservata la comparsa del chetone 3-idrossi-2-butanone all’ultimo tempo di campionamento incluso nella prova. Nella Prova 7, la tecnica di HS-SPME-GC-MS è stata applicata per valutare l'evoluzione del profilo volatile nel caviale di storione bianco addizionato con diverse miscele di conservanti in un tempo di conservazione prolungato (fino a 14 mesi). I risultati ottenuti per il profilo dei VOCs sono stati uniti con parametri di microbiologia prima di effettuare l’analisi dei dati. Le tecniche di statistica univariata e multivariata applicate hanno permesso di identificare diversi gruppi di campioni, in base al tempo di maturazione e alla miscela di conservanti utilizzata. In particolare, i campioni di caviale purosale sono risultati essere queli caratterizzati, nel lungo termine, dalle più alte cariche microbiologiche e dalla maggiore concentrazione di VOCs, la cui formazione è stata relazionata con i processi di deterioramento, fortemente esaltati dal tempo di maturazione prolungato, spinto ben oltre il tempo di maturazione ottimale generalmente utilizzato negli impianti di produzione di caviale. Nella Prova 8, è stato sviluppato e ottimizzato un metodo di cromatografia liquida ad alta prestazione e spettrometria di massa ad alta risoluzione (UHPLC-HRMS) per caratterizzare il metaboloma non volatile del caviale di storione bianco durante la maturazione. Sia l'ottimizzazione del metodo che l'analisi dei dati utilizzata per l’interpretazione dei risultati sono state eseguite mediante tecniche di chemiometria. I risultati hanno mostrato una forte evoluzione dei composti non volatili presenti nella fase acquosa delle uova di storione durante i primi 4 mesi di maturazione, seguita poi da una parziale stabilizzazione. La maggior parte dei composti tentativamente identificati erano composti caratterizzati da un alto valore nutritivo, tra cui aminoacidi proteici e non proteici, specie fosfolipidiche di acidi grassi a catena lunga e insaturi, e vitamine. Inoltre, è stata rilevata la presenza di specie chimiche note per il fondamentale impatto generato sul caratteristico gusto umami negli alimenti, tra cui acido glutammico e nucleotidi.
Nowadays, consumers are reorienting themselves more and more toward the consumption of food products characterized by additional quality traits. Since consumers cannot always personally verify the attributes of foodstuffs, these have to be guaranteed by a robust quality assurance process acting along the whole supply chain. An important worldwide increase of the demand for animal source foods is occurring, leading to the arising of a phenomenon known as the “livestock revolution”. However, animal food products are considered among the most frequently adulterated edible goods. Many compounds naturally present in animal products may represent important biomarkers related to considerable authenticity and quality issues. In the experimental part of this PhD thesis, chromatographic analytical techniques were developed and employed with the aim to identify and characterize chemical markers of integrity in animal products. This approach was employed on two levels: on a farm-scale, collecting raw material directly in the farms, and on a manufactory-scale, collecting transformed products, in order to relate their quality to the production process. Research was conducted on two different animal products: a) dairy products and b) fish products, particularly sturgeon meat and fish roes. a) Dairy products In Trial 1, the fatty acid (FA) composition of goat milk yielded in three Italian farms, chategorized based on the production system employed, was investigated by means of gas-chromatography and flame ionization detection (GC-FID). Results allowed to detect significant differences among milk collected in the three farms, particularly enhanced for many fatty acids, which amount varied in relation to the livestock system. Odd and branched chain fatty acids (OBCFA), linoleic acid (LA), α-linolneic acid (ALA), elaidic acid (EA), total n3 and n6 series FA were identified as the most significant factors in the characterization of samples coming from low- or high-input livestock systems in goat milk. In Trial 2, nutritional quality of goat cheese obtained by GC-FID analysis of the acidic profile was supplemented with animal welfare measurements performed in the farms involved in Trial 1 by means of a standardized protocol. The so-called extrinsic quality of goat cheese samples analysed, represented by the chemical profile determined by laboratory analysis, showed a significant higher quality in cheese collected from low-input farms, confirming the results obtained in Trial 1. On the contrary, welfare parameters (referred to as intrinsic quality) showed that no clear relationship was observable between the level of the animal welfare and the livestock systems analysed. The results of this trial indicated that the extrinsic and the intrinsic quality of low-input farms did not always match, suggesting that the information on the livestock system is not always enough in order to provide consumers with complete awareness of the total product quality. In Trial 3, fat quality in Alpine cow milk was characterized by means of GC-FID and related to the seasonal variations of diets. Two different feeding strategies were compared in two small mountain farms in Piedmont Alpine region, Italy. Particularly, during the summer season, one of the two farms was distinguished by the exclusive employment of Alpine pasture, assumed as the best way to improve the quality of FA profile in milk. Milk samples obtained by the exclusive employment of alpine grazing during summer (farm A) were represented by a FA profile of higher quality. However, during the summer season, milk obtained by the integrated strategy (farm B) resulted in a more homogeneous composition, with higher concentration of polyunsaturated FA (PUFA). These outcomes confirmed that the integrated strategy, even if related to a slightly lower ability in improving milk FA profile, could represent a valid and cost-effective alternative for mountain farmers to obtain an overall superior quality of milk, being not strictly linked to the grazing practice. b) Fish products – sturgeon meat and fish eggs In Trial 4, sturgeon raw eggs, caviar and meat obtained from different species reared in an Italian production plant were evaluated for their chemical composition, in order to improve their appreciation on the market and to detect any eventual distinctness related to the species. Fatty acids profile was investigated by GC-FID and multivariate statistics. Important differences in the deposition of individual fatty acids in sturgeon meat and ovas were detected, principally based on their different biological role. Particularly, interesting differences were observed in the different FA profile that characterized the phospholipid and the neutral lipid fractions in sturgeon roes. Finally, colour parameters were measured on sturgeon fillets, characterizing the species-specific properties of sturgeon meat. In Trial 5, quality, traceability and safety issues related to processed fish roe products from different species were investigated. FA was performed by GC-FID. Results showed a differentiation among eggs harvested from different fish species. Then, a discriminant model was applied including an external set of sturgeon roes samples, coming from Trial 4, that enabled a good discrimination among roes from sturgeon or other spescies. Additionally, food safety of fish roes products was investigated, proving a general good hygienic level for the products analysed. On the overall, results obtained by this trial suggested fish roes as safe food products, which can also provide human nutrition a valuable content of essential fatty acids. In Trial 6, a multiple headspace solid phase microextraction (MHS-SPME) followed by GC and mass spectrometry detection (MS) was firstly developed and subsequently employed to identify and quantitatively estimate the presence of volatile compounds (VOCs) in white sturgeon caviar during 4 months of ripening. The method allowed the detection and the quantitative estimation of twenty-five VOCs, mainly represented by aldehydes and alcohols, already know as main representative of fish and seafood volatilome, without any severe alteration of the matrix before the analysis and in a short time. Mainly, an increase of the amount of total aldehydes was observed in 4 months of ripening; moreover, the arise of 3-hydroxy-2-butanone was observed at the last sampling time. In Trial 7, a HS-SPME-GC-MS method was applied to evaluate the evolution of the volatile profile in white sturgeon caviar treated with different preservative mixtures in an extended storage time (up to 14 months). Results obtained for the VOCs profile were matched with microbiological analysis. Multivariate statistics allowed the identification of different clusters based on the time of ripening and the preservative treatment used. Particularly, samples added just with salt were characterized by the highest viable counts and the greatest presence of VOCs driven by spoilage processes, strongly enhanced by the prolonged ripening time, pushed beyond the optimal maturation time generally considered in caviar production plants. In Trial 8, a ultra high performance liquid chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) method was developed and optimized in order to characterize the non volatile metabolome of white sturgeon caviar during the ripening. Both the optimization of the method and data analysis were performed by chemometrics techniques. Results showed a strong evolution of the non volatile compounds present in the aqueous phase of sturgeon eggs during the first 4 months of ripening and then a partial stabilization. Most of the compound tentatively identified were associated to a high nutritional value, comprising protein and non protein amino acids, phospholipids species made of long chain and unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins. Moreover, the presence of chemical species related to fundamental impact on the characteristic umami taste in food, such as glutamic acid and nucleotides, were detected.

This dissertation explores the moralization of food economies, increasingly pursued by civil society organizations and groups in the context of global food markets. This subject is here framed in terms of collective disputes over the cultural politics of food quality. The research is based on the case study of Slow Food, an international Italy-based association that has established itself as a significant, effective and controversial actor on the scene of sustainable consumption advocacy. Drawing on qualitative (interviews with key representatives; publications and speeches; participant observation at organizational events) and quantitative sources (a survey on the demographics and initiatives of the Italian association), this work shows how an economic institution and cultural intermediary such as Slow Food acts towards the moralization of food production and consumption by promoting cultural innovations on alternative food markets on one side, and by mobilizing a specific approach to the concept of food quality – one that relies on environmental, social and sensory virtues – on the public arena on the other. Potential, limits, implications of the Slow Food approach to the cultural economy of food circuits and to the ethics of consumption are determined.

The current study conducts a systematic review of authenticity research to conceptualise the indexical-iconic approach for food and travel destinations. It develops the Indexical-Iconic Food Authenticity scale which applies a continuum approach in operationalising indexical and iconic authenticity. The empirical model examines country image for its impact on attitude and behavioural intention under four authenticity conditions. Finally, the model examines food orientation and desire for existential authenticity for moderating effects on the attitude-behavioural intention relationships.

Sushi is now recognized as a typical Japanese food throughout the world. Being sold in a wide variety of shops including both supermarkets and high-end restaurants, it has become one of the world's most coveted delicacies during the past few decades. This simple food has gained great popularity across the world which has resulted in a cultural phenomenon being shared across national borders and regions. Sushi's popularity and longevity contribute to both its perceived historical trajectory and its modern transformations. When talking about sushi, neither "tradition" nor "modern" can be ignored. In this thesis I will examine sushi's changes from its emergence in ancient Japan to the current sushi boom in global markets. I will explore the "authenticity" of modern sushi and its relation to its ceaseless evolution of sushi. I will show that with regulation from Japanese authorities and individuals the "Japaneseness" of sushi does continue.

