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Background Legumes contain several healthy essential nutrients and bioactive compounds, and their symbiotic nitrogen fixation ability confers substantial economic and environmental advantages. The traditional perception that legume flours are unsuitable for extrusion cooking is now proving to be outdated. Recent research suggests that legumes have great potential for replacing cereals in extruded snacks due to their healthier nutritional profile and remarkable functional characteristics. Scope and approach In this paper, the scientific and technological challenges associated with incorporating legume-based flours into extruded cereal-based snacks are reviewed. After comparing the nutritional properties of cereals and legumes, technological properties of extrudates (i.e. expansion ratio, bulk density, sensory properties etc.) enriched with legumes are explored. The current market situation and the future of legume-based extruded snacks are also discussed. Key findings and conclusions Due to their functional characteristics, legume flours demonstrate good potential in the manufacture of extruded healthier snacks in which cereal flours are partially or entirely substituted. Lab-scale extrusion trials produce a wealth of information affirming that incorporating legume flours significantly affects the final extrudate structure and subsequent quality/sensory attributes of snacks. However, more work needs to be carried out to identify the most appropriate combination of flours and to optimise processing conditions to improve sensory and quality attributes and promote consumer acceptance. Increasing application of legumes in extruded snacks will continue to drive the global legumes market.

BACKGROUND Many lower-income communities in the United States lack a full-line grocery store. There is evidence that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) increases the availability of healthy foods in stores. One national discount variety store chain (DVS) that is often located in low-income neighborhoods became an authorized WIC vendor in 8 pilot stores. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to evaluate how implementing WIC in DVS pilot stores affected sales of healthy, WIC-eligible foods. METHODS We used DVS sales data and difference-in-differences regression to evaluate how WIC authorization affected sales of WIC-eligible foods in 8 DVS pilot stores, compared with 8 matched comparison stores. RESULTS DVS added 18 new WIC-approved foods to become an authorized vendor. Results indicate that becoming a WIC vendor significantly increased sales of healthy, WIC-eligible foods that DVS carried before authorization. WIC implementation in DVS led to a 31-unit increase in sales of the original WIC foods per week on average (P

To investigate differences in school breakfast participation and food waste in 1 school district before and after the adoption of Breakfast in the Classroom.Using a pretest-posttest design, participation and food waste were measured from 7 elementary schools in a rural area of southwest Virginia during the 2014-2015 school year. Participation and waste were measured on 4 days in each school (twice before and twice after Breakfast in the Classroom implementation) using the quarter-waste method.Across all schools, food waste decreased from 43.0% to 38.5% with Breakfast in the Classroom, with significant decreases for entrée items, juice, and savory snack foods (P.01). Fruit and cheese items generated the greatest amount of food waste at 58.2% and 49.0%, respectively.Breakfast in the Classroom may be an effective tool to decrease food waste while improving dietary intake. Future research is needed among more diverse populations.

The aim of this study was to develop an apple snack which function as a probiotic carrier. For this purpose, apple slices were impregnated with Lactobacillus paracasei and dried with either convectional or vacuum drying at 45 °C, then stored for 28 days at 4 °C. The inoculation level of probiotics was 7.42 and 7.99 log CFU/g and the population remained above 6 and 7 log CFU/g after vacuum and oven drying, respectively. SEM images demonstrated well adaptation of the bacterial cells. The total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of control vacuum dried (CVD), probiotic vacuum dried (PVD), control oven dried (CCD), and probiotic oven dried (PCD) apple samples were 2.96, 3.94, 2.42 and 3.77 mg GAE/g and 4.66, 6.06, 4.67, 5.61 mg TAEC/g dry matter at the end of the storage, respectively. Vacuum dried apple samples (CVD) had higher sensory acceptability (P 0.05) change color of the dried apple samples. In conclusion, probiotic-enriched dried apple snacks were successfully produced with acceptable sensorial and bioactive properties and good carrier of L. paracasei.

College students engage in high-frequency smartphone use, despite potential negative consequences. One way to conceptualize this behavior is to consider it a highly reinforcing activity. Comparing motivation for smartphones to a powerful primary reinforcer, such as food, can establish their relative reinforcing value. This study investigated whether smartphones were more reinforcing than food, as well as the relationships between smartphone reinforcement, texting use, and smartphone motives. Participants were 76 college students (50% female, Mage = 18.9, SD = 0.99) who had no access to food for three hours and to their smartphones for two hours. After this modest deprivation period, participants worked for time to use their smartphones and 100-cal portions of their favorite snack food concurrently, with the work to obtain portions of both commodities increasing. The amount of smartphone use earned during the task was manipulated across groups (20, 30, 60, 120 s) to establish what amount of smartphone use was needed to motivate responding. Additionally, reinforcing efficacy of smartphones and food using a hypothetical purchase task and motivations for smartphone use was collected. Smartphones were more reinforcing than food using either measurement methodology (p's

Rice is one of the major cereal crops that act as an attractive material for the manufacture of ready-to-cook (RTC) products like pasta, noodles, ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals, modified starch, weaning foods, snack foods, pet foods, and dried soup, because of its colour, bland taste, flavour as well as good processing characteristics. Extrusion is the most versatile processing technology used in the food industry to develop the product having better nutritional, functional and sensory characteristics. This technique enables the control of the different processes like mixing, heating, cooking, shearing, and shaping of products. This review highlights the research work on the use of extrusion process technology to produce rice and rice-based products. The extrusion process parameters namely feed moisture, barrel temperature, screw speed, and feed rate markedly affect the product quality and their acceptability among consumers. Emphasis has been given on the effects of feed mixture composition or ingredients and the extrusion process parameters on physicochemical, textural, pasting, thermal and nutritional properties of the rice extrudates.

This study examined relationships between contextual factors and within-person variations in snack food and sweetened beverage intake in African American women (n = 79), aged 25–65 years living in metropolitan Chicago. For seven days, participants wore a global positioning system (GPS) logger and were signaled five times per day to complete an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) survey assessing behaviors and environmental, social, and other contextual factors via smartphones. Within-person associations between snack food and beverage intake and contextual factors were analyzed using three-level logistic regressions. Participants reported consuming a snack food at 38.4% of signals and a sweetened beverage at 17.9% of signals. Fast food restaurant and convenience store density within the daily activity space was not associated with either snack food or sweetened beverage intake. However, perceptions of close proximity to fast food restaurants and convenience stores making it easier to eat/drink, while accounting for one's usual proximity, were associated with increased odds of snack intake (O.R. 2.1; 95% C.I. 1.4, 3.0) but not sweetened beverage. We also found engaging in activities such as watching television (O.R. 1.8; 95% C.I. 1.2, 2.7) and talking (O.R. 1.7; 95% C.I. 1.1, 2.6) while eating were associated with higher snack intake. These factors were not related to sweetened beverage intake. Public health interventions addressing fast food restaurant and convenience store accessibility and food offerings and marketing within these outlets may help reduce snack food intake. Additionally, to reduce concurrent activities while eating, real-time interventions using smart technology could be used to enhance attentive eating in this population.

