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This work determined the feasibility of producing two highly demanded products (cornmeal (CM) snacks and gelatin power) with antioxidant properties and using dry-salted brown cannonball jellyfish umbrella (UM) and oral arms (OAs). Desalted and rehydrated UM and OAs were subjected to drying and milling processes to produce jellyfish flours (UMF and OAF). Five cornmeal snacks were made: 100% CM and ones containing 20% UMF; 50% UMF; 20% OAF; and 50% OAF. Meanwhile, gelatin was obtained from UM and OAs through 0.5 M HCl hydrolysis and thermal and cold maturation treatment. Jellyfish flours increased the protein content of cornmeal snacks. Only OAF improved its antioxidant activity. The addition of 20% OAF did not affect the sensory characteristics of cornmeal snacks. Gelatin from UM had a lower crude protein level, and a gelatin β-component was not observed. Higher hydroxyproline content by HPLC and proton peaks at higher 1H–NMR fields were observed in OA gelatin. OA gelatin exhibited higher viscosity, foam, and in vitro antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweed has been traditionally consumed in Asian and Pacific cultures, yet aside from sushi, is still not commonly eaten in Western societies. Edible seaweeds offer distinct nutritional benefits to terrestrial crops, particularly with respect to mineral and fibre content. Understanding the motivations that drive young Australians to eat seaweed is necessary for food product development and consumer marketing strategies, as well as informing future sustainable production through seaweed aquaculture and wild-harvest practices. An observational cross-sectional online survey with n = 1403 young (19–30 years) Australian seaweed consumers was conducted. The 19-item survey included closed-ended, open-ended, and Likert scale responses. Most respondents were female (89.0%), with tertiary level education or above (57.7%). Seaweed was eaten mostly as a snack (87.7%) and in home-prepared meals (30.7%). The key advantages to consumption were flavour (89.1%), nutrient content (49.1%), and health benefits (44.6%), whilst the key barriers were poor accessibility (59.5%), unaffordable pricing (46.5%), and undesirable packaging (19.0%). The consumers reported wanting more promotion to improve their knowledge about seaweed, in addition to environmentally sustainable packaging and sourcing. Pathways to overcome barriers and encourage greater seaweed consumption are discussed. Most critically, improving the promotion and environmental sustainability of seaweed products will improve intake amongst current and future consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of affordable foods for low-income communities is indeed necessary for the overall human societal development. Fish scales, generally considered as a waste from the fish industry, were used for the development of ready-to eat crispy. The crispy was developed in a three-step process of acid treatment, drying, and frying. Standardization of acid treatment was done using 1%, 5%, and 10% citric acid. With increase in acid concentration, the overall sensory acceptability of the samples increased. The in-vitro protein digestibility was 84% for the crispy with highest acid concentration. The developed crispy had an essential amino acid index of 0.77 and was a good source of Ca, P, Na, Mg, and K. The instrumental hardness was 0.57N, and the TBARS value was 0.47 mg malonaldehyde/Kg. Thus, a nutrient rich, low cost diet can be developed from fish scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A snack made of 36% by byproducts of grape and tomato pomaces was developed, also including other ingredients, such as oats, chia, quinoa, honey and peanut butter. The recipe was defined as tasty and healthy by a focus group. The snack was produced by using forced air at three different drying temperatures (50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C). The Newton, Page, Henderson and Pabis, and Midilli–Kucuk models fit the drying curves well. The average values for the Newton's model drying constants were k50 = 2.71 × 10−1 ± 3 × 10−3 min−1, k60 = 2.76 10−1 ± 4 × 10−3 min−1 and k70 = 3.91 × 10−1 ± 8 × 10−3 min−1 at 50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C, respectively. The product's quality was assessed in terms of storage with respect to water activity and texture (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness and resilience). There were no differences among the three tested processing temperatures in terms of their influence the final product's quality. As there were no significant differences between initial and final water activity and texture attributes at any temperature and they were mainly unaltered during storage, the snack bar was considered stable during this period. This new snack, which includes byproducts from the food industry, reduces food waste and contributes to a circular economic model, simultaneously presenting environmental and economic advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of non‐traditional and highly available and nutrient‐dense ingredients in the production of value‐added crackers. The crackers were prepared by combining partially defatted chia flour, wheat germ, quinoa, and oat. The antioxidant activity and the polyphenol content were 7.0–8.4 times higher in crackers produced with non‐traditional ingredients compared to the control snack. The hydroperoxide value indicated a low oxidative deterioration of the oil. The sample with 10% of partially defatted chia flour was selected for shelf‐life test under storage conditions and sensory evaluation. Modified atmosphere exerted a protective effect on the lipid stability regardless of the incorporation of BHT to the formulation. All the evaluated attributes scored highly during consumer acceptance. The formulated cracker presented a relevant content of protein, dietary fibre and omega‐3 and ‐6 fatty acids. Based on these results, the crackers containing non‐traditional ingredients resulted in a product with a good potential for both consumer acceptance and outstanding nutritional benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Low glycaemic snacks may help to improve blood glucose control. However, data on the effect of soybean snack bars on postprandial glucose levels of the diabetic population is scarce. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the effect of consuming soy flour snack bars on glycaemic response (GR) over a 180-minute period in individuals with diabetes by estimating postprandial glucose levels variation and total area under the curve (AUC). Methods: Nine subjects (age: 54.6±4.0 years; BMI: 25.0±2.5 kg/m2) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) diagnoses without complication enrolled in this randomised, open-label, cross-over trial. On three separate sessions, they consumed glucose standard solution, soy flour snack bar (SF), and wheat flour snack bar (WF) containing 25 g of available carbohydrate, respectively. Finger prick capillary method was executed to measure blood glucose levels at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180 minutes after test product ingestion. Results: Overall, significantly lower postprandial glucose levels were observed at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes (122.3±17.6, 136.3±24.9, 125.7±25.3, and 107.2±24.1 mg/dL; p<0.001) in those who consumed SF snack bars than WF snack bars (147.9±41.3, 168.0±43.6, 152.6±30.0, and 140.6±33.4 mg/dL). The AUC level after the ingestion of SF snack bar was 2044.8±503.1 mg.min/dL, >20% lower compared to ingestion of WF snack bar (4735.0±666.8 mg.min/dL), p<0.001. These glycaemic control benefits can be explained due to the high fibre and protein content linked to the physicochemical properties of SF. Conclusion: With high nutritional properties, SF snack bar has a low GR and might help control blood glucose in T2DM subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the relative validity of food intake for each meal type (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) and overall food intake obtained through the Meal-based Diet History Questionnaire (MDHQ). In total, 222 Japanese adults (111 for each sex) aged 30–76 years completed the web version of the MDHQ and then the 4-non-consecutive-day weighed dietary record (DR). The number of major food groups (n = 24 in total) for which no statistically significant difference was observed between median intakes estimated using the DR and MDHQ ranged from 8 (snacks) to 12 (dinner) among women, and from 8 (breakfast) to 13 (lunch) among men. The median values of the Spearman's correlation coefficients between the MDHQ and DR estimates ranged from 0.28 (dinner) to 0.54 (breakfast) among women, and from 0.24 (dinner) and 0.60 (breakfast) among men. Bland–Altman analyses generally showed wide limits of agreement and proportional bias. Similar results were obtained using the paper version of the MDHQ, which was completed after conducting the DR. In conclusion, the MDHQ has a satisfactory ability to estimate median intake and rank individuals according to consumption for many food groups, despite a limited ability to estimate food group intakes on an individual level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snacking of small quantities of palatable food items throughout the day is common in modern societies and is promoted by 24/7 lifestyles. Long-term mistimed high-caloric food intake disrupts endogenous circadian rhythms and supports the development of obesity and other metabolic disorders. However, less is known about the time-of-day dependent effects of snacking. We hypothesized that already a single snacking episode may affect the circadian regulation of metabolic parameters, in particular when the snack is consumed during the daily rest phase. We performed an acute snack experiment in mice by providing access to chow or chocolate either at day- or nighttime and assessed snack effects on core body temperature, locomotor activity, and gene expression in metabolic tissues. Our results show that daytime chocolate snacking leads to a higher body temperature and locomotor activity increase compared to chow and nighttime intake. This goes along with altered clock and metabolic gene expression in peripheral tissues. Changes in nutrient uptake transporter gene expression in the small intestine suggest increased glucose resorption after daytime snacking. Our results indicate an early mechanism for the adipogenic effect of mistimed high-calorie snacking.