The tourism industry has a large impact on the environment’s health and tourists’ behaviours as well as consumption attitudes have an important role. Tourists’ food decisions and engagements in sustainable food could encourage the tourism operators to improve their environmental burdens. This essay investigates the experience of organic food as a part of the sustainable development within the tourism industry. A dualistic authenticity framework has been applied and a method to measure and analyse perceived authenticity has been drawn from the literature. Questionnaires were handed out to the guests and the staff at two Swedish hotels. The results revealed that there are several dimensions in the meeting between the customers and the operators that arrange food experiences in touristic contexts. There is an interest for the question of organic food as a part of the environmental sustainable development, both relative to the contemporary tourism industry and for the future convention to a more sustainable development in the tourism industry. The results presented that organic food is experienced as a central concept that could be a part of and have an important role for the future sustainable development within the tourism industry. An important part of this is the importance to be aware of the meeting between the customers and the operators. Sweden has a potential to accomplish a more sustainable tourism industry in the future, but more research and educations with focus on the subject needs to be made.

Definitions of quality are many and varied but focus on three key issues: the customer, the product and/or the manufacturing process. Quality must be appropriate and consistent. Quality is one of the most often-used words in relation to food service operations. The quality of the food that a hotel delivers to its customers is a key part of its product offering. Reputations of hotels ride on consistent food quality and thus food production operations are a critical issue. At present, quality is a source of competitive advantage, but as client demands continue to increase, quality will become essential simply for surviving and succeeding in business. Food production operations can be managed through the application of a systems approach considering the input, process, and output of food. One of the quality management systems used in food production to provide products of consistent quality is the ISO standard, but its manufacturing origins made it too complicated to be applied in service industries, such as hotel operations. This study aims to develop a workable food quality management system to achieve consistent level of food quality through food production processes within hotels using the ISO quality system as a foundation. This research adopts a pragmatic approach as a properly-integrated strategy using a multiple case study of hotel food production operations in and around the Cardiff area. The methodology combined quantitative and qualitative methods to answer the research questions and achieve the aim and objectives. Data collection involved multiple sources of evidence, i.e. an online survey to obtain preliminary information about the hotel approached; semi-structured interviews with managers in charge of food quality in hotels; a management questionnaire; a staff attitude questionnaire with hotel food production staff; non-participant observation of food production processes within hotel food production areas. The results indicated that there was often an over-reliance on individuals rather than systems to provide food of consistent quality in hotel food production operations. A workable system based on effective documentation is needed to ensure consistent level of food quality. Based on the findings, a quality management system based on ISO standards and appropriate for the production of food of consistent quality in hotels is developed. The thesis concludes with recommendations for hotel food production operators to be taken into account to ensure consistency of food quality.

The food sector accounts for $1 of every $6 in the U.S. economy, with more than $700 billion in revenue every year. However, incidents of food safety and substandard quality continue to rise. Consumers are beginning to mistrust and have lower confidence in the food supply chain. Food manufacturers need to address this issue to remain profitable. One approach includes the introduction of food policy programs that allow for independent auditing and certifications such as the Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification. The SQF certification was established as a rigorous and credible benchmark for food handlers to enforce food safety and quality standards. The purpose of this qualitative case study research was to evaluate the perceived usefulness of the SQF certification to food manufacturers. Guided by the theory of diffusion of innovation, data collection for this study included 35 stakeholder semistructured interviews and a review of 5 publicly available documents for triangulation. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was performed to generate answers to the research questions. Study findings revealed that if properly implemented, the SQF certification is a credible and robust GFSI scheme that provides effective guidelines for food production. Findings also revealed 2 opportunities for improvement. Participants noted that training programs for SQF practitioners and auditors should be improved, likewise more commitment and involvement of facility management should be required. The findings may contribute to social change by providing food producers with strategies to minimize food production failures. With the perceived benefits of the SQF certification, other food producers who have not adopted this scheme can benefit from this holistic certification to enhance their food production network.

Today’s pet food industry is growing rapidly, with pet owners demanding high-quality diets for their pets. The primary role of diet is to provide enough nutrients to meet metabolic requirements, while giving the consumer a feeling of well-being. Diet nutrient composition and digestibility are of crucial importance for health and well being of animals. A recent strategy to improve the quality of food is the use of “nutraceuticals” or “Functional foods”. At the moment, probiotics and prebiotics are among the most studied and frequently used functional food compounds in pet foods. The present thesis reported results from three different studies. The first study aimed to develop a simple laboratory method to predict pet foods digestibility. The developed method was based on the two-step multi-enzymatic incubation assay described by Vervaeke et al. (1989), with some modification in order to better represent the digestive physiology of dogs. A trial was then conducted to compare in vivo digestibility of pet-foods and in vitro digestibility using the newly developed method. Correlation coefficients showed a close correlation between digestibility data of total dry matter and crude protein obtained with in vivo and in vitro methods (0.9976 and 0.9957, respectively). Ether extract presented a lower correlation coefficient, although close to 1 (0.9098). Based on the present results, the new method could be considered as an alternative system of evaluation of dog foods digestibility, reducing the need for using experimental animals in digestibility trials. The second parte of the study aimed to isolate from dog faeces a Lactobacillus strain capable of exert a probiotic effect on dog intestinal microflora. A L. animalis strain was isolated from the faeces of 17 adult healthy dogs..The isolated strain was first studied in vitro when it was added to a canine faecal inoculum (at a final concentration of 6 Log CFU/mL) that was incubated in anaerobic serum bottles and syringes which simulated the large intestine of dogs. Samples of fermentation fluid were collected at 0, 4, 8, and 24 hours for analysis (ammonia, SCFA, pH, lactobacilli, enterococci, coliforms, clostridia). Consequently, the L. animalis strain was fed to nine dogs having lactobacilli counts lower than 4.5 Log CFU per g of faeces. The study indicated that the L animalis strain was able to survive gastrointestinal passage and transitorily colonize the dog intestine. Both in vitro and in vivo results showed that the L. animalis strain positively influenced composition and metabolism of the intestinal microflora of dogs. The third trail investigated in vitro the effects of several non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDO) on dog intestinal microflora composition and metabolism. Substrates were fermented using a canine faecal inoculum that was incubated in anaerobic serum bottles and syringes. Substrates were added at the final concentration of 1g/L (inulin, FOS, pectin, lactitol, gluconic acid) or 4g/L (chicory). Samples of fermentation fluid were collected at 0, 6, and 24 hours for analysis (ammonia, SCFA, pH, lactobacilli, enterococci, coliforms). Gas production was measured throughout the 24 h of the study. Among the tested NDO lactitol showed the best prebiotic properties. In fact, it reduced coliforms and increased lactobacilli counts, enhanced microbial fermentation and promoted the production of SCFA while decreasing BCFA. All the substrates that were investigated showed one or more positive effects on dog faecal microflora metabolism or composition. Further studies (in particular in vivo studies with dogs) will be needed to confirm the prebiotic properties of lactitol and evaluate its optimal level of inclusion in the diet.

Today’s pet food industry is growing rapidly, with pet owners demanding high-quality diets for their pets. The primary role of diet is to provide enough nutrients to meet metabolic requirements, while giving the consumer a feeling of well-being. Diet nutrient composition and digestibility are of crucial importance for health and well being of animals. A recent strategy to improve the quality of food is the use of “nutraceuticals” or “Functional foods”. At the moment, probiotics and prebiotics are among the most studied and frequently used functional food compounds in pet foods. The present thesis reported results from three different studies. The first study aimed to develop a simple laboratory method to predict pet foods digestibility. The developed method was based on the two-step multi-enzymatic incubation assay described by Vervaeke et al. (1989), with some modification in order to better represent the digestive physiology of dogs. A trial was then conducted to compare in vivo digestibility of pet-foods and in vitro digestibility using the newly developed method. Correlation coefficients showed a close correlation between digestibility data of total dry matter and crude protein obtained with in vivo and in vitro methods (0.9976 and 0.9957, respectively). Ether extract presented a lower correlation coefficient, although close to 1 (0.9098). Based on the present results, the new method could be considered as an alternative system of evaluation of dog foods digestibility, reducing the need for using experimental animals in digestibility trials. The second parte of the study aimed to isolate from dog faeces a Lactobacillus strain capable of exert a probiotic effect on dog intestinal microflora. A L. animalis strain was isolated from the faeces of 17 adult healthy dogs..The isolated strain was first studied in vitro when it was added to a canine faecal inoculum (at a final concentration of 6 Log CFU/mL) that was incubated in anaerobic serum bottles and syringes which simulated the large intestine of dogs. Samples of fermentation fluid were collected at 0, 4, 8, and 24 hours for analysis (ammonia, SCFA, pH, lactobacilli, enterococci, coliforms, clostridia). Consequently, the L. animalis strain was fed to nine dogs having lactobacilli counts lower than 4.5 Log CFU per g of faeces. The study indicated that the L animalis strain was able to survive gastrointestinal passage and transitorily colonize the dog intestine. Both in vitro and in vivo results showed that the L. animalis strain positively influenced composition and metabolism of the intestinal microflora of dogs. The third trail investigated in vitro the effects of several non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDO) on dog intestinal microflora composition and metabolism. Substrates were fermented using a canine faecal inoculum that was incubated in anaerobic serum bottles and syringes. Substrates were added at the final concentration of 1g/L (inulin, FOS, pectin, lactitol, gluconic acid) or 4g/L (chicory). Samples of fermentation fluid were collected at 0, 6, and 24 hours for analysis (ammonia, SCFA, pH, lactobacilli, enterococci, coliforms). Gas production was measured throughout the 24 h of the study. Among the tested NDO lactitol showed the best prebiotic properties. In fact, it reduced coliforms and increased lactobacilli counts, enhanced microbial fermentation and promoted the production of SCFA while decreasing BCFA. All the substrates that were investigated showed one or more positive effects on dog faecal microflora metabolism or composition. Further studies (in particular in vivo studies with dogs) will be needed to confirm the prebiotic properties of lactitol and evaluate its optimal level of inclusion in the diet.

