European consumer attitudes on the associated health benefits of neutraceutical-containing processed meats using Co-enzyme Q10 as a sample functional ingredient

This study accumulated European consumer attitudes towards processed meats and their use as a functional food. A survey was set up using an online web-application to gather information on consumer perception of processed meats as well as neutraceutical-containing processed meats. 548 responses were obtained and statistical analysis was carried out using a statistical software package. Data was summarized as frequencies for each question and statistical differences analyzed using the Chi-Square statistical test with a significance level of 5% (P < 0.05). The majority of consumer attitudes towards processed meat indicate that they are unhealthy products. Most believe that processed meats contain large quantities of harmful chemicals, fat and salt. Consumers were found to be very pro-bioactive compounds in yogurt style products but unsure of their feelings in meat based products, which is likely due to the lack of familiarity to these products. Many of the respondents were willing to consume meat based functional foods but were not willing to pay more for them.     

The impact of salt and fat level variation on the physiochemical properties and sensory quality of pork breakfast sausages

The sensory and physiochemical properties of sausages with varying fat and salt levels were investigated. Twenty eight sausages were produced with varying concentrations of fat (22.5%, 27.5%, 32.5%, 37.5% w/w) and salt (0.8%, 1%, 1.2%, 1.4%, 1.6%, 2%, 2.4% w/w). Sausages were assessed instrumentally for colour, moisture, fat, cooking loss and texture profile analysis. Consumers (n = 25), evaluated each product in duplicate for colour, texture, tenderness, juiciness, salt taste, meat flavour, off-flavour and overall acceptability using a hedonic scale.     

Low Frequency Eddy Current Testing of Insulators and Composites

Eddy current testing (ECT), a non-destructive testing method widely used to evaluate defects within conductive materials, is explored in this study as it applies to insulators and non-uniformly conductive materials. Previous work has shown that at high frequencies, differences in electric permittivity can be detected with ECT. In this study, a new design of an ECT sensor that employs two resonance-tuned coils is evaluated. Results show that material inconsistencies in insulators are detectable due to spatial variations in permittivity and magnetic permeability, and that detection is possible at lower frequencies than previously demonstrated. In addition to determining signal dependence on individual electromagnetic parameters, sensitivity for defect detection in a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite is qualitatively determined. Although low signal-to-noise ratio is observed with a small-diameter coil, by increasing the coil diameter, the signal to noise ratio is increased while preserving adequate spatial resolution to detect defects in the sample. This study expands on previous studies of the application of ECT to insulators, and demonstrates that defect detection is possible in CFRPs.     

The introduction of new technology into the household

Economic considerations should be fundamental to the design process. Modern economics provides a useful tool to analyse consumer demand for new technology. This paper sets out some basic economic concepts and then looks at the history of the introduction into the household of phones. TVs and VCRs, CDs and home computers and the Internet. It then takes the first tentative steps towards identifying the explanatory variables that should be included in a model of demand for new domestic technology.     

Collaboration and coordination in architectural design: approaches to computer mediated team work

The paper reports on three projects at our laboratory that deal respectively with synchronous collaborative design, asynchronous collaborative design, and design coordination. The Electronic Cocktail Napkin and its mobile extension that runs on hand-held computers supports synchronous design with shared freehand drawing environments. The PHIDIAS hypermedia system supports long-term, asynchronous collaboration by enabling designers of large complex artifacts to store and retrieve rationale about design decisions and the Construction Kit Builder (CKB) supports team design by supporting a priori agreements among team members to avoid conflicts.     

Infection complicating percutaneous liver biopsy in liver transplant recipients

There is controversy about the frequency of and risk factors for infectious complications of percutaneous liver biopsy in liver transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to identify the incidence and nature of complications associated with liver biopsy after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), with particular emphasis on infection. The medical records of all patients undergoing OLT between January 1990 and August 1994 were reviewed retrospectively to identify complications requiring hospitalization within one week of percutaneous liver biopsy. The nature and severity of complications were recorded and possible risk factors for infectious complications were examined. One hundred ninety-eight patients underwent 1,136 percutaneous liver biopsies. There were eleven complications (0.96%), including as follows: 7 infections, 3 bleeding episodes, and 1 vasovagal reaction. Infections after percutaneous liver biopsy included fever and bacteremia (n = 6), and fever without bacteremia (n = 1). All infections developed only in patients with underlying biliary tract abnormalities; the frequency of infection was higher (9.8%) in patients with choledochojejunostomy when compared with those with choledochocholedochostomy (1.4%). Bacteremia was more likely caused by skin flora in patients with choledochocholedochostomy (CDC) and by enteric bacteria in patients with choledochojejunostomy (CDJ). All infections were treated successfully with parenteral antibiotics. We conclude that biliary tract abnormalities are the primary risk factors for infection after percutaneous liver biopsy, although the risk is higher in patients with CDJ than with CDC. These data support the use of antibiotic prophylaxis before percutaneous liver biopsy in OLT recipients with biliary tract abnormalities.     

Modelling the influence of inulin as a fat substitute in comminuted meat products on their physico-chemical characteristics and eating quality using a mixture design approach

The effects of fat substitution using two commercial inulin products on the physico-chemical properties and eating quality of a comminuted meat product (breakfast sausage) were modelled using a specialised response surface experiment specially developed for mixtures. 17 treatments were assigned representing a different substitution level for fat with inulin. Sausages were formulated to contain pork shoulder, back fat/inulin, water, rusk and seasoning (44.3, 18.7, 27.5, 7 and 2.5% w/w). Composition, sensory, instrumental texture and colour characteristics were assessed. Fructan analysis showed that inulin was unaffected by heat or processing treatments. Models showed increasing inulin inclusions decreased cook loss (p < 0.0017) and improved emulsion stability (p < 0.0001) but also resulted in greater textural and eating quality modification of sausages. Hardness values increased (p < 0.0001) with increasing inulin concentration, with panellists also scoring products containing inulin as less tender (p < 0.0112). Optimisation predicted two acceptable sausage formulations with significantly lower fat levels than the control, which would contain sufficient inulin to deliver a prebiotic health effect.