Two experiments in France investigate how larger portions influence consumption of healthy foods. Our studies compare the portion-size effect across snack foods varying in healthiness (potato chips and apple chips) and in a healthy snack (carrots) in a field setting (a movie theatre). Study 1 showed that doubling the portions increased consumption of both healthy and unhealthy snacks. Study 2, conducted in a movie theatre, showed that high-school students ate more of a healthy snack (baby-carrots) when given a larger portion. It also investigated if the portion-size effect was moderated by the type of movie being watched. Portion-size effect was mitigated when participants watched a food-related (vs. food-unrelated) movie, suggesting that food-focus reduces the effect of the portion size cue. Increasing portion sizes of healthy snacks may be a promising way to promote healthier food consumption. Being exposed to a food-related movie, however, mitigates the effect of portion size on consumption.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) represents one of the most widespread mycotoxins in agricultural commodities in the world and is considered as a possible human carcinogen with its potent nephrotoxicity. Since OTA is stable under most food processing conditions, it has been detected in a variety of cereal grains and their processed products. We investigated the effect of explosive puffing process on the reduction of OTA in rice and oats. Moisture content of rice and oat grains were adjusted to 15% (wet weight basis, wb) and OTA was spiked at 100 μg/kg. Then the grains were processed by explosive puffing at 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9 MPa. The moisture content of puffed rice and oat snacks were in the ranges of 5–8% wb and 6–10% wb, respectively, and the moisture content in the puffed products were decreased with increasing pressure. In addition, decreased bulk density and increased degree of redness (a) were observed with increased explosive puffing pressure. The reduction of OTA concentration in puffed rice and oats were decreased with increasing explosive puffing pressures in the ranges of 15–28% and 38–52%, respectively. These results suggest that OTA in rice and oat may be reduced significantly by explosive puffing process, which can be applied to commercial production of cereal-based snack foods.

Goal-directed behaviour depends on successful association of environmental cues with reward or punishment. Obesity has been linked to diminished learning success in this domain. In contrast, here we demonstrate superior learning in obese participants independent of reward type. We tested association learning in 85 participants with a wide body-mass-index (BMI) range (lean to obese) in four probabilistic reversal-learning experiments. Experiments differed regarding learning mode (active and passive) and reward stimulus (pictures of snack food and money). Food and monetary rewards were adjusted regarding their motivational value in order to allow a direct comparison of related learning characteristics. Our results reveal enhanced associative learning in obese compared to normal-weight participants – reward-independently for expectancy updating and specifically for food-rewards for initial acquisition. When comparing the influence of continuous BMI in active and passive learning, food reward was associated with opposite effects of BMI on performance. Our data indicate generalized, weight-dependent differences in essential reward-learning, though particularly for food reward. We thereby argue that flexible updating of reward-related information may in fact be enhanced in people with obesity – and, thus, possibly promote unhealthy food choices in modern society.

Background In 2012, Massachusetts implemented both the updated national school meal standards and comprehensive competitive food/beverage standards that closely align with current national requirements for school snacks. Objectives This study examines the impact of these combined standards on school meal and snack food selections, as well as food choices outside of school. In addition, this study examines the impact of these standards on nutrients consumed. Design The NOURISH (Nutrition Opportunities to Understand Reforms Involving Student Health) Study was an observational cohort study conducted among students from spring 2012 to spring 2013. Participants/setting One hundred sixty students in 12 middle schools and high schools in Massachusetts completed two 24-hour recalls before (spring 2012) and after implementation (spring 2013) of the updated standards. Main outcome measures Changes in school meals, competitive food, and after-school snack selection, as well as nutrients consumed outside of school were examined. Statistical analyses performed Logistic regression and mixed-model analysis of variance were used to examine food selection and consumption. Results After implementation, 13.6% more students chose a school meal (70.1% vs 56.5%; P=0.02). There were no differences in competitive food purchases but a significant decrease in the number of after-school unhealthy snacks consumed (0.69 [standard error=0.08] vs 1.02 [standard error=0.10]; P=0.009). During the entire day, students consumed, on average, 22 fewer grams of sugar daily after implementation compared with before implementation (86 g vs 108 g; P=0.002). Conclusions With the reduction in the number of unhealthy school snacks, significantly more students selected school meals. Students did not compensate for lack of unhealthy snacks in school by increased consumption of unhealthy snacks outside of school. This provides important new evidence that both national school meal and snack policies may improve daily diet quality and should remain strong.

Background Little attention has been directed to understanding the relationship between restriction and regulation of snack food intake in toddlers. Objective The aim of this study was to examine the effects of parental restriction of toddlers' eating of snacks in the absence of hunger (EAH) and to examine the impact of three contextual factors; snack food access, frequency of snack food consumption, and attraction to snack food. Design 64 parents and toddlers (aged 22–36 months) took part in a protocol to measure EAH (defined as kJ of energy-dense snack foods consumed). Mean EAH was 199 kJ (SD = 299), with 43 children consuming at least some snacks. Restriction was measured with the Child Feeding Questionnaire Restriction subscale. Snack food access was measured with Allow Access from the Toddler Snack Food Feeding Questionnaire (TSFFQ), snack food consumption was measured with a short snack food frequency questionnaire, and attraction to snack foods was measured with Child's Attraction from the TSFFQ. Moderated regression analyses tested interactions between Restriction and contextual factors in predicting EAH. Results EAH was associated with Restriction (r = 0.25, p = .05, 95% CI 0.004 - 0.47). There was an interaction between Restriction and accessibility of snack foods (R2 change = 0.08, p = .025); restriction was associated with EAH only when access to snack foods in the home was, on average, higher. The effect of Restriction on EAH was not moderated by frequency of snack food consumption or Child's Attraction. Conclusions These finding have practical relevance and reinforce the importance of the home food environment for managing young children's snack food intake.

Across the globe, dietary habits include the consumption of foods and drinks between main meals. Although often described as "snacks" or "snacking," there is no scientific consensus of what constitutes a snack, either as an eating occasion or as a snack food. Nonetheless, food-based dietary guidelines, compiled at national or regional levels by governments, learned societies, and health organizations, frequently refer to snacking habits and desirable or undesirable snack food choices. This review aims to provide a comprehensive snapshot of snacking recommendations worldwide. From a search of 207 countries and organizations, 49 countries and 7 regional or global organizations were identified that referred to snacks, snack foods, or snacking. A total of 136 snacking-specific recommendations or examples were identified, which varied in nature whereby some provided advice on the quality of the snack food choice and others focused on the frequency or energy and nutrient composition of such snacks. Guidelines varied in terms of the detail of foods and drinks identified, wherein some recommendations focused only on foods or food categories to include (e.g., fruit or dairy) or to exclude (e.g., processed foods), whereas other recommendations made reference to both. Both individual foods (e.g., apples) and food categories (e.g., fruit) were mentioned. Reasons or rationales to support the snacking choices were less frequently identified and varied across regions. It is hoped that this analysis will stimulate discussion on the need for a consensus in the scientific community and beyond with regard to snacking. An agreed-upon definition of snacks, snacking, and snack foods could be used to inform a number of stakeholders and ultimately help consumers adhere to healthful diets as defined locally.