La globalizzazione del mercato agroalimentare ha determinato una crescente attenzione da parte dei consumatori verso i prodotti alimentari, non solo in termini di qualità e di sicurezza, ma anche di origine geografica. Infatti, il territorio d’origine ha un forte impatto sull’alimento, dovuto alle condizioni pedoclimatiche che ne determinano le caratteristiche. Poiché non esistono dei metodi analitici di routine per l’autenticazione della provenienza geografica, lo scopo del progetto di ricerca è quello di determinare l’origine geografica e l’autenticità degli alimenti mediante profiling dei composti fenolici e steroli, grazie all’applicazione di tecnologie omiche, tecniche statistiche e chemometriche. La componente fenolica e/o steroli dei campioni, viene analizzata tramite cromatografia liquida (UHPLC) accoppiata ad uno spettrometro di massa (Q-TOF-MS). I dati così ottenuti, vengono elaborati mediante statistica multivariata. L’applicazione combinata di avanzate tecnologie omiche e tecniche statistiche chemometriche ha portato come risultato l’effettiva identificazione della provenienza geografica e autenticità di numerose matrici alimentari. I dati ottenuti dimostrano che i metaboliti secondari possiedono proprietà discriminanti. L’approccio di metabolomica UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS combinato a una statistica multivariata risulta essere adeguato per identificare potenziali markers. Il lavoro attuale è focalizzato sulla ricerca di nuovi metaboliti che, insieme a fenoli e steroli possano confermare la potenza di questo approccio.
Nowadays, food traceability is a growing consumer interest worldwide. Food traceability could be considered a fundamental tool for ensuring safety and high quality of food. Food quality is based not only on the safety and integrity of food, but also on the authenticity, the genuineness of the raw material and the geographical origin. The aim of the work was to investigate the potential of untargeted metabolomics to ensure the authenticity and traceability of foods. Secondary metabolites, like polyphenols and sterols, could be conveniently used to meet this goal due to their chemical diversity and their responses to environmental stimuli. Samples were analyzed through UHPLC-ESI/QTOF-MS. The obtained data were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis. The obtained results showed that secondary metabolites can be efficiently used for authenticity and traceability purposes, with regards to cultivars and geographical origin. These information confirm the role of environmental factors in shaping the actual profile of secondary metabolites in plant foods. The markers found could be used for a target quantification method, a less expensive and less sophisticated analysis, in order to provide an efficient tool that could help to guarantee food quality on routine basis.

La globalizzazione del mercato agroalimentare ha determinato una crescente attenzione da parte dei consumatori verso i prodotti alimentari, non solo in termini di qualità e di sicurezza, ma anche di origine geografica. Infatti, il territorio d’origine ha un forte impatto sull’alimento, dovuto alle condizioni pedoclimatiche che ne determinano le caratteristiche. Poiché non esistono dei metodi analitici di routine per l’autenticazione della provenienza geografica, lo scopo del progetto di ricerca è quello di determinare l’origine geografica e l’autenticità degli alimenti mediante profiling dei composti fenolici e steroli, grazie all’applicazione di tecnologie omiche, tecniche statistiche e chemometriche. La componente fenolica e/o steroli dei campioni, viene analizzata tramite cromatografia liquida (UHPLC) accoppiata ad uno spettrometro di massa (Q-TOF-MS). I dati così ottenuti, vengono elaborati mediante statistica multivariata. L’applicazione combinata di avanzate tecnologie omiche e tecniche statistiche chemometriche ha portato come risultato l’effettiva identificazione della provenienza geografica e autenticità di numerose matrici alimentari. I dati ottenuti dimostrano che i metaboliti secondari possiedono proprietà discriminanti. L’approccio di metabolomica UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS combinato a una statistica multivariata risulta essere adeguato per identificare potenziali markers. Il lavoro attuale è focalizzato sulla ricerca di nuovi metaboliti che, insieme a fenoli e steroli possano confermare la potenza di questo approccio.
Nowadays, food traceability is a growing consumer interest worldwide. Food traceability could be considered a fundamental tool for ensuring safety and high quality of food. Food quality is based not only on the safety and integrity of food, but also on the authenticity, the genuineness of the raw material and the geographical origin. The aim of the work was to investigate the potential of untargeted metabolomics to ensure the authenticity and traceability of foods. Secondary metabolites, like polyphenols and sterols, could be conveniently used to meet this goal due to their chemical diversity and their responses to environmental stimuli. Samples were analyzed through UHPLC-ESI/QTOF-MS. The obtained data were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis. The obtained results showed that secondary metabolites can be efficiently used for authenticity and traceability purposes, with regards to cultivars and geographical origin. These information confirm the role of environmental factors in shaping the actual profile of secondary metabolites in plant foods. The markers found could be used for a target quantification method, a less expensive and less sophisticated analysis, in order to provide an efficient tool that could help to guarantee food quality on routine basis.

This study uses three case studies to show how authenticity is fabricated in food culture. Conceptualizing food as a cultural product makes possible the analysis of social processes through food. In doing so, food becomes a mirror reflecting the happenings within the broader social world. This study examines three empirical cases to sociologically understand food culture: southern barbeque, Top Chef, and ramps and quinoa. Southern barbeque allows the examination of the role of fabricated authenticity within food culture. Top Chef is evidence of how chefs actively produce distinction to legitimate their position and status within the field. Ramps and quinoa are examples of two ingredients that have been exploited from their original context to become elite and mainstream ingredients without concern for the consequences to the people who relied on them in the quest for the exotic. Together these cases provide examples of how research on the fabrication of authenticity and impression management can be expanded to include food.
Ph. D.

This Ph.D. project aimed to the development and improvement of analytical solutions for control of quality and authenticity of virgin olive oils. According to this main objective, different research activities were carried out: concerning the quality control of olive oil, two of the official parameters defined by regulations (free acidity and fatty acid ethyl esters) were taken into account, and more sustainable and easier analytical solutions were developed and validated in-house. Regarding authenticity, two different issues were faced: verification of the geographical origin of extra virgin (EVOOs) and virgin olive oils (VOOs), and assessment of soft-deodorized oils illegally mixed with EVOOs. About fatty acid ethyl esters, a revised method based on the application of off-line HPLC-GC-FID (with PTV injector), revising both the preparative phase and the GC injector required in the official method, was developed. Next, the method was in-house validated evaluating several parameters. Concerning free acidity, a portable system suitable for in-situ measurements of VOO free acidity was developed and in-house validated. Its working principle is based on the estimation of the olive oil free acidity by measuring the conductance of an emulsion between a hydro-alcoholic solution and the sample to be tested. The procedure is very quick and easy and, therefore, suitable for people without specific training. Another study developed during the Ph.D. was about the application of flash gas chromatography for volatile compounds analysis, combined with untargeted chemometric data elaborations, for discrimination of EVOOs and VOOs of different geographical origin. A set of 210 samples coming from different EU member states and extra-EU countries were collected and analyzed. Data were elaborated applying two different classification techniques, one linear (PLS-DA) and one non-linear (ANN). Finally, a preliminary study about the application of GC-IMS (Gas Chromatograph - Ion Mobility Spectrometer) for assessment of soft-deodorized olive oils was carried out.

In this thesis I critically explore the relationship between authenticity, the individual, society and the food consumed within that society for a group of residents in Dorset in the United Kingdom. . The authenticity of food impacts on our understandings of the economic, social, political and environmental contexts of food and is worthy of research. As such I focused on my participants’ perceptions of the authenticity of food as something a priori; as it was perceived before other considerations, in ordered to get a primary understanding of the subject. I have positioned myself as a reflexive explorer / researcher who views the world from the position of interpretive constructionism derived from the ideas of postmodernism. I have utilized a qualitative research strategy; phenomenology and more specifically Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). My explanation of the methodology is accompanied by a description of the philosophical underpinning to the work with specific reference to Husserl, Heidegger, Gadamer, Levinas and Derrida. Data were collected using focus groups based around a meal. When I asked my focus group participants about their perspectives on the nature of the authenticity of food, they described understandings that were vested in four key areas: Family and friends; Saucing: cooking and flavour; Sourcing: where does it come from? and; Interaction with the distinctly other (people that were not friends and family). In terms of the discussion of family and friends, much of this was to do with their experiences of growing up and their relationships with their parents and grandparents. In analysis, ideas such as time, tradition, heritage and gender came to the fore. When looking at saucing, the focus was on the process of cooking and eating, and memories of flavour and aroma. Sourcing highlighted feelings of localness and led to the development of concepts relating to connectedness to those that produce the food and connection to the food itself. There were also concerns as to the provenance of food and feelings of trust and mistrust. Finally, in looking at the distinctly other, as opposed to kith and kin, participants related experiences of trust and vulnerability, authority and independence, and inclusion and exclusion. These ideas informed a discussion on the nature of hospitality in the context of the authenticity of food. In my conclusions I describe how I found my participants’ perceptions of authentic food to be constructed in a place between them as individuals and the Other and changed over time. Perceptions of authenticity were fluid and playful. I also evaluate the work using the criteria of rigour, resonance, reflexivity and relevance, where relevance is split to look at relevance to the academic community and to broader society.