Coconut flour is the pulverized residue obtained after the extraction of milk from coconut copra, regarded as coconut waste. The objective of this study was to find a use for this underutilized industrial waste by producing flakes from coconut flour using different binding agents and to evaluate their physical, functional and chemical properties. Coconut flour was produced from coconut copra, followed by processing of six batches of coconut flakes with different binders (xanthan gum, guar gum, ofor seed gum, achi seed gum and cassava starch) and a control sample with no binding agent. The proximate composition, mineral content, caprylic acid, colour and functional properties of the coconut flake samples were evaluated using standard methods. The crude protein, ash, crude fat, crude fibre and moisture content of the coconut flakes ranged from 8.46-10.21%, 1.01- 1.40%, 0.94-0.99%, 2.55-2.82% and 1.89-2.45% respectively. The binding agents had a significant effect in retaining the aroma compound (caprylic acid) of the coconut flakes (1.48 - 2.45%), compared with the sample without a binding agent (1.37%). The calcium, iron, magnesium and sodium content in coconut flake samples ranged from 2.71 to 4.52 mg/100g, 1.57 to 2.06 mg/100g, 9.58 to 10.53 mg/100 g and 502 – 943 mg/kg respectively. The binding agents had no significant effect on the bulk density (0.13 to 0.15 g/cm3), but significantly increased the water absorption capacity of the coconut flakes from 78.23% to 126 – 164%. The L*, a* and b*colour parameters of the coconut flakes ranged from 72.41 to 93.38; -0.12 to +4.89 and 10.04 to 21.95 and the colour difference (delta Chroma), colour intensity and hue angle varied from 1.90 to 12.07, 6.75 to 24.17 and 77.13-91.44 respectively. This study showed that coconut flakes, a nutritious and less dense meal can be produced from coconut flour with or without a binding agent, which could serve as a breakfast meal or snack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the possibility of enriching snacks with Spirulina palatensis (SP) powder as a dragee was studied. In dragee formulation, the effects of various levels of SP, sunflower oil, NaCl and sour whey powder on sensory, physicochemical and nutritional properties were investigated. The dragee formulation was optimized and the characteristics of the optimal sample were compared with the control sample (containing dragee without SP). The results showed that adding SP increased the flavonoids, total anthocyanin content, vitamins, protein, minerals, essential and non-essential amino acids and fatty acids, including ω3 and ω6, while decreasing the energy intake. Based on the results, the optimal dragee sample was formulated and prepared with a desirability of 0.955. The correlation coefficient indicated that the effective optimization process and the performance of the model were carried out properly. The addition of SP had a significant impact on all color parameters considered by the panelists, and the enriched sample was given a very good taste score (75.10 ± 2.923) and an outstanding overall acceptance rate (91.20 ± 1.549) by the panelists. Although morphological data from scanning electron microscopy showed the distribution of non-uniform SP particles relative to the addition of SP in the extruded product formulation, the preservation of more nutritional properties and the good acceptance of sensory evaluators indicated the success of the application in dragee formulation. Therefore, instead of being utilized in an extruder, we discovered that SP may be used as a dragee for snack fortification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The growing prevalence of depression has become a major public health problem. There is limited evidence regarding the relationship between dietary behaviors and depression. The present study was designed to evaluate the association between dietary behaviors and depression score.Methods: A total of 933 Iranian adolescent girls aged 12 to 18 years were included in this cross-sectional study. Depression severity score was assessed using a validated Persian version of Beck's depression inventory. Dietary behaviors were pre-defined and assessed in ten domains using a standard questionnaire. To investigate the association between dietary behaviors and depression score, the linear regression analysis in crude and adjusted models was used.Results: 67.7% of participants had no or minimal depression symptoms and 32.3% of participants were categorized with mild-to-severe depression symptoms. There were significant inverse relationships between main meal consumption (Beta: -0.141; 95% CI: - 3.644 to - 1.000; P = 0.001), snack consumption (Beta: -0.100; 95% CI: - 2.400 to - 0.317; P = 0.002), regular meal consumption (Beta: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.13-0.42; P = 0.001) and food chewing (Beta: -0.152; 95% CI: - 2.279 to - 0.753; P = 0.03) with depression score. These associations remained significant after adjustment for confounding variables. In addition, frequency of intra-meal fluid intake (Beta: 0.096; 95% CI: 0.288 to 1.535; P = 0.004) and spicy foods consumption (Beta: 0.076; 95% CI: 0.098 to 1.508; P = 0.02) were directly associated with depression score in the crude model. These significant relations were disappeared in full adjusted model. No significant association was found between breakfast consumption, intake of fried foods, chewing ability, and tooth loss with depression score (P > 0.05).Conclusions: Significant associations were observed between specific eating behaviors with depression score. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the work has been to develop freeze-dried fruit snacks in the form of bars with the use of by-products derived from fruit processing. In effect 14 product designs of fruit gels based on: apple pulp, apple juice, water, sodium alginate and only apple or only chokeberry pomace were prepared. The snacks were freeze-dried. The dry matter content, water activity, structure, colour, mechanical properties, as well as organoleptic evaluation were determined. Freeze-dried bares were obtained according to sustainability production which in this case was relied on application of fruit pomace. The freeze-drying process ensures the microbiological safety of the product without the need to use chemical preservatives. Freeze-dried samples obtained low water activity in the range of 0.099–0.159. The increase in pomace concentration (3–9%) boosted the dry matter content to above 98%, and decreased the brightness of the freeze-dried bars about 6 to 10 units. Mechanical properties varied depending on the product design. With the increase in the amount of pomace, the shear force increased at 23% to 41%. Based on the results, the best variant, that has the most delicate structure and the best organoleptic properties, has proven to contain 1% sodium alginate and 2% pomace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been linked to "unhealthy" food consumption, but the studies in this area are insufficient. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between ADHD/related symptoms and processed meat products and snack consumption. METHODS: This study was conducted on 390 children aged between 6 and 17 with 169 ADHD (38 Girls, 131 Boys) and 221 healthy controls (93 Girls, 128 Boys). Food consumption was evaluated by a modified food frequency questionnaire, including 18 food containing processed meat products and snacks. ADHD symptoms were evaluated by the teacher and parent Turgay DSM-IV-Based Child and Adolescent Disruptive Behavioral Disorders Screening and Rating Scale (T-DSM-IV-Scale) and Conners' Rating Scale (CPRS, CTRS). RESULTS: Children with ADHD consumed more processed meat products, milk-based desserts, and chocolate-sweets than controls (p<0.05). A positive correlation was observed between the ADHD symptom scores and the consumption amount of all snacks, the amount of chocolate-sweets consumption, the frequency of consumption of sujuk, chocolate, jelly beans, sweets, cakes, and chocolate spread (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Children with ADHD consume more foods rich in saturated fat and sugar than their healthy peers. Processed food consumption of children with ADHD may be associated with ADHD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Intake of snack foods has been previously associated with an elevated risk of chronic disease; however, studies on snack foods and metabolic syndrome (MetS) while considering the modifying effect of socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle factors on this association are lacking. We aimed to investigate the association between snack foods intake and the MetS risk, and the mediatory effects of SES and lifestyle factors on the forenamed association among adults who participated in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (2006–2018). Methods This is a prospective study of 1915 participants (male, 40.5%), aged 19–74 year who were free of MetS at baseline. Dietary intakes were gathered using a validated, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire at baseline (2006–2008), and with 3-year intervals afterwards. Alternative approach was used for snack foods from all available questionnaires during follow-up. Snack foods were divided into 4 categories, including total snacks, biscuits and cakes, candies and chocolate, and salty snacks. Total snack foods intake and its subgroup (serving/week) were modeled as tertiles. MetS was diagnosed according to the Joint Interim Statement criteria. Physical activity level (PAL) categorized as low/medium and high levels. Information regarding smoking (Smoker/Non-smoker), education (higher/lower education), and occupation (employed/non-employed) was gathered using questionnaire. The Cox regression was used, regarding interaction between snack foods, SES, and PAL on the MetS risk. Results A total of 591 incident MetS cases were diagnosed during 8.9 years of follow-up. The median total snack foods intake was 5.2 serving/week (IQR: 3.0–9.1). Total snack foods intake was positively associated with the MetS risk after adjusting for potential confounders (adjusted for age and gender, energy intake, total fiber intake, smoking status, PAL, education levels, family history of diabetes, family history of CVD events, and BMI). After adjustment for confounders, among snacks’ subgroups, candies and chocolate intake was positively associated with MetS risk. Moreover, among lower-educated and non-employed participants, candies and chocolate intake was positively associated with the MetS risk, by 38 and 43% respectively. Stratification based on PAL resulted a positive association between intake of total snack foods and candies and chocolates and risk of MetS among participants with low PAL. Conclusion Snack foods, especially candies and chocolate, increased the risk of MetS, among individuals with a low PAL.