Puffed pulses have found popularity as ingredients in ready-to-eat breakfast foods, confectionary and snack formulations. With the global snack food market expanding rapidly, puffed chickpeas possess many desirable sensory attributes to meet the demand for healthy snacks. There is a paucity of knowledge on the sensory profiles and consumer acceptance of puffed desi chickpeas. Thus, the sensory profile of Australian puffed desi chickpeas using a trained panel is reported here, along with the results from a consumer test conducted in Australia. Results revealed that Australian puffed desi chickpeas are heterogeneous in their sensory attributes. The diversity of sensory properties reported suggests a good deal of genetic diversity, which will ultimately facilitate any attempts to meet consumer preferences through breeding or selection of ideal chickpea candidate lines. Preference mapping was used for the first time to identify the key drivers of liking for puffed chickpeas. Kyabra was identified with the highest overall liking. Results from the consumer sensory research revealed that puffing the Australian chickpea genotype, Kyabra, can deliver a positive sensory experience. This finding will provide pulse-breeders practical information about important sensory attributes of Australian puffed desi chickpeas that may have the greatest impact on consumer acceptability.

Objective Eating behavior of school-aged children was dominated by street foods. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between maternal knowledge of balanced nutritional guidelines and snack food selection by school-aged children during school hours. This also aims to describe each demographic data and level of mother's knowledge. Method This study conducted a descriptive correlational design. The participants were selected using simple random sampling technique, consisting of 4th and 5th grade elementary school children and their mothers in SDN Tugu 4, Depok City, Indonesia. Demographic data were also taken for each. The instruments used the Food Frequency Questionnaire and questions about the balanced nutritional guidelines. Statistical analysis conducted a univariate (descriptive) and bivariate (relationship) analysis. Bivariate analysis used independent t test and ANOVA test, using (P value Results A total of 118 elementary students and their mothers participated. The results showed that there was no significant relationship between maternal knowledge of balanced nutritional guidelines and snack food behavior by children during school hours (P = 0.108). Level of knowledge of the mothers on balance nutritional guidelines was dominantly moderate (58.4%). Conclusions Parents no longer became a major factor influencing the child's diet. Peers have more influence on the diet of children this age. This study points to the importance of education on healthy and safe snack foods for school-aged children in collaboration with peers, parents, teachers, and food vendors at school.

Meat jerky is a popular dried snack food that is typically considered shelf-stable and ready-to-eat. Many jerky processes incorporate post-lethality handling that represents opportunities for contamination through contact with worker hands and gloves. The objective was to identify transfer rates of Salmonella enterica from gloves to dried jerky after handling with three types of single-use gloves (Nitrile, PVC, and PE) and one type of single-use PE-coated sleeve cover. Six Salmonella enterica serovars were mixed and diluted to 7–8 log10 CFU/mL and 2–3 log10 CFU/mL for quantitative and qualitative transfer rate analyses, respectively. For quantitative analysis, high dose inoculum was applied evenly to the palm of the glove and the gloved hands were used to touch three jerky slices successively, simulating a major glove-jerky contact. A total of six inoculations were performed per material (n = 18). For qualitative analysis, low dose inoculum was applied evenly to the palm of the glove and the gloved hands were used to touch the jerky (n = 40) using two contact scenarios (contact with fingers only or fingers and palm) simulating activities associated with hand sorting and packaging. Salmonella were enumerated by plating onto XLT4 following serial dilution or after 24 h enrichment. Salmonella transfer to jerky was significantly greater (P

It is well established that the amount eaten by other people affects how much we eat, but unanswered questions exist regarding how much the food choices of other people affect the types of food that we choose. Past research on food choice modeling has primarily been conducted in controlled laboratory situations and has focused on snack foods. The current research examines the extent to which food choice modeling of a main dish occurs in a real-life context and whether people are aware of being influenced by others. The lunch orders of cafe patrons were surreptitiously tracked and participants were recruited after they paid for their lunch. Participants were asked what they ordered, whether they were influenced by the prior order, and what their relationship was to the person ahead of them in line. We analyzed the data of participants who were not acquainted with the person ahead of them (N = 174). As hypothesized, participants’ main-dish lunch orders matched the choice of the person ordering ahead of them in line at rates significantly higher than chance. A significant modeling effect was observed even among participants who reported that their order was not influenced by the prior order. This research provided evidence of main-dish choice modeling occurring in real-life eating situations and outside of conscious awareness - demonstrating a powerful social influence on eating behaviours.

The complex dependence of non-enzymatic browning development on processing conditions was analyzed in the production of maize snacks. The influence of the amount of water added to maize flour, toasting time, and toasting temperature on final water contents, HMF formation and CIELAB color parameters was evaluated by Response Surface Methodology. While L* values decreased continuously with increasing toasting temperature, the variables a* and b* showed maximum values at intermediate studied ranges of temperature and water contents, which is related to the complex interactions of the variables water content and temperature. The formation of HMF, as a marker of non-enzymatic browning reactions, was favored by low water contents and its concentration correlated with lower L* and b* but higher a* values. The optimum levels of toasting time, toasting temperature, and water addition for minimizing HMF concentration at which the snacks presented adequate color characteristics were determined. Finally, correlations between L*, b* and HMF were mathematically established to predict heat damage using these fast and non-destructive indicators to assure adequate processing and storage conditions.

Research on the relative influence of package features on children's perception of food products is still necessary to aid policy design and development. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the relative influence of two front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling schemes, the traffic light system and Chilean warning system, and label design on children's choice of two popular snack foods in Uruguay, wafer cookies and orange juice. A total of 442 children in grades 4 to 6 from 12 primary schools in Montevideo (Uruguay) participated in the study. They were asked to complete a choice-conjoint task with wafer cookies and orange juice labels, varying in label design and the inclusion of FOP nutrition information. Half of the children completed the task with labels featuring the traffic-light system (n = 217) and the other half with labels featuring the Chilean warning system (n = 225). Children's choices of wafer cookies and juice labels was significantly influenced by both label design and FOP nutritional labels. The relative impact of FOP nutritional labelling on children's choices was higher for the warning system compared to the traffic-light system. Results from the present work stress the need to regulate the design of packages and the inclusion of nutrient claims, and provide preliminary evidence of the potential of warnings to discourage children's choice of unhealthful products.