Positive relationships are considered to be one of the most important protective factors in the development of the individual. Relational Competence Theory states that there are competen-cies that promote the establishment and maintenance of positive relationships. Danish family therapist and writer Jesper Juul defined relational competence as a loosely interconnected set of relational values and attitudes. The current study examines if relational values and attitudes can be used to predict relationship quality. A survey conducted with a small sample (N = 51) of parents of junior high school students in Central Switzerland was used to measure the predictor variables Respect for the Other’s Individuality, Authenticity, and Responsibility for the Rela-tionship, as well as two different measures of relationship quality. The variables were measured both for the relationships between parents and their children and romantic partner relationships. A regression analysis showed that the three predictors significantly predicted relationship quali-ty in both types of relationship. The effect sizes varied from medium to large. Even though these findings are not causal in their nature, they suggest that these three variables may be part of a wider set of relational values and attitudes that promote positive relational outcomes. One possible implication may be that individuals can improve their relationships by reconsidering their relational attitudes and values.

Quality protein maize (QPM), high protein corn (HPC) and food grade maize (FGM) were processed into tortillas and direct expanded extruded snacks. QPM had similar test weight, density and kernel size with 45% more lysine and 38% more tryptophan compared to FGM. HPC had the largest kernel with density and test weight similar to FGM. During alkaline cooking, HPC absorbed water faster than QPM and FGM. White QPM required shorter cooking time and had less dry matter losses compared to FGM. All corn varieties had excellent pericarp removal at the optimum cooking time. Tortillas from QPM had better pliability and rollability after storage compared to FGM and HPC. HPC tortillas had lower rupture force after storage. The use of QPM for tortilla production may reduce energy and sewage cost, and could produce a tortilla with longer shelf stability with improved nutritional value. Decorticated and non-decorticated QPM, FGM and HPC grain were processed into corn meal and direct expanded snacks. A modified short scale dry milling system was used to produce the corn meal. QPM produced more coarse meal with greater fat content compared to FGM. Decortication decreased fiber content and coarse meal yield. Non-decorticated meal had greater protein, fiber and fat content compared to decorticated meal. The modified short flow milling system provides reduced lost fractions for extrusion into nutritionally improved products. Extrusion was performed in a low cost friction extruder. QPM extruded faster than FGM and HPC. FGM required greater specific mechanical energy than QPM. Extrudates from FGM were the most expanded followed by QPM and HPC. Extrudates from the three corn varieties were acceptable to the panelists and decortication did not affect acceptability. The improved nutritional value of QPM, was retained during dry milling and extrusion. Current QPM varieties can be processed into tortillas with longer shelf stability and meal for extrusion into a wide variety of snacks and other foods. These may have application in specialty health foods and in developing countries where maize is a staple food.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2007.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 87 p. : ill. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Cincinnati, 2008.
Advisor: David Saile PhD (Committee Chair), Michael Zaretsky (Committee Co-Chair), Virginia Russell MLA (Committee Member). Title from electronic thesis title page (viewed Feb. 8, 2009). Includes abstract. Keywords: Sustainability; eco branding; ecological place-making; organic food facilities. Includes bibliographical references.

Qualità e sicurezza degli alimenti, inclusa la loro tracciabilità ed autenticità, è diventato ngli ultimi anni obiettivo primario per la salute e il benessere dei consumatori. Il progetto è diretto allo sviluppo e applicazione di metodiche DNA-based per la tracciabilità di specie vegetali, varietà di frumento duro e microorganismi a difesa della qualita’, salubrita’ ed autenticità della filiera grano e prodotti processati. Le attività progettuali dello studio sono finanziate da industria (Barilla S.P.A.) con il coinvolgimento di enti pubblici di ricerca (Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore Di Piacenza, CREA-GB di Fiorenzuola D’arda). Il progetto si articola in tre argomenti principali: WP1.Tracciabilità di specie vegetali nella filiera pasta. Tracciabilità di varietà di frumento duro nella filiera pasta A questo scopo sono state intraprese nel secondo anno di attività due azioni dirette allo sviluppo e validazione di due diverse metodiche di fingerprinting varietale. Partendo dalle direttive UPOV in materia di impiego di marcatori molecolari per la caratterizzazione varietale è stata applicata e validata su di un pool di 26 varietà di interesse per l’industria un’ analisi basata su di una combinazione di marcatori SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats) che ha consentito di identificare in maniera univoca ciascuna delle varietà in esame. Il saggio è stato trasferito ai laboratori dell’industria che lo applica attualmente nella routine per il controllo di partite di granella. A fronte della robustezza dell’analisi SSR si pongono però i lunghi tempi analitici. Per ottimizzare questo aspetto si è completata un’attività di sequenziamento parziale del genoma di 28 varietà presenti in due repliche biologiche (52 campioni) e 12 mix di DNA di due varietà (4 differenti percentuali per ogni coppia di varietà miscelate). I dati ottenuti hanno fornito circa 15.000 marcatori molecolari DArT-seq (Diversity Array Technology ) e SNP (Simple Nucleotide Polimorphisms). Dall’intero set di marcatori è stato quindi individuato, attraverso una procedura bioinformatica, un set ridotto di marcatori ad alta informatività in grado di identificare univocamente le singole varietà e di predire la presenza di altre varietà in miscela e la percentuale di contaminazione. WP2.Tracciabilità Di Microrganismi Fungini Nella Filiera Pasta Questo studio è volto al controllo e identificazione di specie microbiche patogene che possono svilupparsi lungo la filiera grano con conseguente impatto negativo sulla salubrità di granella, di semole e dei prodotti finiti. A questo scopo sono stati prodotti campioni di granella a contaminazione controllata. Si è costituita attraverso l’analisi delle sequenze Barcode una ceppoteca che comprende i maggiori patogeni fungini che possono contaminare la granella durante la crescita della pianta in campo o durante lo stoccaggio della granella. Dopo l’inoculo artificiale dei singoli ceppi in due varietà di frumento duro, sono stati raccolti, a tempi crescenti, campioni di spighe e granella. La metodica è risultata rapida e sensibile nell’identificazione di DNA fungino fin dalle prime fasi dell’infezione, quando i sintomi della malattia risultavano ancora non ancora visibili. Le informazioni di sequenza Barcoding, in prospettiva, potranno essere utilizzate per sviluppare nuovi metodi di identificazione fungina più sensibili e rapidi. WP3. Identificazione molecolare di microrganismi vivi o morti in pesto L’obiettivo di questo lavoro è stato quello di sviluppare metodiche di V-qPCR (Viability-PCR), per permettere l’identificazione, quantificazione e discriminazione cellule microbiche vive o morte in alimentiprocessati, come il pesto. Per lo studio è stato scelto il batterio patogeno B.cereus, microrganismo ubiquitario, patogeno e sporigeno di difficile identificazione soprattutto in matrici complesse. Durante questo lavoro è stato sviluppato un protocollo analitico che prevede l’estrazione del DNA batterico da pesto, matrice interferente e complessa. Parte del lavoro è stata svolta presso l’Istituto di Microbiologia dell’Università Cattolica e l’Istituto IATA CSIC Institut d’Agroquímica i Tecnologia dels Aliments in Valencia.
Food quality and safety, including food traceability and authenticity, have become crucial in the last decades. Today, molecular and genetic progress can support the agri-food industry, due to the improvement of new analytical tools. Among the available applications, DNA-based methods can detect the presence of a particular species or variety along the food supply chain, verify the genetic identity of food and feed ingredients and detecting the presence of contaminating organisms, thus becoming an essential tool to study patterns, causes, and risk factors of diseases and outbreaks. As a consequence, genetic analysis has become increasingly popular even among non-specialists and highly beneficial for consumers, agricultural farmers, governments, and the private sector (Reid, O’Donnell, and Downey 2006). In this framework, the research developed in this thesis arises by active collaboration between the private company Barilla G. & R. Fratelli S.p.A., the public research institute CREA-GB (Consiglio per la Ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell Economia Agraria) and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, to develop a set of DNA-based methods to improve the traceability and authenticity of plant and microbial species and durum wheat varieties applicable from farm to fork. Following these aims, the research developed in this thesis includes: 1. The optimization and validation of qPCR assay for the discrimination of plant species along the pasta production chain through the organization of a ring test involving nine Italian public and private laboratories. The results obtained in this study were published in the Journal of Cereal Science (Chapter 2); 2. The discrimination of durum wheat varieties by selecting SSRs and DarT molecular markers as reliable methods for variety fingerprinting (Chapter 3). The results confirm the sensitivity of the method and the feasibility to 7 protect the food industry from fraud and ensure the consumer a certified pasta quality; 3. The application of the Barcoding technique and the development of qPCR assay for the identification and quantification of field fungi (Fusarium, Alternaria, Michrodochium, Cochliobolus spp.) and saprophytic fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium, Rhizopus spp) along the wheat chain (Chapter 3). The sensitivity of the method was investigated by inoculating potted durum wheat plants at full anthesis and wheat kernels (pre and postharvest trials). The DNA-based methods demonstrate a key role in pathogen detection and the application in several points of the wheat chain (e.g., for control of both locally and imported grains, for storage lots, to evaluate the environmental risk associated with grain powder for farmers and workers); 4. The optimization of Viability q-PCR (V-qPCR) for the discrimination of dead and alive Bacillus cereus, a spore-forming bacteria (Chapter 4). The results of PMAxx, combined with qPCR, have demonstrated the selective discrimination of B.cereus viable cells, with no false-positive signals determined by dead cells, a peculiar aspect of thermally treated food; 5. The comparison of two DNA extraction kits (FastDNA® SPIN Kit for Soil – MB and NucleoSpin Tissue - Macherey Nagel) by detecting B.cereus spores in basil pesto sauce, selected as a model food matrix. Despite the limit of detection (LOD) achieved (respectively 1.8x102 spores/gr by using Fast DNA TM SPIN and 2.7 x 105 spores/gr by using NucleoSpin®), the principal challenge remains the spores' DNA extraction from the complex matrix. Lastly, the results obtained during the doctoral research project were globally discussed (Chapter 5).

