Search

This review explores the Neapolitan pizza baking process in a traditional wood‐fired oven, employing visual color analysis and IR thermal scanning to detail heat exchange mechanisms. During cooking, the oven floor temperature in the pizza area decreased proportionally to the pizza's mass, whereas the free area maintained a constant temperature of 439 ± 3°C. An IR thermal camera indicated that the oven dome temperature reached approximately 480°C with a weak flame and 500°C with a strong flame. The pizza's bottom achieved a maximum temperature of 100 ± 9°C, facilitated by the Pizzaiolo's skill in lifting and rotating the pizza for uniform cooking. Top temperatures varied: up to 180°C for white pizza and 84°C and 67°C for tomato and Margherita pizzas, respectively. IRIS electronic eye analysis revealed more browning and blackening on the pizza's top compared to its bottom, with peaks of about 26% and 8% for white pizza, respectively. Rapid baking is pivotal in Neapolitan pizza‐making, necessitating precise heat and mass transfer management to influence sensory attributes. European Commission Regulation No. 97/2010 mandates wood‐fired ovens for true Neapolitan pizza, but environmental concerns prompted the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana to certify gas or electric ovens when wood‐fired ovens are impractical. Operating costs vary: liquefied petroleum gas ovens are the costliest, with costs ranging from €5.38 to €6.19/h, whereas natural gas and electric ovens have operating costs between €2.70 and €4.10/h. At €0.15/kg, firewood is the most economical, supporting traditionalist views. However, natural gas and electric ovens present competitive costs under stringent antipollution laws, making them viable alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the environmental ramifications in the production and consumption of pizza. The PAS 2050 standard methodology was used to quantify the cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of a typical medium-sized Neapolitan pizzeria offering both table service and takeaway in cardboard boxes. A spectrum of sustainable practices capable of mitigating the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of pizzerias was analyzed. By accounting for consistent GHG emissions across specific life cycle phases—such as energy consumption, refrigerant gas leakage, detergent production, and wastewater treatment—it was possible to estimate the cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of different iterations of the True Neapolitan Pizza. For instance, the Marinara pizza had a carbon footprint of approximately 1.7 kg CO2e /kg while the Margherita pizza topped with mozzarella cheese registered roughly twice that figure. Moreover, garnishing the Margherita with buffalo mozzarella increased its carbon footprint to 4.2 kg CO2e /kg. This difference in environmental impact can be chiefly attributed to the condiments of vegetable or animal origin, with variations in protein and fat content significantly influencing the energy value of each pizza variant. These findings emphasized the importance of informed decisions for a greener culinary future, highlighting the critical role of ingredient choices in shaping the sustainability profile of pizza offerings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to identify volatiles that contribute to the aroma of cooked cheese, including the role of fat content in their development during cooking. Volatiles and odorants in cooked mature Cheddar were identified using a combination of SPME (solid‐phase microextraction)/GC–O (gas chromatography–olfactometry) and SPME/GC–MS (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry). A selection of the odorants was quantitated in six cheeses, uncooked and cooked, (mature Cheddar, high‐, medium‐, and low‐fat mild Cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan). Many compounds showed significant differences between cooked and uncooked cheese; Strecker aldehydes, pyrazines, and furanones were all significantly higher in cooked cheeses than in uncooked cheese, while ethyl esters (key odorants in uncooked cheese) were not detected in any of the cooked cheese. Principal component analysis demonstrated that fat concentration in mild Cheddar was positively correlated with the formation of potential odorants (the Strecker aldehydes, methanethiol, 2‐methylketones, and fatty acids) upon cooking. Potential lipid precursors for these compounds are discussed. Practical Application: This research can be used by the dairy industry to develop better cheeses, especially low‐ and reduced‐fat cheeses, for use in cooked applications such as toppings for pizzas and ready meals. Alternatively, this research describes key volatile compounds in cooked cheese that can be used by the flavoring industry to develop authentic cooked cheese flavorings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is the most common eye disease associated with CMV infection in immunocompromised individuals. The CMVR may initially be asymptomatic; however, relatively mild vitreous inflammation at the onset may be an important differential point from other diseases in HIV patients. Fundus photography, CD4 T-cell count, and telemedicine could be used to screen and monitor the high-risk population, particularly in resource-limited regions. Retinitis generally starts in the peripheral retina and advances toward the posterior pole, which could develop to the characteristic "pizza pie" appearance marked by central retinal necrosis and intraretinal hemorrhage. CMVR causes vision loss if left untreated, and early antiviral therapy significantly reduces the risk of vision loss. Alongside traditional antiviral treatments, immunotherapies including CMV-specific adoptive T-cell therapy and CMV immunoglobulin (CMVIG) are emerging as promising treatment options