Abstract Background Skipping breakfast and replacing it with non-nutritious snacks are progressively increasing among adolescents. This study aimed to develop an educational intervention based on the Social Marketing Model and evaluate its effects on healthy breakfast and snack consumption among female adolescent students. Methods This mixed-methods study was conducted in 2016–2019 in two phases. In the first phase, a qualitative study was conducted through directed content analysis in guidance schools in Khorramabad, Isfahan, and Tehran, Iran, to explore factors affecting breakfast consumption. The results of this phase were set in the benchmarks of the Social Marketing Model. In the second phase, a randomized controlled trial was conducted based on the benchmarks of the Social Marketing Model on 94 students randomly recruited from guidance schools in Khorramabad, Iran. Results The findings of the qualitative phase were categorized into the benchmarks of the Social Marketing Model, namely the social marketing mix, the intended behavior, internal and external competing factors for behavior modification, theoretical concepts related to the behavior, and the role of supporters. In the quantitative phase, the univariate analysis showed significant between-group differences concerning the product, price, promotion, and behavior (p < 0.05). Conclusion Healthy breakfast and snack consumption can be promoted through making acceptable the tastes, costs, preparations, and consumption places of breakfast and snack. Trial registration The trial was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (code: IRCT20170201032347N1 ). The trial was registered in 11/07/2018 and is accessible on the Iranian Clinical Trial Registration website.

BackgroundChina has the largest number of patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), and it tends to increasingly grow in the future, putting an enormous burden on disease control and prevention in China. While glycemic variability (GV) came to be an important indicator of blood glucose control in diabetic patients, studies suggested that premeal snacks may help blood glucose control, but there are still some problems to be researched. Therefore, we designed this trial to evaluate which kind of premeal snacks would lead to better effects on GV under two diet patterns in pre-diabetes subjects and to evaluate assessments of acceptability and compliance, behavior, and metabolism changes in individuals will be described.Methods and analysisThe study is a single-center, open-label, multiparallel group, randomized controlled trial. A total of 32 male and female volunteers will be randomized into 4 groups in a single allocated ratio of soy milk (powder) snack, milk (powder) snack, almonds snack, and placebo control with 250 ml of water taken 30 min before lunch, respectively. The study consists of two intervention periods over 11 days. The first intervention period under habitual diet conditions from D3 to D6 (4 days), during which all subjects are asked to maintain their habitual eating and daily activities similar to the run-in period. The second intervention consists of prelunch snacks with standard meals. We will examine both the effect of GV and various metabolic and behavioral outcomes potentially associated with the interventions. At the end of this study, we will assess the acceptability and maintainability of the intervention through interviews.Clinical trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry, identifier ChiCTR2200058935.