Qualità e sicurezza degli alimenti, inclusa la loro tracciabilità ed autenticità, è diventato ngli ultimi anni obiettivo primario per la salute e il benessere dei consumatori. Il progetto è diretto allo sviluppo e applicazione di metodiche DNA-based per la tracciabilità di specie vegetali, varietà di frumento duro e microorganismi a difesa della qualita’, salubrita’ ed autenticità della filiera grano e prodotti processati. Le attività progettuali dello studio sono finanziate da industria (Barilla S.P.A.) con il coinvolgimento di enti pubblici di ricerca (Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore Di Piacenza, CREA-GB di Fiorenzuola D’arda). Il progetto si articola in tre argomenti principali: WP1.Tracciabilità di specie vegetali nella filiera pasta. Tracciabilità di varietà di frumento duro nella filiera pasta A questo scopo sono state intraprese nel secondo anno di attività due azioni dirette allo sviluppo e validazione di due diverse metodiche di fingerprinting varietale. Partendo dalle direttive UPOV in materia di impiego di marcatori molecolari per la caratterizzazione varietale è stata applicata e validata su di un pool di 26 varietà di interesse per l’industria un’ analisi basata su di una combinazione di marcatori SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats) che ha consentito di identificare in maniera univoca ciascuna delle varietà in esame. Il saggio è stato trasferito ai laboratori dell’industria che lo applica attualmente nella routine per il controllo di partite di granella. A fronte della robustezza dell’analisi SSR si pongono però i lunghi tempi analitici. Per ottimizzare questo aspetto si è completata un’attività di sequenziamento parziale del genoma di 28 varietà presenti in due repliche biologiche (52 campioni) e 12 mix di DNA di due varietà (4 differenti percentuali per ogni coppia di varietà miscelate). I dati ottenuti hanno fornito circa 15.000 marcatori molecolari DArT-seq (Diversity Array Technology ) e SNP (Simple Nucleotide Polimorphisms). Dall’intero set di marcatori è stato quindi individuato, attraverso una procedura bioinformatica, un set ridotto di marcatori ad alta informatività in grado di identificare univocamente le singole varietà e di predire la presenza di altre varietà in miscela e la percentuale di contaminazione. WP2.Tracciabilità Di Microrganismi Fungini Nella Filiera Pasta Questo studio è volto al controllo e identificazione di specie microbiche patogene che possono svilupparsi lungo la filiera grano con conseguente impatto negativo sulla salubrità di granella, di semole e dei prodotti finiti. A questo scopo sono stati prodotti campioni di granella a contaminazione controllata. Si è costituita attraverso l’analisi delle sequenze Barcode una ceppoteca che comprende i maggiori patogeni fungini che possono contaminare la granella durante la crescita della pianta in campo o durante lo stoccaggio della granella. Dopo l’inoculo artificiale dei singoli ceppi in due varietà di frumento duro, sono stati raccolti, a tempi crescenti, campioni di spighe e granella. La metodica è risultata rapida e sensibile nell’identificazione di DNA fungino fin dalle prime fasi dell’infezione, quando i sintomi della malattia risultavano ancora non ancora visibili. Le informazioni di sequenza Barcoding, in prospettiva, potranno essere utilizzate per sviluppare nuovi metodi di identificazione fungina più sensibili e rapidi. WP3. Identificazione molecolare di microrganismi vivi o morti in pesto L’obiettivo di questo lavoro è stato quello di sviluppare metodiche di V-qPCR (Viability-PCR), per permettere l’identificazione, quantificazione e discriminazione cellule microbiche vive o morte in alimentiprocessati, come il pesto. Per lo studio è stato scelto il batterio patogeno B.cereus, microrganismo ubiquitario, patogeno e sporigeno di difficile identificazione soprattutto in matrici complesse. Durante questo lavoro è stato sviluppato un protocollo analitico che prevede l’estrazione del DNA batterico da pesto, matrice interferente e complessa. Parte del lavoro è stata svolta presso l’Istituto di Microbiologia dell’Università Cattolica e l’Istituto IATA CSIC Institut d’Agroquímica i Tecnologia dels Aliments in Valencia.
Food quality and safety, including food traceability and authenticity, have become crucial in the last decades. Today, molecular and genetic progress can support the agri-food industry, due to the improvement of new analytical tools. Among the available applications, DNA-based methods can detect the presence of a particular species or variety along the food supply chain, verify the genetic identity of food and feed ingredients and detecting the presence of contaminating organisms, thus becoming an essential tool to study patterns, causes, and risk factors of diseases and outbreaks. As a consequence, genetic analysis has become increasingly popular even among non-specialists and highly beneficial for consumers, agricultural farmers, governments, and the private sector (Reid, O’Donnell, and Downey 2006). In this framework, the research developed in this thesis arises by active collaboration between the private company Barilla G. & R. Fratelli S.p.A., the public research institute CREA-GB (Consiglio per la Ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell Economia Agraria) and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, to develop a set of DNA-based methods to improve the traceability and authenticity of plant and microbial species and durum wheat varieties applicable from farm to fork. Following these aims, the research developed in this thesis includes: 1. The optimization and validation of qPCR assay for the discrimination of plant species along the pasta production chain through the organization of a ring test involving nine Italian public and private laboratories. The results obtained in this study were published in the Journal of Cereal Science (Chapter 2); 2. The discrimination of durum wheat varieties by selecting SSRs and DarT molecular markers as reliable methods for variety fingerprinting (Chapter 3). The results confirm the sensitivity of the method and the feasibility to 7 protect the food industry from fraud and ensure the consumer a certified pasta quality; 3. The application of the Barcoding technique and the development of qPCR assay for the identification and quantification of field fungi (Fusarium, Alternaria, Michrodochium, Cochliobolus spp.) and saprophytic fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium, Rhizopus spp) along the wheat chain (Chapter 3). The sensitivity of the method was investigated by inoculating potted durum wheat plants at full anthesis and wheat kernels (pre and postharvest trials). The DNA-based methods demonstrate a key role in pathogen detection and the application in several points of the wheat chain (e.g., for control of both locally and imported grains, for storage lots, to evaluate the environmental risk associated with grain powder for farmers and workers); 4. The optimization of Viability q-PCR (V-qPCR) for the discrimination of dead and alive Bacillus cereus, a spore-forming bacteria (Chapter 4). The results of PMAxx, combined with qPCR, have demonstrated the selective discrimination of B.cereus viable cells, with no false-positive signals determined by dead cells, a peculiar aspect of thermally treated food; 5. The comparison of two DNA extraction kits (FastDNA® SPIN Kit for Soil – MB and NucleoSpin Tissue - Macherey Nagel) by detecting B.cereus spores in basil pesto sauce, selected as a model food matrix. Despite the limit of detection (LOD) achieved (respectively 1.8x102 spores/gr by using Fast DNA TM SPIN and 2.7 x 105 spores/gr by using NucleoSpin®), the principal challenge remains the spores' DNA extraction from the complex matrix. Lastly, the results obtained during the doctoral research project were globally discussed (Chapter 5).

The market for local organic foods in the United States has grown tremendously in recent years. Compared to a meager existence just a decade ago, local organic options now flourish through the form of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), thousands of farmers markets, community cooperative grocery stores, and upscale restaurants. Interestingly, the greatest percentage of growth in farmers markets in the US has occurred in the last 2-3 years during the Great Recession despite economic downturn. This changing nature of agriculture and new developments of alternative niche markets have captured the attention of scholars. Most studies tend to focus on economic, organizational, or even nutritional elements reflected in the food industry. Less emphasis, however, has been devoted to the roles of cultural consumption, values, and desires that have propagated the swift and substantial growth of this movement. Direct sales in local organic niche markets and the CSA model provide an atmosphere for repetitive interpersonal interaction between farmer and buyer around a product infused with shared meaning. I utilize ethnographic data from an extended case of a local organic farm in Southern Arizona and interviews with over 50 of their CSA members. This dissertation addresses how and why both producers and consumers co-produce alternative visions and meanings that sustain a viable local niche food economy. I argue that the members involved in this niche market sector hold unified reactions against the global expansionary aims of food corporations. Inverse to market forces, the cultural and economic ethos driving this movement originates from appreciation for craft production as an expression of commodity de-fetishization, personal investment and embeddedness in local economies, and desires for authenticity in community and consumption.

This commentary reports on work published between 2005 and 2015 forming a record of a varied career building technical competence alongside strategic skills in the analytical chemistry and molecular biology of food. The unifying theme is practice based problem solving in the scientific regulation and enforcement of food safety and authenticity. The work demonstrates advances in sound, forensically robust, measurement science addressing problems arising from food additives, food authenticity and food allergens. In particular the mature discipline that underpins the regulation and enforcement of food additives is shown to be needed for the management of food allergens. The background to food regulation and enforcement is described alongside technical appeals in the official food control system to develop societally meaningful food surveillance, supported by a sustainable UK based official food control infrastructure (Public Analyst service) at the interface between science and the law. For food additives, publication of previously un-collated results informs regulatory practice and demonstrates the value of scientific collaboration between both jurisdictions on the island of Ireland. A definitive strategy is reported for the chemical analysis and risk assessment of ‘jelly mini-cups’ in which gel forming additives have caused choking fatalities and solutions to problems in the analysis of two illegal toxic additives, morpholine and dimethyl yellow are described. For food allergens the portfolio includes the first study to assess in quantitative terms the level of risk to peanut allergic consumers in take-away catering, leading to better training and similar work on coeliac disease and the availability of ‘gluten-free’ food. Systematic assessment of food allergen analysis and a programme of analytical improvement to support allergen risk assessment and risk management are discussed. A narrative account of an allergen related food sabotage incident and the subsequent Crown Court case and previously uncollated reports of court-sanctions for allergen noncompliances, severe incidents and deaths make key policy and practice recommendations for improvement in these areas. Page 7 of 162 In the study of food authenticity a critical review describes the nitrogen content of important species in the food supply chain as a proxy in the quantitative estimation of high value flesh foods in compound products. An exemplar study follows determining previously unavailable nitrogen factor data for farmed salmon and salmon frame mince. A critical survey of the up skilling of the UK Official Food Control System in DNA food authenticity techniques and major historical and contemporary reviews of food fraud (butter and horsemeat) support substantial policy and analytical recommendations. Many threats to our food supply can be assessed and managed only with the assistance of measurement science. Integrating elements of chemico-legal practice including lessons learned from ‘referee analyses’ and metrology in chemistry this commentary concludes with a synthesis describing major changes in the UK scientific food control system stemming from the author’s involvement in the ‘Elliott Review’ and recommendations for an international programme of work on food allergen analysis with interconnected learning for the benefit of the analytical and regulatory communities and society at large.

