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Vegetables are very important components of a healthy diet as they are sources of micronutrients, fiber, and bioactive compounds. The aim of this review is to explore whether vegetable smoothies can be regarded as a relevant dietary source of bioactive compounds, particularly polyphenols. Additionally, it aims to assess whether the polyphenols found in the vegetables commonly consumed in these smoothies have the potential to modulate the gut microbiota. The vegetables studied for their frequent use in vegetable smoothies were kale, spinach, celery, cucumber, carrots, beets, and pumpkin. The results showed that the most abundant polyphenols were kaempferol derivatives and quercetin in kale, flavonols in spinach, quercetin and kaempferol in cucumber, furanocoumarins in celery, luteolin in beetroot and pumpkin, and phenolic acids in carrot. All the vegetables studied, except for pumpkin and cucumber for which no evidence has been found, showed to modulate the gut microbiota, exerting a prebiotic effect, and increasing short-chain fatty acid production (SCFA).

Borage (Borago officinalis L.) is a traditional vegetable grown and consumed in some Spanish regions. The objective of this study was to determine the variability and evolution of fatty acid composition in a borage germplasm collection formed by wild types, breeding lines, commercial varieties, and landraces. Fatty acids were analysed in petioles, the commonly edible part of the leaves, and the leaf blades, the by-product of the borage industry, in two growth stages: at the optimal harvest period (120 days after sowing) and at the end of the harvest period (150 days after sowing). The results showed that for each of the eight fatty acids identified, there were significant differences among the twelve borage genotypes depending on the developmental plant stage at sampling date and the part of the leaf analysed, the interaction effect also being statistically significant. The main polyunsaturated fatty acids identified were: linoleic acid (18:2 n6, LA), alpha-linolenic acid (18:3 n3, ALA), gamma-linolenic acid (18:3 n6, GLA), and stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4, n-3), account for approximately 70% of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Blue-flowered genotypes differ from white-flowered genotypes by their high content of ALA and SDA, which can be exploited in borage breeding programs. Petioles from young plants present higher n6 fatty acids, while older plants produce a great amount of n3 fatty acids.

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is an invasive species that has spread throughout the United States and become a serious agricultural pest. Studies were conducted in Virginia on the survival of H. halys nymphs on different vegetable hosts and on the oviposition preference of H. halys on common tree hosts in southwestern Virginia. To determine the effects of vegetable host on H. halys survival, nymphs were placed on one of five vegetable host plants and their corresponding vegetable fruit. Survival was highest on sweet corn, followed by bell pepper and snap bean. Eggplant and tomato were poor compared to other vegetable hosts tested, potentially due to secondary compounds released by the plant to reduce feeding. Of six common host trees sampled, H. halys laid the most egg masses on catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, while aggregation lure had no effect on the number of eggs laid. Across host trees, egg masses were more commonly found in trees with fruiting structures present. An additional study was conducted on a red-sternum phenotype of H. halys. Mortality was recorded by sternum phenotype for each sex. There was no difference in survival between groups at two time points. Biochemical tests were used to determine if the red-sternum was associated with the potentially pathogenic red bacteria Serratia marcescens. Only one stink bug's gut contents had a confirmed infection of S. marcescens. Results from these studies offer insight into H. halys development on vegetable hosts and oviposition preferences on different host trees.

Background: Hypertension (HTN) prevalence rates among 10-14 year olds are 1.8% and 3.8% in 15-19 year olds. Cardiovascular damage related to HTN in adolescence predicts adverse clinical events in adulthood. Only about 10% of youth consume adequate F&V for ideal cardiovascular health.Design: This study is a secondary data analysis of a larger randomized clinical trial (RCT), which included 11 to 18 year old youth at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). Adolescents diagnosed with primary HTN or pre-HTN between the years 2008-2015 were enrolled in a hospital-based dietary intervention (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH-4-Teens or Usual Care) to lower blood pressure (BP).Methods: Multiple linear regression analysis, adjusted for relevant confounders, was used to assess the relationship between meal timing and frequency of eating occasions (EO) and intake of fruits and vegetables (F&V), sweet and savory snacks (SSS), high calorie beverages (HCB) and DASH score (a measure of DASH diet adherence) in adolescents with pre-HTN and HTN participating in the DASH-4-Teens intervention and Usual Care.Outcome: Servings of F&V (p=0.0004), SSS (p=0.03) and DASH score (p=0.03) were positively associated with eating frequency (=3.0, >3.0-4.0, >4.0-5.0, and >5.0 EOs). Servings of F&V (p