Snacks such as puffed corns are tasty and favorite food products of many people. These products usually have low content of bioactive compounds with high starch and oil contents. To overcome these drawbacks, in the present study, the mixture including the corn grit incorporated with barberry (Berberis vulgaris) fruit powder (BFP), as a rich source of bioactive components and fibers, at level of 0 (control) to 10% were fed into the extruder to make a puffed product. Quality properties of the produced samples were determined during 90 days of storage at ambient condition. Results showed that by incorporation of BFP there were an increase in fiber (from 2.9 to 6.2%) and decreases in oil (from 25.5 to 19.5%) and protein (from 7.2 to 5.8%) levels. BFP could decrease oil hydrolysis and oxidation during storage, and acidity and peroxide values of fortified samples were lower than control during storage. Vitamin C content of samples were increased from 0.28 to 3.4 ppm in samples containing BFP. In the fortified samples, pelarogonidin-3-monoglucoside was the main anthocyanin followed by petunidin-3-monoglucoside and cyanidin-3-monoglucoside. Expansion ratio, brittleness and breaking strength of the fortified samples was also decreased significantly (P

Aims: Many non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure are related to unhealthy eating habits and patterns formed in childhood and the teenage period. This study investigated the effect of a training program based on the BASNEF model on snack consumption in elementary school girls in the second period. Materials & Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 200 elementary school girls in Saveh, Iran, in 2019. Samples were selected by random sampling method and randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups (100 people in each group). The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire, including demographic characteristics, BASNEF model constructs that were completed before, and 3 months after the experimental and control groups' educational intervention. The training program was performed in 3 sessions of education for students, one session for parents, and one session for principals, deputies, teachers, and school buffet officials. Data were analyzed by SPSS 24 software using Chi-square, paired, and independent t-tests. Findings: Results showed that before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of attitude, enabling factors, subjective norms, intention, and snack consumption behaviors (p>0.05). After the intervention, the mean score of attitude, subjective norms, enabling factors, intention, and healthy and unhealthy snack consumption behaviors in the experimental group were significantly higher than the control group (p

The effects of extrusion process parameters on the physicochemical, pasting and technological properties of ready-to-eat snacks were evaluated. The aim was to develop fortified extruded products with fig molasses by-product powder (FMP), which is created as a result of the production of fig molasses, is not currently used in food industry, and may cause environmental problems. The feed humidity was changed to 14–17–20%, the die temperature was 140–160–180 °C and the ratio of FMP was 0–7–14% at a fixed screw speed of 325 rpm. The study showed that adding FMP to extruded products had a significant effect on colour properties, water solubility and water absorption index properties. İncreasing the FMP ratio had a significant reducing effect on dough properties of non-extruded mixtures such as peak viscosity (PV), final viscosity (FV) and setback viscosity (SB). The optimum conditions for the production of snacks were found to be 7% FMP, 155.44 °C die temperature and 14.69% humidity. It was determined that the estimated values of water absorption index (WAI) and water solubility index (WSI) for the products manufactured under ideal extrusion conditions were close to the obtained values, and that there was no significant difference between the estimated values of the other response variables and their actual values.