There is nowadays more awareness on the impact on health of pollutants emitted even during cooking both from commercial as well as from domestic activities. In this study, it has been set up a new system allowing to analyse by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted during cooking. This could be done by aspiring into a polyethylene terephthalate (PET, Nalophan) bag the air over a cooking process. The bag allows to transport the sample to the instrument location and to perform the SPME extraction of the sampled air. The efficiency of different systems to perform the SPME extraction from the air contained in the bag was assessed by using a standard mixture of alkanes in order to obtain a sufficient sensitivity. Then the defined system was used to extract and analyse VOCs in air obtained during frying fries in sunflower oil. Several SPME extraction times (1h, 3h, 5h, 7h and 24h) were evaluated bringing to results that can be useful both with short extraction times and with long extraction times. Then the evaluation of three different filters was performed. Thus, the developed system, combining the use of olfactometric bags and the SPME-GC-MS, is applied for the first time to the study VOCs emitted during cooking and it allows to perform the analysis, even on samples produced in sites far from the instrument location, in an easy way and with instrumentations available in most of the laboratories. The results show a different retention effect for each filter under investigation on the classes of molecules detected. In particular, it has been found that, one of the three examined filters gives better filtering performance than the other two, confirmed also by the statistical analysis. This study draws the attention on the characterization of high quality monovarietal extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) produced in Marche Region (Italy), in order to find new possible markers of quality. Five different cultivars were selected and investigated: Ascolana Tenera, Coroncina, Mignola, Piantone di Mogliano and Raggia. The study was developed in two different years (2015 and 2016) to underline possible correlation between the same varieties. Meanwhile, a comparison with EVOOs from the large scale distribution was carried out. Chemical analysis and sensory characterization were performed, paying particular attention to the determination of molecules responsible for the sensory and healthy properties, such as volatile and polyphenols substances. Ergosterol ((3β,22E)-ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3-ol) is produced by fungi and yeasts, i.e. organisms involved in the degradation of olives. In the present study, it was investigated whether ergosterol could be used as a marker to assess the quality of the olives from which the oil is produced. Ergosterol was quantified in extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) having different level of quality developing an on-line HPLC-GC-MS method based on the on-line HPLC-GC method previously used to determine total sterol content. Oils were transmethylated to liberate ergosterol that was isolated from the far larger amounts of other sterols by HPLC on silica gel and transferred to GC by concurrent eluent evaporation. Preliminary results will be presented and discussed.

Geographers have investigated agri-foods, commodity chains, 'alternative' food networks, 'local' production, and multicultural cuisine. However, the relationship between food, place, boundaries, environmental determinism, and authenticity remains under-researched. This thesis seeks to redress this deficiency with a detailed study of the construction of the Protected Food Names (PFN) scheme in the UK. PFNs are a type of Intellectual Property (IP) and form the European component of the international Geographical Indications (GI) system. These place-based foods and drinks originate from defined and bounded areas and are produced in supposedly traditional ways. Their manufacturers consider them unreplicable outside the protected zone. This qualitative investigation of three PFNs – Melton Mowbray Pork Pies, Stilton Cheese, and Grimsby Traditional Smoked Fish – critiques the ways in which ideas of place, boundaries, and authenticity are invoked by producers. The thesis interrogates how manufacturers understand place and its boundedness, employ supposedly 'objective' historical evidence, and apply the ambiguous notion of authenticity to stabilise and sustain local practices. The study also examines the strategies deployed to generate consumer interest in an era where uniqueness is an important marker of value. This work thus introduces a different conceptual angle to accounts of the PFN structure which primarily privilege legal or economistic assessments. It aims instead to deconstruct the geographical concepts on which the PFN edifice is based. The ultimate aim is to draw attention to the vagaries inherent in the increasingly hegemonic GI model. This research connects with geographical debates about the construction of place and boundaries, the social production of authenticity, the role of selective historical 'facts' in the development of narratives about place, and the 'selling' of location and its products. It therefore provides a lens through which the foundations and everyday operation of the GI system can be profitably analysed.

73 pp.
Originally developed in Iowa and adapted for Arizona. Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance Member Manual; Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance Activity Guide.
This trainer's reference is for use in implementing the youth livestock quality assurance program. The curriculum is designed to provide youth and adults with a better understanding of the risks involved in the food production industry, better understand the Good Production Practices (GPP's) that can help them produce a safer product and therefore, implement these GPP's in their own livestock production system.

32 pp.
Originally developed in Iowa and adapted for Arizona. Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance Trainer's Reference; Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance Activity Guide.
The youth manual is a reference manual for the youth livestock quality assurance program. The curriculum is designed to provide youth and adults with a better understanding of the risks involved in the food production industry, better understand the good Production Practices (GPP's) that can help them produce a safer product and therefore, implement these GPP's in their own livestock production system.

32 pp.
Originally developed in Iowa and adapted for Arizona. Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance Trainer's Reference; Arizona Youth Livestock Quality Assurance Activity Guide.
The youth manual is a reference manual for the youth livestock quality assurance program. The curriculum is designed to provide youth and adults with a better understanding of the risks involved in the food production industry, better understand the good Production Practices (GPP's) that can help them produce a safer product and therefore, implement these GPP's in their own livestock production system.

By tradition, archival sciences has emerged in a context with defined information processes, with explicit information producers and custodians to which consumers make requests for the information. In this process, the archival science has developed methods and strategies to preserve authentic and reliable records and by that providing trustworthy information. In an online society, people are using the internet to get information for different purposes. Even though there is no legal obligation to guarantee the authenticity, it is of societal importance that the end users get trustworthy information. In this online context, open data is a trend that is growing fast over the world and it is interesting because its conditions raises many questions regarding authenticity. Since open data is free to reuse, link and combine with other information, and it is preferably in primary format it raises questions about how to maintain the integrity and identity of the information, which is the constituents of authenticity as it is used in this work. The idea in this essay is to discuss challenges with maintaining the authenticity for open data and also identify possible measures to promote authentic open data information on the web, so that the end users get the possibilities to assess its trustworthiness and fit for use. The essay is a qualitative text analyses, with the theoretical base in the InterPARES project results. Open Government Working groups 8 principles and Open Knowledge Foundations definition is discussed, as is also the discussion from other disciplines about provenance on the web, and ideas from digital records forensic. The results indicate that there are great challenges to maintain the authenticity of open data but there are also some solutions. Recorded provenance and traceability are key factors to enable the evaluation of the authenticity. But first the concept authenticity has to be interpreted in a wider sense. There is a need to maintain the authenticity of the parts, the data, in the information. Because the information is used in parts and if the new information created from it will be reliable, it need accurate data with established identity.

Copepods live in a nutritionally dilute environment, experiencing temporal and spatial variations in food supply which differ in magnitude and predictability. Understanding the mechanisms by which organisms deal with changes in their food is a primary concern in elucidating the nutritional ecology of zooplankton and the role of food in structuring zooplankton communities. In this thesis, I examine changes in behavior, morphology, and physiology of two species of calanoid copepods (Diaptomus kenai and D. leptopus) in response to variation in food composition and density. In Chapter Two, I present a study of population-level responses to variation in food composition and quality, using fertilization techniques to generate a range of phytoplankton communities in field enclosures. The phytoplankton assemblages studied supported copepod populations which differed in such attributes as population size, reproduction, and body size. The most striking finding of this study was the occurrence of two co-existing size classes of D. kenai, the abundance and clutch size of which varied among the enclosures, suggesting differences between the two classes in their ability to utilize the different phytoplankton communities. Chapter Three investigates patterns of lipid storage in response to changes in food supply. I concluded that lipid stores were affected by species composition of the phytoplankton food and the two copepod species differed in their sensitivity to differences in cell chemistry. Chapter Four investigates behavioral responses of the two size classes of D. kenai to changes in food composition and abundance. Subtle differences in feeding behavior suggest that the two sizes differ in their utilization of available food. These results demonstrate that D. kenai and D. leptopus are capable of responding to changes in their food supply through modifications of their behavior, morphology, and physiology over a range of magnitudes and time scales. There can be very subtle changes in feeding behavior or very pronounced changes in size structure. Responses occur over time scales ranging from hours to days to seasons. These results also bring into question the utility of models generated under laboratory conditions in predicting behaviors or dynamics of copepod populations and communities in nature.
Science, Faculty of
Zoology, Department of
Graduate