Objective To explore whether exercise motivation predicted two of the potential mechanisms that may explain why individuals engage in unhealthy compensatory snack consumption following exercise; specifically (a) post-exercise conscious licensing beliefs, and (b) post-exercise implicit attitudes toward unhealthy snacks. Design Observational study. Method One hundred and nineteen healthy participants completed a 40-min session of moderate intensity stationary cycling, and subsequently completed measures of explicit licensing and implicit associations toward unhealthy snack foods and drinks. Results Individuals driven by more controlled (relative to autonomous) forms of exercise motivation reported greater compensatory licensing beliefs (Est = −0.08, p Conclusion The findings demonstrate that exercise motivation may predict conscious licensing beliefs toward unhealthy snack foods and drinks post-exercise. Understanding the modifiable factors – such as exercise motivation – that predict post-exercise dietary beliefs is important for supporting individuals’ weight loss and health goals.

Snacking (eating between meals) is a common behaviour, which is often blamed for poor diets because snack foods can be high in sodium, fat and sugar. In addition, uncompensated calories from snacking could contribute to overweight and obesity. However, the evidence is inconclusive, and to some extent this could be explained by the lack of a universal definition as to what counts as a snack. The present study looks at snack foods as defined by USDA in the LanguaL Thesaurus, and evaluated their nutritional quality using the Nutrient Balance Concept. It also explored whether these USDA-defined snacks could be incorporated into a healthy menu plan (US MyPlate). The results of this study showed that only about a sixth are high in nutrients considered as potentially harmful for human health when consumed in high amounts. By contrast almost three-quarters of these snack foods are poor in nutrients that are considered essential (or very important) for human health. However, overall diet quality, assessed using the Nutrient Balance Concept, was compromised only by those snack foods that are especially high in sodium and/or saturated fatty acids.

Many studies show that higher dietary energy density is associated with greater body weight. Here we explored two propositions: i) that child BMI percentile is associated with individual differences in children's relative preference for energy-dense foods, ii) that child BMI percentile is associated with the same individual differences between their parents. Child-parent dyads were recruited from a local interactive science center in Bristol (UK). Using computerized tasks, participants ranked their preference and rated their liking for a range of snack foods that varied in energy density. Children (aged 3–14 years, N = 110) and parents completed the tasks for themselves. Parents also completed two further tasks in which they ranked the foods in the order that they would prioritize for their child, and again, in the order that they thought their child would choose. Children preferred (t(109) = 3.91, p, Highlights • Higher dietary energy density (ED) is associated with greater body weight. • A novel, computerized task was implemented to assess preference for ED. • Children's and parent's relative preferences for ED were measured. • Variation in relative ED preference was not associated with child BMI percentile. • Alternate explanations of the association between dietary ED and BMI are discussed.

The effects of sugar-sweetened (SSB) and non-nutritive sweetened (NSB) beverages on the regulation of appetite, energy intake and body weight regulation remain controversial. Using a behavioral choice paradigm, we sought to determine the effects of consuming a SSB or NSB on appetite and the reinforcing value of sweet relative to salty/savory snack foods. In a randomized crossover study, 21 healthy weight adults consumed 360 ml of SSB (sucrose; 31 g) or NSB (sucralose; 4 g) with a standardized meal. Hedonic ratings for the sweet and salty/savory snack foods used for the reinforcement task were assessed prior to the start of the study. Satiety and the desire to eat foods with a specific taste profile were assessed before and every 30 min post-meal for 4 h. The relative reinforcing value of the snack foods was assessed using a computer-based choice task (operant responding with concurrent schedules of reinforcement) 4 h post-meal. Hedonic ratings did not differ between the most highly liked sweet and salty/savory snack foods. Beverage type did not influence measures of satiety or the desire to eat foods with a specific taste. However, sweet snacks were more (p

Food cues of palatable food are omnipresent, thereby simulating the intake of unhealthy snack food among children. As a consequence, this might lead to a higher intake of energy-dense snacks and less fruit and vegetables, a habit that increases the risk of developing chronic diseases. The aim of this experimental study is to examine whether playing a memory game with fruit affects fruit intake among young children. We used a randomized between-subject design with 127 children (age: 7–12 y) who played a memory-game, containing either fruit (n = 64) or non-food products (n = 63). While playing the memory-game in a separate room in school during school hours, free intake of fruit (mandarins, apples, bananas, and grapes) was measured. Afterwards, the children completed self-report measures, and length and weight were assessed. The main finding is that playing a memory-game containing fruit increases overall fruit intake (P = 0.016). Children who played the fruit version of the memory-game ate more bananas (P = 0.015) and mandarins (P = 0.036) than children who played the non-food memory-game; no effects were found for apples (P > 0.05) and grapes (P > 0.05). The findings suggest that playing a memory-game with fruit stimulates fruit intake among young children. This is an important finding because children eat insufficient fruit, according to international standards, and more traditional health interventions have limited success. Healthy eating habits of children maintain when they become adults, making it important to stimulate fruit intake among children in an enjoyable way. Trial registration: Nederlands Trial Register TC = 5687, Highlights • We tested the effect of fruit-cues on actual fruit intake among young children. • Fruit consumption increased after playing a memory-game with fruit. • Children reported that they enjoyed playing the game.

Background There is limited evidence concerning the potential effectiveness of health warning labels (HWLs) using images and text to depict possible negative health consequences of consumption, for reducing selection of energy-dense snack foods. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms have received little attention; particularly effects on implicit attitudes, which previous work has shown may mediate the effect of aversive images on food choice. Aim To assess the impact of pairing image- and text-based HWLs with energy-dense snack foods on a) the selection of, and b) implicit and explicit attitudes towards, those foods. Methods Online experimental study with a representative UK sample (n = 1185), using a 2(Image/No Image) x 2(Text/No Text) factorial between-subjects design. Participants were randomised to one of four study arms, viewing snack food images paired with either: image-only HWLs, text-only HWLs, image-and-text HWLs, or no HWLs (control). HWLs concerned various negative health consequences of excess energy intake, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The primary outcome was hypothetical food choice (energy-dense snack foods versus fruit), assessed post-intervention. Secondary outcomes were implicit and explicit attitudes. Results Neither food choice nor explicit attitudes were changed significantly by any type of HWL. Implicit attitudes towards energy-dense snack foods were more negative after exposure to text-only or image-and-text HWLs. Both implicit and explicit attitudes predicted unique variance in food choice. Conclusions This study suggests that short-term repeated exposure to HWLs paired with energy-dense snack foods may not consistently alter food choices, but can change implicit attitudes associated with food choices. Further laboratory and field studies are needed to more definitively assess the impact of HWLs on food selection and consumption in applied contexts and over time, as well as delineate underlying mechanisms.