The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus has become a key concept to promote the cross-sectoral coordination toward sustainable development. In particular, understanding the interdependences of these pillars, as well as addressing a life cycle perspective, is essential when evaluating food production systems. This study explores the environmental impacts and nutritional quality of potato chips, addressing life cycle thinking and a WEF nexus approach. For this purpose, the combined application of life cycle assessment (LCA) and the Nutrient-Rich Food 9.3 (NRF9.3) index was considered to identify the main environmental hotspots and advanced opportunities. The results indicated a major contribution of the cultivation stage on water use, whereas the processing accounted for most of the impacts in energy-related indicators and eutrophication potentials. Improvement opportunities reside in the joint application of drip irrigation, allowing to achieve important water savings, as well as the use of natural gas or pellets instead of diesel, which constitute cleaner energy sources. On the other hand, a poor nutritional density of potato chips became evident from the quantification of the NRF9.3, which can be significantly improved if potatoes undergo a roasted process instead of frying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research evidence suggests that physiological state of hunger might affect preference for female body weight, such that hungrier, compared to satiate, men prefer heavier body weight and rate as more attractive heavier female figures. Here, we seek to extend these findings by comparing the effects of fasting and snack on aesthetics judgements of the bodies and faces of conspecifics and of objects in a sample of female and male participants. Methods: Forty-four participants (women: n = 21, mean age = 23.70 yrs ± 0.62) provided aesthetic liking judgments of round and slim human bodies, faces and objects, under at least 12 h of overnight fasting and immediately after having eaten a snack (i.e., bananas). An anthropometric measure of adiposity (i.e., Body Mass Index, BMI) was also collected from each observer. Results: Overall, we found that participants' aesthetic judgements were higher for slim stimuli compared to round ones. However, after fasting, participants rated round stimuli as more attractive compared to when they had a snack. This hunger-based shift in ratings not only was apparent when stimuli depicted a human body or face, but also when they depicted an object, thus suggesting a general modification of observers' aesthetic preference related to hunger. Importantly, this effect was modulated by participants' BMI so that only participants with a high BMI provided higher aesthetic judgements for round stimuli after fasting than after a snack. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that both the modification of the physiological state and the individual differences in adiposity level of the observers might affect the aesthetic appreciation of the external world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Night shift workers experience circadian misalignment and sleep disruption, which impact hunger and food consumption. The study aim was to assess the impact of chronotype on hunger and snack consumption during a night shift with acute sleep deprivation. Seventy-two (36f, 36m) healthy adults participated in a laboratory study. A sleep opportunity (03:00–12:00) was followed by a wake period (12:00–23:00) and a simulated night shift (23:00–07:00). Subjective measures of hunger, prospective consumption, desire to eat fruit, and desire to eat fast food were collected before (12:20, 21:50) and after (07:20) the night shift. Snack opportunities were provided before (15:10, 19:40) and during (23:50, 03:30) the night shift. A tertile split of the dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) distribution defined early (20:24 ± 0:42 h), intermediate (21:31 ± 0:12 h), and late chronotype (22:56 ± 0:54 h) categories. There were no main effects of chronotype on any subjective measure (p = 0.172–0.975), or on snack consumption (p = 0.420), and no interactions between chronotype and time of day on any subjective measure (p = 0.325–0.927) or on snack consumption (p = 0.511). Differences in circadian timing between chronotype categories were not associated with corresponding differences in hunger, prospective consumption, desire to eat fruit, desire to eat fast food, or snack consumption at any measurement timepoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microbiological assay was conducted to assess consumer safety of toasted ukwa (African breadfruit) snack in the Aba metropolis, South-eastern Nigeria. The microbial loads, isolation and identification were carried out by the spread plate agar dilution method. Results indicated that the counts of bacteria ranged from 3.12-7.22x103cfu/g. The fungal counts ranged from 2.11-5.48x103cfu/g while coliforms were detected in some of the market samples with values ranging from 0.00-0.16x103cfu/g. Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus spp., Streptococcus spp Klebsiella spp. were bacteria isolated from the samples. Aspergillus niger, Fusarium spp., Mucor spp. and Aspergillus flavus were the isolated fungi. No Escherichia coli or other significant pathogens produced by food were identified from the samples. Coliform (Aerobic colony counts) were lower than the International Food Standards (= 105cfu/g) and the absence of microbial food-borne pathogens makes these ukwa samples safe for consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roasted citron watermelon seeds are eaten as snacks based on maturity indices. Association between coat colour, nutrient composition and physical properties is unknown. Therefore, seed coat thickness (SCT), hardness and popping yield (PY) may influence roasting quality and chewability. Understanding seed nutrient composition, physical properties, and coat colour associations allows selection for desirable traits. Forty accessions were analysed for mineral elements using flame atomic emission spectrometry (FAES) for K and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) for Mg, Cu, Mn, and Zn. Physical properties such as (seed thickness (ST), weight required to crack seed (WRCS), SCT, and PY were analysed. Data was subjected to correlation and Principal Component Analysis. Significant differences were observed for mineral elements and physical properties (P < 0.05). Dark and red seeds had high ST and SCT but low WRCS, Cu and Zn compared to brown seeds. Significantly lower PY and high Ca content were recorded for dark seeds. Dark seeds had high hemicellulose (19.58%), cellulose (39.17%) and lignin (30.08%). Popping yield was positively correlated with lightness (r = 0.72; P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with Ca (r = -0.77; P < 0.001). Seeds with lighter colours had higher popping yield and less Ca, implying that coat colour influences palatability, nutrient composition and physical properties. Study findings will guide breeding strategies to enhance the nutritive value of seeds. [Display omitted]. • Seed coat colour was defined technically by RGB colour model. • Nutrients were measured by fast sequential atomic absorption spectrometer. • Dark and red seeds were good sources of Cu and Zn. • Seed physical properties, nutrient composition and palatability, are associated with coat colour. • Brown and red coloured seeds have a higher popping yield than dark-coloured seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basis for modeling the shelf life of snacks enriched with Spirulina platensis is the storage temperature. After production, the snacks were packed in polypropylene bags and stored at 25°C (room temperature) and 5°C (refrigerator) for a specified period of 180 days. Shelf life studies were performed by semi-educated and consumer panelists. During this period, microbial tests (total count of bacteria, mold, yeast and coliform), moisture content and hardness were examined. Weibull hazard analysis was used to estimate the shelf life of snacks enriched with Spirulina platensis powder based on sensory properties assessment. Considering the 25% and 50% probability of rejection, the shelf life at 5 ° C for enriched and control samples was 98, 67 and 184, 158 days and at 25 ° C for 189, 125,217 and 321 respectively Were estimated. Also, the equation of shelf life with the probability of rejection by consumers was presented. Finally, enriched and control snacks were microbiologically evaluated. The results showed that the enriched and control snack samples were completely microbiologically safe for consumption over a 360-day period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of extrusion parameters, including feed rate (15-25 kg/h), screw speed (250-750 rpm) and feed moisture (15-25%) on the expansion index of spelt wholegrain snack products was investigated. Wholegrain spelt flour was extruded using co-rotating twinscrew extruder (Bühler BTSK 30/28D, 7 sections, length/diameter ratio = 28:1, Bühler, Uzwil, Switzerland). The obtained data demonstrate that increased feed moisture leads to a decrease in the expansion of extrudates. Increasing in screw speed resulted in higher elasticity, which has resulted in the greater expansion index. The following operating conditions: screw speed (750 rpm), feed moisture (20%) and feed rate (20kg/h) provided the highest expansion index (1.93). The screw speed has the greatest positive influence on the expansion index obtained by Yoon's model.

OBJECTIVE: The commute home following a night shift is associated with an increased risk for accidents. This study investigated the relationship between food intake during the night shift and simulated driving performance post-shift. METHODS: Healthy non-shift working males (N=23) and females (N=16), aged 18–39 years (mean 24.5, standard deviation 5.0, years) participated in a seven-day laboratory study and underwent four simulated night shifts. Participants were randomly allocated to one of three conditions: meal at night (N=12; 7 males), snack at night (N=13; 7 males) or no eating at night (N=14; 9 males). During the night shift at 00:30 hours, participants either ate a large meal (meal at night condition), a snack (snack at night condition), or did not eat during the night shift (no eating at night condition). During the second simulated night shift, participants performed a 40-minute York driving simulation at 20:00, 22:30, 01:30, 04:00, and 07:30 hours (similar time to a commute from work). RESULTS: The effects of eating condition, drive time, and time-on-task, on driving performance were examined using mixed model analyses. Significant condition×time interactions were found, where at 07:30 hours, those in the meal at night condition displayed significant increases in time spent outside of the safe zone (percentage of time spent outside 10 km/hour of the speed limit and 0.8 meters of the lane center; P

Adolescent often skip breakfast, so snacks are usually used as substitute for breakfast at school. Some snacks have unbalanced nutrient content. An imbalance in nutrient intake can affect nutritional status of adolescents. The purpose of this study was to analyze correlation between breakfast habits and nutrition adequacy level of snack with nutritional status of adolescents. The study design used in this study was cross sectional. The sampling technique was proportional random sampling with total sample of 77 students. Data on breakfast habits were obtained through questionnaires, while data on the adequacy level of snacks intake was obtained through 2x24 hours food recall. The correlation test used was spearman correlation. The results showed that there were correlation between breakfast habits, the adequacy level energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrate of snacks with nutritional status. Adolescent with poor breakfast habits and high adequacy of nutritional levels of snacks tend to have more obesity nutritional status.