due to their favorable tolerability and reduced mortality. This review comprehensively examines CMV retinitis, encompassing the clinical features, differential diagnosis, laboratory tests, and updated treatment strategies to inform clinical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual density, defined as the number of identifiable elements per unit area within a visual design, significantly influences consumer perceptions. This study investigates the effects of varying visual densities in pizza packaging, encompassing both food-related and decorative elements, on consumers' expectations regarding taste and texture, ultimately influencing their purchase decisions. We conducted a controlled experiment where participants were presented with pizza boxes of differing visual densities. Participants rated their expectations regarding the taste and texture of the pizza, as well as their purchase intentions. Additionally, we measured consumption frequency to evaluate its moderating influence on the observed effects. Results indicate that high-visual-density packaging significantly heightened expectations of taste and texture, independent of the element's nature—whether food-related or decorative. Enhanced sensory expectations fully mediated the relationship between visual density and purchase intentions. Additionally, high consumption frequency amplified the effect of high visual density on sensory expectations and purchase intentions. These findings contribute to sensory marketing theory by highlighting the importance of visual density in packaging design and the role of consumption frequency. They provide practical implications for food packaging strategies aimed at enhancing consumer experience and satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies, highlighting that dining out forms an important part of public cultures in India, have focused on the growing influence of consumer cultures on India's middle classes and their identity formation. However, insufficient scholarly attention has been paid to the distinctly different ways in which middle-class experiences with modernity and cosmopolitanism unfold across different cities in India and in the worldwide South Asian diaspora. This article argues that in the major Gujarati city of Ahmedabad, middle-class engagement with new and global culinary practices is couched within dominant, regionally coloured vegetarian cultures, redefining vegetarianism as integral to the project of modern middle-class identity among certain upwardly mobile social groups. This ethnographic study of popular pizzerias sheds light on the transformative capacity and significance of vegetarian food. From being a symbol of exclusionary bourgeois hegemonic cultures, it has turned into a consumer item regarded as accessible and desirable for supporting middle-class aspirations to experience 'global' forms of consumption. The concluding analysis suggests that, since there are many diverse, cosmopolitan urban spaces like Ahmedabad, more research is needed especially on how global Gujarati food culture has been developing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to validate a simulated commercial baking process for traditional crust pepperoni pizza to inactivate Salmonella when contamination was introduced through inoculated flour and pepperoni slices. The unbleached flour and pepperoni slices were inoculated (separate studies) with a 3‐serovar Salmonella cocktail and dried back to their respective pre‐inoculation water activity level to achieve 6.14 and 6.84 log CFU/g, respectively. The inoculated traditional crust pizza was baked at 260°C (500 °F) for 12 min followed by 15 min of ambient cooling. In both cases, a >6 log CFU/g reduction in Salmonella population was achieved by the first 8 min of baking. The pH (5.23–5.25) and water activity (0.958 ± 0.001–0.938 ± 0.005) of the pizza in this study did not change significantly. The D‐values of 3‐serovar Salmonella cocktail in traditional crust pepperoni pizza dough were 23.2 ± 1.82, 7.50 ± 0.32, and 2.0 ± 0.15 min at 56°C, 59°C, and 62°C, respectively, with a z‐value of 5.7°C. The study validated that traditional crust pepperoni pizzas when baked at 260°C (500 °F) for at least 12 min will reduce Salmonella populations by ≥5 log CFU/g if prebaking contamination occurs via flour and/ or pepperoni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In wheat‐derived bakery products, the quantity of free asparagine (fAsn) has been identified as a key factor in acrylamide (AA) formation. Based on this assumption, four varieties of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), Stromboli, Montecarlo, Sothys and Cosmic, selected for their different fAsn content inside the grain, were studied to evaluate their potential in the production of pizza with reduced AA levels. To this purpose, wholemeal and refined flours were obtained from each variety. Results: The fAsn content ranged from 0.25 to 3.30 mmol kg−1, with higher values for wholemeal flours which also showed greater amount of ash, fibre and damaged starch than refined wheat flours. All types of flours were separately used to produce wood oven baked pizza base, according to the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed EU Regulation (97/2010). AA reduction in the range 47–68% was found for all the selected wheat cultivars, compared with a commercial flour, with significantly lower values registered when refined flour was used. Moreover, refined leavened dough samples showed decreased levels of fAsn and reducing sugars due to the fermentation activity of yeasts. Furthermore, it was confirmed that pizza made with wholemeal flours exhibited lower rapidly digestible starch (RDS) and rapidly available glucose (RAG) values compared to that prepared with the refined flour. Conclusion: This study clearly shows that a reduced asparagine content in wheat flour is a key factor in the mitigation of AA formation in pizza base. Unfortunately, at the same time, it is highlighted how it is necessary to sacrifice the beneficial effects of fibre intake, such as lowering the glycaemic index, in order to reduce AA. