A comparison of the quality of Cheddar cheese produced from seasonal and standardized milk

The quality of Cheddar cheese made from seasonal and standardized milk has been assessed over a 12-month period. There was a slight consumer preference for cheese made from seasonal milk, but the difference was small and unlikely to be of commercial significance. Grade scores for cheese 'body' were not reflected in a consumer taste panel assessment of the quality of the mature cheese.     

Estimating and simulating Poisson processes having trends or multiple periodicities

We develop and evaluate procedures for estimating and simulating nonhomogeneous Poisson processes having an exponential rate function, where the exponent may include a polynomial component or some trigonometric components or both. Maximum likelihood estimates of the unknown continuous parameters of the rate function are obtained numerically, and the degree of the polynomial rate component is determined by a likelihood ratio test. The experimental performance evaluation for this estimation procedure involves applying the procedure to 100 independent replications of nine selected point processes that possess up to four trigonometric rate components together with a polynomial rate component whose degree ranges from zero to three. On each replication of each process, the fitting procedure is applied to estimate the parameters of the process; and then the corresponding estimates of the rate and mean-value functions are computed over the observation interval. Evaluation of the fitting procedure is based on plotted tolerance bands for the rate and mean-value functions together with summary statistics for the maximum and average absolute estimation errors in these functions computed over the observation interval. The experimental results provide substantial evidence of the numerical stability and usefulness of the fitting procedure in simulation applications.     

A Time-Temperature Model for Sensory Acceptance of a Military Ration

Average consumer-acceptance scores on the military ration called the Meal, Ready-to-Eat, at four temperatures and storage times through 60 months fitted an Arrhenius-like mathematical model which estimated the dependence of average score on storage time and temperature as well as the effect of temperature on shelf life. Results are presented for individual items and for the most important classes of items.     

Selected Properties of Extruded Potato and Chicken Meat

Chicken thigh meat (CTM), (0–40%) was mixed with instant mashed potato and twin-screw extruded. Feed moisture content (FMC), (15 or 20%) and screw speed (SS) (250 or 300 rpm) were varied. CTM affected expansion, bulk density, mean cell size, plateau stress, fracturability and solubility. Protein, fat, free fatty acid and ash increased and carbohydrate decreased as CTM increased. Extrudates produced at low feed moisture (15%) had higher compressive resistance, fracturability and solubility. Extrudates produced at high feed moisture (20%) had higher bulk density and mean cell size. Screw speed had no influence except on expansion degree (p≥0.05). Increased CTM changed microstructure from rough, thread-like sheets to a flat, agglomerated carbohydrate-protein laminar phase. Panelists reported no differences in overall acceptability among 0% CTM extruded at 20% FMC, 20% CTM extruded at 15% FMC and 20% CTM extruded at 20% FMC.     

ENZYMES IMMOBILIZED ON FORMED-IN-PLACE MEMBRANES FOR FOOD PROCESSING: PROCEDURES and PROPERTIES

The formation and properties of Formed-In-Place (FIP) membranes upon which enzymes had been immobilized were investigated to examine the potential of these reactive membranes in food processing applications. Enzymes were immobilized on two types of FIP membranes and their activities in appropriate fluids investigated. Flux was increased in the microfiltration of pectin solutions by immobilizing pectinase on titanium dioxide microfiltration membranes. A flux increase of 15% was obtained without permeate recycle and 112% with permeate recycle using a 0.1% solution of citrus pectin. Glucose production from dextrin was performed using glucoamylase (GA) immobilized on a zirconium hydrous oxide-polyacrylate nanofiltration membrane. Optimum activity occurred at pH 4.0 and 50C for the immobilized GA. the dextrose equivalent (DE) value of the membrane permeate was approximately ten times higher than the product obtained with free GA during the same time interval.     

MINORITIES AND WOMEN IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: 1973–1980

The 1972 Equal Employment Opportunity Act extended federal prohibitions against discrimination in hiring, firing, promotion, compensation, and other conditions of employment to state and local governments. This research examines the increase in the number of women and minorities employed by state and local governments between 1973 and 1980. It also examines the increase in the salaries of minorities and women during the same period. The total number of minorities and women in state and local government increased by 20 percent during this period. Most of this increase resulted from the hiring of women, particularly white women. Although the salaries of minorities and women increased more than 50 percent, the salaries of white males increased similarly. The salary gap between white males and minorities and women was not decreased significantly.     

A comparison of cheese yield and cheesemaking efficiency using seasonal and standardized milk

A study has been carried out on the efficiency of the cheesemaking process when Cheddar cheese was made from milk showing the normal seasonal trends in composition and from milk that had been standardized to a crude protein: fat ratio of 0.9. Standardization resulted in a small loss of yield from a standard volume of milk (averaged over a complete year), but this loss was compensated by an almost equal gain in the efficiency of fat retention.     

Mathematical modelling of the diffusion of ascorbic acid during water blanching of surface frozen potato strips

Partial freezing is a promising technique in producing good quality french fries, especially for potatoes stored for an extended period and containing large amounts of reducing sugars. The cell damage of the potato strip caused by surface freezing facilitates surface leaching of reducing sugars and other soluble solids like ascorbic acid, preventing undesirable dark colour in the finish-fried products. A theoretical study to describe the diffusion of ascorbic acid during the water blanching at 50°C of surface frozen potato strips (10 x 10 x 80 mm) is developed. Ascorbic acid profiles as a function of blanching time, position in the potato strip and thickness of the frozen layer are shown as well as average retention as a function of blanching time, frozen layer thickness, apparent diffusion coefficient and mass transfer coefficient of ascorbic acid. Significant changes in the ascorbic acid concentration during blanching are produced in the frozen layer. Ascorbic acid average retention is mainly influenced by frozen layer thickness and temperature, and the mass transfer coefficient is less important.     

Flavor, Color, and Other Characteristics of Beef Longissimus Muscle Heated to Seven Internal Temperatures Between 55° and 85° C

Beef longissimus muscle steaks were broiled or roasted to 7 internal temperatures. Mouth-filling-blend and browned flavor increased, whereas bloody-serumy, metallic, and sour flavors and juiciness decreased with increased internal temperature. Roasted muscles had flavor characteristics more like muscle cooked to lower internal temperatures than broiled. Protein denaturation, as indicated by differential scanning calorimetry, appeared to be mostly complete after muscle samples were heated to 80 ° C. Visual color change occurred between 55° and 65° C, between 65° and 75° C, and between 75° and 80° C. HunterLab a values decreased and reflectance readings at 547 nm increased significantly between 75° and 80° C. Instron shear and compression and pH values did not vary significantly.     

AN EVALUATION OF THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION PROGRAM

The Allegheny County Neighborhood Preservation Program has generated over five million dollars worth of housing rehabilitation in the three years in which it has been operating. This article is an evaluation of Phase 1 of the program. It compares loan recipients and non-recipients in order to determine which of the program components are the most important, which factors influence a household's investment decision, and what effect investment has on the perceptions of residents regarding the quality of both housing and the neighborhood.