In today's society, snacking contributes close to one-third of daily energy intake, with many snacks consisting of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods. Choices made with regard to snacking are affected by a multitude of factors on individual, social, and environmental levels. Social norms, for example, that emphasize healthful eating are likely to increase the intake of nutrient-rich snacks. In addition, satiety, the feeling of fullness that persists after eating, is an important factor in suppressing overconsumption, which can lead to overweight and obesity. Thus, eating snacks between meals has the potential to promote satiety and suppress overconsumption at the subsequent meal. Numerous studies have explored the relation between snack foods and satiety. These studies concluded that whole foods high in protein, fiber, and whole grains (e.g., nuts, yogurt, prunes, and popcorn) enhance satiety when consumed as snacks. Other foods that are processed to include protein, fiber, or complex carbohydrates might also facilitate satiety when consumed as snacks. However, studies that examined the effects of snack foods on obesity did not always account for satiety and the dietary quality and portion size of the snacks consumed. Thus, the evidence concerning the effects of snack foods on obesity has been mixed, with a number of interventional and observational studies not finding a link between snack foods and increased weight status. Although further prospective studies are warranted to conclusively determine the effects of snack foods on obesity risk, the consumption of healthful snacks likely affects satiety and promotes appetite control, which could reduce obesity.

An increase in the package size of food has been shown to lead to an increase in 28 energy intake from this food, the so-called pack size effect. Previous research has shown that 29 providing diet-concerned individuals with a reminder, or prime, of their dieting goal can help 30 them control their consumption. Here, we investigated if providing such a prime is also 31 effective for reducing the magnitude of the pack size effect. We conducted two experiments in 32 which the cover of a dieting magazine (Experiment 1) and diet-related commercials 33 (Experiment 2) served as diet goal primes. Both experiments had a 2 (pack size: small vs. 34 large) x 2 (prime: diet vs. control) x 2 (dietary restraint: high vs. low) between participants 35 design. We measured expected consumption of four snack foods in Experiment 1 (N = 477), 36 and actual consumption of M&M’s in Experiment 2 (N = 224). Results showed that the diet 37 prime reduced the pack size effect for both restrained and unrestrained eaters in Experiment 1 38 and for restrained eaters only in Experiment 2. Although effect sizes were small, these 39 findings suggest that a diet prime motivates restrained eaters to limit their consumption, and 40 as a result the pack size has less influence on the amount consumed. We discuss limitations of 41 this research as well as potential avenues for further research and theoretical and practical 42 implications.

Wheat chips enriched with stale bread were produced and response surface methodology was used for the studying the simultaneous effects of stale bread level (0–50 g/100g), frying temperature (170–190 °C) and frying time (40–60 s) on some physicochemical, chemical, textural, morphological and sensorial properties of chips. Additionally, product optimization was performed by using ridge analysis to detect the optimum levels of process variables. The dry matter, ash, Hunter Lab a and b values of samples increased with the increasing stale bread level. Higher frying temperature caused a decrease in the hardness and water activity values. Also, addition of stale bread in the formulation of chips decreased the oil uptake of samples significantly (p

This study examined children's spontaneous associations of special events with food. Children in primary education (N = 111, age between 10 and 13 years) at a school in Germany wrote down their first five associations with five special or festive events (Christmas, holidays, weekend, carnival and birthday). After completing the free-word association test, they were offered a choice between a candy and a toy. Finally, their body mass index (BMI) was measured. The first prediction was that overweight and obese children would associate special events more often with food than normal weight and leaner children. The second prediction was that choice for a candy would be predicted by a higher number of food-related associations. The first hypothesis was not supported: BMI was negatively related to number of food-related associations (the lower the BMI, the more food-related associations). The second hypothesis was also not supported: There was no relation between number of food-related associations and choice for a candy or toy. A possible explanation for the finding that leaner children reported more food-related associations is that for them specific sweets and snack food are more exclusively connected to special occasions than for overweight children. Speculatively, this may be the result of differences in food parenting styles between parents of heavier and leaner children. Parents of leaner children often have a more restrictive style, i.e., reserving specific foods for specific, relatively rare occasions whereas parents of overweight children adopt more liberal food rules.

Wastewater from snack foods manufacturing processes may contain significant amounts of pollutants that may affect receiving municipal treatment facilities. Their removal with onsite pre-treatment is therefore necessary, to avoid costly discharge fees. This paper presents a study of two common pollutants in snack-food industry wastewater, namely annatto dye and yeast, in view of planned changes at a production facility. Analyses were conducted to determine the new raw wastewater composition discharged into the municipal wastewater system after local pre-treatment. The most relevant issue affecting effluent quality after the introduction of new ingredients, would be the generation of an effluent no longer compliant with discharge requirements. Pre-treatment upgrade options were studied, showing that annatto removal from process wastewater can be successfully achieved with minor modification of the current process. Yeast removal, instead, would require major interventions on existing processes, hence an alternative approach strategy is proposed.

Abstact Snack foods are common and highly advertised to children and serve their natural predispositions for sweet and salty tastes. However, the risk issues of low-cost snacks eaten by 0–6 aged children are lack of more concern. To better understand the issue of low-cost snacks this study considered potentially toxic metals (PTMs) impact on children’s health risk, measured PTMs in a collection of 570 collected low-cost snacks contributed by 1342 voluntary participants children aged 0–6 years involved in Xi’an city are conducted. Nine priority PTMs and amounts ranked as Mn > Zn > Cu > Cr > Sb > Pb > Ni > Cd > Co. The Estimated Weekly Intake of PTMs in snacks for children accounted for a proportion of the Provisional Tolerance Weekly Intake. Children’s daily snack ingestion of Cr, Cd and Pb were especially concerning. It was noted that all PTMs in flour products contribute to the total Target Hazard Quotient (THQ>1) were observed having a non-carcinogenic risk compared to the single metals Cr, Co and Cd with carcinogenic risk. The correlations between Cu, Pb, Zn in low-cost snacks and children’s bloods reflected PTMs especially for Pb that transfers into children’s bodies mostly through low-cost foodstuffs ingestion. Also, the elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) depended on readily available, low-quality snacks accessible for children. Therefore, multi-initiatives aimed at improving the quality, increasing awareness, and a PTM monitoring program for low-cost snack food market to young children should be undertaken.