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: According to ISO norm 14044, life cycle assessment (LCA) calculations should be based on a functional unit (FU) that is representative of a product's function. Despite this, LCAs of food products rarely deviate from a mass-based FU. This study aimed to evaluate how the use of different nutritional FUs might influence analyses of the environmental performance of food products within the same food category. Methods: Different FUs were used to conduct LCAs of two sets of food products: 80 industrial pizzas and 44 artisanal cheeses. For both food categories, we investigated FUs based on energy content, protein content, and a French nutritional index (SAIN). For pizza, we assessed additional FUs based on portion size, fiber content, and a combination of protein and fiber content; for cheese, we also calculated FUs for calcium content and a combination of protein and calcium content. LCAs were performed using SimaPro software. We then examined how the relative environmental performance (ranking) of the 80 pizzas and the 44 cheeses changed depending on the FU used for analysis. Results and discussion: The use of a FU based on a particular nutrient always improved the apparent environmental performance of products that were rich in that nutrient. This phenomenon was particularly pronounced in cases where a mass-based FU revealed only small variation in environmental impacts between products, when products were rich in the nutrients analyzed by the FU, and when there was a range in the nutrient content of products. Therefore, different nutritional FUs yielded different results depending on the product and the environmental indicator studied, and proper interpretation also required critical analysis of the reference flows involved. Finally, we found that products from the same category were not necessarily nutritionally similar, and that nutritional and environmental dimensions could be contradictory, meaning that both should be evaluated together. Conclusions: Using nutritional FU can influence greatly the results when the goal is to compare different food products from the same category. Each of the nutritional FU used in this study brings out different information and could therefore be used complementary in order to get a deeper understanding of the environmental performance of the products. However, different FUs can yield contradictory results, potentially complicating interpretation by stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mozzarella cheese is a stretch curd cheese variety that belongs to the Pasta filata family. This cheese has gained considerable popularity for its stretchability, especially when used in pizza preparations. To enlighten pizza aficionados, this mini-review paper aims to present various factors that affect the stretch behavior of Mozzarella cheese. These factors include composition of milk, heat treatment of milk, pH, calcium content and the type of stretching employed during cheese manufacturing. The stretching process of Mozzarella cheese is delicate process that requires meticulous attention to such factors. By understanding the influence of these factors on the stretch behavior of cheese, cheese producers can ensure that their product meets the highest standards of quality and consistency. Therefore, it is crucial to consider these factors to achieve the desired stretch length of Mozzarella cheese, which is a hallmark of high-quality Mozzarella cheese infused on pizza pie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the possibility of changing the composition of the covering liquid in which mozzarella cheese is stored. The characterisation of mozzarella cheese consumed fresh and during later culinary use as a pizza topping was carried out. Mozzarella cheese from cow's milk and reconstituted sheep's milk were used for this study. The cheese was stored in whey-based covering liquid to which single or double amounts of lactose and/or citric acid (w/w) were added. The results obtained during laboratory analysis showed that the addition of lactose and/or citric acid to the covering liquid significantly impacted the mass of the cheese and the changes that can occur during later culinary use. The observed changes in the cheese during storage in the covering liquid were confirmed by the characteristics of the liquid itself. The smallest mass changes were related to cheeses stored in a covering liquid with double the amount of lactose and a single amount of citric acid. This cheese also displayed positive changes in all assessed descriptors (texture, melt, and colour). The amount of leachate from the cheese was small and occurred relatively late after unpacking and quartering. Based on the results of the study, changes made to the composition of the covering liquids can positively affect the characteristics of mozzarella cheese. Additionally, this data allows for the creation of specialised mozzarella cheeses that can pique the consumer's interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A high‐glycaemic index diet can lead to elevated blood glucose levels and chronic diseases. In this study, Dictyophora indusiata powder, oats powder and Polygonatum kingianum powder were substituted for some wheat flour to make pizza crust. The aim was to investigate the effects of the three powders on the chemical composition, physical quality, antioxidant properties, in vitro digestibility of starch and sensory characteristics of pizza crust. The addition of the three powders enhanced the nutritional value of the pizza