A novel soilless technique for the production of lettuce was developed and evaluated for its viability for ornamental greenhouse growers adapting their ebb-and-flood irrigation benching systems to diversify into growing lettuce, without having to purchase the conventional nutrient film technique (NFT) or deep flow technique (DFT) hydroponic systems. The experimental design was a three by four factorial, with three treatments for aggregate depth (19, 38, and 57 mm) and four treatments for irrigation frequency (once every 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours), for a total of twelve treatment combinations. Each treatment was replicated three times in a randomized complete block treatment design. Prior to each replication, seeds of ‘Rex’ lettuce were planted in phenolic foam sheets and grown until the emergence of four true leaves on each seedling was noted. Sixteen seedlings were then transplanted into each shallow-aggregate ebb-and-flood (SAEF) system. After 42 days, shoot diameters and chlorophyll content were measured and shoots were harvested, weighed fresh, and then dried to acquire their dry weights. Aggregate depth and irrigation frequency were demonstrated to significantly affect lettuce shoot diameter, chlorophyll content, as well as fresh and dry weight. The treatment with 38 mm of aggregate and irrigated every 2 hours resulted in significantly higher average fresh and dry shoot weights than all other treatments. The treatment with 57 mm of aggregate and irrigated every 8 hours resulted in significantly lower average fresh and dry shoot weights than all other treatments as well as the lowest average shoot diameters. Chlorophyll content was significantly higher in the 57 mm treatment irrigated every 8 hours than in all other treatments, and the 19 mm treatments irrigated every 1 and 2 hours produced the lowest average chlorophyll content. There were no significant differences in shoot fresh weight, dry weight, chlorophyll, or diameter among the plants grown in optimal SAEF, DFT, or NFT treatments. Therefore, the SAEF system can be considered a viable alternative to produce uniformly marketable lettuce shoots reliably.

Abstract: It is well known that fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption is a protective factor against chronic health conditions; however, men tend to eat fewer fruit and vegetables than women. Since FV consumption helps prevent chronic diseases and many men do not eat enough, ways to improve the behaviour are needed. It may be that men’s implicit (i.e., automatic) and explicit associations towards healthy foods are different from women’s. Investigating methods of changing men’s associations to healthy foods will inform health campaigns on the content they should use. This study compared the effects of associative learning using picture stimuli (Picture-AL) or word stimuli (Word-AL) on automatic associations between apples and snackbars and healthy and unhealthy attributes in 120 men recruited at the University of Alberta campus. Automatic associations were measured by two versions of the Implicit Association Test (IAT). One version used picture-stimuli (Picture-IAT) and the other used word stimuli (Word-IAT). The stimuli used in the Picture-AL and Word-AL matched the stimuli in the Picture-IAT and Word-IAT respectively. The target and attribute categories were ‘apple+healthy’ and ‘snackbar+unhealthy’. The moderating effects of healthy-eating schema, changes in explicit associations and the relationship between the associations and actual snack choice between apples and snackbars were also examined. Results showed AL using picture or word stimuli had no differential effects on automatic associations to pictures or words; however, the strength of associations between pictures were moderated by self-schema. Findings were inconclusive on whether the associations to pictures or words are more predictive of food choice behaviour. The implications are discussed in terms of the Reflective- Impulsive Model and the meaning for health campaigns targeting FV consumption in men.