This study investigated the effect of African yam bean flour (AYF) inclusion on the quality of sakada. Fermented cassava mash (FCM) and AYF were blended at ratios (% w/w) 100:0 (control), 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40. Sakada was produced using the blends, and its nutritional and sensory properties were determined. Protein, fat, crude fibre, P, Ca, phytate, and oxalate contents of sakada increased (p < 0.05) with increasing AYF level, while moisture, carbohydrate, and cyanide decreased. The incorporation of 20% AYF in sakada resulted in a significant amount (> 4.0 g/100g protein) of arginine, leucine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine. Sensory properties of sakada that contained ≤ 20% AYF compared favourably with sakada produced using 100% FCM. This study showed that the nutritional quality of sakada improved following AYF incorporation.

Extrusion cooking is used to produce puffed snacks based on cereals and feed ingredients. Because of its nutritional properties, quinoa flour has been employed to prepare various types of foods. This study evaluates the effects of including hyper-protein quinoa flour obtained through abrasive milling in four formulations cooked at 27% moisture content and processed in a laboratory level single screw extruder to determine their physical, textural, and pasting properties. The results indicated that additional hyper-protein quinoa flour in the cereal mixture reduced 47% the expansion index (EI), while the extrudate density (ED) and hardness increased 54 and 130%, respectively. After the extrusion process, the water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI) increased by more than 100%. The addition of hyper-protein quinoa flour (25–37%) did not affect the WAI, but an increase in the WSI was observed. The quinoa flour extrusion process generated changes on the color mainly in the L parameter, which decreased in the extruded snacks with quinoa flour inclusion (51.49), compared to the snack without inclusion (62.68). Changing the integrity of the starch granules and associated proteins, causing a decrease in the viscosity peaks during heating and subsequent cooling. The extruded samples revealed stability in the retrogradation process. Extruded snacks from quinoa could be an alternative approach to produce feed ingredients with high protein contents.

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Legumes play a very important nutritional role in the diet of millions of the populace around the world as major sources of protein and minerals (FAO, 2016). In developed countries, plant proteins are now considered as important component than major nutrients. The aim of this study is to produce ‘kangu’ from bambara nut and maize composite flour. This study examined the chemical properties of ‘Kangu,’ a value added snack produced using composite flour of Bambara groundnut and maize. Four composite flours were prepared by homogenously mixing Bambara flour and maize flour in the proportions of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40 and evaluated for functional properties and chemical composition. Valueadded snacks produced were evaluated for colour properties, water absorption ability and sensory acceptability using 100% Bambara flour as a control. The loose bulk density, packed bulk density, dispersibility, water and oil absorption of the composite flour increased when compared with 100% Bambara flour. At 70°C, 80°C and 90°C, the swelling power of composite flour was nearly the same, with only a little differential at 50°C, and 60°C. The moisture content, ash, fat and crude fibre of the composite flours significantly increased when compared to 100% Bambara flour with the exception of protein and carbohydrate. Sensory evaluation by semi-trained panelist indicated consumer acceptability. However, the sample that contained 60% Bambara flour and 40% maize flour scored the highest for crunchiness, taste and overall acceptability, while 100% Bambara flour scored the highest for appearance and colour. Composite flour with 30% maize substitution absorbed the highest moisture (0.76 g) among other stored snacks. Maize is rich in the amino acid methionine and deficient in lysine which is readily available in bambara groundnut, where as methionine is limited in bambara nut, this suggested that products from bambara and maize flour should be encourage so as to solve the problem of malnutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern world, there is a high incidence of food allergies and intolerances. Half the world's population suffers from food intolerance, while in Romania, 8 out of 10 persons have food intolerance to some degree. Such examples are celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten ataxia, and dermatitis herpetiformis, which are pathologies correlated with the intake of gluten prolamins (e.g., proteins of wheat, rye, and barley). Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of storage time on the physico-chemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of two gluten-free snacks containing textured fruit juice. There were obtained two gluten-free snacks with textured fruit juice that were analysed in order to determine their self-life. During the accelerated shelf-life test (ASLT) that was conducted at 35 °C in the climate chamber, the texture properties, the peroxide index, and the microbiological tests had the biggest variations. The shelf life in terms of sensory quality was 222 days for the gluten-free snack with textured mango juice and 186 days for the gluten-free snack with textured raspberry juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Few studies have examined the healthy eating environments within the Australian out of school hours care (OSHC) setting. This study aims to describe healthy eating environments, consisting of: (a) the alignment of provided food and beverages to Australian Dietary Guidelines; (b) healthy eating promotion practices; (c) nutrition education through cooking experiences; (d) staff role modelling healthy eating and (e) regular water availability. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted using direct observations and the validated System for Observing Staff Promotion of Activity and Nutrition (SOSPAN) tool. Setting: OSHC located in urban and semi-rural regions of NSW, Australia. Participants: Staff (151) and children (1549) attending twelve OSHC services operating in the hours after school. Results: Fifty per cent (50 %) of services offered fruits and 100 % offered water as a part of the afternoon snack on all four observation days. Discretionary foods were offered on more days compared to vegetables (+1·9/d, P = 0·009), lean meats (+2·7/d, P =·0 004) and wholegrains (+2·8/d, P = 0 002). Staff promoted healthy eating on 15 % of days, sat and ate with children 52 %, consumed high sugar drinks 15 % and ate discretionary foods in front of children 8 % of days, respectively. No opportunities for cooking or nutrition education were observed. Conclusion: Afternoon snacks regularly contained fruits and water. Opportunities exist to improve the frequency by which vegetables, wholegrains and lean meats are offered in addition to staff healthy eating promotion behaviours. Future research is warranted to further explore healthy eating behaviours, practices and policies within the after-school sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ne of the most important problems in our society today is the lack of protein and fiber in the diet, so enriching snacks with fiber and protein can produce products with high nutritional value and low in calories, fat and cholesterol. Due to the popularity and high consumption of extruded products among the general public, including children and adolescents, it is very important to improve the nutritional properties of these products. Accordingly, in this study, some characteristics of snacks containing starch (40 to 76%), wheat bran (zero to 30%) and moisture (14 to 20%) were investigated. Also, wheat gluten (10%) was added to all samples and the prepared mixtures were extruded at a temperature of 140 °C at a helical speed of 150 rpm. With increasing moisture and bran, water absorption index, water dissolution index first increases and then decreases, and with increasing moisture and bran, particle density, actual density and hardness increase, and with increasing starch, expansion coefficient and water absorption index, water dissolution index And the index L* increases and the particle density and the actual density decrease. With increasing humidity, L* index increases and with increasing bran decreases. With increasing humidity, the coefficient of expansion first increases and then decreases, but with increasing bran, the coefficient of expansion decreases. According to the obtained results, the use of 13% wheat bran, 61% wheat starch and 16% moisture of the input feed, produces a sample of good quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Un snack es una porción pequeña de alimentos consumida entre comidas principales con el fin de obtener energía. Su presencia en la dieta de adultos ha incrementado en la última década. El objetivo del estudio fue determinar el tamaño de porción ingerida y la percepción de la capacidad saciante esperada (CSE) de diferentes alimentos si son ofrecidos como “comida” o “snack”. Se diseñó y validó la encuesta para evaluar las elecciones de tamaño de porción ingerida y la CSE de 12 alimentos seleccionados a través del Análisis Descriptivo Cuantitativo (QDA). Participaron 453 estudiantes de 22±4,0 años, los resultados se evaluaron mediante análisis de varianza (ANOVA) con un nivel de confianza del 95%. En la mayoría de los alimentos (83,3%) la CSE fue mayor cuando eran “snack” que en “comida”. El tamaño de porción elegido en 5 alimentos fue menor cuando eran “snack” (p