crust, especially the dried Dictyophora indusiata flour and oats powder were rich in dietary fibre and protein, the three powders also increased the total phenolic content (214%) and antioxidant activity (ABTS+185%, DPPH30.5%) of the pizza crust and improved the shelf‐life of the pizza crust. In addition, the three powders increased the slowly digestible starch (25.9%) and decreased the reducing sugar levels and hydrogenation index, and expected glycaemic index of the pizza crust compared to the control group. The results suggest that the three powders could be used as functional ingredients to enhance the nutritional value and lower the glycaemic index of pizza crusts. This study provides new ideas for the development of nutritious and hypoglycaemic functional bakery products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: According to Neapolitan Pizza Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) regulation, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana and Fiordilatte mozzarella are the exclusive cheeses to be used, together with tomato and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), to season pizza in the "Margherita" variant. However, the so-called "Pizza mozzarella", that is a diary product having lower moisture content and a longer shelf life than Mozzarella di Bufala Campana and Fiordilatte mozzarella, is widely used in many pizzerias, both in Italy and abroad. Therefore, we investigated its quality, in comparison with Mozzarella di Bufala and Fiordilatte mozzarella, as well as its effect on the quality of the Margherita pizza. Methods: Chemical and sensory analyses were conducted on mozzarella samples and on baked pizza topping samples. Results: The results revealed a better quality of pizza with Mozzarella di Bufala and Fiordilatte mozzarella for their higher antioxidant activity, oxidative stability and lower amount of undesired volatile compounds. Conclusions: The use of Mozzarella di Bufala and Fiordilatte mozzarella in the preparation of Margherita pizza improves its quality, especially if these mozzarella types are combined with other high-quality ingredients, namely tomato sauce and EVOO, characterized by the presence of antioxidant compounds (e.g., α-tocopherol not affected by the heat treatment of pizza baking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The study focused on utilising the flours of the Poaceae family to replace whole wheat flour (WWF) in pizza. The millet blend (MB) was prepared using finger millet and pearl millet flours and mixed in a 1:1 ratio. The WWF was replaced with MB at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% levels and studied its effect on empirical rheology, technical aspects of processing, micro‐structural and nutritional characteristics of pizza base (PB). The incorporation of MB to WWF significantly diminished the water absorption capacity (80–40%) and increased the dough development time (4.27–14.37 min) and stability (2.35–11.07). Starch pasting studies indicated that with the incorporation of MB, the gelatinization temperature increased (63.6–76.3 °C), and all the other viscosity parameters decreased with the incorporation of MB. Texture profile studies showed that the hardness of the PB increased and lost visco‐elastic properties due to the presence of MB. The sensory score indicated that up to 50% incorporation of MB was acceptable, with a 7.5 (MBPB) score. The protein matrix was disrupted, and starch granules leached out due to MB addition. The results of nutritional studies revealed a significant increase in ash (2.01–2.73%), dietary fibre (9.40–11.19), protein (4.96–6.88%) and in‐vitro protein digestibility (41.77–49.80), and decrease in in‐vitro starch digestibility (28.41–17.97%) and estimated glycemic index (59–56) values in MBPB indicating the benefits of utilising millet flours in the new generation foods such as pizza bases for diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a powerful statistical technique for reducing the complexity of data and making patterns and relationships within the data more easily understandable. By using PCA, students can learn to identify the most important features of a data set, visualize relationships between variables, and make informed decisions based on the data. As such, PCA can be an effective tool to increase students data literacy by providing a visual and intuitive way to understand and work with data. This article outlines a teaching strategy to introduce and explain PCA using basic mathematics and statistics together with visual demonstrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pizza dan kue kering merupakan salah satu usaha PA Baitur Rohmah Al-Amanah sebagai realisasi misi panti asuhan yaitu, sebagai pusat pengembangan keterampilan dan jiwa enterprenuer serta mendidik anak asuh agar dapat mandiri sejak dini. Akan tetapi, hasil produksi pizza dan kue kering belum mempunyai logo dan merek yang menarik, sehingga hasil produksi tersebut kurang dikenal masyarakat luas. Oleh karena itu, kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ditujukan untuk memberikan pengetahuan dan keterampilan dalam membuat logo dan merek. Metode pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini adalah pelatihan dan pendampingan pembuatan logo dan merek menggunakan aplikasi adobe illustrator. Hasil akhir kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini berupa berupa logo dan merek yang dikemas jadi satu kesatuan. Pizza diberi merek Albait’s Pizza: Bukan Pizza Italy Tapi ala Santri, sedangkan merek kue kering adalah Albait’s Cookies: Nagih di Lidah, Murah Meriah. Selain itu, keterampilan mitara dalam menggunakan aplikasi adobe Illustrator meningkat. Kegiatan ini di diharapkan dapat manajemen pemasaran, terutama pemasaran online untuk memperluas jangkauan pemasaran produksi mereka serta meningkatkan hasil penjualan.