There is increasing interest in improving the sustainability of our farming systems. Living mulch systems can contribute to these advancements by increasing diversity and resource use efficiency, eliminating inter-row cultivations, and by reducing soil erosion by rapidly providing soil cover. However, competition with the cash crop and unreliable weed control are major challenges for the adoption of living mulches. The goal of this research was to evaluate reduced rates of herbicides as a tool for alleviating these drawbacks. It was hypothesized that the combination of living mulches and herbicides can complement each other to reduce both living mulch vigor and herbicide inputs, without compromising weed control efficacy or crop yield. Field trials were conducted during three growing seasons (2014-2016), at the Homer C. Thompson Vegetable Research Farm, in Freeville, NY, using sesbania and sunnhemp as living mulches in tomato. In 2015, there was a positive relationship between tomato yield and living mulch biomass. This relationship, however, was negative in 2016. These contrasting results were likely due to competition for water, with wet conditions occurring in 2015 and dry conditions occurring in 2016. Compared with the untreated living mulch check, the herbicide treatments reduced tomato yield losses by up to 71% in 2015 and 51% in 2016. Up to 2.5 tons ha 1 of dry matter was generated by the living mulches during both 2015 and 2016, with an average ground cover of 65% in 2015 and 85% in 2016. Weed biomass was reduced by as much as 97% by the living mulch-herbicide combinations. Our findings suggest that including reduced-rate herbicide applications in living mulch systems is effective in suppressing weeds without compromising living mulch biomass, soil cover, or crop yield, thereby enhancing the overall feasibility of living mulch systems.

Over half of U.S. adults, roughly 117 million individuals, suffer from at least one preventable chronic disease, such as obesity, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and certain types of cancer. Epidemiological studies suggest that fruit and vegetable intake may be protective against these diseases, yet it is estimated that less than one-quarter of the population meets current fruit and vegetable recommendations. Low consumption rates may be attributed to lower income, food insecurity, and poor access and availability to fruits and vegetables. As a result, access to affordable and nutritious foods and beverages, particularly in underserved communities, such as “food deserts,” has become a national priority. An emerging strategy to address this is prescription programs, whereby physicians provide prescriptions or vouchers for fruit and vegetables to clients to encourage increased consumption, implemented in the form of the Farmacy Garden, which was the result of collaboration between multiple agencies. For collaborative efforts to be able to implement and sustain their shared goals, partnering individuals, agencies, and organizations need to first have the capacity or the potential to build capacity as a ‘unit.’ The purpose of this study was to concretely examine different factors and domains within Matachi’s Capacity Building Framework related to the Farmacy Garden in order to replicate the program in other locations. This framework conceptualizes organizational capacity building as dependent (and interdependent) on three different domains - individual, organizational, and environment. The study utilized semi-structured, openended interviews to ascertain concrete factors of organizational capacity building present at each level among Farmacy Garden collaborative project stakeholders (n=7). Interviews with six stakeholders (85.7% response rate) ranged in length from thirty-two minutes to one hour and twenty minutes. Common themes were coded separately by two members of the research team, first for overall recurring themes and second, to reveal connections between themes. Relevant quotes were identified and any discrepancies between researchers were resolved. Common themes often crossed over different levels, such as time, beliefs, values, and attitudes and inter-organizational linkages/partnerships, attitudes, and relationships, highlighting the inter-dependence of various factors across domains of capacity building. In addition to identifying specific factors that were necessary for the creation and sustainability of the Farmacy Program, the analysis revealed the importance of a “shared belief and value system.” In other words, individuals and organizations “valorized” this project in different ways than more traditional programs and/or interventions. The findings of this study can help guide leadership in cultivating relationships and new benchmarks to ensure transparency in project goals, in addition to time and physical resources, as well as inform the organizational capacity research area within nutrition and food systems fields.

Previous research has found that the quality and intake of collegiate athletes’ diets does not meet the recommended standards. Little research has been completed in regards to the diets of collegiate female softball players. The purpose of this research study was to determine if an 11-week nutrition curriculum paired with a technology could increase fruit and vegetable consumption while decreasing percent body fat and waist circumference. The sample included 14 female softball players. Paired t-test were preformed to compare fruit and vegetable intake, body fat percentage, and waist circumference pre- and post-intervention. Linear regression models were used to determine correlations between change in fruit and vegetable consumption and body fat percentage, and change in fruit and vegetable consumption and waist circumference. Results showed that an increase in fruit in vegetable consumption was associated with a significant increase in waist circumference (p=0.0328). Of the participants, 43% were freshmen and may be related to freshman year weight gain. Based on the current findings, more research is needed with stricter protocols.