Background Snacking is common among children; often including low-nutrient dense foods. Children from rural areas consume fewer fruits and vegetables (FV) than recommended but little is known about their snacking patterns. Objective Examine associations between different types of snacks and demographics, family meal frequency and FV intake among rural children. Study Design, Setting, Participants Baseline data (2017/2018) were used from 106 parent/child dyads in the NU-HOME randomized controlled trial designed to prevent childhood obesity in rural communities. Children were mostly female (60%), 8.9 years old on average (SD = 104) and 28% of families received economic assistance. Parents reported on their child's snacking via text surveys on 7 random evenings over a 2-week period. Past week family meal frequency and demographics (child age, sex, economic assistance, parent education) were collected via parent survey. FV servings were averaged over 2 dietary recalls. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Snack categories were created using factor analysis: Fruit/Yogurt (Fruit, yogurt, 100% juice), Vegetables/Cheese, Granola bars/Chips (including cereal and crackers), and Sugar-sweetened snacks (sugar-sweetened beverages, candy, baked sweets, ice cream). Items in each snack category were summed over 7 days. Correlations and t-tests examined associations between the number of items from each snack category and demographics, family meal frequency, and FV servings. Results Children ate a variety of foods for snacks with most being sugar-sweetened snacks (M = 5.52, SD = 3.64) followed by Fruit/Yogurt (M = 4.97, SD = 3.39), Granola bars/Chips (M = 3.67, SD = 2.38), and Vegetables/Cheese (M = 2.24, SD = 2.10). Children whose families received economic assistance were more likely to eat Fruit/Yogurt snacks (6.2 vs 4.5 snacks; P = .02) and less likely to eat Sugar-sweetened snacks (4.2 vs 6.0 snacks; P = .02) than those who did not receive economic assistance. Family meal frequency was negatively correlated with Sugar-sweetened snacks (r = −0.25; P = .009). Servings of FV was positively correlated with Fruit/Yogurt snacks (r = 0.19; P = .046). Conclusions Innovative, real-time snacking data indicate nutrition educators should encourage nutrient-dense snacks particularly among families who do not regularly eat family meals.

OBJECTIVES: Marketing for infant snack foods has increased in the past 20 years, yet little is known about the availability and pricing of these foods. This study assessed the availability and pricing of infant snack foods in grocery stores in low-income communities across Rhode Island. METHODS: A random sample of grocery stores (N = 20) was selected from low-income census tracts. Twelve items were developed for this study to assess the availability and pricing of infant foods (e.g., infant formula, purees) and infant snack foods (e.g., puffs, melts). The Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in Stores (NEMS-S) was used to assess the nutrition environment including the availability, pricing, and quality of healthful foods compared to less healthful foods. Total NEMS-S scores range from -9 to 54 with higher scores indicating more healthful foods. Data were collected by trained research assistants during a 2-week period to limit confounding due to restocking and seasonality. This analysis included descriptive statistics to summarize the infant snack foods and the total nutrition environment. RESULTS: All 20 grocery stores in this sample sold infant foods and 18 stores sold infant snack foods. Availability of infant snack foods varied by store with puffs having the highest availability (n = 18) followed by melts (n = 15), teething cookies (n = 10), and baby yogurt (n = 7). Baby yogurt had the highest average price per serving ($0.72) followed by melts ($0.62), teething cookies ($0.50), and puffs ($0.49). Mean total NEMS-S score for all grocery stores was 27.5 (SD = 4.7). CONCLUSIONS: Infant snack foods are available in grocery stores in low-income communities. Recent increases in marketing and availability of infant snack foods make it important to explore factors that influence caregivers to offer these snacks. Future studies should explore these factors and develop evidence-based recommendations for developmentally appropriate, healthful snacking during infancy. FUNDING SOURCES: This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, [Hatch/Tovar/1,001,894].

OBJECTIVES: The savory snack market, worth over $35 billion, typically manufactures products that are durable, accessible, inexpensive, and easy to eat out of a bag or package. This research examines the percentage of the U.S. population by socio-demographic groups who consumed chips, flavored snacks, popcorn and pretzels (referred to here as savory snack foods) on a given day during 2015–2016. METHODS: The study sample included nationally representative data from children aged 2–19 years (n = 2901), and adults aged 20 + years (n = 5017) participating in What We Eat in America (WWEIA), NHANES 2015–2016. Dietary intake data, obtained from an in-person 24-hour recall, were collected using the interviewer-administered 5-step USDA Automated Multiple-Pass Method. Percentages, who consumed savory snack foods any time during the intake day, were estimated using the following WWEIA Food Categories: potato chips, tortilla/corn/other chips, popcorn, and pretzels/snack mix. Differences were considered significant at P

OBJECTIVES: Dietary intake is strongly associated with obesity and other chronic diseases. A critical time for developing long-standing eating habits is when adolescents transition to adulthood, leaving the family home. The college student's food environment is an essential point of intervention for establishing healthy eating habits. Vending machines (VM) at colleges are of increased importance as many students use these often to eat between classes and when restaurants are closed at night. Snacks from VM contribute to the diet quality and intake of key nutrients in young people, and >90% of college students consume snacks daily. The objective of this study was to audit the snack food VM environment at a large Hispanic serving university in South Florida. METHODS: A snack food VM audit of the campus was conducted between June 2019 and January 2020. Utilizing the NEMS-V, all VM on campus were photographed and scored by the principal investigator. NEMS-V categorizes very unhealthy foods as those with ≥35% of calories from fat, >200 calories per portion sold and >400 mg of sodium; unhealthy snacks as 230 ≤400 mg sodium; and healthy snacks as

Eating healthfully is a challenge in the US; most American children do not eat enough fruits and vegetables and exceed daily recommendations for salts, fats, and sugars. The pervasiveness of packaged foods, which are often reduced in nutritional value through added salt, fat, or sugar, adds to the challenge of eating healthfully. There is still much to learn about how aspects of packaging impact children. This study examined how different types of packaging (i.e., healthy, fun, plain, unpackaged) of fruits and vegetables influence children's health and taste evaluations. Thirty children (Mage = 7.1 years, SD = 1.0) participated in a food rating task where they rated the health, taste, and their willingness to try 64 packaged fruits and vegetables (on a scale from 1 to 5). Children were influenced by aspects of the packaging; they rated healthy and fun packaging more favorably in most cases suggesting that children respond more positively to visually appealing packaging than to plain packaging. These results are consistent with previous findings and have implications for how to promote increased fruit and vegetable consumption among children. Future research should explore if the same trends exist when packaged fruits and vegetables are compared to other packaged snack foods.

Puffing involves roasting grains or legumes in hot sand without oil for a short time resulting in a popped type of healthy snack food. The aim of the present study was to understand the range of puffing ability of Australian desi chickpea genotypes. Calculations for puffing yield, expansion volume and puff size from the literature were applied to our samples. In addition, it was necessary to develop a new formula to measure the ratio of seed expansion without bias from puffing yield to compare the performance of our samples. This was necessary because their puffing yields were generally low relative to more established puffed products such as popcorn. Kyabra was identified as a superior puffing genotype (52% seeds puffed and 0.67–2.09 mL/g expansion volume), whilst Line 4 had the greatest seed expansion (0.62 mL/seed at 25 °C), but with a low puffing yield (7–11%). Storage temperature was investigated and cooler storage was found to generally hinder the puffing yield of chickpea. Australian chickpeas were found to have a range of puffing performance, which suggests that potential exists within the genetic pool to improve both the puffing yield and the expansion volume of seeds for this snack food market.

