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The popularity of functional beverages such as tea and herbal infusions led to the search for alternative sources of raw materials that provide great taste and functionality to consumers. Peanut skins are a rich source of phenolic compounds and their utilization in beverage was attempted. Total phenolics (TP) and antioxidant capacity (AOC) were determined in beverages prepared from heat treated peanut skins (Runner, Virginia, Spanish) using three infusion strengths (1, 1.25, 1.5 g/100 mL) and times (2, 6, 10 min). Runner infusions had the highest TP and AOC followed by Spanish then Virginia infusions. Maximum values for TP (110 mg GAE/g), TEAC (1.11 mmol TE/g) and ORAC (1343 μmol TE/g) were obtained from Runner infusions (1 g/100 mL for 10 min). Regression analysis showed that infusion strength and time were significantly related to TP and AOC content of peanut skin infusions. TP and AOC of skins directly affected the sensory attributes of infusions prepared. Runner (mean intensity rating of 108.6 mm) and Spanish (106.6 mm) infusions were more bitter than Virginia (100.9 mm) infusions. Peanut skin infusions prepared are rich in phenolics and have high antioxidant capacities. Beverage formulations from peanut skins would deliver beneficial effects, but formulation issues to achieve consumer acceptability need to be resolved.

Phenolic antioxidant compounds, including resveratrol, are associated with reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, and delayed ageing. This study aims to quantify synergistic enhancement of phenolics and antioxidants in peanuts by combinations of ultrasound (US)–UV treatments, compared to either US or UV, and determine optimum parameters for combined US–UV process. LC–MS confirmed the bioactive phenolics: trans-resveratrol, trans-piceid, and p-coumaric-, caffeic-, and ferulic-acids, which achieved maximum increases, with combined US–UV, compared to US or UV; as did total phenolics (TP), TEAC, and ORAC. Optimum parameters for a combined US–UV process will provide up to 4.8 μg/g trans-resveratrol, 170 μg/g p-coumaric acid, and 150 μM TE/g ORAC or >100% that found in red wines; 1.0 μg/g trans-piceid, 2.6 μg/g ferulic acid, 1.48 mg GAE/g TP, and consumer acceptance ⩾5. Optimum combined US–UV resulted in 1.3× or 2.3× the trans-resveratrol concentrations in US or UV, respectively, suggesting synergistic effect of UV and US in enhancing resveratrol in peanuts.

The effects of varying doses of UV and ultrasound (US), and incubation times at 25 °C on total phenolics (TP), antioxidant capacity by two methods, trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and sensory overall acceptance (OA) of treated peanuts were investigated. Optimum process parameters for UV and US were determined using response surface methodology. UV and US increased TP, TEAC and ORAC total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of most treated peanuts, whereas OA decreased in all treatments compared to controls. US was more effective than UV in increasing total antioxidants. Optimum US process parameters at 36 h incubation time will result in products with TAC ≥ 68 μM TE/g, TP ≥ 1.51 mg GAE/g, TEAC ≥ 2.76 μM TE/g, and OA ≥ 5 or neither like nor dislike.

The effects of varying doses of UV and ultrasound (US) treatments on the concentrations of resveratrol, piceid and total stilbenes, and sensory overall acceptance of peanuts were evaluated using response surface methodology. UV and US treatments resulted in increased (α

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) procedure was developed for simultaneous determination of five phenolic acids, two stilbenes and eight flavonoids in peanut skin extract. A C 18 column fitted with diode array detection at 250 and 320, 280 and 370, and 306 nm for phenolic acids, flavonoids and stilbenes, respectively, with mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid in water and 0.1% formic acid in 100% acetonitrile. Phenolic compounds were eluted with good resolution (Rs > 1.5) within 95 min as follows: gallic, protocatechuic, epigallocatechin, catechin, β-resorcylic (internal standard), caffeic, procyanidin B 2 , epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, p -coumaric, ferulic, piceid, epicatechin gallate, catechin gallate, resveratrol and quercetin. The variation in recovery and reproducibility in peak area was r , of calibration curves of the 15 compounds were >0.999. The method was used to quantify phenolic compounds in peanut skin extracts from Runner, Virginia and Spanish peanuts.

Total phenolics and antioxidant capacities of heat-treated skins from Runner, Virginia and Spanish peanut types were evaluated. Peanut skin extracts were evaluated for total phenolics (TP), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and peroxyl-radical trapping capacity (PRTC) assay. Factors studied were temperature (90, 112, 135, 158 and 180 °C), time (5, 15 and 25 min) and peanut types. Runners significantly ( P

Ready-to-eat poultry frankfurters were irradiated by electron-beam at medium doses of 0, 1, 2 and 3 kGy and evaluated for sensory characteristics over a 32 day refrigerated storage period. A descriptive panel identified and rated 31 attributes describing the effects of irradiation dose on the appearance, aroma, flavor and texture of the frankfurters throughout the shelf-life. It was found that storage time had a more significant effect on frankfurters than irradiation dose. Irradiation affected the aroma attributes of chicken, cured meat, spice blend, and wet dog; the flavor attributes of meaty, chickeny, and off-flavor; and the taste attributes of sour and sweet. The texture of the poultry frankfurters was not significantly affected by irradiation.