Background: Previous research has shown the potential of increasing vegetable intake by incorporating the senses into interventions. However, little to no research has specifically looked at the impact that the use of the senses can have on intake of vegetables among preschool-aged children. Purpose: The aims of this study were to examine if mean intake of vegetable snacks and/or willingness to try the vegetable snacks would be significantly higher among preschool-age children who participated in a visually appealing and interactive snack activity compared to children who received control vegetable snacks. Methods: Two preschools were selected to participate in the study. Prior to the start of the study, participants colored placemats that contained heart-, star-, and flower-shapes. Parents were surveyed to establish the target vegetable, which was determined to be green pepper. The vegetable was served three times. The control group received the vegetable cut into strips served on white paper plates. The experimental group received the vegetable cut into hearts, stars, and flowers and served on the placemats that children colored at the beginning of the study. The vegetable was weighed before and after each snack time. Results: There were no significant differences found in intake of the vegetable snack between the control and the intervention group. However there were significant differences in willingness to try and between the genders. Conclusion: Although there were no significant differences in consumption between the groups, the significant findings between the boys and girls highlights a potential area that needs further investigating.

Although eating the recommended amount of vegetables is associated with many health benefits, vegetable consumption is low among college students in the United States. “Vegetable consumption” is a behavioral category, consisting of consuming a wide range of foods, which the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) has further divided into 5 vegetable subgroups: dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, beans and peas, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables. While vegetable consumption is typically studied as a single behavior, understanding the behavioral determinants for consuming defined vegetable subgroups, such as those developed by the USDA, may be more beneficial, as it would provide targeted information about these foods, from which theory based interventions can be developed. Therefore, this purpose of this study was to utilize the Integrative Model (IM) to predict the intentions and behaviors of consuming each vegetable subgroup among college students.

Previous research in the mid-Atlantic and midwestern USA has identified advantages and drawbacks of "organic no-till" vegetable production, but few studies have been conducted in the warmer southeastern region. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of tillage [no-till (NT) vs. conventional tillage (CT) of a cereal rye/crimson clover cover crop] and three nitrogen fertilization rates on organic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) yield, weed suppression, and soil N dynamics in two years in a soil series in Clemson, SC. Squash yields were similar between tillage treatments in both years. NT tomato yields were 43% greater than CT yields in 2014, whereas CT tomato yields were 46% greater than NT yields in 2015. Squash and tomato yields per unit of management labor (time) were significantly greater in NT compared to CT treatments for both years. There were no statistical differences in squash and tomato yields between N fertilization treatments in either year. Pre-season soil N levels were significantly higher in NT tomato plots in 2014 but similar between tillage treatments in tomato plots in 2015 and in squash plots both years. Post-season soil N levels in tomato plots were similar between tillage treatments both years. Post-season soil N levels were significantly higher in NT squash plots in 2014 and in CT squash plots in 2015. Roller-crimped NT mulches provided adequate early-season weed suppression in both years and saved considerable weed management and seedbed preparation labor. Overall, the results demonstrated that organic no-till is a viable method for reduced tillage summer vegetable production in the South Carolina Piedmont region.

This study evaluates the effectiveness and impacts of USAID's IPM IL vegetable technology transfer subproject in Bangladesh. The effectiveness of the technology transfer is evaluated in four ways: IPM adoption rates and determinants of IPM adoption, measuring the impact of IPM adoption on vegetable yields, pest management costs, and the number of pesticide applications used, estimation of the economic impacts of IPM adoption and the technology transfer, and analysis of the relative efficiency of the various technology transfer methods used to transfer the IPM practices to farmers. Adoption determinants were identified using traditional and ordered probit regression analysis. Difference-in-difference models were used to identify the impacts of IPM adoption on yields, pest management costs, and the number of pesticide applications applied. Economic impacts of IPM technology adoption were measured using economic surplus analysis. Finally, to compare the relative efficiency of different technology transfer methods, adoption rates were identified for each transfer method and combined with the training cost per farmer to identify the cost per farmer adopting IPM practices. The results from the adoption analysis suggest the number of years of agricultural experience of the household head, the number of IPM adopters known by the household, and learning agricultural information from media sources and/or farm training events such as field days significantly increase the likelihood of IPM adoption. The impacts of IPM adoption on vegetable yields, pest management costs, and the number of pesticide applications were non-significant for vegetable crops. Analysis of the cost efficiency of the different IPM technology transfer methods suggests that media sources such as television, radio, and newspapers have the lowest cost per farmer.