Abstract Background The location and time of snack consumption may influence the composition, nutrient content and portion sizes of snacks. In this study, we aimed to determine and compare the time, location and frequency of snack consumption among different age groups of Canadians. Methods Nationally representative dietary data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) were used (19,677 participants aged ≥2 years). Dietary data were obtained using 24-h dietary recalls. Participants were categorized according to the frequency of snack consumption (1 time, 2–3 times, ≥4 times). The snack consumption over 24 h was divided into four time periods: before 10 am, 10 am to 3 pm, 3 pm to 8 pm and 8 pm to 12 am. Meal and snack location was categorized as at home; someone else’s home; restaurants; and other. Results Snacking 2–3 times per day was the most common reported frequency (53.0%). Snacking at home (73.0%) was more prevalent than snacking away from home (27.0%). The most frequently reported time for snacking among Canadians was 3 pm to 8 pm (36.3%), and the least frequently reported time was before 10 am (8.1%). Snacking contributed to a high proportion of Milk and Alternatives (23.7%) and Vegetables and Fruit (23.4%) food groups and lesser proportions of Grain Products (15.4%) and Meat & Alternatives (9.4%) food groups among Canadians. Conclusions Home is the main location, 3 pm to 8 pm is the main time, and 2–3 times per day is the most common reported frequency for snacking. A full understanding of snacking behaviors is needed in order to develop targeted strategies to improve the quality of snack food choices.

Abstract Background Hospitals in the UK offer snacks for sale to patients, staff and visitors. Despite the NHS’s health promoting role, and tightening of regulations around which foods can be sold in hospitals, many snacks purchased in this setting are unhealthy. The present project tests the effectiveness of theory-based point of purchase prompts (PPPs; a form of cognitive nudge) designed to make it cognitively easier for consumers to compare available products and choose healthier options. Methods Hospital shops in Scotland (n = 30) were recruited into a cluster randomised controlled trial to test whether a PPP could reduce the average calorie, fat and/or sugar content of purchased snacks. Inclusion criteria stated that eligible sites; sold food; were located in a hospital; and were accessible to staff, patients and visitors. The PPP intervention was a theory-based sign (tailored to the available range in each location) designed to cognitively simplify healthier snack choices by facilitating cross-product comparison. Shops were randomised to display PPPs (intervention; n = 15) or not (control; n = 15) using block randomisation controlling for shop size. Data on all snacks purchased from participating shops were obtained from retailers for a 12-week baseline and 12-week follow-up period. Primary outcomes were the average calorie (kcals), fat(g) and sugar(g) content of snacks purchased each day. Secondary outcomes were the average customer spend per item purchased (£,p) and the total number of snacks purchased daily. Shop staff were not blinded to group assignment but data providers were. Data were analysed using mixed effects multi-level regression models. Results Data from > 1 million snack purchases were analysed. Snacks purchased from intervention sites were on average significantly lower in calorie (γ = − 1.84, p

OBJECTIVE: Unfavorable eating patterns might contribute to the adverse health effects of shift work. Our objective was to examine differences in meal and snack frequency, as well as the quality of snacks, between shift and day workers and between different types of shifts. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 485 healthcare workers aged 18–65 years of the Klokwerk+ cohort study was used. Dietary intake was assessed using 3-day food diaries, and meals and snacks were classified by the food-based classification of eating episodes method. Using multivariable-adjusted regression analyses, we estimated differences in meal and snack frequency and the quality of snacks between shift and day workers. Within the shift working group, eating frequency on day, evening, and night shifts were compared to work-free days. RESULTS: Meal and snack frequency as well as the quality of snacks showed no significant differences between shift and day workers (P≥0.05). Shift workers had a higher frequency of high-quality snacks [β 0.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12–0.46] and a lower frequency of low-quality snacks (β -0.29, 95% CI -0.49– -0.09) on evening shifts compared to their work-free days. Compared to work-free days, shift workers had a higher frequency of high-quality snacks on days shifts (β 0.24, 95% CI 0.10–0.38), and only those aged ≤40 years had a higher frequency of snacks on night shifts (β 0.53, 95% CI 0.06–1.00) (interaction by age P

Oven nutrition among adults are public health problem that prevalence increase continuously by the year. College students who included in adult age group had many changes in lifestyle like snacking behaviour. The aim of study was to describe snacking behaviour among college students and to analyze association between snacking behaviour and nutritional status. Study was a cross-sectional study with total sample s 74 college students, who had determined by simple random sampling method. Snacking behaviour and subjects characteristic data were collected using Semi Quantitative-Food Frequency Questionnaire (SQ-FFQ) and structured questionnaire. Nutritional status was measured from body mass index, calculated by height and body weight. Statistical analysis were done using T-Test, Mann-Whitney test, and Pearson correlation. Average of snacking frequency were 2.1±1.1 times/day with consumption amount was 272.5±149.5 gram/day. There was a diff erences in consumption of sweet-snack and fruit-vegetable between normal BMI and overweight college students. Energy contribution from snacking fulfi lled 17.1% of total daily energy. Energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat consumption from snacking was associated signifi cantly to nutritional status (p=0.000; p=0.000; p=0.004; p=0.002) with strength of correlation were adequate (r=0.417; r=0.456; r=0.333; r=0.354). These was signifi cant correlation between energy and macronutrients from snacking to nutritional status among Public Health Universitas Airlangga students. Health college student should be more wise to choose type of snacks consumed by controlling the consumption of ready to eat snack and increase consumption of fruit and vegetable to avoid obesity problem.