Food industry is demanding for fast screening methodologies in order to guaranty food quality and safety. These methodologies should allow high throughput with sufficient accuracy and reproducibility. In this context, MS-Sensor is a challenging approach since it allows simultaneous determination of compounds in food matrices and complex mixtures with a high sample throughput. The basic working principle of MS-Sensor systems is based on the introduction of volatile components extracted from the headspace of a sample into the ionization chamber of a mass spectrometer. The mass spectra resulting from the ionization and fragmentation of this extract constitute a very complex ionization pattern that can be seen as a 'fingerprint' which is characteristic of the matrix being analyzed. These ionisation patterns are then processed by pattern recognition engines to perform tasks such as classification, recognition and, to a limited extent, quantification.This thesis is devoted to study the possibilities and capabilities of MS-Sensor approach to its application in several food quality related problems such as the determination rancidity levels in crisps; the detection of fungal spoilage in bakery products, the monitoring of sardines freshness under cold storage; the classification of virgin olive oils according its organoleptic properties and the discrimination of two Iberian ham qualities according pig's feeding. In each one of these applications it has been demonstrated the feasibility of using a MS-Sensor to solve the food quality problem under study. It has been widely demonstrated that the MS-Sensor profile can be considered as a useful fingerprint technique for characterization of the targeted quality property and, as in certain cases, even for quantification of several parameters correlated with this problem.Despite that feasibility of MS-Sensor has been widely demonstrated for the applications under study, this approach stills suffer from some weakness or drawbacks that may influence performance of MS-Sensor. Main drawbacks are the inherent high dimensionality of data response matrices and the low selectivity of m/z fragments pseudosensors used as variables in these matrices.These two drawbacks could be responsible for the lack of reproducibility showed by MS-Sensor systems in certain applications mentioned above. In order to success in the development of such applications it was necessary to figure out different strategies for overcoming this high dimensionality and the low selectivity. In order to handle the low selectivity of m/z fragments several new methodologies based on the use of multi-way algorithms has been implemented for the first time in the framework of this thesis. Besides, new variable selection algorithms has been developed and implemented in order to avoid high dimensionality modelling. It has been demonstrated that use of the developed algorithms leads to a simpler and more parsimonious models and consequently to a better performance and more reproducible results.In addition, several issues related to use of MS-Sensor in food analysis has been studied: the use of different headspace sampling techniques; the comparison of MS-Sensor systems performance against classical MOS based 'electronic noses'; the application of new algorithms for pre-processing MS-Sensor signals; the correlation of MS-Sensor response and the well-established methods to assess the quality property under study, etc.MS-Sensor is a powerful device set-up, capable of producing large amounts of highly selective information. Optimal use of this device implies both, a correct use of analytical techniques (sample handling and instrumental) and a rational use of subsequent data analysis. That can be only attained if analytical people in charge of experimental set-up work side by side with data analysis and software developers. This thesis aims to bring nearer this close collaboration.
La indústria alimentària exigeix el desenvolupament de mètodes analítics que puguin donar resposta immediata i que al mateix temps puguin garantir la qualitat i la seguretat dels productes de forma acurada i reproduïble. En aquests context, els mètodes que utilitzen un sistema MS-Sensor poden ser uns bons candidats ja que permeten fer l'anàlisi de volàtils de matrius complexes d'una manera ràpida i també permeten processar moltes mostres en poc temps. El funcionament d'un MS-Sensor es basa en la introducció dels compostos volàtils que s'extreuen de l'espai de cap d'una mostra en la font d'ionització d'un espectròmetre de masses sense prèvia separació cromatogràfica i sense necessitat d'una preparació de mostra prèvia. L'espectre de masses resultat de la ionització i fragmentació de tots els compostos volàtils presents en l'extracte es pot considerar com una empremta digital característica de la matriu que s'està analitzant. Els espectres de masses generats es processen a posteriori amb un sistema de reconeixement de patrons per tal de realitzar tasques associades a aquests sistemes com son la classificació i el reconeixement de noves mostres i dins de certs límits la quantificació d'aquestes.Aquesta tesi està dedicada a l'estudi de les capacitats i possibilitats d'aquests sistema a donar resposta a tot un seguit d'aplicacions relacionades amb l'anàlisi de la qualitat de diferents tipus d'aliments com son: la determinació del grau d'enranciment de patates fregides; la detecció del creixement fúngic en productes de brioxería industrial; la monitorització del grau de frescor de sardines guardades en fred; la classificació de diversos olis d'oliva en base a les seves propietats organolèptiques i la classificació del pernil ibèric en base a la seva qualitat determinada per l'alimentació del porc. Per cada una d'aquests aplicacions s'ha demostrat l'aplicabilitat i la fiabilitat del sistema MS-Sensor a l'hora de resoldre les diferents qüestions plantejades sobre qualitat alimentària. S'ha demostrat àmpliament que el perfil de volàtils que s'obté amb un MS-Sensor pot cosiderar-se com una empremta digital vàlida i molt útil en la caracterització del problema que es vol resoldre i fins i tot en alguns casos, s'ha demostrat que aquesta mateixa empremta es pot correlacionar amb el paràmetres d'anàlisi clàssics que s'usen més habitualment per tal de resoldre aquests problema o que inclús aquests sistema es pot fer servir per predir-los.Encara que la viabilitat del sistema MS-Sensor en les aplicacions plantejades ha estat demostrada àmpliament en el decurs d'aquesta tesis, aquests sistema té petits inconvenients o punts febles que resten per resoldre. Aquests inconvenients poden afectar de manera directa els resultants que se n'obtenen. Els principals punts febles del MS-Sensor son d'elevada dimensionalitat de les matrius de resposta que s'obtenen que és inherent al propi sistema i la baixa selectivitat del fragments m/z considerats com a variables en aquestes matrius.Aquests dos inconvenients poden ser els responsables de la falta de reproductibilitat que s'ha obtingut en algunes aplicacions. Per tal d'obtenir bons resultats en alguna d'aquestes aplicacions es van haver de plantejar noves estratègies que poguessin salvar les dificultat derivades de la baixa selectivitat de les variables i de la seva elevada dimensionalitat. Per primera vegada i dins del marc d'aquesta tesis s'ha plantejat l'ús d'algoritmes multi-way i la inclusió del temps de retenció com a variable que pugui reportar informació addicional en el processat de les respostes del MS-Sensor. A la vegada, s'ha desenvolupat i implementat nous algoritmes per a la selecció de variables per tal d'evitar en la mesura del possible l'elevada dimensionalitat en les matrius de resposta. S'ha demostrat que l'ús d'aquests nous algoritmes permet obtenir models més simples i robustos i per tant podem aconseguir un millor funcionament del sistema i resultats més reproduïbles.A més a més s'han estudiat diferents aspectes relacionats amb la utilització d'un sistema MS-Sensor per a l'anàlisi d'aliments com son: l'ús de diferents tècniques de mostreig d'espai de cap, la comparació del sistema MS-Sensor amb sistemes clàssics d'olfacte electrònic, l'aplicació i desenvolupament d'algoritmes de pre-processament dels espectres generats, la correlació de les respostes obtingudes amb un sistema MS-Sensor amb mètodes d'anàlisi d'aliments tradicionals, etc.El MS-Sensor es un dispositiu molt potent, capaç de produir una elevada quantitat de dades. L'ús òptim d'aquests sistema es composa d'una banda d'un ús correcte dels aspectes instrumentals com son el propi sistema en si i les tècniques de mostreig i per altra banda d'un ús racional de les tècniques d'anàlisi de dades. Això només s'aconsegueix si els analítics que treballen amb el set-up de l'experiment treballen colze a colze i en estreta col·laboració amb la gent encarregada de fer l'anàlisi de dades. Aquesta tesi, pretén fer més estret l'espai entre aquests dues disciplines i dóna les eines per ajuntat i promoure aquesta col·laboració.

A study was undertaken to determine the food safety of the fermented Māori delicacy, Toroi. Ten batches of Toroi were prepared by a commonly used traditional method that consisted of boiling the vegetable component, either watercress or puha, and combining it with chopped mussel flesh. The mixture was cooled and then stored in a refrigerator for up to eight months to allow natural fermentation to take place. All ingredients were sourced from retail outlets. The Toroi was examined at intervals over eight months for a range of pathogens (seven in all) that have been related to incidents of food poisoning in ready-to-eat foods in New Zealand. The survival of a faecal contamination indicator, the laboratory grown strain Escherichia coli NZRM 916, was mapped over eight months. Two strategies to prevent the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in Toroi were also investigated. Only one of the seven pathogens sought was recovered from any sample. This pathogen was Bacillus cereus, a spore-former known to be associated with vegetables. All batches contained B. cereus on the day of preparation but after two weeks refrigerated storage there was no further recovery from any sample. There was a very low incidence of natural E. coli in the Toroi, consistent with levels permitted in mussels sold in retail outlets. The laboratory grown strain, E. coli declined substantially over two months and was not recovered from any samples at eight months. A laboratory grown strain of Listeria monocytogenes, (L70) was added to Toroi and grew well with an increase in concentration of about seven-fold, over 19 days storage in a refrigerator. A bacteriocin producing lactic acid bacterium, Lactobacillus sake Lb706, was added in combined culture with L. monocytogenes to Toroi. It was found that at least 5 x108 L. sake cells were required as an inoculum to ensure elimination of L. monocytogenes from the Toroi. When a purified bacteriocin; nisin, was added, a concentration of 10 mg g-1 in the Toroi was required to eliminate L. monocytogenes. The inhibition study results suggest that unacceptably high inocula or purified bacteriocin would be required to prevent the growth of L. monocytogenes in Toroi. The results of this suggest that Toroi be prepared from mussels either purchased from a retail outlet or harvested from sites known to be free from contamination. Toroi should be safe to eat if prepared carefully, chilled promptly and thoroughly and allowed to ferment for at least two weeks. In addition, care should be taken to maintain Toroi at refrigerated temperatures until it is eaten.

This thesis describes the development and evaluation of a number of biosensors for food applications. The first part of this thesis deals with the development of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) biosensor systems, coupled with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for the detection of GMO related amplified nucleic acids in foodstuffs. The first SPR Biosensor described, used streptavidin-biotin linkage chemistry to attach a P35S nucleic acid probe on dextran-coated SPR transducer chips. Methodologies were developed for both the PCR stage and post-PCR sample preparation for the sensitive, rapid and cost-effective detection of GMO-specific amplified DNA sequences. The final embodiment of the method was an asymmetric PCR amplification system with a simple sample processing step (0.3 M NaOH for 30 min in 20 % v/v formamide). The developed PCR-SPR system was successfully applied to the screening of samples of GMO origin. The second SPR biosensor reported herein, is based on a SPR chip immobilised single-stranded thiolated DNA. The thiolated probe exhibited a hybridisation capacity of 95 RU (Resonance Units) for 100 nM of complementary DNA target and a detection limit of 5 nM. The potential of the current probe system for the detection of symmetrically amplified DNA sequences of short length was subsequently confirmed. The second part of this thesis involved preliminary studies into the development of simple, disposable screen-printed electrodes for the electrochemical determination of glucose and L-amino acids in horticultural products. The dynamic range of the developed biosensors was up to 10 mM for glucose and up to 1 mM for L-leucine determination. The developed glucose biosensor exhibited encouraging analytical performance in fresh fruit samples. However, the L-amino acid oxidase electrodes consistently underestimated the amino acid content of the fruit samples. The latter observation was found to be primarily due to inhibitory components in the matrix.