The deregulation of snacks by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) permits institutions to provide enhanced snacks incidental to participation. Athletes may now have the opportunity to improve their diet quality. The purpose of this research was to assess the consumption of fruits and vegetables as well as body composition of Division I collegiate athletes. The sample included 19 American football players and 8 volleyball players. Paired t-tests were performed to compare fruit intake, vegetable intake, and body fat percentage pre- and post-deregulation of snacks. Linear regression models were used to determine correlations between change in fruit intake and change in body fat percentage and change in vegetable intake and change in body fat percentage. There were no significant differences in the paired t-tests; however, there was a significant correlation in increasing fruit intake, vegetable intake, and decreasing body fat percentage among football players. Results suggest that regular contact with a Registered Dietitian may improve diet quality, and providing nutrient-dense foods planned by a Registered Dietitian to college athletes may improve body fat percentage.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) may increase the risk for high blood glucose, infertility, depression, and overweight/obesity. Food insecurity or other nutrition and health factors may precipitate or result from PCOS. This study was designed to examine the relationship of household food security to fasting blood glucose, body mass index (BMI), produce intake, and depression in adult females with PCOS living in rural Appalachian Ohio. Females aged 18 years and older who attended a clinic for the care and management of PCOS were recruited by mailed invitation. A survey included questions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture household adult food security module, a depression scale, and a validated produce intake and behavior survey. Anthropometrics and biochemical indicators for blood glucose and lipid panel results were obtained from the clinics. Pearson’s r and Kendall’s Tau-b correlations were used to assess the relationship of household food security to other parameters. Participants (n = 54) were 32 ± 9 years and had a BMI of 34.5 ± 8.8kg/m2 (n = 39). Participants were primarily fully food secure and lived in households characterized by high household food security (n = 35, 64.8%). However, 19 (35.2%) participants were not fully food secure, and of these women, 7 (13.0%), 9 (16.7%), and 3 (5.6%) lived in households characterized by marginal, low, and very low household food security, respectively. According to the depression scale, 27 of 54 (50.0%) respondents had some degree of depression, with 18 (33.3%) having major depression. Daily vegetable, fruit, and total produce servings (n = 52) were 2.6 ± 1.8, 1.9 ± 0.9, 4.4 ± 2.3, respectively. For all participants with produce intake data (n = 52), 34 (65.4%), 37 (71.2%), and 36 (69.2%) met vegetable, fruit, and, total produce intake recommendations, respectively. Food insecure participants showed significantly higher rates of depression than the food secure participants (r = 0.466, p < .001). Lower food security was also associated with smoking (r = 0.285, p = .026), poorer daily vegetable intake (r = -0.337, p = .015), poorer total daily produce intake (r = -0.315, p = .023), lower perceived benefits of produce (r = -0.293, p = .032), lower predisposing domain score (r = -0.278, p = .042), and a smaller change in all domains (r = -0.280, p = .041). Additionally, the 7-item fruit and vegetable scores were significantly higher in food secure women (r = -0.297, p = .029). Other parameters were not significantly related to household food security. Overall, in females with PCOS, food insecurity was related to depression, smoking, and poorer produce intakes and behaviors. Further exploration is warranted in a larger sample to clarify these trends.

Background: The current diet quality of postpartum women is considered to be unhealthy with inadequate intakes of grains, dairy, and vegetables. Lacking of these important food groups can put the mother at risk for low intake of certain nutrients that are especially important to women of child-bearing age. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a dietary intervention on improving the nutritional quality of the diets of postpartum women. Methods: Fifty-five postpartum women were assigned to either an intervention group (30) or a control group (25). The intervention group received one face-to-face nutrition education session with two follow-up phone calls. The nutrition education focused on increasing vegetable consumption within the context of a healthy diet. Three-day food recalls were completed at baseline and post-treatment. Results: Calories in the intervention group decreased significantly from baseline to post-intervention (p Conclusion: The postpartum period appears to be a good time to complete a dietary intervention. The nutritional status of the diets improved post-treatment.