A trained descriptive analysis panel evaluated raw and cooked sensory attributes for both fresh and frozen commercially available shrimp. While significant differences in sensory attributes existed among the type of frozen shrimp evaluated (Georgia white, Georgia brown, Gulf white, Gulf brown, Gulf pink, Honduras white, Belise white, Columbia white, and Burma black tiger), only appearance attributes could uniquely differentiate a specific type of frozen shrimp. Flavor and texture attributes were not unique to one type of frozen shrimp, hence no single attribute could be used for branding of shrimp. While frozen shrimp had greater intensities of cooked shrimp flavor and aroma, fresh shrimps were characterized as being sweeter and juicier than frozen shrimp. Both juiciness and sweetness decreased in Georgia white shrimp when stored on ice.

Consumer acceptance and intensity ratings of roasted peanuts stored at temperatures of 23, 30, 35, and 40 °C, and water activities (aw) of 0.33, 0.44, 0.54, 0.67 and 0.75 were determined over time. Consumer acceptance ratings, including overall, appearance, color, and texture were affected by storage water activity and time, but not by storage temperature. Consumer intensity ratings of crunchiness were affected by storage water activity and time, but not storage temperature. Aroma acceptance, flavor acceptance, and roasted peanutty and stale/oxidized/rancid intensity ratings of roasted peanuts were dependent on storage temperature, water activity and time. Shelf-life of roasted peanuts was predicted by all consumer attributes ( R 2 > 0.60 ) and was best predicted by aroma acceptance ( R 2 = 0.75 ). Using contour plots with ratings >5.0 for all acceptance attributes, the shelf-life of roasted peanuts stored at 23 °C and between 0.33 and 0.75 aw was limited by overall acceptance and decreased by approximately 50% with each 0.1 aw increase. At accelerated temperatures of 30, 35 and 40 °C, shelf-life of roasted peanuts was predominantly limited by flavor acceptance (>5.0), and to a lesser extent by overall acceptance (>5.0). Shelf-life of roasted peanuts stored at accelerated temperatures decreased by 50% or more with each 0.1 aw increase.

A reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for identification and quantification of trans-resveratrol from peanut extracts, using phenolphthalein as internal standard, was developed. The HPLC system consisted of a C18 column (250 l × 4.6 i.d. mm, 5 μm particle size), with PDA detection at 307 nm and mobile phase consisting of 0.1% acetic acid in water and 100% acetonitrile. Gradient elution increased acetonitrile linearly from 5% to 41.8% over 23 min (GS = 1.6) followed by an increase of acetonitrile to 77% over 5 min (GS = 7.04), returning to initial conditions over 1 min and held for an additional 5 min with a flow rate of 1.5 ml/min. A lower column temperature resulted in higher peak heights and better baseline separation, therefore 25 °C was selected over 40 or 60 °C to simplify the method. Accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection and limit of quantitation were consistent or better than reported previously in the literature for related studies.

A manual sorting procedure was developed to eliminate aflatoxin contamination from peanuts. The efficiency of the sorting process in eliminating aflatoxin-contaminated kernels from lots of raw peanuts was verified. The blanching of 20 kg of peanuts at 140 degrees C for 25 min in preheated roasters facilitated the manual sorting of aflatoxin-contaminated kernels after deskinning. The manual sorting of raw materials with initially high aflatoxin contents (300 ppb) resulted in aflatoxin-free peanuts (i.e., peanuts in which no aflatoxin was detected). Verification procedures showed that the sorted sound peanuts contained no aflatoxin or contained low levels (

Transition to a market-oriented economy in Bulgaria has been characterized by declining real incomes and changes in dietary patterns. Nutritional status of the low-income segment of the population has become an important issue. The unemployed and pensioners represent two of the most vulnerable groups because of a substantial reduction in social welfare expenditure. Nationwide food intake survey data collected in 1997 allowed examination of how food intake patterns of the unemployed and pensioners differed from patterns of the employed. Income and sociodemographic profiles, including age, education, gender and geographic region were responsible for differences in food intake patterns.

Texture and color attributes were determined for snack chips made from cowpea flour. Chips were prepared from flour milled through 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mm screens; in addition, the ratio of cowpea flour to cornstarch was varied. Snapping force was slightly higher for chips made from fine flour. In general, the ratio of total energy to peak force ( E/PkF ) determined by the Kramer shear test increased with more finely milled flour, or addition of starch. Color values ( L *, a *, and b *) indicated that chips with greater cowpea protein/cornstarch ratios were darker and browner. Discriminant function analysis was used to relate instrumental measurements to consumer hedonic scores. Of particular importance was the ( E/PkF ) ratio from the Kramer shear test. Chips with lower E/PkF values had higher acceptability scores. In turn, the E/PkF values were related to the extractable starch content. The apparent starch content was dependent on either the amount of starch added, or by the milling conditions. In general, chips produced from finely milled flours had greater apparent starch content than those produced from coarsely milled flours.