Okara is a nutritious byproduct of tofu manufacturing. To develop okara cookie using fresh okara, cookies were baked using only okara (O) or okara with additives: starch (OS), soy flour (OF) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (OH). OH dough had the highest water holding capacity value at 147.8%, followed by OF (88.6%), OS (77.6%) and O (46.5%) dough. OH dough was also the most elastic dough with no cutting when it was extended. The sensory panel scored the additive-added cookies 1.5 (OS) to 2.8 (OF and OH) times higher than O cookie with regard to hardness, crispiness and chewiness. During the 7-day storage, OF and OH cookies had a lower water activity (0.50–0.69) compared to the O cookie (0.82–0.87); however, OS cookie had a similar water activity (0.78–0.85) to the O cookie. The OF and OH cookies had higher hardness value than OS and O cookies during storage. Based on the results, the additives held the water content of fresh okara during the production of okara cookies; further, the additives allow the formulation of healthier snack foods.

The present study investigated the influence of a weight loss reality TV show on body satisfaction, mood and food consumption. Young Australian women (N = 99) first completed baseline measures of state body satisfaction and mood. They were then randomly allocated to either a weight loss or a home renovation programme and were provided with snack foods during viewing. Post-measures included state body satisfaction, state mood and trait dietary restraint and snack food consumption. BMI moderated the relationship between condition and body satisfaction and mood. Larger women experienced less body satisfaction and less positive mood in response to the weight loss programme. Dietary restraint moderated the relationship between condition and food consumption. A greater percentage of women with lower dietary restraint ate in the control condition; whilst a greater percentage of women with higher dietary restraint ate food whilst watching the weight loss programme. These findings highlight the potential negative impact of weight-focused reality TV on mood, body satisfaction and snack food consumption among some women. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

BACKGROUND Laboratory paradigms are commonly used to study human energy intake. However, the extent to which participants believe their eating behavior is being measured may affect energy intake and is a methodologic factor that has received little consideration. OBJECTIVE Our main objective was to examine available evidence for the effect that heightened awareness of observation has on energy intake in a laboratory setting. DESIGN We systematically reviewed laboratory studies that allowed for experimental examination of the effect that heightened awareness of observation has on energy intake. From these experimental studies we combined effect estimates using inverse variance meta-analysis, calculating the standardized mean difference (SMD) in energy intake between heightened-awareness and control conditions and qualitatively synthesized potential moderators of this effect. RESULTS Nine studies, providing 22 comparisons, were eligible for inclusion. These studies largely sampled young women and examined the energy intake of energy-dense snack foods. Evidence indicated that heightened awareness of observation was associated with reduced energy intake when compared with the control condition (random-effects SMD: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.66; P < 0.0001). We found little evidence that the type of experimental manipulation used to heighten awareness moderated the overall effect. CONCLUSIONS The available evidence to date suggests that heightened awareness of observation reduces energy intake in a laboratory setting. These findings suggest that laboratory studies should attempt to minimize the degree to which participants are aware that their eating behavior is being measured.

The current study used a modified implicit association test (IAT) to change implicit evaluations of unhealthy snack food and tested its effects on subsequent consumption. Furthermore, we investigated whether these effects were moderated by inhibitory self-control. A sample of 148 women (17-25 years) motivated to manage weight through healthy eating completed an IAT intervention, and pre- and post-intervention IATs assessing implicit evaluations of unhealthy food. The intervention IAT trained participants to pair unhealthy food stimuli with either positive or negative stimuli. A task disguised as a taste-test was used to assess consumption of unhealthy snack foods. Inhibitory self-control was measured using a self-report scale. As predicted, the implicit evaluation of unhealthy food became more negative from pre- to post-training among participants in the food negative pairing condition; however, there was no corresponding change in the food positive pairing condition. The effect of the training on snack consumption was moderated by inhibitory self-control with only participants low in inhibitory self-control having lower snack intake following the food negative training. This finding is consistent with dual-process models of behaviour which predict that self-control capacity renders impulses less influential on behaviour. Furthermore, it suggests that an intervention that retrains implicit food evaluations could be effective at reducing unhealthy eating, particularly among those with low inhibitory self-control.

Benchtop and handheld NIR and portable mid-infrared (MIR) spectrometers were evaluated as rapid methods for differentiating between organic and conventional cornmeal and to measure quality parameters of cornmeal used for production of snack foods. Twenty-seven conventional and eleven organic cornmeal samples were obtained from a local manufacturer of grain-based products. Reference quality parameters measured included moisture content, ash content, pasting properties and particle size. Soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) analysis accurately classified between organic and conventional cornmeal samples (interclass distance > 3.7) based on differences in the C O signal associated with side chain vibrations of acidic amino acids. Residual predictive deviation (RPD) values for partial least squares regression (PLSR) models developed, ranged between 2.3 and 9.6. Overall, our data supports the capability of infrared systems to classify between organic and conventional cornmeal, and to predict important quality attributes of cornmeal for the snack food industry.

There is consistent evidence that the amount of food we consume can be influenced by the eating behaviour of other people. Some previous experimental studies reported that consumers are unaware of this influence on their behaviour. The present research tested whether people may be more aware of social influence on their eating than previously assumed. In two studies, participants (total n = 160) were exposed to information about the amount of snack food other people had been eating shortly before being served the same snack food and eating as much as they liked. After this, participants responded to questions regarding whether they thought their food intake had been socially influenced, and reported the reasons why they believed they had or had not been influenced. Of the 160 participants, 34% reported that they had been influenced, 10% were unsure and 56% reported they had not been influenced. Crucially, participants' reports of social influence appeared to be accurate; the food intake of participants reporting social influence was significantly affected by the amount of food other people had been eating, whereas the food intake of participants denying social influence was unaffected. Individuals may be more aware of the effect that social influence has on their eating behaviour than previously assumed. Further work is needed to identify the factors which determine whether people are susceptible to social influence on eating behaviour.

Forty-one percent of elementary schoolchildren bring lunch to school on any given day. Forty-five percent bring snacks. Surprisingly, little is known about the foods and beverages they bring. This cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the GREEN (Growing Right: Eco-friendly Eating and Nutrition) Project Lunch Box Study sought to characterize foods and beverages brought from home to school by elementary schoolchildren and compare the quality of packed lunches with National School Lunch Program standards and packed snacks with Child and Adult Care Food Program requirements. Lunches and snacks from 626 elementary schoolchildren were assessed and evaluated using digital photography and a supplemental food checklist. Food and beverage types most likely to be provided for lunch were sandwiches (59%), snack foods (42%), fruit (34%), desserts (28%), water (28%), and sugar-sweetened beverages (24%). Twenty-seven percent of lunches met at least three of five National School Lunch Program standards. At snack, snack foods (62%), desserts (35%), and sugar-sweetened beverages (35%) were more common than fruits (30%), dairy foods (10%), and vegetables (3%). Only 4% of snacks met two of four Child and Adult Care Food Program standards. Future research is needed to understand the multiple determinants of food-packing behavior, including constraints faced by families. School wellness policies should consider initiatives that work collaboratively with parents to improve the quality of foods brought from home.