Rural Iowa’s current path is economically, socially and ecologically unsustainable: rural flight (depopulation) has left many farming communities lacking jobs, social interaction and basic amenities like schools, hospitals, banks and grocery stores. Once independent, small towns now function as distant ex-burbs tens of miles from functional cities. As energy (transportation) costs rise, these small towns will become increasingly unlivable. Thus, a livable future for rural Iowa hinges upon radical transformation. Energy costs will also affect large cities that require food to be shipped long distances—frequently thousands of miles—from field to table. As energy (transportation + production) costs raise and cities sprawl, the cost of food will explode. Cities will need food produced close to them. A recent study conducted by the Leopold Center at Iowa State University projected an ecologically and economically sustainable transformation for both small towns and cities in the Midwest founded on growing fruits and vegetables rather than corn and soybeans. This economic and ecological transformation implies dramatic corollary transformations in the physical and cultural landscape of rural communities; specifically, implementing this system would create thousands of seasonal jobs likely fulfilled by transient, non-white, migrant laborers. Additionally, the industrial facilities required to support the new industry are foreign—in scale and function—to rural Iowa. This thesis envisions the social and structural challenges that one community in rural Iowa—Callender—will have when implementing the Leopold Report. Through a process of mapping the past and projecting the future, tactics are developed to mitigate the global needs of the future (rethinking food production) with the local desire for place and identity. The mitigation of this conflict materializes in the design of a hybrid distribution facility and the reuse of an historic gain elevator.

The primary objective of this study is to provide evidence that a culinary nutrition intervention is appropriate for, and of value to college students. A secondary objective is to provide evidence that the nutrition component of a culinary nutrition course can be delivered online through an interactive presentation. The study initially involved a review of literature highlighting the nutrition habits of college students, the strengths and weakness of existing cooking and nutrition classes, and other factors relating to the college student's health. Based on this literature review it was determined that a culinary nutrition course is an appropriate way to introduce nutrition knowledge and cooking principles to facilitate healthy eating among college students. This intervention was delivered to four groups, and from those four groups the students participated in one of two interventions. The first intervention group (n=37) received the 'traditional' culinary nutrition program, called Cooking with a Chef, delivered in person by a chef and nutrition educator. The second intervention group (n=33) received a 'modified' Cooking with a Chef intervention delivered by a chef with the nutrition component delivered online. Two surveys were administered to assess the program. The first survey was delivered as a pre- and post-test, while the second survey, a delayed post survey, was given once, six weeks after the intervention was completed. From the comparison of the pre- and post-survey, both intervention groups significantly scored higher on the scales for Cooking Self-Efficacy (p=0.041), Cooking Techniques Self-Efficacy (p=0.012), Self-Efficacy for Fruits, Vegetables, and Seasonings (p=0.002), Knowledge of Cooking Terms and Techniques (p This study demonstrates the benefit of using a culinary nutrition program with college students. Issues concerning the college student's diet were identified in the review of literature. While intervention groups did not score significantly higher on all scales compared to the control, they did score higher on the self-efficacy scales. Additional testing and modification could be performed to teach a culinary nutrition course specifically geared to college aged students.

Ohmic heating has potential applications for continuous sterilization processing of low-acid foods containing particulates. The main challenge is to establish a credible safety assurance protocol through experimental and modeling studies. This research aims to create a base of knowledge necessary to be developed before ohmic heating can become commercially acceptable. Electrical conductivities of six different fresh fruits and several different cuts of three types of meat were determined over entire sterilization temperature range. Electrical conductivity of all products increased linearly with the temperature during ohmic heating at constant voltage gradient. A simple blanching method was developed to increase the electrical conductivity of solid components in chicken chowmein which is a low-acid food product containing particulates. On adjusting the electrical properties of different components it was possible to ensure more uniform heating while still maintaining product quality. A simple method was developed to measure diffusivity of salt in water chestnut tissue under different levels of sodium chloride concentration and temperature. The apparent diffusion coefficient of salt in water chestnut did not change significantly with salt concentration, but as expected it increased significantly with temperature. After blanching, it was possible to increase the overall electrical conductivity and heat the solid more rapidly during ohmic heating. Residence time distribution (RTD) of particles in the ohmic heater in a continuous sterilization process was measured using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Mean particle residence time increased with the rotational speed of agitators in the ohmic heaters while there was no significant effect of solids concentration. The velocity of the fastest particle was 1.62 times the mean product velocity which is less than that associated with Newtonian fluid in tubular flow.