An oven drying method was used to dry traditional Indonesian crackers, popularly known as kerupuk, applying drying temperatures of 50, 60 and 70°C and three different flavours, i.e., garlic, chili and seaweed. Newton, Page, Two terms, Midilli, Logarithmic and Henderson & Pabis mathematical models were used to fit the best model while the standard error of estimate (SSE), root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of correlation (r) were chosen as the criteria to determine the equation of the best fit drying model. The Midilli model was the best fit for all the kerupuk flavours. The effective moisture diffusivity was in the range of 1.0413 × 10-10-1.6363 × 10-10 m2.s-1 for the garlic flavour, 1.0007 × 10-10-1.5619 × 10-10 m2.s-1 for the chili flavour and from 1.0000 × 10-10 to 1.6228 × 10-10 m2.s-1 for the seaweed flavour. The activation energy of the garlic flavour, chili flavour and seaweed flavour kerupuk are 20.64, 20.64 and 22.57 kJ.mol-1, respectively. Furthermore, in the present study, the physical properties, i.e., the colour and hardness of the kerupuk crackers after the drying process was investigated.

Abstract Background In India, the sand roasting technique is widely used by street food vendors, villagers and cottage industries for making various value-added food products from different cereals, millets and legumes. The traditionally produced sand-roasted products are commonly utilized as ready to eat snacks or for the preparation of various other snacks. Results During the high-temperature short-time treatment of sand roasting, the produced products are bestowed with characteristics such as higher puffing, crispiness, volume, and improved color, aroma, flavor and texture. In terms of nutrition, the roasting process enhances the carbohydrate and protein digestibility, β-glucan extractability, levels of dietary fiber, minerals, and antioxidants and reduces the inherent antinutrients levels in cereals and legumes. In addition, the complete destruction of seed microflora enhances the shelf life and thus consumer acceptance. The sand-roasted products act as prebiotic dietary fiber and serves as an alternative to polished grains for the consumers. Thus, the simplest, inexpensive, traditional sand roasting method of dry heat application is used for making precooked ready to eat weaning foods and preparation of cost-effective dietary pediatric and geriatric formulations. The technique is also employed for roasting various beans, fryums, nut, and pulse decortication and as a pretreatment process for tamarind kernel powder production, while the sand baking method is widely used for baking cakes, vegetables, meat, fish, eggs and starchy tubers. Conclusions The techniques of sand roasting and baking are gaining importance as cheap, effective, oil-free, healthier ways of cooking. However, further studies are needed on micronutrient availability and functional food development for community nutritional disorders. Also, the residual silica levels and difficult working environment mandates the development of energy-efficient and high-output-orientated technologies such as continuous, microwave, and fluidized bed roasters.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of extrusion temperature (ET 120 – 180 °C), feed moisture content (FMC 16 - 25 g/100 g), pineapple by-products proportion (PBP) (0 - 30 g/100 g) in the unripe plantain flour, and the stevia content (STC 0 - 5 g/100 g) on the physicochemical properties and sensory acceptance of ready-to-eat extruded snacks, through a central compound design, using a single-screw extruder with a compression screw ratio of 3:1. The results were analyzed by response surface. The increase in FMC, PBP and STC decreased (p < 0.05) the expansion index (EI). The increase in ET decreased (p < 0.05) the apparent density (AD), water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI) and total color difference (ΔE). The increase in FMC decreases EI, WAI, and increase AD and WSI (p < 0.05). The Increase in PBP decreased EI, WSI, and increase AD, hardness (H) and ΔE (p < 0.05). The increase in STC decreased (p < 0.05) EI, and increase AD and H. The treatments with greater general acceptability were those that contained 15 and 30 g/100 g of PBP and STC 2.5 g/100 g, and they were obtained at ET 150ºC and 20.5 g/100 g of FMC, without affecting the physicochemical properties.

Street food is a major source of food in middle- and low-income countries as it is highly accessible and inexpensive. However, it is usually perceived as unhealthy due to the high levels of sodium, sugar, and fat content. However, there is little analytical data on the sodium levels in the street foods of Malaysia. This study started with a survey to determine the most frequently available street foods in every state in Malaysia, followed by food sampling and the analysis of sodium (reported mg/100 g sample). Street food in the snack category contained the highest amount of sodium (433 mg), followed by main meals (336.5 mg) and desserts (168 mg). Approximately 30% of the local street food in this study was deep-fried. Snacks from processed food (8%) contained high sodium content (500–815 mg). Fried noodles and noodle soup contained the highest amount of sodium (>2000 mg sodium) based on per serving. Most main dishes that use a variety of sauces contained high amounts of sodium. These findings were recorded in the Malaysian Food Composition Database. Moreover, this study could raise awareness and serve as baseline data for future interventions on the sodium content in the street foods of Malaysia.

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) and yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) are particularly interesting as functional ingredients due to their high content of essential omega 3-fatty acids and antioxidant properties, respectively. The objective of this work was to formulate a corn snack enriched with flaxseed flour and yerba mate extract and evaluate its physicochemical and sensory properties. Flaxseed flour, added at three levels 1, 3 and 5%, increased the water activity, moisture content and cohesiveness, and decreased the hardness and plastic deformation of the samples. The flour also changed the superficial colour and made the microstructure more compact. On the contrary, yerba mate extract (1 and 3%) decreased the water activity, moisture content and cohesiveness, counteracting the effect of flaxseed flour. Yerba mate increased the plastic deformation and the antioxidant activity of the snacks. The colour was not modified and the microstructure was more fragmented in the presence of yerba mate. Sensory evaluation suggested that flaxseed flour and yerba mate affected the flavour but did not modify the colour and crunchiness of the product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research is development of CMU Healthy Break, a web-base computer program to analyze the nutritional value of snacks. In particular, it underlines the expression of nutrients, including total energy, sugar, fat and salt content. CMU Healthy Break is developed by using PHP language based on web application responsiveness. This system has been connected to MySQL database and all data is backed up on cloud storage. In evaluating the effectiveness of CMU Healthy Break, it was found that the overall effectiveness score was4.65 ± 0.38. This means that the developed system has a very good level of effectiveness. The results of the evaluation of the difficulty of CMU Healthy Break by the user were found that the overall difficulty of the program had an average score of 1.61 ± 0.48, indicating that the CMU Healthy Break was easy to use. The overall satisfaction was the average of 4.74 ± 0.57. The CMU Healthy Break offers practical nutrients evaluation of snacks that are useful in the day-to-day selection of snacks for consumption and various activities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]