Dried soybean is among the most popular snack foods consumed in numerous countries, and its quality has received considerable attention from processors and consumers. Color and moisture content are two critical parameters used to evaluate dried soybean quality. This study thus aimed to develop regression models for predicting the color and moisture content of soybeans simultaneously during the drying process using a hyperspectral imaging technique. Hyperspectral reflectance images were acquired from fresh and dried soybeans over the spectral region between 400 and 1000 nm for 270 samples. After the automatic segmentation of soybean images at each wavelength based on an active contour model, mean reflectance and image entropy parameters were extracted and tested separately and in combination for predicting the color and moisture content of the processed soybeans. Predicting models were built using the partial least squares regression method. Better prediction results for both color and moisture content were achieved using the mean reflectance data (with correlation coefficients or RP = 0.862 and root-mean-square errors of prediction or RMSEP = 1.04 for color, as well as RP = 0.971 and RMSEP = 4.7% for moisture content) than when using entropy data (RP = 0.839 and RMSEP = 1.14 for color, as well as RP = 0.901 and RMSEP = 9.2% for moisture content). However, the integration of mean reflectance and entropy data did not show significant improvements in predicting the color or moisture content. Overall, a simple hyperspectral imaging technique involving rapid image preprocessing and single spectral features showed significant potential in measuring the color and moisture content of soybeans simultaneously during the drying process.

Tree nut allergies represent an important health problem in industrialized countries. Among these, pistachio ( Pistacia vera ) kernels which are consumed as snack foods and used as ingredients in confectionery, chocolates, meat products, and ice-cream industries have been reported to cause IgE-mediated allergic reactions. Trace amounts of undeclared pistachio allergens can cause serious health risks for food-allergic consumers. In order to provide an appropriate method for the detection of pistachio in food products, a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system for the specific and sensitive detection of pistachio was developed. The sensitivity was investigated on spiked wheat flour samples with defined raw and heat-treated pistachio contents (0.1–100,000 mg kg −1 ). The real-time PCR detected pistachio in these mixtures down to the lowest investigated spike level of 0.1 mg kg −1 . In addition, analysis of different retail samples from the market was performed to demonstrate the suitability of the assay in the food industry. The real-time PCR results obtained from the analysis of 229 commercial food products revealed 29 that didn't declare pistachio or traces on the label but were found to contain pistachio. The presented real time PCR method is useful for relatively fast, highly selective, and sensitive detection of pistachio in food samples.

Submitted by Vitor Silverio Rodrigues (vitorsrodrigues@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2014-05-27T11:30:53Z No. of bitstreams: 0 Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-27T11:30:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-01-01 Instrumental texture analysis on extruded snacks is widely applied, however there is no scientific consensus about the test and probe types that can be correlated with the sensory texture of snacks. Eleven commercial extruded snacks of different shapes were evaluated instrumentally using different probes and sensorially through descriptive analysis. The snack texture was described using the attributes of hardness, crispness, adhesiveness, fracturability and chewiness. Cylindrical snacks were described through crispness and fracturability, pelleted and shell-shaped snacks by chewiness and ring-shaped snacks by adhesiveness and hardness. Hardness and adhesiveness were correlated with a Warner-Bratzler test using a V shape probe (r = 0.718 and r = 0.763, respectively), while fracturability and chewiness were correlated with a Warner-Bratzler test using a guillotine (r = 0.776 and r = 0.662, respectively). The fairly strong good correlations enable application of these instrumental tests as an indication of the sensory texture of extruded snacks. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Departamento de Engenharia e Tecnologia de Alimentos Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Rua Cristóvão Colombo, 2265, CEP 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, SP Departamento de Engenharia e Tecnologia de Alimentos Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Rua Cristóvão Colombo, 2265, CEP 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, SP

Poor estimation of one’s future actions has been associated with the influence of reward over executive control processes during prospection. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this reward-control trade-off remain poorly understood. In the present study, we take advantage of projection bias, underestimating how motivations will change in the future, to examine brain and behavior changes during prospection about future decisions. To manipulate motivation, we altered satiety (hungry vs. satiated) and asked human participants (N=25) to place bids on snack foods while undergoing fMRI scanning across two sessions. While hungry, participants bid for the right to consume snacks in both a future congruent motivational state (hungry) and a future incongruent motivational state (satiated). In a second session, while satiated, participants placed bids for the right to immediately consume the items. Imagination of a congruent future state was associated with brain activity in regions implicated in prospection. Imagination of an incongruent future state was related to brain activity in areas related to cognitive control. Projection bias, the difference between bids during incongruent prospection (hungry to satiated, session one) and realization (satiated, session two), was negatively related to thalamic and insular engagement, areas associated with executive control and salience processing. Bias was positively related to engagement of the ventral striatum, a region involved in reward processing. These results suggest that the relative activation between reward and control systems is influenced by the congruence of present and future motivational states, and shapes bias in predictions about future behavior.

OBJECTIVES: Less healthy snack food consumption has increased in young children, yet little is known about snack food consumption during infancy. This qualitative study explored how low-income mothers define snacking and factors that influence snack food consumption during infancy. METHODS: A purposive sample of low-income mother-infant dyads (N = 8) were recruited from Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and childcare centers in Rhode Island. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted when infants were approximately 6-months of age to explore the mother's definition of snacking and factors that influence when and what snack foods are offered to infants. Interviews were audio recorded, verbatim transcribed, and a thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Mothers were on average 27.3 years old (SD = 4.9), 62.5% identified as White, 25.0% as Multiracial, and 12.5% as African-American/Black. Mothers defined snacking as small feedings that help infants feel full between milk-feedings and exposes them to a variety of new flavors. Most mothers (75%) reported that they had offered snack foods to their infant by around 5 months of age, and 25% reported that they had decided not to offer snack foods due to concerns about choking (n = 1) and healthfulness (n = 1). Despite reporting that snack foods offered to infants should be healthy, most mothers (75%) expressed concerns about offering vegetables and fruits due to choking and reported offering snack foods that easily dissolve in the infant's mouth (e.g., puff and melts). CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results suggest that mothers believed snack foods were an important part of infant feeding to ensure adequate caloric intake, exposure to new flavors, and a healthful diet while reducing choking risk. Given that many mothers will introduce snacks during infancy, it is critical to promote developmentally appropriate, healthy snacks. Future studies should explore other environmental factors that influence snack food consumption during infancy. FUNDING SOURCES: This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, [Hatch/Tovar/1001894].