Food Service Technology最新文献

Musa species (banana, cooking banana and plantain) were bought from a market in Umuahia Abia State, Nigeria. Samples were chemically analysed and subsequently used in wine production by conventional methods of must preparation, filtration, primary and secondary fermentation (with baker’s yeast as inoculum), pasteurization and bottling. Physical–chemical properties and microbial content were monitored during the process. Sensory characteristics of the Musa wines were evaluated. The Musa species were found to have a fermentable sugar level of 18.81–23.57%. The wines produced showed an alcohol content of 9.96–11.25, brix (scale of densities used in the sugar industry) level 8.00–8.15, ash 0.32–0.45, and titratable acidity 1.00–1.108. Sensory evaluation indicated a significant difference in taste, colour and general acceptability at P < 0.05 among the wines. Potential opportunities exist to develop and produce local fruit wines for consumption by both the domestic market and tourists.

Legumes (African yam beans and cowpeas) were boiled in tap water with different salts: NaHCO₃, NaCl, CaCl₂, Akanwa (trona¹) at different concentrations² of 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 g/L, and the cooking time was monitored. Proximate analysis was conducted before and after treatment to determine the effects of these salts on the protein content. Sensory properties were also evaluated. Cooking times for the samples were significantly different (P < 0.05) when cooked in different concentrations of salts. The addition of Akanwa resulted in a shortening of the cooking time but the legumes were darkened. NaHCO₃ and NaCl also reduced the cooking time while CaCl₂ significantly increased the cooking time. The salts also affected the sensory properties. Results of protein analysis showed a significant difference between the treated samples at a concentration of 0.6 g/L. This suggests that heat and salt influence the protein content of legumes when cooked. NaHCO₃-treated samples required the least cooking time but samples treated with NaCl were more accepted. These results and their implications are important for those involved with emergency or disaster feeding.

An increasing number of disease outbreaks have been associated with produce, while pesticide levels continue to be a safety concern. With increased health awareness, fresh produce consumption has increased. As there is a need for microbial and pesticide removal intervention measures of proven efficacy to maintain confidence in food service produce preparation, a series of experiments were undertaken. Produce cleaning methods were tested by measuring removal of gross dirt, wax and environmental contaminants present on produce surface. Tests were performed on apples, cucumbers and lemons using water wash, produce brush, produce cleaner, produce cleaner with paper towel wipe, and water wash and paper towel wipe. Water rinse and paper towel dry was found superior to all other methods tested. Apples contaminated with a cocktail of pesticides were tested in waxed and unwaxed state. Following cleaning by various methods, including produce wash and produce brush, pesticides on skins were extracted and analyzed to determine concentrations of organophosphorous and organochlorine pesticides. In these experiments, it was shown that any treatment that included wiping with paper towels showed increased effectiveness over similar treatments or controls. Microbial efficacy experiments were performed involving 21 different types of laboratory inoculated produce. Two types of inoculum were employed, Tryptone Soya broth (TSB) and ground beef. After inoculation, produce was cleaned by dry wiping with paper towel, using water wash air dry, water wash paper towel dry or dipped in 200 p.p.m. chlorine dip for either 5 s or 1 min and compared to baseline values. One-minute dip in 200 p.p.m. chlorine solution was more effective than rinsing and drying with a paper towel when TSB inoculum was used (P < 0.05). The effectiveness of the 200 p.p.m. chlorine dip diminished if ground beef was used as a test inoculum, with water rinse and paper towel providing significantly (P < 0.05) improved results. The efficacy shown by paper towels usage in this diverse set of experiments is based on frictional removal of offending soils.

Centralized food production and distribution systems are reliant on the accurate and effective transfer of information. Computerized information systems (ISs) are often implemented to achieve this goal. However, rarely does the implementation of a new IS prompt a formal empirical evaluation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the business process of delivering accurate patient meals as well as identifying sources of error using the work-centred analysis model as a framework for evaluation. A cross-sectional observational study was carried out at three time points (4, 8 and 12 months) using an administered questionnaire. A total of 904 patients from five hospital sites were sampled. Twelve months after implementation and despite management intervention, no significant improvements were observed in the business process of providing patient meals. Overall, 20–35%[95% confidence interval (CI)] of patients admitted to hospital were not given the opportunity to select their own meal from a menu, and of those that did 10–30% (95% CI) received an incorrect meal. We hypothesize that a significant contribution of errors is largely systematic and a direct result of the centralization of meal plating and distribution.