Doutoramento em Biologia
Os moluscos bivalves constituem um recurso haliêutico de elevada importância na economia (inter)nacional pelas suas características organolépticas, valor nutritivo e relevância na gastronomia tradicional. Não obstante, representam um produto alimentar de elevado risco para a saúde pública. A contaminação microbiológica (autóctone e antropogénica), sendo crónica nos bancos de bivalves das zonas estuarino-lagunares, constitui uma das principais preocupações associadas à segurança alimentar. Aquando da filtração inerente aos processos de respiração e alimentação, os bivalves bioacumulam passivamente microrganismos incluindo os patogénicos. A sua colocação no mercado impõe pois, prévia salubrização para níveis microbiológicos compatíveis com a legislação em vigor, salvaguardando a saúde pública. Apesar da monitorização das áreas de apanha e produção, das medidas de prevenção e da depuração, a ocorrência de surtos associados ao consumo de bivalves tem aumentado. Tal deve-se à insuficiente monitorização da contaminação microbiológica dos bivalves, contribuindo para uma gestão ineficaz do produto e consequente sub-valorização. O presente trabalho pretendeu caracterizar o estado de desenvolvimento do sector de exploração de bivalves em Portugal do ponto de vista da segurança alimentar, e analisar os aspectos cruciais da monitorização e da depuração do produto apresentando alternativas abrangentes e aplicáveis ao sector. Assim, desenvolveu-se uma metodologia de base molecular passível de adaptação à monitorização dos bivalves das zonas conquícolas, como alternativa ao método de referência vigente do Número Mais Provável que é baseado apenas na quantificação de Escherichia coli. O mexilhão (Mytilus edulis) da Ria de Aveiro, bivalve de interesse comercial a nível (inter)nacional serviu de modelo para a comparação de protocolos de extração de DNA. Esta metodologia foi desenvolvida de modo a que os métodos de extração de DNA sejam passíveis de aplicação a outras matrizes biológicas ou ambientais. Para além da detecção e quantificação directa de bactérias patogénicas, esta metodologia poderá ser aplicada à monitorização da transferência vertical microbiana nos bancos de bivalves bem como à caracterização da dinâmica espacio-temporal das populações microbianas no ambiente e à monitorização dos processos de depuração. Foi ainda abordado o potencial da aplicação de bacteriófagos ou de enzimas líticas para a optimização dos processos de purificação. O trabalho realizado e as perspectivas futuras propostas pretendem contribuir para a dinamização e requalificação do sector de exploração de bivalves através da melhoria do nível de segurança alimentar dos moluscos bivalves comercializados para alimentação humana, valorizando este recurso.
Bivalve molluscs stand out among fishery products, because of their (inter)national economic importance. For organoleptic and nutritional characteristics, because of culture, tradition and food availability reasons, bivalves are highly appreciated by consumers. Notwithstanding they represent a high risk food product. Microbial contamination (autochthonous and anthropogenic) is a major concern associated with the food safety of shellfish since it is known to be chronic in the shellfish beds of estuarine areas. By filter-feeding, bivalves passively accumulate microorganisms including pathogens. Products safe for sale and consumption must accomplish legislation standards preventing infections in the consumers and safeguarding public health. Despite monitoring of shellfish harvesting and production areas, the imposed preventative measures and the depuration processes, the occurrence of outbreaks associated with consumption of shellfish has increased. This may be due to underestimated assessment of microbial contamination of shellfish leading to low quality products. This work aimed to characterize the state of development of the sector of exploitation of bivalves in Portugal and to analyze the some aspects of bivalve monitoring and purification that lead to underestimation of microbiological contamination, in the perspective of providing comprehensive alternatives applicable to the sector. A molecular based approach that can be used in the monitoring of shellfish was developed as an alternative to the current reference method, the Most Probable Number based on the quantification of Escherichia coli only. Mussels (Mytilus edulis) from the Ria de Aveiro were used as model bivalves because they are widely represented in the national and international markets. This methodology used an innovative processing of bivalves along with extraction and detection methods that can be used in other biological and environmental matrices. The proposed methodology can be applied not only to direct detection and quantification of pathogenic bacteria, but also to the analysis of vertical tranference of microorganisms in growing beds and to the assessment of spatial and temporal dynamics of microbial populations. Also, it can be used to the classification of harvesting and production areas and to the evaluation of current purification processes. Also, it was suggested the use of bacteriophages and litic enzymes as an adjuvant for the improvement of the actual depuration processes. The revision of data on this field of activity and the experimental results were integrated in the perspective of providing scientific basis for the sustainable development of bivalve exploitation and valorization of the products in terms of food safety and economic profitability.

This thesis focuses on developing a nondestructive strategy for measuring the quality of food using hyperspectral imaging. The specific focus is to develop a classification methodology for detecting bruised/unbruised areas in hyperspectral images of fruits such as strawberries through the classification of pixels containing the edible portion of the fruit. A multiband segmentation algorithm is formulated to generate a mask for extracting the edible pixels from each band in a hypercube. A key feature of the segmentation algorithm is that it makes no prior assumptions for selecting the bands involved in the segmentation. Consequently, different bands may be selected for different hypercubes to accommodate the intra-hypercube variations. Gaussian univariate classifiers are implemented to classify the bruised-unbruised pixels in each band and it is shown that many band classifiers yield 100% classification accuracies. Furthermore, it is shown that the bands that contain the most useful discriminatory information for classifying bruised-unbruised pixels can be identified from the classification results. The strategy developed in this study will facilitate the design of fruit sorting systems using NIR cameras with selected bands.

Atmospheric theming is the use of the sensory experience in connection to a theme. The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of atmospherics with theming and their effects on customer behavior in food and beverage operations of a theme park. The official research questions developed for this study include: Does the impact of the authenticity of atmospheric theming influence an effect on revisit intention? Does the type of theme (land's theme or venue's theme) influence the effect of visitor revisit intention? These questions guided the current research in previously non-evaluated fields of study. This study used the Mehrabian–Russel (M-R) model to create a new research model. In the current study, atmospheric theming was the stimuli, emotional value was the emotional response, and visitor revisit intentions was the behavioral intention. Restaurant image was added to the model to obtain a cognitive reason.The results from the multiple regression indicated that all hypotheses were accepted. Restaurant image had a positive influence on both authenticity variables, and both authenticity variables had a positive influence on emotional value. Finally, emotional value was found to have a positive influence on revisit intention. These results indicated that atmospheric theming influenced revisit intention through emotional value. Furthermore, the results indicated that when it comes to the different types of themes within a venue, as indicated in the second research question, the venue's theme has a stronger influence on the emotional value than the land's theme.

There are few empirical studies of food quality within hospital food service systems. Although it is widely accepted that food quality is a multi-faceted phenomenon, much attention has been paid to single component explanations in the past. The aim of this study throughout has been two fold - to develop a model suitable for evaluating the quality of food in conventional hospital food service systems; and to evaluate food quality in selected hospitals in the Trent Regional Health Authority and West Midland Regional Health Authority using the model. A key outcome in this study has been the development of a multifaceted measurement of food quality to help catering managers deploy resources effectively, in conventional hospital food service systems. This approach was achieved using a variety of qualitative and quantitative information to score six food quality components and 15 influencing variables. Food quality was defined as a multi-dimensional measure to include measures of satisfaction of patients and catering staff, productivity, safety, and nutritional adequacy. Measures of influencing variables were chosen or adapted from those available in food service operations insofar as was possible. Where none was available, methods were developed. The variables were grouped into two major categories: human resources and system resources. A survey of 12 hospital conventional food service systems in the UK was undertaken and detailed information was collected from each, including surveys of 933 patients and 327 catering staff. Patient satisfaction with the quality of hospital food and food-related service was evaluated by patient questionnaires. It was measured by assessing 14variables. Patients seem to be generally satisfied with the food served. In the regression analysis none of the influencing variables explained the component of 'patient satisfaction' at the level of P < 0.05, suggesting that it is a different kind of component from the other 4. Importantly the component 'patient satisfaction' appears to be explained predominantly by patients' own demographic and emotional variables rather than by objective catering system factors. Age and appetite were found to significantly correlate with patient satisfaction scores. The component of food waste was found to have a high negative correlation with patients' satisfaction. It may be possible to use food waste as an index of patient satisfaction in future research. Catering staff - satisfaction was evaluated by measuring employee job attitudes towards five aspects of their job using the Job Description Index (JDI). The JDI is directed toward specific areas of satisfaction rather than global or general satisfaction and was easily administered. The food service workers surveyed in this research were less satisfied with their jobs than are other types of workers in other industries. In the regression analysis total number of patients explains around 36% of the variation in staff satisfaction. The productivity level was based upon the total meal equivalents divided by the total labour hours required to produce and serve them. The regression analysis suggests that around 77% of the variance in productivity is explained by labour cost. The safety component was based upon two elements which were microbiological control and temperature control. The results of regression analysis suggest that the number of menu items and the subsidizing meal ratio explain around 74% of the variation in the safety component. Nutritional adequacy was evaluated indirectly by measurement of food waste. In the regression analysis more than 68% of food waste component can be explained by the variable occupancy rate. Correlations between the food quality components show that a non-significant relationship existed between all but one of the components of food quality studied. A significant negative correlation existed between the patients'satisfaction with the hospital meal and service and the food waste; this was expected. The non-significant correlations between the components of food quality showed the independence of components, confirming the need for a multi-dimensional model of food quality. The findings of this research support the notion that food quality is a multi-faceted phenomenon and have led to the development of a practical way of measuring it.