Identification of Key Textural Attributes of Fluid and Semi-Solid Foods Using Regression Analysis

Regression analysis was used to identify key attributes from 15 textural terms generated by a panel for 27 fluid and semi-solid commercial foods. A search using single independent variables showed that “thick” gave the best average R² with a value of 0.548; a search with two independent variables showed that “thick” and “soft” gave the best average R² of 0.748; a search with three attributes showed that “slippery”, “thick,” and “soft” gave the highest R² values of 0.803. The final equations provided a set of regression parameters which can be used to predict twelve textural attributes from scores obtained for “thick”, “soft”, and “slippery”.     

Public Perception of River-Corridor Management

Research into the public's perception of water and river-corridor quality has been undertaken to assess the importance of these aspects to the public's selection of sites for use in recreation.
Preliminary results from two on-site questionnaire surveys involving a number of river user groups suggested that:

• i. 

  Whilst there was a strong association between perceived water quality and the presence/absence of individual water-quality variables, the presence of indicators of 'good'water quality were less likely to influence perceived water quality than the presence of indicators of 'bad'water quality;
• ii. 

  There was an overwhelming desire for trees and a strong preference for vegetational diversity within the public's perceived ideal river corridor setting; and
• iii. 

  An equally strong preference for mature, sinuous rivers with natural channels and banks.

These results suggest that there is a close relationship between the type of riverscape preferred by the public in their use of rivers for recreation and amenity, and that desired by conservationists.     

Warmed-Over Flavor Development in Beef Patties Prepared by Three Dry Heat Methods

THE THIOBARBITURIC ACID (TBA) test and sensory evaluations were used to assess the effectiveness of three dry heat preparations—microwave, microwave/convection combination and oven broiling—in retarding warmed-over flavor (WOF) development in ground beef patties. Animals finished on pasture, 60 and 120-day grain were used. The oven broiling method was found to delay WOF development in refrigerated patties. Taste panelists failed to detect differences in flavor as a result of cooking or animal diet. There was a significant (P < 0.001) negative correlation (r=?0.66) between aroma and flavor scores and TBA values over time. Panelists were able to detect deteriorating changes in flavor and aroma after refrigerated storage.