The objectives of this study are to provide evidence for and demonstrate the processes used to develop and test tools to measure the effectiveness of a culinary and nutrition education program. This study initially involved a review of literature related to the environmental conditions for and components of nutrition education interventions featuring hands-on cooking skill activities. Based on this literature examination, the Cooking Attitude, Cooking Behavior, Produce Consumption Self-Efficacy, Cooking Self-Efficacy, Self-Efficacy for Using Basic Cooking Techniques, and Self-Efficacy for Using Fruits, Vegetables and Seasonings scales and the Knowledge of Cooking Terms and Techniques evaluation were developed. The Availability and Accessibility of Fruits and Vegetables index was adapted from published work. The target population includes adult parents and caregivers in South Carolina. For the pilot reliability study a self-selected group (n = 39) was recruited from Head Start preschools; a subgroup of nineteen parents and caregivers chose to participate in test-retest evaluation. Larger study data was collected from 162 parents and caregivers recruited from church preschools, Head Start preschools, public elementary schools and playgroup settings. Analysis conducted for this study included content validity, test-retest reliability, internal consistency reliability, descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis with promax rotation, correlations, and predictive validity. From the pilot study, test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from r = .43 to r = .89. Pilot Cronbach Alpha results ranged from .15 to .89. From the larger study, exploratory factor analysis indicated single factor structure for the Availability and Accessibility of Fruits and Vegetables index, Cooking Behavior, Produce Consumption Self-Efficacy, Cooking Self-Efficacy, Self-Efficacy for Using Basic Techniques, and Self-Efficacy for Using Fruits, Vegetables, and Seasonings scales. The Cooking Attitude scale performs best with two subscales: Positive Cooking Attitude and Negative Cooking Attitude. This study confirms the need for reliable and valid assessment tools to evaluate culinary nutrition education intervention programs. Specific concepts were identified through a review of the literature and exploratory factor analysis that address concepts central to promoting dietary behavior change through nutrition education and cooking skill development. Although the Cooking Behavior and Self-Efficacy for Using Fruits, Vegetables, and Seasonings scales require additional development and testing to improve reliability, the remaining instruments demonstrate adequate reliability and validity among parents and caregivers.

Consuming an adequate amount of fruit and vegetables (FV) can help lower the risk for numerous chronic diseases, but less than 25% of Americans eat five or more servings of FV per day. Behavioral interventions targeting fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) are an effective way to address this public health problem. This dissertation presents findings from three studies that investigated the psychosocial determinants of adult FVI behavior. The first study reviewed 28 articles that examined psychosocial predictors of FVI, with the results showing consistent support for self-efficacy, social support, knowledge, barriers, attitudes, and intrinsic motivation as relatively strong predictors of FVI; but less so for stages of change. The second study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to further explore the relationships between some of these variables and FVI. Mediation analysis of data from the Healthy Body Healthy Spirit trial (HBHS), a church-based intervention for increasing FVI in African American adults, found none of the psychosocial variables mediated the effects of the intervention on FVI. However, intrinsic motivation, social support, and self-efficacy were significant predictors of FVI. Baseline self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation were also observed to moderate the relationship between social support and FVI in African American adults. The third study used signal detection methodology (SDM) to classify participants in the HBHS trial into subgroups who were more or less likely to respond to the intervention. Changes in intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, and social support were found to be relatively strong predictors of change in FVI. Taken together, the findings from the SEM and SDM analyses show that interventions for increasing FVI in African American populations should target intrinsic motivation, social support, and self-efficacy. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation was not a significant predictor of FVI. On a broader level there is a need for more basic research comparing existing behavioral models and their constructs to improve the design of targeted and tailored interventions for greater change in FVI and improved health outcomes.

Survey of the mangrove areas in Nakorn Srithammarat and Trang provinces found 33 species of edible plants. We attempted to evaluate the nutritional and medical values of these plants. Due to the seasonal availability and unpleasant taste of the plants, only 20 samples of 19 plants were analyzed for their nutritional values: the water content, crude protein, crude fat, dietary fiber, ash, carbohydrate contents, along with the calcium content. Among these edible plants, Rhizophora mucronata Poir contained the highest dietary fiber and calcium contents; several other plants were rich in dietary fiber and calcium as well. The medical values of the plants were based on the antioxidant, lipid peroxidation and cancer chemoprevention. The pods of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (L.) Savigny showed strong quinone reductase inhibition. Further studies on isolation of active components are being carried out.