In Bulgaria, transition from a centrally planned to a market-driven system brought a substantial decline in real incomes and increase in general level of food prices. Resulting increases in food expenditure shares in household budgets, coupled with traditional diet patterns high in fat, energy, sugar and sodium, could lead consumers to purchase inexpensive and nutritionally unbalanced foods and potentially increase the risk of the incidence of diet-related health problems. Using a consumer survey data collected in 1997 in Bulgaria, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and consumer concerns about five salient nutritional attributes including fat, sodium, sugar, food energy, and protein. Household income, educational attainment level, gender, age and geographic locations were statistically significant in explaining the variations in nutritional concerns of Bulgarian consumers. The results provide a basis for the development of public nutrition policies and health education programs paying special attention to the particular needs of identified subgroups of the population in Bulgaria.

US consumers (n=59) and West Africans (n=29) evaluated six snack chip prototypes containing cowpea flour, cornmeal, wheat flour and cornstarch. West African consumers found the snack chips to be much more acceptable than did US consumers. Mean overall acceptance ratings by US consumers for all samples ranged from 2.5 to 4.4 (dislike very much to dislike slightly) whereas West African ratings ranged from 6.0 to 7.0 (like slightly to like very much). West African consumers rated samples with the highest percentage of cowpea flour, 11 and 22.5%, and wheat flour content ranging from 5.5 to 7.5% highest in overall acceptance among all samples.

The acceptability of the sensory properties of cookies containing crushed, toasted peanuts and sweet potato flakes was optimized. A 3 × 3 full factorial experiment using three levels each of sweet potato flakes (0-120 g) and egg white (30-90 g) in formulations containing 120 g of peanuts and 80 g of sugar was conducted. Consumer acceptance tests for color, shape, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall acceptability were conducted using 9-point hedonic scales and 60 panelists. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the formulation. Objective measurements of color and texture were determined. All formulations containing all levels of egg white and up to 15 g of sweet potato flakes resulted in formulations with overall acceptance scores ⩾6.0. Increasing the level of sweet potato flakes resulted in increased acceptance of color and appearance but had a deleterious effect on acceptance of mouthfeel. Verification trials revealed the predictive ability of all models developed. except for flavor. Significant correlations existed between acceptability scores for the sensory properties arid physical measurements.

Response surface methodology was used to optimize the formulation of an extruded snack based on cornstarch and peanut flour. Flavor and texture acceptability were limiting factors in attaining the optimum formulation. Acceptable products were produced with formulations containing 120-200g/kg non-fermented peanut flour, 0-80g/kg fermented peanut flour, 300-315 g/kg added water, and 500 g/kg cornstarch. Flavoring the product with nacho cheese, Cheddar cheese, and sour cream and onion enhanced overall product acceptance. Consumer evaluation of the snacks indicated a high potential for sale in the marketplace.

The preparation of akara, a popular West African food made from whipped cowpea paste, traditionally involves decortication (seed coat removal). Decortication may not be necessary for consumers who are unfamiliar with product characteristics. Akara was prepared from meal processed from whole or decorticated seeds. Paste from whole seeds was more viscous and dense than decorticated and produced fewer balls per batch. Akara from whole seeds required significantly more force to shear-compress and had a darker, duller color than akara from decorticated seeds. Akara from both processes contained 22% protein, which was more than twice that of fried cornmeal hush puppies and French fried potatoes. Sensory quality was evaluated by 128 Georgia teenagers. Appearance and color ratings were significantly higher for the decorticated product; there was no difference in flavor, mouthfeel or overall quality ratings due to decortication.

Systolic blood pressures were measured on the same animals by direct and indirect methods. A tail cuff was used for the indirect measurements, and the direct measurements were obtained with a strain gauge after a needle was inserted into a major artery. Good agreement was found between normal values and elevated pressures produced by norepinephrine, but gross differences were observed in a nutritional experiment in which oatmeal was fed. Credibility requires that blood pressure changes be demonstrated by direct as well as by indirect measurements.

Consumer respondents (203) in the metro-Atlanta statistical area answered a detailed questionnaire pertaining to their attitudes and perceptions of different food groups and food uses. Factor analyses resulted in five food attitude, two food item and three food-use appropriateness factors. The food attitude factors were “Like to Cook”, “Organizational”, “Adventurous”, “Convenience driven” and “Nutrition conscious but casual meal planner”. Food item factors were “Main dish” and “Snack”, Food-use appropriateness factors were “Social”, “Satiety” and “Casual”. A significant correlation between nutrition knowledge and nutrition concern, but not food attitude scores, was found. The “Organizational” factor correlated with the most numbers of variables and “Like to Cook” the least. Results of the respondents in this study indicate that consumers in this sample are leading mobile, dynamic and service oriented lifestyles.