The paper presents the results of studying sensory, physico-chemical, structural-mechanical (rheological) and biochemical indicators as well as functional properties of natural cheeses of various type groups for a possibility of using as a main raw material to produce pizza. Cheeses were produced in the research-and-development shop of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Butter- and Cheesemaking (VNIIMS) and purchased in the retail chain. Sensory indicators (taste and odor, consistency, appearance) and functional properties (shreddability, meltability, blistering, free oil release, browning, stretchability) of cheeses from various groups were assessed by 100-point scale for assessing cheeses for pizza developed in VNIIMS. Shreddability was determined before baking by grinding a cheese sample chilled to a temperature of 4 ± 2 °C using a kitchen food grinder. Cheeses were baked at a temperature of 200 ± 5 °C for 12 min. Meltability was determined by changes in the cheese diameter after high-temperature treatment and stretchability by the “fork test”. It has been found that physico-chemical, structural-mechanical and biochemical indicators of cheeses used as a raw material affected sensory characteristics and functional properties of the final product after baking. The correlation between the fat content, protein mass fraction and active acidity of cheeses and functional properties such as meltability, free oil release, stretchability and shreddability was confirmed with statistical significance. The highest correlation was noted between shreddability, mass fraction of total protein and consistency (correlation coefficients were 0.74 and 0.76, respectively). However, none of the studied cheese types corresponded to the full extent to the targeted functional properties. To produce pizza, it is preferable to use cheeses with cheddaring and thermal-mechanical processing of cheese mass as well as unripened semihard cheeses with low temperature of the second heating that are molded from a layer, and semihard cheeses with high temperature of the second heating.

This study is motivated by industries in which products can be partially prepared and stored before demand occurs, while demand is stock-dependent. We study a multi-server system in which the servers utilise their idle time to produce and store 'preliminary services' (PSs) in order to reduce customers' sojourn time and, as a result, stimulating demand by creating the anticipation of a shorter sojourn time. In order to facilitate closed-form solutions, we analyse a Markovian queueing-inventory model and apply matrix geometric (MG) methods. In contrast to most applications in which the rate matrix R of the MG analysis is calculated numerically, our analysis enables derivation of explicit solutions for the entries of R and discovers their relation to Catalan numbers, allowing a rapid solution for large systems. Consequently, the system's stability condition is readily obtained and shown to be identical to that of a regular M/M/s queue. Two models are developed: one for non-perishable PSs, the other for perishable ones. An economic analysis is provided for two case studies: a bike store and a pizza store. We observe that the reward has low sensitivity to deviation from the optimal PSs capacity and high sensitivity to deviation from the optimal promotional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let H be a Coxeter hyperplane arrangement in n-dimensional Euclidean space. Assume that the negative of the identity map belongs to the associated Coxeter group W. Furthermore assume that the arrangement is not of type A 1 n . Let K be a measurable subset of the Euclidean space with finite volume which is stable by the Coxeter group W and let a be a point such that K contains the convex hull of the orbit of the point a under the group W. In a previous article the authors proved the generalized pizza theorem: that the alternating sum over the chambers T of H of the volumes of the intersections T ∩ (K + a) is zero. In this paper we give a dissection proof of this result. In fact, we lift the identity to an abstract dissection group to obtain a similar identity that replaces the volume by any valuation that is invariant under affine isometries. This includes the cases of all intrinsic volumes. Apart from basic geometry, the main ingredient is a theorem of the authors where we relate the alternating sum of the values of certain valuations over the chambers of a Coxeter arrangement to similar alternating sums for simpler subarrangements called 2-structures introduced by Herb to study discrete series characters of real reduced groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]